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Manufacturing · head to head

Ignition vs Markforged Eiger

Ignition logo

Ignition

Manufacturing

Industrial automation platform for SCADA, HMI and MES

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: Ignition requires real engineering to implement; it is a platform rather than a finished application; 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: Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing, 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 Ignition and Markforged Eiger actually diverge.

Attributes where Ignition and Markforged Eiger differ
AttributeIgnitionMarkforged Eiger
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer-server licensing with published module pricing; unlimited clients and tagsquote
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Linux, macOS, WebWeb, Windows, macOS, Cloud

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 Ignition

  • Unlimited-client licensing
  • SCADA and HMI
  • Historian
  • MES modules
  • Web-based clients
  • Wide PLC support

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.

Ignition

  • Plants where per-tag licensing has made expansion a budget conversationnot Markforged Eiger
  • Replacing installed operator terminals with browser-based clientsnot Markforged Eiger
  • Connecting plant floor data to SQL and business systemsnot Markforged Eiger

Markforged Eiger

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

Where each one falls short

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

Ignition

  • Requires real engineering to implement; it is a platform rather than a finished application
  • Steep learning curve, and Inductive Automation runs its own training programme because of it
  • Self-hosted and self-supported by default, so plant IT carries the availability burden
  • Module-based pricing means the entry figure is rarely the final one

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

Ignition

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Ignition review.

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 Ignition if

  • You need unlimited-client licensing.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web.
  • You also want scada and hmi.
Ignition 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 Ignition or Markforged Eiger better?
Neither clearly leads. Ignition 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, Ignition or Markforged Eiger?
Markforged Eiger has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Ignition and Free for Markforged Eiger.
Does Ignition or Markforged Eiger run on more platforms?
Ignition runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Web. 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. Ignition starts at On request.
What is Ignition best used for?
Ignition is most often used for plants where per-tag licensing has made expansion a budget conversation, replacing installed operator terminals with browser-based clients, connecting plant floor data to sql and business systems. Of those, plants where per-tag licensing has made expansion a budget conversation and replacing installed operator terminals with browser-based clients are not what Markforged Eiger is typically brought in for.
What can Ignition do that Markforged Eiger cannot?
Ignition covers Unlimited-client licensing, SCADA and HMI, Historian, MES modules. Markforged Eiger covers Continuous fibre routing, Cloud slicing, Fleet management, Part library.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Ignition: What does Ignition cost?

It publishes per-server module pricing with unlimited clients, tags and connections, so cost does not scale with how many people use it.

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.

Ignition: Why does unlimited-client licensing matter?

Traditional SCADA is licensed per tag or per screen, which turns adding an operator terminal into a purchase. Ignition removes that ceiling.

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

No. It only prepares and drives Markforged machines.

Ignition: Is it a finished application?

No, it is a platform. Screens, tags and logic are built for the specific plant, which is real engineering work.

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

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

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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