Softwr

Manufacturing · head to head

JobBOSS² vs Simplify3D

JobBOSS² logo

JobBOSS²

Manufacturing

ECI shop control system formed by merging JobBOSS and E2 Shop System into one product line

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Simplify3D logo

Simplify3D

Manufacturing

Paid 3D printing slicer sold as a one-time licence in a market where rivals are free

From
$199/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: JobBOSS² the product is a merger of two legacy systems, so existing JobBOSS and E2 customers face a migration and retraining project whose cost is negotiated case by case and is easy to underestimate.; Simplify3D every serious competitor is free, so the $199 has to be justified against Cura, PrusaSlicer, OrcaSlicer and Bambu Studio on support and consistency alone, not on capability.
  • They diverge on capability: JobBOSS² covers Estimating and quoting, Simplify3D covers Process-based slicing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which JobBOSS² and Simplify3D actually diverge.

Attributes where JobBOSS² and Simplify3D differ
AttributeJobBOSS²Simplify3D
Starting priceOn request$199/one-time
Pricing modelquoteOne-time purchase
PlatformsWindows, WebWindows, macOS, Linux

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 JobBOSS²

  • Estimating and quoting
  • Order and job management
  • Shop floor data collection
  • Scheduling
  • Job costing
  • Integrated accounting

Only in Simplify3D

  • Process-based slicing
  • Support generation
  • Layer preview
  • Floating licences
  • Offline licensing
  • Wide printer profiles

What people use each for

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

JobBOSS²

  • A job shop quoting from spreadsheets that wants estimating, routing and costing in one systemnot Simplify3D
  • An existing JobBOSS or E2 Shop System customer evaluating whether to migrate or replacenot Simplify3D
  • A make to order fabricator that needs accounting inside the manufacturing system rather than alongside itnot Simplify3D
  • A shop that wants operator time capture at work centres to make job costing reflect what actually happenednot Simplify3D

Simplify3D

  • A print farm running machines from four manufacturers that wants one slicer and one set of profiles rather than fournot JobBOSS²
  • An engineering department on an air-gapped network that cannot use a slicer requiring online activationnot JobBOSS²
  • A team standardising support and infill settings across operators so prints are reproducible between shiftsnot JobBOSS²
  • A shop printing tall parts that need different settings at different heights in a single jobnot JobBOSS²

Where each one falls short

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

JobBOSS²

  • The product is a merger of two legacy systems, so existing JobBOSS and E2 customers face a migration and retraining project whose cost is negotiated case by case and is easy to underestimate.
  • ECI is a private equity owned portfolio company with many vertical products, and buyers should read renewal, uplift and support tier terms carefully because the commercial model is built around long term contracted revenue.
  • Machine connectivity is limited, so shop floor data comes from operators clocking in and out rather than from controllers, and any automatic utilisation measurement needs a separate monitoring product.
  • Reporting is rigid compared with a modern system and most shops end up exporting to Excel for anything beyond the supplied reports, which reintroduces the spreadsheets the system was bought to eliminate.
  • The user interface carries its lineage and takes longer to learn than a current generation web application, which matters most for occasional users such as estimators and purchasing staff.

Simplify3D

  • Every serious competitor is free, so the $199 has to be justified against Cura, PrusaSlicer, OrcaSlicer and Bambu Studio on support and consistency alone, not on capability.
  • Major version upgrades are chargeable, so the perpetual licence covers a version rather than the product and the cost recurs every few years anyway.
  • Development cadence is slower than the open source slicers, and features such as newer tree support algorithms and multi-material handling appear there first.
  • Printer profiles for very new machines lag behind the manufacturer's own bundled slicer, so buyers of a brand new printer may get better results from the free tool that shipped with it.
  • Standard licences require an internet connection to activate, and the offline option is a separate purchase negotiated with sales rather than a checkbox at checkout.

Pricing, plan by plan

JobBOSS²

On request
  • JobBOSS²$undefined/year
    • Quoting through invoicing for job shops
    • Shop floor data collection and scheduling
    • Hosted or on premises deployment

Simplify3D

$199/one-time
  • Standard licence$199/one-time
    • One user, perpetual for that version
    • Internet activation required
    • Two week money-back guarantee
  • Floating licence$undefined/one-time
    • Shared activation pool for teams
    • Priced on request
    • Volume discounts available
  • Offline licence$undefined/one-time
    • Activation without internet access
    • For secure or air-gapped networks
    • Priced on request

Which should you pick?

Choose JobBOSS² if

  • You need estimating and quoting.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want order and job management.
JobBOSS² review

Choose Simplify3D if

  • You need process-based slicing.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want support generation.
Simplify3D review

Questions people ask

Is JobBOSS² or Simplify3D better?
Neither clearly leads. JobBOSS² starts at On request and Simplify3D at $199/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, JobBOSS² or Simplify3D?
JobBOSS² starts at On request and Simplify3D at $199/one-time.
Does JobBOSS² or Simplify3D run on more platforms?
JobBOSS² runs on Windows, Web. Simplify3D runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
What is JobBOSS² best used for?
JobBOSS² is most often used for a job shop quoting from spreadsheets that wants estimating, routing and costing in one system, an existing jobboss or e2 shop system customer evaluating whether to migrate or replace, a make to order fabricator that needs accounting inside the manufacturing system rather than alongside it, a shop that wants operator time capture at work centres to make job costing reflect what actually happened. Of those, a job shop quoting from spreadsheets that wants estimating, routing and costing in one system and an existing jobboss or e2 shop system customer evaluating whether to migrate or replace are not what Simplify3D is typically brought in for.
What can JobBOSS² do that Simplify3D cannot?
JobBOSS² covers Estimating and quoting, Order and job management, Shop floor data collection, Scheduling. Simplify3D covers Process-based slicing, Support generation, Layer preview, Floating licences.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

JobBOSS²: What happened to E2 Shop System?

ECI acquired it and merged it with JobBOSS into the combined JobBOSS² line. Legacy customers are directed towards migration.

Simplify3D: Is Simplify3D a subscription?

No. It is a one-time purchase of $199 per user, but upgrades to future major versions cost extra.

JobBOSS²: Is it cloud based?

It is offered hosted and on premises. Hosted is not the same as a cloud native architecture, and performance expectations should be set accordingly.

Simplify3D: Why pay when PrusaSlicer and Cura are free?

For a mixed fleet you get one interface and one profile library across brands, plus a supplier to call. If you run one printer from one vendor, the free slicer is usually the better choice.

JobBOSS²: Does it include accounting?

Yes, accounting is part of the product, which is one of the main reasons small shops choose it over an ERP plus separate finance package.

Simplify3D: Can I install it on more than one computer?

A standard licence is per user with online activation. Teams needing shared or concurrent use buy floating licences, priced on request.

JobBOSS²: Can it read data from my CNC machines?

Not natively in any meaningful way. Data collection is operator driven, so shops wanting spindle level data buy a monitoring platform alongside it.

Simplify3D: Can I try it first?

There is a two week money-back guarantee rather than a free trial download.

Share

Related pages

More on JobBOSS²

More on Simplify3D

Keep looking

Other head to heads