Netfabb
3D printing software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
Take the quiz to check if Netfabb and its alternatives fit your requirements.
Pay-as-you-go
Free Trial
Free version unavailable
Small
Medium
Large
- Public sector and nonprofit organizations
- Manufacturing
- Construction
What is Netfabb
Netfabb is a 3D printing software application used to prepare, repair, and optimize 3D models for additive manufacturing. It supports workflows such as mesh analysis and fixing, build preparation, support generation, and print job setup for industrial and engineering use cases. The product is commonly used by manufacturing engineers and service bureaus that need more control over print preparation than basic slicers provide. Netfabb is offered as part of Autodesk’s additive manufacturing software portfolio.
Robust mesh repair tools
Netfabb includes dedicated functions for analyzing and repairing common mesh issues such as holes, non-manifold edges, flipped normals, and self-intersections. These capabilities help reduce print failures caused by invalid geometry. It is particularly useful when working with STL/mesh-heavy workflows coming from scanning or exported CAD data.
Industrial build preparation workflow
The software supports build setup tasks such as part orientation, packing/nesting, and support strategy preparation for additive manufacturing. These features align with production-oriented workflows where build volume utilization and repeatability matter. It provides more specialized build-prep depth than general-purpose modeling tools or entry-level slicers.
Integration with Autodesk ecosystem
Netfabb fits into Autodesk’s broader design-to-manufacturing toolchain, which can simplify data handoffs for teams already using Autodesk products. This can reduce file conversion steps and improve traceability across design and manufacturing stages. Centralized licensing and account management can also help in organizations standardizing on Autodesk software.
Not a full CAD modeler
Netfabb focuses on mesh repair and additive build preparation rather than parametric CAD design. Users typically need separate CAD software for creating and editing feature-based geometry. This can add workflow complexity for teams expecting an all-in-one design and print environment.
Learning curve for advanced prep
Advanced build preparation, support configuration, and process optimization require additive manufacturing knowledge and time to configure effectively. New users may find the interface and terminology less approachable than simplified desktop printing tools. Organizations may need training and documented internal standards to achieve consistent results.
Autodesk licensing dependency
Access and feature availability depend on Autodesk’s packaging and subscription model, which can change over time. This can make long-term cost forecasting and feature planning harder compared with standalone perpetual-license tools. Some teams may also prefer vendor-neutral licensing and deployment options for mixed-software environments.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fusion with Netfabb | Price not listed on Autodesk public buy page (see notes) | Subscription entitled to Autodesk Netfabb Premium with selected Netfabb Ultimate functionality, plus Autodesk Fusion, Fusion Manufacturing Extension, Fusion Team, and HSM Works. 30-day free trial available. Source: Autodesk product overview & buy pages. |
| Netfabb Local Simulation | Contact Autodesk sales (price not published on product pages) | Dedicated simulation product for MPBF and DED process simulation; subscription includes Netfabb Local Simulation, Autodesk Fusion, Fusion Team, and HSM Works. Contact sales for pricing. |
| Netfabb (Ultimate) | Contact Autodesk sales / not listed for direct online purchase | Historically offered as Ultimate; Autodesk documentation indicates Ultimate and Local Simulation typically require contacting Autodesk sales for pricing or enterprise purchase. |
Note: Autodesk provides an Autodesk Flex (token-based) pay-as-you-go option with published token-based daily-cost estimates (see usage-based section). Exact annual/monthly subscription prices were not rendered on Autodesk product pages during this check and therefore are marked as not listed/unsure.
Seller details
Autodesk, Inc.
San Francisco, CA, USA
1982
Public
https://www.autodesk.com/
https://x.com/autodesk
https://www.linkedin.com/company/autodesk/
