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Best 3d printer software for ender 3
The Best Ender 3 Software (CAD, Slicers, & More!)
Though the Ender 3 fully deserves its crown as the king of budget 3D printers, it’s nothing without software to tame and harness its printing potential.
As any experienced maker will tell you, a 3D printer is just an expensive paperweight without the right software.
This guide will bring you a list of the best Ender 3 software around, guaranteed to improve your prints and spice up your time with Creality’s flagship low-cost printer.
With the aim of covering every aspect of the 3D printing process, we’ve got slicers, CAD modeling software, printer monitoring and management tools, and firmware – everything you’ll need to get the most out of the Ender 3.
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Table Of Contents
- Best Ender 3 Software – Full Round-Up
- Slicers
- CAD Software
- 3D Printer Controller
- Firmware
- Ender 3 Software – Slicers
- Cura
- Creality Slicer
- PrusaSlicer
- Ender 3 Software – CAD Software
- Fusion 360
- TinkerCAD
- Ender 3 Software – 3D Printer Controller Application
- Octoprint
- Firmware
- Official Creality Firmware
- Th4D Unified Firmware
- Ender 3 Software – FAQs
- What software does the Ender 3 use?
- What software to use with the Ender 3?
Top Picks
Best Ender 3 Software – Full Round-Up
Slicers
- Cura
- Creality Slicer
- PrusaSlicer
CAD Software
- Fusion 360
- TinkerCAD
3D Printer Controller
- Octoprint
Firmware
- Official Creality Firmware
- Th4D Unified Firmware
Ender 3 Software – Slicers
If there’s one 3D printing program you can’t do without, it’s a slicer. It allows you to transform raw model data into the movement and extrusion instructions needed for the Ender 3 to print a real-world, physical replica. In other words, taking you from an STL to a G-Code file that the Ender 3 can interpret and use to create a print.
Here are our picks for the options for the Ender 3, all of them free and accessible, whatever your current 3D printing experience level.
Read more: our complete Ender 3 slicer guide
Cura
No slicer software boasts quite the same popularity as Ultimaker’s Cura.
Much of this is down to the software being free and open-source, but a rich array of features and an ordered, intuitive interface play a part in why many Ender 3 owners point to Cura as their slicer of choice.
Given that Cura offers pre-set profile and setting configurations for the Ender 3 and Pro, it provides the opportunity to print without any initial tinkering.
Beyond these, over 200 individual settings are laid out in easily scannable categories to fine-tune the Ender 3’s printing performance further.
Cura also pulls off the impressive feat of being suitable for beginners and advanced users alike.
How deep you delve into the intricacies of the slicing process is up to you, with an integrated marketplace at hand to bolster Cura’s toolset with additional features like custom supports or CAD integration should you need them.
Creality Slicer
A retooled and customized version of Cura, Creality Slicer is, to no one’s surprise, Creality’s in-house developed slicer.
The core appeal is that the Ender 3 comes with a microSD card loaded with Creality Slicer’s installation file, eliminating the need to hop on Google and download the requisite files to fire up the Ender 3 and print.
Furthermore, Creality Slicer is geared mainly for the manufacturer’s printer, with well-configured profiles for the Ender 3, Pro, V2, and the latest S1.
As these are tuned by the people most acquainted with the Ender 3’s quirks and intricacies, they tend to offer better results than pre-set configurations available for rival slicing software.
The big ‘but’ here is that Creality Slicer isn’t based on the most recent version of Cura and, therefore, is missing the most up-to-date features, like lightning infills and monotonic order settings.
The breadth of settings isn’t quite on par with Cura as a consequence, but Creality’s focus is on simplicity to not overwhelm first-timers, so the logic for this is sound.
The interface is more or less identical, though. The only noticeable difference is an ever-present Creality logo tagged onto the UI’s top left and a jazzed-up color scheme.
