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Manufacturing · head to head

Materialise Magics vs Xometry

Materialise Magics logo

Materialise Magics

Manufacturing

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xometry logo

Xometry

Manufacturing

Custom parts marketplace whose quoting software is free because the money is in the order

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Xometry 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.; Xometry xometry is the counterparty rather than the shop, and the margin between what you pay and what the maker receives is never disclosed, so buyers cannot benchmark the part price.
  • They diverge on capability: Materialise Magics covers Mesh repair, Xometry covers Instant Quoting Engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Materialise Magics and Xometry differ
AttributeMaterialise MagicsXometry
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer order, priced on the part
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWeb, 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 Xometry

  • Instant Quoting Engine
  • Multi-process coverage
  • Teamspace
  • Thomasnet
  • Supplier network
  • Certifications

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

Xometry

  • An engineering team needing machined prototypes in a week without qualifying a shopnot Materialise Magics
  • A procurement group consolidating dozens of low-value part suppliers onto one purchase ordernot Materialise Magics
  • A startup with no supply chain buying a first low-volume production runnot Materialise Magics
  • A design team price-checking a geometry change before committing to itnot 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.

Xometry

  • Xometry is the counterparty rather than the shop, and the margin between what you pay and what the maker receives is never disclosed, so buyers cannot benchmark the part price.
  • You usually do not choose or even know which supplier makes the part, so repeat orders can come from different shops with visibly different finish and process consistency.
  • For parts bought repeatedly over years the marketplace margin compounds, and qualifying a shop directly becomes materially cheaper.
  • Instant quotes are geometry-driven and degrade on unusual features, tight tolerances or complex assemblies, where a manual review changes the price after you have planned around the automated figure.
  • Because the software is free and the revenue is in orders, there is no software contract to hold the vendor to; support and continuity are governed by your value as a parts customer, not by a licence.

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

Xometry

Free
  • Buyer accountFree
    • Instant Quoting Engine at no charge
    • Teamspace collaboration
    • Thomasnet sourcing access
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Negotiated part pricing and terms
    • Dedicated account and programme management
    • Procurement system integration

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 Xometry if

  • You need instant quoting engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want multi-process coverage.
Xometry review

Questions people ask

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

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.

Xometry: Does the Xometry software cost anything?

No. Quoting and Teamspace are free. Xometry earns on the parts you order, with the margin built into the part price.

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.

Xometry: Do I get to choose the shop?

Normally no. Xometry routes the job within its supplier network and remains your contracting party.

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.

Xometry: Is it cheaper than going direct to a machine shop?

For one-off and low-volume work usually yes, once you count sourcing time. For repeat production the marketplace margin makes a direct qualified supplier cheaper.

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.

Xometry: Can it handle ITAR or aerospace work?

It offers ITAR-registered and AS9100 routing on qualifying orders, but you must specify those requirements at quote time.

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