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Manufacturing · head to head

Materialise Magics vs OpenBOM

Materialise Magics logo

Materialise Magics

Manufacturing

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenBOM logo

OpenBOM

Manufacturing

Cloud bill of materials and part catalogue management priced per seat, with free read-only users

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenBOM 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.; OpenBOM pricing has three axes, editing seats plus data record count plus per-seat CAD add-ins at $25 to $45 each, so the real annual cost is well above the advertised per-seat figure.
  • They diverge on capability: Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Materialise Magics and OpenBOM differ
AttributeMaterialise MagicsOpenBOM
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer user per month
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWeb, Windows, macOS, API

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 Materialise Magics

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

Only in OpenBOM

  • Multi-level BOMs
  • Part catalogue
  • CAD add-ins
  • Change management
  • Free read-only users
  • REST API

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 OpenBOM
  • Repairing badly formed STL or scan-derived meshes that a machine slicer will not acceptnot OpenBOM
  • Automating support generation on metal parts where manual support editing is the bottleneck in the processnot OpenBOM
  • Simulating and compensating for build distortion before committing an expensive metal buildnot OpenBOM

OpenBOM

  • A hardware startup replacing a shared BOM spreadsheet before its first contract manufacturing runnot Materialise Magics
  • A contract manufacturer sharing structured BOMs with customers who should see but not edit themnot Materialise Magics
  • An electronics team pulling BOMs straight out of Altium and mechanical CAD instead of retyping themnot Materialise Magics
  • A small manufacturer that needs part numbering and revision discipline but cannot fund a PLM projectnot 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.

OpenBOM

  • Pricing has three axes, editing seats plus data record count plus per-seat CAD add-ins at $25 to $45 each, so the real annual cost is well above the advertised per-seat figure.
  • Paying yearly nearly halves the seat price, from $55 to $30 and $165 to $90, so monthly billing carries an unusually heavy penalty for teams that want flexibility.
  • Change management, revision control and CAD file management are absent from the entry Team plan, so the cheapest tier is a catalogue rather than a working PLM.
  • It lacks the approval workflows, effectivity dating and audit depth that regulated medical and aerospace suppliers need, so companies pursuing ISO 13485 or AS9100 typically migrate away.
  • Record count is metered separately and a large imported part library can push a small team into a higher data tier without adding a single user.

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

OpenBOM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 2,000 data records
    • Basic BOM and catalogue management
    • Non-commercial and educational use
  • Professional Team$55/month
    • $30 per seat per month billed yearly
    • BOM management, part catalogue, inventory
    • RFQ and purchase orders
  • Company$165/month
    • $90 per seat per month billed yearly
    • Everything in Team
    • CAD file management and revision control
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Single sign-on
    • Custom integrations
    • Private or custom hosting

Which should you pick?

Choose Materialise Magics if

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

Choose OpenBOM if

  • You need multi-level boms.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, API.
  • You also want part catalogue.
OpenBOM review

Questions people ask

Is Materialise Magics or OpenBOM better?
Neither clearly leads. Materialise Magics starts at On request and OpenBOM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Materialise Magics or OpenBOM?
OpenBOM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Materialise Magics and Free for OpenBOM.
Does Materialise Magics or OpenBOM run on more platforms?
Materialise Magics runs on Windows. OpenBOM runs on Web, Windows, macOS, API.
Can I use OpenBOM for free?
Yes. OpenBOM 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 OpenBOM is typically brought in for.
What can Materialise Magics do that OpenBOM cannot?
Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, Part orientation and nesting, Support generation, Build Processors. OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, Part catalogue, CAD add-ins, Change management.

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.

OpenBOM: Is OpenBOM free?

There is a genuine free tier limited to 2,000 data records and aimed at non-commercial and educational use. Commercial teams start at $30 per seat per month billed yearly.

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.

OpenBOM: Do I pay for people who only look at BOMs?

No. Read-only users are unlimited and free on every paid plan, which is the main reason the total cost undercuts seat-for-seat PLM tools.

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.

OpenBOM: Are the CAD add-ins included?

No. They are $25 per seat per month billed yearly, $45 monthly, and require an active Team or Company subscription.

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.

OpenBOM: Can OpenBOM replace a full PLM?

For a startup, usually yes. For regulated manufacturing needing controlled workflows and full audit trails, no.

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