PrusaSlicer
Though initially designed as a fork of Slic3r for Prusa printers, the free and open-source PrusaSlicer teams up well with the Ender 3.
Unsurprisingly for a program associated with Prusa, it’s user-friendly thanks to a clean and uncluttered interface but also powerful, offering users a range of sophisticated slicing settings and tools.
PrusaSlicer comes preloaded with well-tuned profiles for the Ender 3 and Pro along with the V2 and S1, something Cura doesn’t do.
Far from ballpark default settings, the profiles rival Creality Slicer for just how well they dial in the Ender 3’s performance.
An ideal pick if talk of retraction speeds and infill densities leaves you baffled.
Prusa’s also includes an Ender 3 BL Touch profile, a nice touch for those who’ve made the upgrade, and over 150 auto-updating filament presets for the most popular brands out there.
Once you’ve nailed the jargon and have some printing experience under your belt, PrusaSlicer opens up to a wealth of customizable settings and tools. These include variable layer heights, an STL repair function, a paint-on seam tool, and in-depth print time analysis – to name a few.
Ender 3 Software – CAD Software
Have an exciting idea or concept you need to bring to life before sending it to the Ender 3 for printing? CAD software is a must-have, allowing you to model and design your very own objects and parts from scratch.
Fusion 360
A professional-grade CAD program for free? That’s precisely what Fusion 360 proposes if used for non-commercial, hobbyist ends or in an educational setting.
Developed by AutoDesk, the developer behind the industry-standard AutoCAD, Fusion 360 is a comprehensive and powerful modeling tool that doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to features and functionality.
If you can dream it up, Fusion 360 can bring it to life.
Having all this at your fingertips may stir up worries of it being too daunting, but Fusion 360’s layout and interface won’t overwhelm or confuse you.
Stacks of free tutorials and more YouTube videos than you’d even need are at hand to help if anything isn’t clear.
Fusion 360 partners particularly well with the Ender 3 because it features a useful print simulation tool that will stress test the integrity of your model specifically for 3D printing.
It also bundles in slicer-like tools, like automatic orientation and support generation, to ease sending your part through a slicing program.
TinkerCAD
As easy on the eye as it is to model parts and objects for 3D printing, TinkerCAD is the beginner maker’s 3D modeling tool of choice.
It comes from the same developer behind Fusion 360 and AutoCAD, so it bundles in plenty of CAD pedigree and is a free, browser-based application to boot.
Inspired by the likes of Lego, TinkerCAD gives you access to a selection of basic solid geometric shapes that you can cut, combine, and sculpt into a 3D model, then add in texts, holes, and color as required.
It’s elegant in its simplicity, and despite its child-friendly appeal, can create all manner of parts ready for 3D printing.
TinkerCAD has a free library of starter projects and easily digested tutorials to help you get started if you’re struggling for inspiration.
You can also export models as STL files, ready to send for slicing, then on to the Ender 3 for printing.
Ender 3 Software – 3D Printer Controller Application
If you want more Ender 3 control and monitoring options beyond what the fiddly rotary knob and cramped touch screen offer, then you may want to consider a 3D printer controller application.
Octoprint
OctoPrint is an open-source, free, and browser-based interface for controlling and monitoring the Ender 3 and the printing process.
It’s an advanced tool, so it might be overwhelming for beginners. However, advanced users who want complete control over the Ender 3 shouldn’t sleep on the program.
From OctoPrint, you can:
- Remotely trigger/pause/stop prints from anywhere
- Monitor and check print progress without babysitting the machine
- Check on hot end and bed temperatures
- Tinker with parameters on the fly
- Visualize bed leveling
- Key in custom commands
- Capture print time-lapses
- and much more…
OctoPrint is compatible with virtually all consumer 3D printers, including the Ender 3 in all its guises.
Better yet as it relates to the Ender 3 family, OctoPrint allows you to update the machine’s firmware easily and quickly.
