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Manufacturing · head to head

GrabCAD Print vs Materialise Magics

GrabCAD Print logo

GrabCAD Print

Manufacturing

Stratasys print preparation, free in Standard form and 5,000 US dollars a year for Pro

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Materialise Magics logo

Materialise Magics

Manufacturing

Industrial build preparation and data repair for metal and polymer additive manufacturing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GrabCAD Print has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GrabCAD Print it only drives Stratasys printers, so the free Standard tier is a hardware retention mechanism rather than a portable tool, and prepared jobs do not move to another vendor.; Materialise Magics new seats and modules have been subscription only since 15 May 2024, so the perpetual purchase route is closed and existing perpetual holders are on a shrinking island.
  • They diverge on capability: GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import, Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GrabCAD Print and Materialise Magics actually diverge.

Attributes where GrabCAD Print and Materialise Magics differ
AttributeGrabCAD PrintMaterialise Magics
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer user per yearquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Desktop, CloudWindows

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Manufacturing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in GrabCAD Print

  • Native CAD import
  • Multi-technology support
  • Tray arrangement and supports
  • Nesting (Pro)
  • Manufacturing templates (Pro)
  • Part labelling (Pro)
  • Wall thickness analysis (Pro)
  • Cost estimation (Pro)

Only in Materialise Magics

  • Mesh repair
  • Part orientation and nesting
  • Support generation
  • Build Processors
  • Simulation module
  • Structures module
  • Reporting and traceability

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

GrabCAD Print

  • A service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per partnot Materialise Magics
  • A production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change themnot Materialise Magics
  • A design office running FDM and PolyJet machines and wanting one preparation tool rather than twonot Materialise Magics
  • An engineering team importing native CAD assemblies directly rather than maintaining an STL export workflownot Materialise Magics

Materialise Magics

  • A service bureau running several brands of metal printer that wants one preparation environment instead of five vendor slicersnot GrabCAD Print
  • Repairing badly formed STL or scan-derived meshes that a machine slicer will not acceptnot GrabCAD Print
  • Automating support generation on metal parts where manual support editing is the bottleneck in the processnot GrabCAD Print
  • Simulating and compensating for build distortion before committing an expensive metal buildnot GrabCAD Print

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

GrabCAD Print

  • It only drives Stratasys printers, so the free Standard tier is a hardware retention mechanism rather than a portable tool, and prepared jobs do not move to another vendor.
  • Pro is 5,000 US dollars per named user per year on top of machines that already cost six figures, and there is no floating licence in the standard offer, so shift-based teams buy multiple seats.
  • The production features that most justify the spend, nesting and manufacturing templates, are all locked behind Pro, meaning the free tier is not viable for a bureau.
  • Stratasys materials are proprietary and cartridge-locked, so the software sits on top of a consumables model where the recurring cost is set entirely by the vendor.
  • Support and feature coverage vary by printer family; newer technologies such as SAF and the Neo SLA line have historically lagged FDM in the depth of preparation options exposed.

Materialise Magics

  • New seats and modules have been subscription only since 15 May 2024, so the perpetual purchase route is closed and existing perpetual holders are on a shrinking island.
  • Build Processors are licensed separately per machine family, so adding a new printer brand adds a licence line as well as capital cost, and a mixed fleet multiplies the software bill.
  • The modules that deliver the biggest labour saving, notably e-Stage automated support generation, are paid extras, so the base seat alone leaves you doing manual support work.
  • Materialise publishes no prices anywhere, and quotes vary by region and reseller, so two similar bureaus can pay materially different amounts for the same configuration.
  • It is Windows only and remains a desktop application, which sits awkwardly with the cloud direction of Materialise CO-AM and means preparation capacity is tied to specific workstations and licence seats.

Pricing, plan by plan

GrabCAD Print

Free
  • GrabCAD Print StandardFree
    • Free for Stratasys printer owners
    • Native CAD import and tray arrangement
    • Support generation and section tools
  • GrabCAD Print Pro$5000/year
    • Per named user per year
    • Automated build nesting
    • Manufacturing templates with locked process parameters

Materialise Magics

On request
  • Magics Essentials$undefined/year
    • Mesh repair and editing
    • Part orientation and platform placement
    • Basic support generation
  • Magics with modules$undefined/year
    • Everything in Essentials
    • e-Stage automated supports, Simulation, Structures priced individually
    • Build Processors licensed per machine family

Which should you pick?

Choose GrabCAD Print if

  • You need native cad import.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Desktop, Cloud.
  • You also want multi-technology support.
GrabCAD Print review

Choose Materialise Magics if

  • You need mesh repair.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want part orientation and nesting.
Materialise Magics review

Questions people ask

Is GrabCAD Print or Materialise Magics better?
Neither clearly leads. GrabCAD Print starts at Free and Materialise Magics at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GrabCAD Print or Materialise Magics?
GrabCAD Print has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GrabCAD Print and On request for Materialise Magics.
Does GrabCAD Print or Materialise Magics run on more platforms?
GrabCAD Print runs on Windows, Desktop, Cloud. Materialise Magics runs on Windows.
Can I use GrabCAD Print for free?
Yes. GrabCAD Print has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Materialise Magics starts at On request.
What is GrabCAD Print best used for?
GrabCAD Print is most often used for a service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per part, a production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change them, a design office running fdm and polyjet machines and wanting one preparation tool rather than two, an engineering team importing native cad assemblies directly rather than maintaining an stl export workflow. Of those, a service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per part and a production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change them are not what Materialise Magics is typically brought in for.
What can GrabCAD Print do that Materialise Magics cannot?
GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import, Multi-technology support, Tray arrangement and supports, Nesting (Pro). Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, Part orientation and nesting, Support generation, Build Processors.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GrabCAD Print: Is GrabCAD Print free?

GrabCAD Print Standard is free for Stratasys printer owners. GrabCAD Print Pro is 5,000 US dollars per user per year.

Materialise Magics: Can I still buy a perpetual Magics licence?

No. Since 15 May 2024 Materialise sells new seats and new modules on subscription only. Existing perpetual licences continue to work but new capacity is subscription.

GrabCAD Print: Can it drive a non-Stratasys printer?

No. It is tied to Stratasys hardware.

Materialise Magics: Do I need a separate Build Processor for each printer?

You need one per machine family, licensed separately from the Magics seat. Budget for it before you buy the printer.

GrabCAD Print: What do I actually get for the Pro fee?

Nesting, manufacturing templates, part labelling, wall thickness analysis and build cost estimation. These are production rather than prototyping features.

Materialise Magics: Is Magics the same as CO-AM?

No. Magics is desktop build preparation. CO-AM is the Materialise cloud platform for AM workflow and production management, which absorbed the former Link3D product.

GrabCAD Print: Is there a trial?

Yes, Stratasys has offered 30 and 60 day trials of Pro.

Materialise Magics: Does Magics slice?

It prepares and supports the build and hands off through a Build Processor, which produces the machine-ready file. The machine-specific processing lives in the Build Processor.

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