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Manufacturing · head to head

OpenBOM vs Oqton

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
Oqton logo

Oqton

Manufacturing

3D Systems manufacturing operating system for additive, narrowed after Geomagic was sold to Hexagon

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenBOM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Oqton 3D Systems sold the Geomagic portfolio to Hexagon in April 2025, so buyers who chose Oqton for an end-to-end scanning-to-production suite now deal with two separate vendors and two roadmaps.
  • They diverge on capability: OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, Oqton covers Manufacturing OS.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenBOM and Oqton actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenBOM and Oqton differ
AttributeOpenBOMOqton
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer user per monthquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, APIWeb, Windows, 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 OpenBOM

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

Only in Oqton

  • Manufacturing OS
  • Build preparation
  • Machine connectivity
  • Traceability
  • Automated nesting
  • Quality data

What people use each for

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

OpenBOM

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

Oqton

  • A metal additive production site scheduling builds across several machines rather than per operatornot OpenBOM
  • A dental manufacturer needing batch to part traceability for regulated devicesnot OpenBOM
  • A 3D Systems printer customer moving from prototyping to serial productionnot OpenBOM
  • A factory automating build nesting to raise platform utilisationnot OpenBOM

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Oqton

  • 3D Systems sold the Geomagic portfolio to Hexagon in April 2025, so buyers who chose Oqton for an end-to-end scanning-to-production suite now deal with two separate vendors and two roadmaps.
  • No pricing is published, and licensing is split between the manufacturing OS and separately licensed build preparation modules, so the quoted figure is rarely the full cost.
  • Support is deepest on 3D Systems hardware despite multi-vendor claims, so a mixed fleet gets uneven data capture and control.
  • The parent company has been under financial pressure and has already divested a major software line, which is a genuine continuity risk for a system running a production floor.
  • It is additive-only, so a manufacturer with mixed processes needs a conventional MES alongside it and an integration between the two.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Oqton

On request
  • Oqton Industrial Manufacturing OS$undefined/year
    • Annual subscription quoted by 3D Systems
    • Priced on connected machines and sites
    • Build preparation modules licensed separately

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Oqton if

  • You need manufacturing os.
  • You work on Web, Windows, API.
  • You also want build preparation.
Oqton review

Questions people ask

Is OpenBOM or Oqton better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenBOM starts at Free and Oqton at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenBOM or Oqton?
OpenBOM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for OpenBOM and On request for Oqton.
Does OpenBOM or Oqton run on more platforms?
OpenBOM runs on Web, Windows, macOS, API. Oqton runs on Web, Windows, API.
Can I use OpenBOM for free?
Yes. OpenBOM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Oqton starts at On request.
What is OpenBOM best used for?
OpenBOM is most often used for a hardware startup replacing a shared bom spreadsheet before its first contract manufacturing run, a contract manufacturer sharing structured boms with customers who should see but not edit them, an electronics team pulling boms straight out of altium and mechanical cad instead of retyping them, a small manufacturer that needs part numbering and revision discipline but cannot fund a plm project. Of those, a hardware startup replacing a shared bom spreadsheet before its first contract manufacturing run and a contract manufacturer sharing structured boms with customers who should see but not edit them are not what Oqton is typically brought in for.
What can OpenBOM do that Oqton cannot?
OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, Part catalogue, CAD add-ins, Change management. Oqton covers Manufacturing OS, Build preparation, Machine connectivity, Traceability.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Oqton: Who owns Oqton?

3D Systems, which acquired it in 2021 and made it the central software brand.

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.

Oqton: Did Oqton include Geomagic?

It did. 3D Systems completed the sale of the Geomagic portfolio, including Design X, Control X, Freeform and Wrap, to Hexagon for $123 million in April 2025. Oqton retained 3D Sprint, 3DXpert and the Manufacturing OS.

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.

Oqton: Does Oqton work with printers from other manufacturers?

It connects to multi-vendor equipment, but the deepest integration and support is on 3D Systems machines.

OpenBOM: Can OpenBOM replace a full PLM?

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

Oqton: How much does it cost?

Not published. It is quoted annually, typically on connected machines and sites, with build preparation modules licensed separately.

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