The OctoPrint plugin repository houses dozens of add-ons.
Nifty options include error detection that automatically sends an email if a print goes awry, integration with Google Drive to access STL and G-Code files remotely and quickly, and a print scheduler to fire off a print at a specified time.
We’re scratching the surface here as there’s plenty more to fine-tune your Ender 3 workflow and printing experience.
Firmware
Although not technically software, firmware is an integral part of the Ender 3 ecosystem.
Freshening up your firmware regularly not only grants access to the latest version and the latest features but can be a potent way to squash any bugs or issues your Ender 3 may be coughing up.
Note that upgrading the Ender 3 and Pro’s firmware requires flashing the mainboard with a bootloader via a microcontroller like an Arduino UNO before uploading the new version.
It sounds more intimidating than it is, so don’t be put off.
As for Ender 3 V2 and Ender 3 S1, which both ship with a bootloader, upgrading the firmware is done via microSD card; easy and straightforward.
Official Creality Firmware
If you’re looking for an easy way to upgrade your Ender 3 firmware and guaranteed stability, the Official Creality Ender 3 firmware is likely your best bet.
It comes with an official stamp of approval for Creality and is tuned perfectly for the Ender 3, removing the need to dive into the code to mold it to suit your printer.
Creality offers a version for every Ender 3 under the sun, including the 8-bit and 32-bit variants, even bespoke versions for specific upgrades, such as a BLTouch bed leveling probe and a filament runout sensor.
If you’ve snapped up an original Ender 3 with older firmware, upgrading to the Official Creality Ender 3 firmware automatically adds thermal runaway protection to the printer.
It’s a vital safety upgrade that doesn’t require any hardware add-ons.
Th4D Unified Firmware
Another solid and accessible firmware for the Ender 3 is Th4D’s Unified Firmware.
It takes the most recent stable version of Marlin 2.
0 and adds a few unique features to improve the Ender 3’s basic firmware.
Th4D puts the firmware through a strenuous stability testing regime to ensure a bug-free experience.
Pre-configured versions of Th4D Unified Firmware for the Ender 3 in all its incarnations are also available, all designed to work without the need to alter the underlying code.
As for the extra features Th4D offers, these include PID autotuning, preheating for specific filaments, assisted bed leveling, and support for different Ender 3 upgrades such as E3D V6 hot ends.
Th4D Unified Firmware rivals the official Creality Ender 3 firmware for ease of use, with a real focus on removing the more daunting aspects of firmware.
It offers even green beginners a seamless route to a better-performing Creality printer.
Ender 3 Software – FAQs
What software does the Ender 3 use?
The Ender 3 is an open-source printer, meaning broad compatibility with various software from slicers and CAD software to third-party print control and monitoring tools.
The printer comes with Creality Slicer as standard, the Ender 3 manufacturer’s in-house tuned slicing software.
However, the Ender 3 is equally well paired with Cura, PrusaSlicer, and other third-party open-source slicing software.
What software to use with the Ender 3?
We recommend using the Cura slicer with the Ender 3.
It’s easy-to-use, responsive, and offers access to a massive range of settings to get the most out of the Ender 3, Pro, V2, and S1.
Beyond a slicer, you may want to try your hand at 3D modeling, in which case TinkerCAD and Fusion360 are solid options. The Ender 3 also works well with OctoPrint, an open-source remote control and monitoring application for 3D printers.
Articles we recommend:
- Best Ender 3 Slicers
- Ender 3 vs Ender 5
- Ender 3 vs Ender 3 Pro, V2 and Max
- Ender 5 vs Ender 5 Pro vs Ender 5 Plus
- Creality Ender 3 Dual Extruder
- Ender 3 Laser Engraver
- Ender 3 Alternatives
- Ender 3 firmware options
5 Best Ender 3D Printer Software to Download [Creality Pro, V2]
Check out the ultimate Creality Ender 3 software & firmware to download on your PC
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Affiliate Disclosure
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- We've included some open-source options that are constantly updated by users.
