Manufacturing · head to head
GrabCAD Print vs Oqton
GrabCAD Print
Manufacturing
Stratasys print preparation, free in Standard form and 5,000 US dollars a year for Pro
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Oqton
Manufacturing
3D Systems manufacturing operating system for additive, narrowed after Geomagic was sold to Hexagon
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
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.; Oqton 3D Systems sold the Geomagic portfolio to Hexagon in April 2025, so buyers who chose Oqton for an end-to-end scanning-to-production suite now deal with two separate vendors and two roadmaps.
- They diverge on capability: GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import, Oqton covers Manufacturing OS.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which GrabCAD Print and Oqton actually diverge.
| Attribute | GrabCAD Print | Oqton |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | Per user per year | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows, Desktop, Cloud | Web, Windows, API |
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 Oqton
- Manufacturing OS
- Build preparation
- Machine connectivity
- Traceability
- Automated nesting
- Quality data
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 Oqton
- A production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change themnot Oqton
- A design office running FDM and PolyJet machines and wanting one preparation tool rather than twonot Oqton
- An engineering team importing native CAD assemblies directly rather than maintaining an STL export workflownot Oqton
Oqton
- A metal additive production site scheduling builds across several machines rather than per operatornot GrabCAD Print
- A dental manufacturer needing batch to part traceability for regulated devicesnot GrabCAD Print
- A 3D Systems printer customer moving from prototyping to serial productionnot GrabCAD Print
- A factory automating build nesting to raise platform utilisationnot 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.
Oqton
- 3D Systems sold the Geomagic portfolio to Hexagon in April 2025, so buyers who chose Oqton for an end-to-end scanning-to-production suite now deal with two separate vendors and two roadmaps.
- No pricing is published, and licensing is split between the manufacturing OS and separately licensed build preparation modules, so the quoted figure is rarely the full cost.
- Support is deepest on 3D Systems hardware despite multi-vendor claims, so a mixed fleet gets uneven data capture and control.
- The parent company has been under financial pressure and has already divested a major software line, which is a genuine continuity risk for a system running a production floor.
- It is additive-only, so a manufacturer with mixed processes needs a conventional MES alongside it and an integration between the two.
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$5000/year
- Per named user per year
- Automated build nesting
- Manufacturing templates with locked process parameters
Oqton
On request- Oqton Industrial Manufacturing OS$undefined/year
- Annual subscription quoted by 3D Systems
- Priced on connected machines and sites
- Build preparation modules licensed separately
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.
Choose Oqton if
- You need manufacturing os.
- You work on Web, Windows, API.
- You also want build preparation.
Questions people ask
- Is GrabCAD Print or Oqton better?
- Neither clearly leads. GrabCAD Print starts at Free and Oqton at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, GrabCAD Print or Oqton?
- GrabCAD Print has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GrabCAD Print and On request for Oqton.
- Does GrabCAD Print or Oqton run on more platforms?
- GrabCAD Print runs on Windows, Desktop, Cloud. Oqton runs on Web, Windows, API.
- Can I use GrabCAD Print for free?
- Yes. GrabCAD Print has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Oqton 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 Oqton is typically brought in for.
- What can GrabCAD Print do that Oqton cannot?
- GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import, Multi-technology support, Tray arrangement and supports, Nesting (Pro). Oqton covers Manufacturing OS, Build preparation, Machine connectivity, Traceability.
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.
Oqton: Who owns Oqton?
3D Systems, which acquired it in 2021 and made it the central software brand.
GrabCAD Print: Can it drive a non-Stratasys printer?
No. It is tied to Stratasys hardware.
Oqton: Did Oqton include Geomagic?
It did. 3D Systems completed the sale of the Geomagic portfolio, including Design X, Control X, Freeform and Wrap, to Hexagon for $123 million in April 2025. Oqton retained 3D Sprint, 3DXpert and the Manufacturing OS.
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.
Oqton: Does Oqton work with printers from other manufacturers?
It connects to multi-vendor equipment, but the deepest integration and support is on 3D Systems machines.
GrabCAD Print: Is there a trial?
Yes, Stratasys has offered 30 and 60 day trials of Pro.
Oqton: How much does it cost?
Not published. It is quoted annually, typically on connected machines and sites, with build preparation modules licensed separately.
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