3D Sprint vs UltiMaker Cura

3D Sprint prepares CAD and polygon data for additive manufacturing and manages print jobs on 3D Systems plastic 3D printers. It imports native CAD files from industry-leading CAD systems, analyzes part geometry, corrects some CAD and STL translation errors, and offers manual polygon editing and hole filling. Preparation tools include automatic support generation, build placement, 3D nesting, printability checks, slicing, and estimates for build time and material. The software supports color-jet, digital light processing, multi-jet, stereolithography, and selective laser sintering printers, as well as resin slicing and multi-material printing. Users can submit jobs, manage queues and priorities, and view directly connected, networked, or shared printers. The Windows product accepts formats including STL, OBJ, PLY, STEP, IGES, and 3DS. Basic is a complimentary license included with purchases of specific 3D Systems plastic printers. A 30-day trial is available; paid pricing is on request. Pro upgrades an existing Basic license, and add-ons require an existing 3D Sprint license.

UltiMaker Cura prepares 3D models for printing with an open-source slicing engine. The free software is available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and the web. Users can start with recommended settings and choose speed and quality options, or move to Custom mode for more than 400 print-preparation settings. Intent profiles target particular applications, and UltiMaker says recommended profiles have been tested for thousands of hours. Cura includes auto supports, printer control, print monitoring, multi-material tools, and multi-material printing; cloud slicing is not included. It integrates with UltiMaker products and supports STEP and IGES files. The UltiMaker Marketplace offers material profiles from leading brands and community-rated plugins. Cura Enterprise supports cross-platform deployment, configuration, and management; it receives two updates per year, with each update supported for 12 months, including security patches and bug fixes. UltiMaker says Cura automatically collects anonymous machine types, material use, slice counts, and print settings, without personal information. The company provides support articles and ticket submission for technical assistance.