- Model and print any type of materials with our selection of the best 3D printer software for Ender 3.
- Not sure how the final product will look? Some of these Creality ender 3 software options also have previewing features.
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Creality’s Ender 3 is probably the most popular 3D printer currently on the market. It is incredibly precise, and equally affordable, allowing almost anyone to have it in their household.
Of course, having the machine is just half the story. This is because you need to pair the 3D printer with some good 3D printer software to get the job done.
Even if you don’t know much about 3D printer software, you can imagine that you at least need a program that will let you do the 3D modeling. The big question is what software to use with Ender 3.
Does Ender 3 use Cura? Do you need a particular program or anything will do? These are all legitimate questions and we shall try to address them accordingly.
To simplify things, here’s a quick preview of our top picks for the best software for Ender 3:
- Fusion 360 – Top-notch 3D modeling software for Ender 3
- Ultimaker Cura – Free 3D printing software for Ender 3
- Meshmixer – Ender 3 design software focusing on triangle meshes
- KISSlicer – Nifty Creality slicer to download & generate high-quality G-Code
- MatterControl – Best 3D printer software for Ender 3 with integrated controls
Do all 3D printers use the same software?
There are standard options of software that work with most 3D printers pretty much. Since it’s such a popular model, the Ender 3 printer will have its own Cura profile by default, regardless of the version (Pro, V2, and so on).
So, what software does Ender 3 use? Most Ender 3 printers are shipped with the Marlin firmware. Now, it’s important to mention that each control board uses different commands.
Bed dimensions can also vary, which is why not any 3D printer software will make the cut. Compatibility is a key factor.
3D printers come in different sizes and have varied material selections, surface finish, manufacturing speed, cost, and durability of the final product.
Moreover, different types of 3D printers are used for different purposes. Some 3D printers are great for making action figures, while others are used in medicine, and so on.
Read on and find out which Ender 3D printer software best suits your needs.
What software should I use for my Ender 3D printer?
Fusion 360 – Top-notch 3D modeling software for Ender 3
The core of a 3D printer is a program that you can use to actually make the 3D model.
That is why you can’t just use any tool, and why you should go for a premium program like Autodesk‘s very own Fusion 360.
This CAD powerhouse has all the features that you may ever need to make detailed models, parts, and more.
Fusion 360 lets you design awesome creations effortlessly thanks to the flexible 3D CAD, CAM, CAE, PCP software, and lots of useful tools.
You have complete freedom to create complex sub-divisional surfaces with T-splines and edit them with easy-to-use and intuitive push and pull gestures.
Besides modeling, you can create realistic photos and image renditions of your work to get a better idea of the final product.
Additionally, you can create and edit 2D sketches as well, having a wide variety of sketching tools, constraints, and dimensions at your disposal.
Let’s check its main features:
- Sketching & rendering
- Direct modeling / surface modeling
- Mesh modeling / freedom modeling
- PCB design integration
Autodesk 360 Fusion
This software lets you design and render 3D models for your business and personal use.
Free trial Visit website
Ultimaker Cura – Free 3D printing software for Ender 3
One of the most important programs that you could use when owning a 3D printer is a slicer program. Of course, why should you pay money when there are free alternatives out there, like Ultimaker Cura?
This tool is extremely easy to use, and despite the non-existent price tag, it is regularly updated and has quite a lot of features.
At its core, Ultimaker Cura has a powerful open-source slicing engine that was built throughout the years by professionals and users.
Some of those features include backing up and syncing your own materials and plugins, allowing you to save your progress to the digital cloud and transfer meshes between devices.
Ultimaker Cura has a dedicated community of over 40 thousand active users that constantly contribute to the program’s code by improving it.
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More so, the software lets you access 3D printing lessons through online courses in order to learn the ropes of the process.
