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Manufacturing · head to head

Materialise Magics vs Paperless Parts

Materialise Magics logo

Materialise Magics

Manufacturing

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paperless Parts logo

Paperless Parts

Manufacturing

Quoting and estimating software for job shops, with geometry analysis and ITAR-aware handling

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Paperless Parts no pricing is published at any tier, and the mandatory implementation and data migration are quoted on top of the subscription, so the first-year cost is materially higher than the recurring one.
  • They diverge on capability: Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, Paperless Parts covers Geometry analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Materialise Magics and Paperless Parts actually diverge.

Attributes where Materialise Magics and Paperless Parts differ
AttributeMaterialise MagicsPaperless Parts
PlatformsWindowsWeb

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 Materialise Magics

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

Only in Paperless Parts

  • Geometry analysis
  • Costing rules
  • Customer portal
  • Quote revisions
  • ITAR-aware handling
  • ERP hand-off

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

Paperless Parts

  • A CNC machine shop losing RFQs because quotes take three days to return by emailnot Materialise Magics
  • A defence supplier that must process controlled RFQ files without exposing them to a generic cloud toolnot Materialise Magics
  • A fabricator standardising estimating so quotes do not vary by which estimator picked them upnot Materialise Magics
  • A contract manufacturer giving customers a portal to submit parts and receive prices themselvesnot 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.

Paperless Parts

  • No pricing is published at any tier, and the mandatory implementation and data migration are quoted on top of the subscription, so the first-year cost is materially higher than the recurring one.
  • The quality of automated quotes depends on costing rules the shop must write, which takes an experienced estimator out of production for weeks before the system is useful.
  • ERP and shop system integration is gated to higher tiers, so a small shop on the entry plan is still retyping won quotes into its job system.
  • Geometry analysis handles prismatic machined and sheet metal parts well but struggles with complex organic surfaces, weldments and assemblies, which still need manual estimating.
  • Once costing logic and quote history live in the platform, moving to another system means rebuilding the rules from scratch, which is a strong practical lock-in beyond the contract term.

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

Paperless Parts

On request
  • Basic$undefined/year
    • Quoting and geometry analysis
    • Customer portal
    • For small job shops and contract manufacturers
  • Pro$undefined/year
    • Integrations with ERP and shop systems
    • Deeper costing configuration
    • For mid-sized manufacturers
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Controlled data handling for defence and aerospace
    • Multi-site and multi-process support
    • Priority support and dedicated onboarding

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 Paperless Parts if

  • You need geometry analysis.
  • You also want costing rules.
Paperless Parts review

Questions people ask

Is Materialise Magics or Paperless Parts better?
Neither clearly leads. Materialise Magics starts at On request and Paperless Parts at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Materialise Magics or Paperless Parts?
Materialise Magics starts at On request and Paperless Parts at On request.
Does Materialise Magics or Paperless Parts run on more platforms?
Materialise Magics runs on Windows. Paperless Parts runs on Web.
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 Paperless Parts is typically brought in for.
What can Materialise Magics do that Paperless Parts cannot?
Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, Part orientation and nesting, Support generation, Build Processors. Paperless Parts covers Geometry analysis, Costing rules, Customer portal, Quote revisions.

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.

Paperless Parts: How much does Paperless Parts cost?

It does not publish pricing. Expect a tiered annual subscription plus a separately quoted implementation and data migration.

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.

Paperless Parts: Does it quote automatically without setup?

No. It applies your costing rules to analysed geometry, and those rules have to be built with your estimator during implementation.

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.

Paperless Parts: Can it handle ITAR-controlled RFQs?

It markets controlled data handling for defence and aerospace work, which is a main reason regulated shops choose it over generic quoting tools.

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.

Paperless Parts: Will it integrate with my shop ERP?

Integrations exist but are gated to the higher tiers, so confirm your ERP is covered at the tier you are quoted.

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