Formlabs PreForm vs Lychee Slicer
Formlabs PreForm
formlabs.com
Lychee Slicer
lychee.coSide by side
| Figure | Formlabs PreForm | Lychee Slicer |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Spec score · 3D Printing Software | 7.9 (#16) | 7.7 (#23) |
| Spec score · Additive Manufacturing Software | 7.7 (#10) | 7.5 (#12) |
| Spec score · 3D Slicer Software | 7.9 (#14) | 7.6 (#19) |
| Company | Formlabs says it began in 2011, when three MIT graduate students built its first printer, and lists Boston, Massachusetts as its global headquarters. | The privacy policy identifies the publisher as Mango 3D SAS, registered in Bordeaux, France, with its head office in Mérignac. |
| Headquarters | Somerville, Massachusetts, USA | Mérignac, France |
| Purpose | PreForm prepares 3D prints automatically and uploads them to Formlabs SLA or SLS printers. | Lychee Slicer prepares 3D models for resin and filament printing, including hollowing, supports, print settings previews and printer configuration. |
Plans
Lychee Slicer
- LiteFree
- PlusPrice not published
- Plus & LibraryPrice not published
In their own words
Formlabs PreForm
Formlabs PreForm has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Lychee Slicer
Lychee Slicer prepares 3D models for resin and filament printing, with tools for supports, hollowing, print-setting previews and printer configuration. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and Lychee says it supports more than 750 printers. Resin features include custom support structures, exposure settings, grid supports, AR preview and one-click hollowing. Filament tools include printer profiles, support management, seam optimization and real-time preview. Compatible filament printers can communicate through Klipper or OctoPrint; Wi-Fi sending depends on the printer model. Lychee Library is integrated into the slicer and offers pre-supported models from creators. The product describes cloud synchronization of settings across machines and automatic local backups. Lite is free, with limited Multi-Plate and ads on export. Plus is billed at €99.90 + local taxes yearly (€8.33 / month). Plus & Library is billed at €199.90 + local taxes yearly (€16.66 / month), and includes unlimited model downloads. Library models cannot be used commercially without creator approval.