⇒ Get Ultimaker Cura
Meshmixer – Ender 3 design software focusing on triangle meshes
Meshmixer is the de facto universal program for any 3D printer. Yet another one of Autodesk’s creations, Meshmixer allows you to edit and sculpt individual models to make them exactly how you want them.
It comes with a variety of tools, including optimized supports for slicing objects into multiple sections, which makes it helpful for Ender 3 owners since the machine doesn’t have too generous a build volume.
Meshmixer has some light system requirements, only needing 4GB of RAM and Windows 7 or later, without needing a powerful GPU.
The software is specialized in working with triangle meshes, allowing you to design 3D objects for printing, or cleaning up 3D scans.
The company took the time to also create a user manual which they present on their site, for those with no background knowledge that need to learn how to use it.
Meshmixer gets constantly updated and improved. Additionally, all of the changes are recorded and shown to the public so everyone knows about the changes.
⇒ Get Meshmixer
KISSlicer – Nifty Creality slicer to download & generate high-quality G-Code
KISSlicer (Keep It Simple Slicer) is yet another tool that can be extremely useful for anyone with a 3D printer, let alone an Ender 3.
It is constantly updated, and the free version has all of the basic features that you would need in order to get good models.
The software includes lots of advanced and intuitive slicing tools which generate high-quality G-Code that results in exceptional prints.
The Profile Wizards will quickly let you set your printer and materials up, or even download profiles shared by other users.
The free version of the program can be used with a multi-extruder printer, however, you are limited to only a single extruder for each print.
Additionally, the software has next-gen features such as adaptive layer heights, dynamic plastic deposition, extruder priorities, and many others.
⇒ Get KISSlicer
MatterControl – Best 3D printer software for Ender 3 (integrated controls)
MatterControl is a great Ender 3F printer software since it comes with some slicing features, design tools that enable users to design parts, and more.
Additionally, this is also open-source software that can be freely edited by users. This will make it easier to fix problems and improve them based on experience.
Once you’ve created parts you can then proceed to attach them to the much larger construct or go right to printing it and attaching it in real life afterward.
MatterControl lets you design anything from scratch using Design Tools, or browse existing ones by going into the Design Apps sections.
Slice your designs using lots of different tools and advanced settings for bed leveling, integrated controls for dual extrusion, and customized support.
Thanks to this software, you no longer need to use multiple programs to create and modify your 3D models. You can do everything with MatterControl.
⇒ Get MatterControl
3D printers are the latest rage in terms of home electronics since they can be used to make pretty much anything from toys to spare parts or even prosthetics.
However, the machine is nothing but the body, while the software is actually the brain. That is why having a good software program will let you do wonders with your Creality Ender 3 3D printer.
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Top best slicers for Ender 3 photopolymer 3D printer
Wondering what is the best slicer to use with your Ender 3 3D printer? The following describes how to increase the quality of 3D printing results on the Ender 3 using one of the top three slicers.
Layering
The Ender 3 3D printer is one of the most famous hobbyist 3D printers available on the market today. It is affordable, easy to set up, and delivers high quality 3D printing. But how does this printer (like any other 3D printer) convert a digital model of an object into a physical object? For this, a program called a slicer is used.
Do you want to know what is a slicer? When you're about to print a 3D object, your printer needs certain types of files containing commands and coordinates to create the desired object.
Slicers create such files by calculating trajectories and sets of commands to build a 3D object. The Ender 3 printer, like most 3D printers, uses a machine language called G-code, which presents the printer with a list of required commands for printing.
With the slicer, you can also change the printer settings by setting certain characteristics such as layer thickness, infill density and geometry.
The Ender 3 is an open source printer, which means there is no perfect proprietary slicer for it. Each characteristic of any slicer has its strengths and weaknesses when that slicer is used with Ender 3. Let's see what to look for when choosing the best slicer.
What should I pay attention to?
