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Manufacturing · head to head

Propel vs Xometry

Propel logo

Propel

Manufacturing

PLM, quality and product information management built on the Salesforce platform

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: Propel your product data lives in a Salesforce org, so a future decision to leave Salesforce becomes a PLM migration as well as a CRM one, and the extraction is not trivial.; 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: Propel covers Item and BOM management, Xometry covers Instant Quoting Engine.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Propel and Xometry actually diverge.

Attributes where Propel and Xometry differ
AttributePropelXometry
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotePer order, priced on the part
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Cloud, APIWeb, 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 Propel

  • Item and BOM management
  • Change management
  • Quality management
  • Product information management
  • Supplier collaboration
  • Native Salesforce
  • Licence types

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.

Propel

  • A medical device company needing linked design control and CAPA records for an ISO 13485 audit without an on-premise PLM programmenot Xometry
  • A consumer products firm publishing the same product record to engineering, packaging and e-commerce teamsnot Xometry
  • A company already standardised on Salesforce that wants product data governed with the same admin skills as the CRMnot Xometry
  • A hardware manufacturer routing customer complaints straight to the part revision and supplier that caused themnot Xometry

Xometry

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

Where each one falls short

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

Propel

  • Your product data lives in a Salesforce org, so a future decision to leave Salesforce becomes a PLM migration as well as a CRM one, and the extraction is not trivial.
  • CAD data management is handled through connectors rather than natively; Propel manages metadata and files well but is not a substitute for a CAD vault on large assemblies.
  • The published cost bands are extremely wide, from 10,000 to 500,000 US dollars a year, and setup can approach the annual licence, so early budgeting without a scoped quote is close to meaningless.
  • Licence roles are split across Performance, Quality, Enrichment, Collaboration and Partner types, and buyers frequently discover mid-project that a user needs a more expensive role than budgeted.
  • Salesforce platform limits such as governor limits, API call ceilings and storage allowances apply, and organisations with very large BOMs or heavy integration traffic hit them in ways a purpose-built PLM would not surface.

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

Propel

On request
  • Propel$undefined/year
    • Annual user-based licensing in role types
    • Salesforce platform access included in each licence
    • Indicative small deployment band of 10,000 to 150,000 USD a year plus 10,000 to 25,000 setup

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 Propel if

  • You need item and bom management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Cloud, API.
  • You also want change management.
Propel 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 Propel or Xometry better?
Neither clearly leads. Propel 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, Propel or Xometry?
Xometry has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Propel and Free for Xometry.
Does Propel or Xometry run on more platforms?
Propel runs on Web, iOS, Android, Cloud, API. Xometry runs on Web, API.
Can I use Xometry for free?
Yes. Xometry has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Propel starts at On request.
What is Propel best used for?
Propel is most often used for a medical device company needing linked design control and capa records for an iso 13485 audit without an on-premise plm programme, a consumer products firm publishing the same product record to engineering, packaging and e-commerce teams, a company already standardised on salesforce that wants product data governed with the same admin skills as the crm, a hardware manufacturer routing customer complaints straight to the part revision and supplier that caused them. Of those, a medical device company needing linked design control and capa records for an iso 13485 audit without an on-premise plm programme and a consumer products firm publishing the same product record to engineering, packaging and e-commerce teams are not what Xometry is typically brought in for.
What can Propel do that Xometry cannot?
Propel covers Item and BOM management, Change management, Quality management, Product information management. Xometry covers Instant Quoting Engine, Multi-process coverage, Teamspace, Thomasnet.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Propel: Do I need to buy Salesforce separately?

No. Each Propel licence includes Salesforce platform access, and end users do not need their own Salesforce licences or Salesforce expertise.

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.

Propel: Does being on Salesforce lock me in?

Practically, yes. The application, its configuration and your product data all sit in a Salesforce org, which is a real consideration at renewal.

Xometry: Do I get to choose the shop?

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

Propel: What does it cost?

Propel publishes indicative bands rather than list prices: roughly 10,000 to 150,000 US dollars a year for a small deployment and 250,000 to 500,000 for a large one, plus setup.

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.

Propel: Is it suitable for regulated medical devices?

Yes, that is a core segment; the quality module covers CAPA, non-conformance, audits and training records with electronic signatures.

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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