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Manufacturing · head to head

Markforged Eiger vs Oqton

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
Oqton logo

Oqton

Manufacturing

3D Systems manufacturing operating system for additive, narrowed after Geomagic was sold to Hexagon

From
On request
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: 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.; 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: Markforged Eiger covers Continuous fibre routing, Oqton covers Manufacturing OS.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Markforged Eiger and Oqton differ
AttributeMarkforged EigerOqton
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, CloudWeb, Windows, API

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 Markforged Eiger

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

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.

Markforged Eiger

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

Oqton

  • A metal additive production site scheduling builds across several machines rather than per operatornot Markforged Eiger
  • A dental manufacturer needing batch to part traceability for regulated devicesnot Markforged Eiger
  • A 3D Systems printer customer moving from prototyping to serial productionnot Markforged Eiger
  • A factory automating build nesting to raise platform utilisationnot Markforged Eiger

Where each one falls short

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

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.

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

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

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 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

Choose Oqton if

  • You need manufacturing os.
  • You work on Web, Windows, API.
  • You also want build preparation.
Oqton review

Questions people ask

Is Markforged Eiger or Oqton better?
Neither clearly leads. Markforged Eiger 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, Markforged Eiger or Oqton?
Markforged Eiger has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Markforged Eiger and On request for Oqton.
Does Markforged Eiger or Oqton run on more platforms?
Markforged Eiger runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Cloud. Oqton runs on Web, Windows, API.
Can I use Markforged Eiger for free?
Yes. Markforged Eiger has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Oqton starts at On request.
What is Markforged Eiger best used for?
Markforged Eiger is most often used for a tooling department printing carbon fibre reinforced jigs and fixtures strong enough to replace machined aluminium, a defence contractor needing air-gapped print preparation because part geometry cannot leave the site, which requires eiger offline, a manufacturing engineering group running several markforged machines across sites from one queue and part library, a maintenance team producing reinforced replacement brackets on demand rather than holding spares. Of those, a tooling department printing carbon fibre reinforced jigs and fixtures strong enough to replace machined aluminium and a defence contractor needing air-gapped print preparation because part geometry cannot leave the site, which requires eiger offline are not what Oqton is typically brought in for.
What can Markforged Eiger do that Oqton cannot?
Markforged Eiger covers Continuous fibre routing, Cloud slicing, Fleet management, Part library. Oqton covers Manufacturing OS, Build preparation, Machine connectivity, Traceability.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Oqton: Who owns Oqton?

3D Systems, which acquired it in 2021 and made it the central software brand.

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

No. It only prepares and drives Markforged machines.

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.

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

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

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.

Markforged Eiger: Where is the actual cost then?

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

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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