When choosing a slicer, keep in mind that you will be using this program a lot, especially if your printer comes with default configurations and settings. When choosing a suitable slicer for yourself, you should consider the following points:
- Price: How much money will you need to invest in purchasing this program?
- Quality: Does it deliver the results you want?
- Advantages and disadvantages: What are the arguments for and against using this program?
- Ease of use: How easy is this slicer to use?
- Community: How many people can support you if you need help?
In this article, we'll take a look at three of the best, most popular slicers for the Ender 3 printer.
We'll discuss all of the above characteristics of each slicer, as well as give a brief description of each of these programs.
Cura
Cura was developed by Ultimaker, a 3D printing company, and has good support from developers and the user community. Ultimaker has made the Cura slicer open source so you can find a free version for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. This program can use OBJ, 3MF and STL format files, which is very convenient for various types of projects. In addition, if necessary, it also fixes the files.
The Cura slicer is a good choice for users of various levels, and its customization options play an important role here. At first, you can configure the program to see only the printer settings you need, and as you gain experience, you can use more and more settings - up to all 200 available printer settings.
In addition, there are many add-ons for this program among the community and on the market that offer an even higher level of personalization of the program.
The Cura slicer has a set of pre-set profiles for use with a variety of materials including PLA, ABS, PETG and TPU.
Cura is great for the Ender 3 3D printer because it offers a default template specifically tailored to work with that printer, making it easy for you to choose near-optimal settings. There are also many pre-configured slicer settings for various nozzle size, media and printer combinations, which is especially handy when you start upgrading your equipment. To fine-tune your printer, you can run a few test prints and set your printer up to suit your needs.
One downside of Cura's slicer is that it offers limited support for OctoPrint and other remote 3D printing software. Although the lack of full functionality in this area is inconvenient, but given all the other features of the slicer, it does not represent a decisive argument for abandoning this program.
The user community loves this program for its variety of settings and changes during printing, which give you the ability to fine-tune the print results to suit your needs.
In addition, users like the ease with which this program can change the geometric shapes and infill densities. Also of great benefit are the continuous updates and bug fixes published by Ultimaker.
Simplify3D
Simplify3D is a great slicer for people with a lot of experience or for those who do 3D printing professionally. Like many other slicers, this program uses STL, OBJ, or 3MF format files and processes them very quickly.
This slicer provides the user with a lot of settings, including printer control, support for multiple extruders, and basically everything you would expect from a slicer. While so many possibilities might confuse you, the program's interface is not overwhelming and is easy to get used to once you understand some of the basics.
Due to the price of a license to use the program, it tends to be used at a more professional level, which is reflected in the software itself, which allows you to customize settings and workflow exactly according to your wishes.
Because of this, Simplify3D produces fantastic quality results that will almost always satisfy you.
Unfortunately, Simplify3D does not support the Linux operating system and many users have been forced to switch to Windows in order to use this program. In addition, some users initially reported problems with plastic clipping.
In general, people seem to like Simplify3D, but it's important to note that when you start working with this program without experience with its interface, you may experience some difficulties.
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Slic3r
The Slic3r slicer is an open source program with a number of experimental features that make it stand out from other offerings. It is generally considered to be the testbed that first introduced a large number of popular slicer settings and features. But we would recommend Slic3r for more advanced users as it always shows all the options.
Features worth mentioning include support for multiple extruders, sequential printing, and the use of modifiers or special G-code to change printer settings (to a greater extent than other programs allow). It supports new infill methods and pushes the limits of 3D printing to the max, bringing many of its previous users back to the platform. Slic3r uses STL, AMF and OBJ files and provides fast G-code generation.
Among the most attractive features of Slic3r are the absence of license fees and the very simple process of installing the program on the system.
You can start working with it right away! It is also compatible with most 3D printers and works on all computer platforms. Due to its open source code, this program interacts seamlessly with OctoPrint and is still being developed with new features and improvements.
