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Manufacturing · head to head

Materialise Magics vs Simplify3D

Materialise Magics logo

Materialise Magics

Manufacturing

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

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: 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.; 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: Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, Simplify3D covers Process-based slicing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Materialise Magics and Simplify3D actually diverge.

Attributes where Materialise Magics and Simplify3D differ
AttributeMaterialise MagicsSimplify3D
Starting priceOn request$199/one-time
Pricing modelquoteOne-time purchase
PlatformsWindowsWindows, 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 Materialise Magics

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

Only in Simplify3D

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

Both cover

  • Support generation

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 Simplify3D
  • Repairing badly formed STL or scan-derived meshes that a machine slicer will not acceptnot Simplify3D
  • Automating support generation on metal parts where manual support editing is the bottleneck in the processnot Simplify3D
  • Simulating and compensating for build distortion before committing an expensive metal buildnot Simplify3D

Simplify3D

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

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

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

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 Materialise Magics if

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

Choose Simplify3D if

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

Questions people ask

Is Materialise Magics or Simplify3D better?
Neither clearly leads. Materialise Magics 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, Materialise Magics or Simplify3D?
Materialise Magics starts at On request and Simplify3D at $199/one-time.
Does Materialise Magics or Simplify3D run on more platforms?
Materialise Magics runs on Windows. Simplify3D runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
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 Simplify3D is typically brought in for.
What can Materialise Magics do that Simplify3D cannot?
Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, Part orientation and nesting, Build Processors, Simulation module. Simplify3D covers Process-based slicing, Layer preview, Floating licences, Offline licensing. Both handle Support generation.

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.

Simplify3D: Is Simplify3D a subscription?

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Simplify3D: Can I try it first?

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

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