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Manufacturing · head to head

Materialise Magics vs Megaventory

Materialise Magics logo

Materialise Magics

Manufacturing

Industrial build preparation and data repair for metal and polymer additive manufacturing

From
On request
Rated
-
Megaventory logo

Megaventory

Inventory

Order and inventory management for SMBs

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Megaventory has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Materialise Magics new seats and modules have been subscription only since 15 May 2024, so the perpetual purchase route is closed and existing perpetual holders are on a shrinking island.; Megaventory single Pro plan tier; no tiered options for different business sizes
  • They diverge on capability: Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, Megaventory covers Inventory tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Materialise Magics and Megaventory actually diverge.

Attributes where Materialise Magics and Megaventory differ
AttributeMaterialise MagicsMegaventory
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWeb
CategoryManufacturingInventory
FoundedUnknown2010

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Materialise Magics

  • Mesh repair
  • Part orientation and nesting
  • Support generation
  • Build Processors
  • Simulation module
  • Structures module
  • Reporting and traceability

Only in Megaventory

  • Inventory tracking
  • Order management
  • Manufacturing
  • Multi-location
  • WooCommerce
  • Shopify
  • Magento
  • QuickBooks

What people use each for

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

Materialise Magics

  • A service bureau running several brands of metal printer that wants one preparation environment instead of five vendor slicersnot Megaventory
  • Repairing badly formed STL or scan-derived meshes that a machine slicer will not acceptnot Megaventory
  • Automating support generation on metal parts where manual support editing is the bottleneck in the processnot Megaventory
  • Simulating and compensating for build distortion before committing an expensive metal buildnot Megaventory

Megaventory

  • Small inventory operations with Pro plan's 50,000 transaction capacity and 5 usersnot Materialise Magics
  • Multi-location inventory management across up to 20 locations with Pro plannot Materialise Magics
  • Growing businesses requiring custom plans beyond Pro specifications via Enterprise tiernot Materialise Magics

Where each one falls short

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

Materialise Magics

  • New seats and modules have been subscription only since 15 May 2024, so the perpetual purchase route is closed and existing perpetual holders are on a shrinking island.
  • Build Processors are licensed separately per machine family, so adding a new printer brand adds a licence line as well as capital cost, and a mixed fleet multiplies the software bill.
  • The modules that deliver the biggest labour saving, notably e-Stage automated support generation, are paid extras, so the base seat alone leaves you doing manual support work.
  • Materialise publishes no prices anywhere, and quotes vary by region and reseller, so two similar bureaus can pay materially different amounts for the same configuration.
  • It is Windows only and remains a desktop application, which sits awkwardly with the cloud direction of Materialise CO-AM and means preparation capacity is tied to specific workstations and licence seats.

Megaventory

  • Single Pro plan tier; no tiered options for different business sizes
  • Additional users cost $45 per month each up to 35 total users
  • Additional transaction blocks cost $45 per month per 25k transactions up to 200k total
  • Enterprise plan pricing requires contacting sales for custom quote

Pricing, plan by plan

Materialise Magics

On request
  • Magics Essentials$undefined/year
    • Mesh repair and editing
    • Part orientation and platform placement
    • Basic support generation
  • Magics with modules$undefined/year
    • Everything in Essentials
    • e-Stage automated supports, Simulation, Structures priced individually
    • Build Processors licensed per machine family

Megaventory

Free
  • Pro$135/month
    • 5 users
    • 50k transactions
    • 20 locations
  • Pro (annual)$121.5/month
    • 5 users
    • 50k transactions
    • 20 locations

Which should you pick?

Choose Materialise Magics if

  • You need mesh repair.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want part orientation and nesting.

Choose Megaventory if

  • You need inventory tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want order management.

Questions people ask

Is Materialise Magics or Megaventory better?
Neither clearly leads. Materialise Magics starts at On request and Megaventory at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Materialise Magics or Megaventory?
Megaventory has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Materialise Magics and Free for Megaventory.
Does Materialise Magics or Megaventory run on more platforms?
Materialise Magics runs on Windows. Megaventory runs on Web.
Can I use Megaventory for free?
Yes. Megaventory has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Materialise Magics starts at On request.
What is Materialise Magics best used for?
Materialise Magics is most often used for a service bureau running several brands of metal printer that wants one preparation environment instead of five vendor slicers, repairing badly formed stl or scan-derived meshes that a machine slicer will not accept, automating support generation on metal parts where manual support editing is the bottleneck in the process, simulating and compensating for build distortion before committing an expensive metal build. Of those, a service bureau running several brands of metal printer that wants one preparation environment instead of five vendor slicers and repairing badly formed stl or scan-derived meshes that a machine slicer will not accept are not what Megaventory is typically brought in for.
What can Materialise Magics do that Megaventory cannot?
Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, Part orientation and nesting, Support generation, Build Processors. Megaventory covers Inventory tracking, Order management, Manufacturing, Multi-location.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Materialise Magics: Can I still buy a perpetual Magics licence?

No. Since 15 May 2024 Materialise sells new seats and new modules on subscription only. Existing perpetual licences continue to work but new capacity is subscription.

Megaventory: What is included in Megaventory's Pro plan?

The Pro plan costs $135 per month ($121.50/month with annual billing) and includes 5 users, 50,000 transactions, 20 locations, 20,000 product SKUs, 20,000 clients, and 2 hours of training.

Source
Materialise Magics: Do I need a separate Build Processor for each printer?

You need one per machine family, licensed separately from the Magics seat. Budget for it before you buy the printer.

Megaventory: How much does Megaventory charge for additional users?

Megaventory charges $45 per month for each additional user, up to a maximum of 35 total users on the platform.

Source
Materialise Magics: Is Magics the same as CO-AM?

No. Magics is desktop build preparation. CO-AM is the Materialise cloud platform for AM workflow and production management, which absorbed the former Link3D product.

Megaventory: Does Megaventory offer a free trial?

Yes, Megaventory offers a 15-day free trial with no obligation to continue to a paid subscription. Non-profit organizations can contact Megaventory for discounted subscription rates.

Source
Materialise Magics: Does Magics slice?

It prepares and supports the build and hands off through a Build Processor, which produces the machine-ready file. The machine-specific processing lives in the Build Processor.

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