Slic3r has fewer users than Cura, which may cause you to run into trouble when trying to find solutions online. In addition, this program does not currently offer print time and material consumption estimates (but some improvements have been made in other programs derived from it, such as PrusaSlicer).
Although the Slic3r slicer does not have all the features, its unique characteristics make up for what this program lacks. After you get some experience with 3D printers, it's a good idea to give this slicer a try as well.
Final thoughts
Now you have some idea about the options for choosing the best slicer to use with your Ender 3 3D printer.
- If you are new to 3D printing and not going to do it professionally, then we recommend the Cura program.
It has an excellent user interface and is easy to learn how to use. - If you want to try something new or don't want to rob the bank to find money to buy software, then try the Slic3r slicer. This option will open you a variety of possibilities and non-standard characteristics.
- If you're looking to get into 3D printing like a pro (and have some financial means to do so), get Simplify3D's complete pro package.
No matter which slicer you choose, it may seem less than ideal on the first try, but don't be discouraged. We highly recommend experimenting with test prints. While this process can be somewhat lengthy and tedious, it will improve the quality of your print over time. And if you're running into a problem, chances are you're not the first one to run into it, and a simple web search often yields useful results.
Top 5 software for Creality Ender 3
The Creality Ender 3 is arguably the most popular 3D printer currently on the market.
It's incredibly good and accurate, and it's extremely affordable, allowing just about anyone to have it in their household.
Of course, having a car is only half the battle. This is because you need to pair a 3D printer with good software to get the job done.
Even if you don't know much about 3D printer software, you can imagine that you at least need a program that will allow you to do 3D modeling.
Due to the popularity of Ender 3, we decided to compile a list of the best programs that come with it.
-
1
Fusion 360
3D Printer Core is a program that you can use to create a 3D model.
That's why you can't just use a tool, and why you should go for a premium program like Autodesk's own Fusion 360.
This CAD system has all the features you need to create detailed models, parts and more.
Pros:
- Receives ongoing updates
- Designed by Autodesk
- Easy to learn and comes with 9 lots of tutorials0023
Cons:
- Price tag
Get it now
-
2
Ultimaker Cura
One of the most important software you can use when owning a 3D printer is the slicer software.
Of course, why should you pay money when there are free alternatives like Ultimaker Cura. This tool is extremely easy to use, and despite the non-existent price tag, it is updated regularly and has quite a few features.
Pros:
- Free
- Open-sourced
- Regular updates continually improve features and printing experience
Cons:
- Not as functional as paid programs
Get it now
-
3
Meshmixer
Meshmixer is a de facto universal program for any 3D printer. Another of Autodesk's creations, Meshmixer lets you edit and sculpt individual models to make them exactly the way you want.
It comes with a variety of tools, including optimized props for splitting objects into multiple sections, making it useful for Ender 3 owners as there isn't an overly large build volume on the machine.
Pros:
- Can be used to create 3D models
- Comes with some nice cutting tools
Cons:
- Not updated too often
Get it now
-
4
KISSlicer
KISSlicer (Keep It Simple Slicer) is another software tool that can be extremely useful for anyone with a 3D printer, not to mention Ender 3.
It's constantly updated and the free version has all the major features which you will need in order to get good models. Pros:
- Incredibly simple interface
- Supplied with free version
Cons:
- Many non-essential features blocked behind paywall
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MatterControl 2.0
MatterControl is a great software tool for 3D printers as it comes with some slicing features, design tools that allow users to design parts, and more.
Once you've created the parts, you can then attach them to a much larger structure, or go straight to printing it out and then attaching it in real life.
Pros:
- Can be used for 3D modeling
- Has slicing function
- Intuitive interface
- Free and open source
Cons:
- Not as functional as other paid versions
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Final thoughts on Creality Ender 3 software tools
3D printers are the latest in consumer electronics as they can be used to make anything from toys to parts or even prosthetics.
