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Manufacturing · head to head

OpenBOM vs Xometry

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
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

  • 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.; 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: OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, Xometry covers Instant Quoting Engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which OpenBOM and Xometry actually diverge.

Attributes where OpenBOM and Xometry differ
AttributeOpenBOMXometry
Pricing modelPer user per monthPer order, priced on the part
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, APIWeb, API

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 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.

OpenBOM

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

Xometry

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

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

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

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 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 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 OpenBOM or Xometry better?
Neither clearly leads. OpenBOM starts at Free and Xometry at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, OpenBOM or Xometry?
OpenBOM starts at Free and Xometry at Free.
Does OpenBOM or Xometry run on more platforms?
OpenBOM runs on Web, Windows, macOS, API. Xometry runs on Web, API.
Can I use OpenBOM for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Xometry is typically brought in for.
What can OpenBOM do that Xometry cannot?
OpenBOM covers Multi-level BOMs, Part catalogue, CAD add-ins, Change management. Xometry covers Instant Quoting Engine, Multi-process coverage, Teamspace, Thomasnet.

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.

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.

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.

Xometry: Do I get to choose the shop?

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

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.

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.

OpenBOM: Can OpenBOM replace a full PLM?

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

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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