# SimplyPrint vs Bambuddy

*SimplyPrint prices are shown in USD; see the pricing page for other currencies. Competitor prices are shown as they publish them.*

## About Bambuddy

- **Website:** [Bambuddy](https://bambuddy.cool/)
- **Pricing:** [Bambuddy Pricing](https://bambuddy.cool/appliance.html)

## Overview

Bambuddy is free, open-source Bambu Lab print farm software that runs on your own server. It is a strong choice for an all-Bambu farm that wants local control: monitoring, queues, archives, filament inventory, browser-based slicing and automation are all included, and the software can run without an outbound internet connection.

SimplyPrint is the managed Bambuddy alternative. You do not host the fleet-management platform; Bambu printers connect through the lightweight SimplyPrint Client on a Raspberry Pi, mini PC or other always-on computer. Remote access and native mobile apps are included, and the same account can manage Klipper, Prusa, Marlin, Duet and OctoPrint machines too. This comparison explains where Bambuddy genuinely wins, what its announced Raspberry Pi appliance changes, and when a managed platform is worth paying for.

## Pros of Bambuddy

Bambuddy's strongest reasons to choose it:**

- Free community edition:** the complete AGPL application is free for unlimited Bambu printers.
- **Local by design:** the ordinary self-hosted version can operate without outbound connectivity and keeps operational data on your network.
- **Deep Bambu workflows:** archives, queues, AMS and filament tools, maintenance, browser-based slicing, virtual printers and automation are already substantial.
- **Open ecosystem:** REST API, MCP, MQTT, Home Assistant, Prometheus, PostgreSQL, Spoolman and community mobile clients reward technical operators.
- **An easier appliance is coming:** the announced Raspberry Pi image directly addresses installation, updates and recovery without restricting the free core.

## Cons of Bambuddy

The trade-offs to consider before putting a farm or school on Bambuddy:**

- Bambu Lab only:** non-Bambu FDM printers cannot join the same managed fleet.
- **Infrastructure remains yours:** even the announced appliance leaves the Pi, storage, local network and hardware recovery with the operator.
- **Remote access is self-managed:** Proxy Mode and Tailscale are capable, but you operate the host, tailnet or tunnel yourself.
- **No official native mobile app:** Bambuddy provides a responsive PWA, while some unofficial community-built apps are in development for iOS and Android.
- **Commercial capacity is not proven yet:** the appliance, contractual support, OEM licensing and custom deployments are announced for October 2026 and still depend on one maintainer.
- **No published DPA or uptime SLA:** important for schools, regulated teams and formal procurement.

## Feature Comparison: SimplyPrint vs Bambuddy

### General

| Feature | Bambuddy | SimplyPrint |
|---------|--------|-------------|
| Has free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Max cost | Free (self-hosted) | Free, or from $4/printer/mo |
| Free cloud storage | Local (your disk) | 1GB |
| Usage based cost | ✗ | ✗ |
| Unlimited printing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Supports all printers | Bambu Lab only | ✓ |

### Features

| Feature | Bambuddy | SimplyPrint |
|---------|--------|-------------|
| Remote access | Self-hosted via Proxy Mode / your tunnel | ✓ |
| Filament management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Knows your printer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cloud files | Local files only | ✓ |
| Print queue | ✓ | ✓ |
| Livestream | ✓ | ✓ |
| Gcode analysis | ✓ | ✓ |
| A.I failure detection | Self-hosted Obico (BYO) | ✓ |
| AutoPrint / continuous printing | Queue auto-start; eject via 3rd-party | ✓ |
| Custom fields | ✗ | ✓ |
| Staggered Start (for power draw) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Print job history | ✓ | ✓ |
| Print remotely | Via Proxy Mode + your tunnel | ✓ |
| Built-in slicer | Browser slice dialog; no interactive plate editor | ✓ |
| Multi-printer friendly | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-print | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-stream | ✓ | ✓ |
| Statistics | ✓ | ✓ |
| API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slicer smart-rotation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Smart filament change | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bed level helper | ✗ | ✓ |

### Organizations

| Feature | Bambuddy | SimplyPrint |
|---------|--------|-------------|
| Multiple users | ✓ | ✓ |
| User groups / ranks | ✓ | ✓ |
| User permissions | ✓ | ✓ |
| School plan | No dedicated plan | ✓ |
| Shared files & folders | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shared slicer profiles | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hub | ✗ | ✓ |
| Custom domains | ✗ | ✓ |
| SSO (single sign-on) | OIDC & LDAP (no SAML) | ✓ |

### Notifications

| Feature | Bambuddy | SimplyPrint |
|---------|--------|-------------|
| Email notifications | ✓ | ✓ |
| Push (mobile / app) notifications | Via ntfy / Pushover / Telegram | ✓ |
| SMS / text message notifications | ✗ | ✓ |

### Apps

| Feature | Bambuddy | SimplyPrint |
|---------|--------|-------------|
| Android app | Unofficial community apps in development | ✓ |
| iOS app | Unofficial community apps in development | ✓ |
| "PWA" (installable web-application) | ✓ | ✓ |

### Security & Privacy

| Feature | Bambuddy | SimplyPrint |
|---------|--------|-------------|
| Account 2-factor authentication | ✓ | ✓ |
| EU servers | Self-hosted (your server) | ✓ |
| Privacy-minded analytics & data-gathering | ✓ | ✓ |

### Support

| Feature | Bambuddy | SimplyPrint |
|---------|--------|-------------|
| Email support | Sponsor tiers; commercial service announced | ✓ |
| Live-chat support | Community Discord | ✓ |
| Phone support | ✗ | ✓ |

### Firmware & Gateway Support

| Feature | Bambuddy | SimplyPrint |
|---------|--------|-------------|
| OctoPrint install | ✗ | ✓ |
| Native Moonraker support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mainsail install | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fluidd install | ✗ | ✓ |
| Klipper support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Duet3D integration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Direct Prusa support (MK4, XL and up / new main boards) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Direct Bambu Lab printer integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Support for custom integrations | ✗ | ✓ |

### Enterprise & Partners

| Feature | Bambuddy | SimplyPrint |
|---------|--------|-------------|
| OEM | ✗ | ✓ |
| Partner program (reseller / distributor) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Affiliate program | ✗ | ✓ |