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OrcaSlicer vs UltiMaker Cura: catalog facts
OrcaSlicerUltiMaker Cura

Best for: Tuning a printer and a new filament properly instead of guessing

Best for: Slicing for a filament printer when you want profiles that already exist

Free

Free and open source under the AGPL 3.0.

Free

Free and open source under the LGPL 3.0. An UltiMaker account is optional and only needed for cloud…

Full pricing details for UltiMaker Cura

Free and open source under the LGPL 3.0. An UltiMaker account is optional and only needed for cloud features.

Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
  • Built-in calibration tests for temperature, flow, retraction and pressure advance
  • Scarf seams and wall spacing control for visibly better surfaces
All 4 strengths for OrcaSlicer
  • Built-in calibration tests for temperature, flow, retraction and pressure advance
  • Scarf seams and wall spacing control for visibly better surfaces
  • Profiles for Bambu, Prusa, Voron, RatRig and Creality machines
  • Windows, macOS, Linux AppImage and Flatpak builds including ARM64
  • Profiles for hundreds of printers, not just UltiMaker's own
  • Recommended presets hide the settings until you want them
All 4 strengths for UltiMaker Cura
  • Profiles for hundreds of printers, not just UltiMaker's own
  • Recommended presets hide the settings until you want them
  • Layer preview shows the toolpath before you start the print
  • Plugin marketplace for model sources and post-processing scripts
  • More settings exposed than a first-time printer owner needs
  • Copycat sites such as orca-slicer.com push unsafe downloads, so use orcaslicer.com
All 3 limitations for OrcaSlicer
  • More settings exposed than a first-time printer owner needs
  • Copycat sites such as orca-slicer.com push unsafe downloads, so use orcaslicer.com
  • Releases move fast and occasionally regress a printer profile
  • Heavier and slower to start than the newer slicers
  • Hundreds of settings once you leave the recommended mode
All 3 limitations for UltiMaker Cura
  • Heavier and slower to start than the newer slicers
  • Hundreds of settings once you leave the recommended mode
  • Calibration tooling is thin compared with OrcaSlicer
Downloadable app Downloadable app
Open source Open source
License: AGPL-3.0 License: LGPL-3.0
No account needed No account needed
Offline features available Offline features available
Sources for OrcaSlicer

Catalog checked September 21, 2026

Sources for UltiMaker Cura

Catalog checked September 21, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.