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Manufacturing · head to head

Guidewheel vs Markforged Eiger

Guidewheel logo

Guidewheel

Manufacturing

Machine monitoring from a clamp on the power cord, so equipment age and protocol stop mattering

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Markforged Eiger logo

Markforged Eiger

Manufacturing

Free cloud print preparation for Markforged printers, because the money is in the hardware

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Markforged Eiger has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Guidewheel current draw shows that a machine is consuming power, not that it is producing good parts, so scrap, rework and quality still require operator entry or additional sensors and the OEE quality factor is not measured automatically.; Markforged Eiger eiger only drives Markforged printers, so the free software is a lock-in mechanism; the moment you want a different machine none of your prepared parts or fibre routing transfers.
  • They diverge on capability: Guidewheel covers Clamp on current sensing, Markforged Eiger covers Continuous fibre routing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Guidewheel and Markforged Eiger actually diverge.

Attributes where Guidewheel and Markforged Eiger differ
AttributeGuidewheelMarkforged Eiger
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Windows, macOS, Cloud

Identical on both: pricing model (quote), 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 Guidewheel

  • Clamp on current sensing
  • Automatic uptime and downtime
  • Downtime categorisation
  • Real time alerting
  • Shift and OEE reporting
  • Energy visibility

Only in Markforged Eiger

  • Continuous fibre routing
  • Cloud slicing
  • Fleet management
  • Part library
  • Material tracking
  • Simulation add-on
  • Eiger Offline
  • Access control

What people use each for

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

Guidewheel

  • A plant running equipment built in the 1980s and 1990s that no controller based monitoring product can readnot Markforged Eiger
  • A mixed floor of presses, ovens, compressors and fabrication equipment from many manufacturers with no common protocolnot Markforged Eiger
  • A manufacturer that needs evidence of real capacity before agreeing to buy another machinenot Markforged Eiger
  • A plant wanting immediate notification when an unattended overnight process stopsnot Markforged Eiger

Markforged Eiger

  • A tooling department printing carbon fibre reinforced jigs and fixtures strong enough to replace machined aluminiumnot Guidewheel
  • A defence contractor needing air-gapped print preparation because part geometry cannot leave the site, which requires Eiger Offlinenot Guidewheel
  • A manufacturing engineering group running several Markforged machines across sites from one queue and part librarynot Guidewheel
  • A maintenance team producing reinforced replacement brackets on demand rather than holding sparesnot Guidewheel

Where each one falls short

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

Guidewheel

  • Current draw shows that a machine is consuming power, not that it is producing good parts, so scrap, rework and quality still require operator entry or additional sensors and the OEE quality factor is not measured automatically.
  • Cycle counting depends on a distinct load signature for each cycle, so machines with flat continuous draw such as ovens, some extruders and continuous mixers give poor or unusable part counts.
  • Installation involves fitting a clamp around a live power conductor inside or near an electrical panel, which in many plants requires a qualified electrician and a scheduled shutdown rather than a plug in setup.
  • It is monitoring, not execution, so there is no routing, scheduling, work order or traceability capability and it must sit alongside an ERP or MES rather than replacing either.
  • Pricing is per monitored machine, so a plant with two hundred small machines faces a bill proportional to machine count rather than to plant size, and the economics work better on fewer larger assets.

Markforged Eiger

  • Eiger only drives Markforged printers, so the free software is a lock-in mechanism; the moment you want a different machine none of your prepared parts or fibre routing transfers.
  • The standard product is cloud only, meaning part geometry is uploaded to a vendor service, which is unacceptable for many defence and aerospace sites and forces them onto the paid Eiger Offline subscription per machine.
  • Eiger Offline pricing is not published and is charged per machine, so a shop with several printers pays repeatedly for software the cloud users receive free.
  • Slicing control is deliberately simplified compared with open slicers, and experienced operators regularly find they cannot reach a parameter they want without contacting support.
  • Markforged has been through financial pressure and consolidation in the additive sector, and because the software is inseparable from the hardware, a change of ownership or product line pruning would strand the fleet rather than just the tool.

Pricing, plan by plan

Guidewheel

On request
  • Guidewheel$undefined/year
    • Per machine monitoring hardware and platform access
    • Downtime and OEE reporting
    • Alerting and energy visibility

Markforged Eiger

Free
  • Eiger Basic$undefined/year
    • Included at no additional charge with every Markforged printer
    • No per-user or per-printer software fee
    • Cloud print preparation and fleet management
  • Eiger Offline$undefined/year
    • Air-gapped installation for secure and classified environments
    • Sold per machine on subscription
    • Quarterly feature and material updates

Which should you pick?

Choose Guidewheel if

  • You need clamp on current sensing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automatic uptime and downtime.
Guidewheel review

Choose Markforged Eiger if

  • You need continuous fibre routing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Cloud.
  • You also want cloud slicing.
Markforged Eiger review

Questions people ask

Is Guidewheel or Markforged Eiger better?
Neither clearly leads. Guidewheel starts at On request and Markforged Eiger at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Guidewheel or Markforged Eiger?
Markforged Eiger has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Guidewheel and Free for Markforged Eiger.
Does Guidewheel or Markforged Eiger run on more platforms?
Guidewheel runs on Web, iOS, Android. Markforged Eiger runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Cloud.
Can I use Markforged Eiger for free?
Yes. Markforged Eiger has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Guidewheel starts at On request.
What is Guidewheel best used for?
Guidewheel is most often used for a plant running equipment built in the 1980s and 1990s that no controller based monitoring product can read, a mixed floor of presses, ovens, compressors and fabrication equipment from many manufacturers with no common protocol, a manufacturer that needs evidence of real capacity before agreeing to buy another machine, a plant wanting immediate notification when an unattended overnight process stops. Of those, a plant running equipment built in the 1980s and 1990s that no controller based monitoring product can read and a mixed floor of presses, ovens, compressors and fabrication equipment from many manufacturers with no common protocol are not what Markforged Eiger is typically brought in for.
What can Guidewheel do that Markforged Eiger cannot?
Guidewheel covers Clamp on current sensing, Automatic uptime and downtime, Downtime categorisation, Real time alerting. Markforged Eiger covers Continuous fibre routing, Cloud slicing, Fleet management, Part library.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Guidewheel: Does it work on machines with no controller or network port?

Yes. That is the reason it exists. It measures the power cable, so machine age and protocol are irrelevant.

Markforged Eiger: How much does Eiger cost?

Nothing, if you own a Markforged printer. It is included with every machine with no per-user or per-printer software fee. Eiger Offline is a separate paid per-machine subscription.

Guidewheel: Will it count parts?

Sometimes. It works where each cycle produces a distinct electrical signature and does not work on continuous draw equipment.

Markforged Eiger: Can I use Eiger with a non-Markforged printer?

No. It only prepares and drives Markforged machines.

Guidewheel: Do I need IT involvement?

Less than with controller based monitoring, but you do need electrical work to fit the sensors and a path for the gateway to reach the internet.

Markforged Eiger: Is my part geometry uploaded to the cloud?

Yes, in the standard product. Sites that cannot allow that need Eiger Offline.

Guidewheel: Is it an MES?

No. It monitors equipment. Work orders, routings and traceability need a separate system.

Markforged Eiger: Where is the actual cost then?

In the printers and the proprietary filament and continuous fibre spools, which are the recurring spend.

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