Ultimaker Cura is a free open-source 3D printing slicer with 400-plus settings. See its features, licensing, pros, cons, and Enterprise pricing.
Category
Productivity
Pricing
Free and open source desktop application under the LGPLv3 license; UltiMaker Cura Enterprise is available separately for businesses via custom quote, from Free for the standard desktop application; custom pricing for UltiMaker Cura Enterprise
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Last updated
July 19, 2026
Founded
2011
Headquarters
Utrecht, Netherlands (UltiMaker headquarters)
History and company behind Cura
Cura was originally created by David Braam, who was later hired by Ultimaker to continue developing it as the company's primary slicing software. Ultimaker itself was founded in 2011 in the Netherlands by Martijn Elserman, Erik de Bruijn, and Siert Wijnia.
In September 2022, Ultimaker completed a merger with MakerBot to form UltiMaker, a combined company backed by investors NPM Capital and Stratasys, headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands, with around 400 employees. UltiMaker continues to develop Cura as an actively maintained open-source project.
Licensing and adoption
Cura launched under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3 before switching to the more permissive LGPLv3 license in September 2017 to allow easier integration with third-party CAD software.
The software is reported to be used by more than one million people worldwide, processing roughly 1.4 million print jobs weekly, and it won Software Tool of the Year at the 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards.
Slicing capabilities and Enterprise edition
The software provides more than 400 configurable print settings covering layer height, infill, print speed, and advanced support structures, along with a large built-in library of printer profiles covering hundreds of desktop 3D printers beyond UltiMaker's own hardware.
UltiMaker Cura Enterprise is a separate business-oriented edition with only two tested releases per year, 12 months of update support per release, and centralized deployment tools, priced through a custom quote rather than public pricing.
Key Features
400-plus print settings — Fine-grained control over layer height, infill, print speed, temperature, and support generation.
Tree supports and adaptive layers — Advanced support structure options designed to reduce material use and improve overhead print quality.
Broad file format support — Imports STL, OBJ, X3D, and 3MF model files for slicing.
Extensive printer profile library — Ships with built-in profiles for hundreds of desktop 3D printers from many manufacturers.
Layer-by-layer print preview — Visualizes the sliced print path before sending a job to the printer.
Plugin marketplace — Community-built plugins extend Cura's functionality within the desktop application.
Multi-extruder and multi-material support — Configures dual-extrusion and multi-material printing setups for compatible printers.
Cura Connect and Digital Factory integration — Cloud-based remote print monitoring and queue management across networked printers.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Free and open source with no cost for the standard desktop application
Extremely deep configurability with more than 400 print settings
Large built-in printer profile library covering many brands beyond UltiMaker
Active open-source community and regular development updates
Cross-platform support for Windows, macOS, and Linux
Cons
The sheer number of settings can overwhelm beginners
Slicing very complex or large models can be slow on lower-powered computers
Plugin marketplace compatibility can lag behind the newest Cura versions
Cloud features like Digital Factory are most optimized for UltiMaker's own printers
Cura Enterprise pricing is not publicly listed and requires contacting sales
Yes, the standard desktop version of Cura is free and open source under the LGPLv3 license.
Who created Cura
Cura was originally created by David Braam, who was later hired by Ultimaker to continue developing it.
What is the difference between Cura and Cura Enterprise
Cura Enterprise is a business-oriented edition with fewer, more thoroughly tested releases per year, 12 months of update support, and centralized deployment tools, priced via custom quote.
What file formats does Cura support
Cura supports importing STL, OBJ, X3D, and 3MF 3D model files.
Does Cura work with printers other than UltiMaker's
Yes, Cura ships with a large built-in library of profiles covering hundreds of desktop 3D printers from many manufacturers.
Who maintains Cura today
Cura is maintained by UltiMaker, formed from the 2022 merger of Ultimaker and MakerBot.
How many settings does Cura offer
Cura offers more than 400 individually configurable print settings.