# SimplyPrint vs FilaMan

## About FilaMan

- **Website:** [FilaMan](https://filaman.app)

## Overview

FilaMan is a genuinely impressive open-source project: a fully MIT-licensed, self-hosted filament manager with a DIY ESP32 load-cell scale, PN532 NFC, a big open filament database and hooks into Bambu, Klipper and OctoPrint. If you love running your own Docker server and don't mind a soldering iron, it's a great hobby setup, and we'll happily concede where it shines.

The difference is what it takes to make tracking *happen*. FilaMan can deduct filament automatically, but only if you build an ESP32 scale, or stand up an external Bambuddy server, or wire a Klipper/Moonraker plugin, each one self-hosted and printer-specific. SimplyPrint's filament manager reads the G-code of every print on any connected printer, including cloud Bambu and Prusa, and deducts usage on its own, with no scale, no broker, no plugin and no server for you to run. Here's a fair, side-by-side look, first purely as a filament manager, then as the whole platform.

## Pros of FilaMan

FilaMan has real strengths, and they're worth being honest about:**

- Fully open-source (MIT):** the entire application, server, ESP32 firmware and database software, is MIT-licensed and self-hostable with one Docker command, so you can fork, audit and own the whole stack.
- **An open-source DIY smart scale:** an ESP32 + HX711 load cell + PN532 NFC build with published schematics, PCB and printable files, giving a real measured weight, hardware SimplyPrint doesn't ship.
- **A large open community database:** FilamentDB lists tens of thousands of filaments across hundreds of brands, MIT-licensed software with manufacturer self-registration, a REST API and CSV/Excel import.
- **Real automatic deduction (with a path chosen):** per-print consumption for Bambu via Bambuddy and for Klipper/Moonraker via extrusion-length-to-grams, plus deep Spoolman compatibility (a drop-in Spoolman replacement), Home Assistant, OpenSpool NFC and Bambu AMS slot mapping over MQTT.
- **Privacy-first and self-hosted:** no tracking, no ads, no cloud; your data stays on your own instance, a real plus for privacy or air-gapped setups.
- **Active, fast-moving development:** a mature, multi-release project (1,284+ commits across its history) with frequent point releases and basic role-based multi-user access (Administrator / User / Viewer).

## Cons of FilaMan

Where FilaMan asks more of you if you want tracking that just happens:**

- Automatic tracking means building something first:** FilaMan never reads G-code itself, so auto-deduction needs either a DIY ESP32 load-cell scale, an external Bambuddy server, or a Klipper/Moonraker or OctoPrint plugin, each self-hosted and specific to that printer.
- **You run the server:** there's no hosted option, so the Docker host, database, TLS, remote access, backups and updates are all on you, which is exactly what some people want, and a chore for others.
- **The mobile apps gate core features:** FilaMan's native iOS and Android apps connect only to your own instance, and core features in the apps sit behind a paid in-app purchase.
- **NFC and AMS are DIY and narrower:** NFC is a PN532 you wire yourself, reading OpenSpool and FilaMan formats only (no Bambu, Creality or Prusa proprietary tags), and AMS is Bambu slot-mapping, with per-slot weight only through the external Bambuddy server.
- **Flat locations and no direct thermal labels:** storage locations are a flat list with no nesting, and there's a QR label designer but no documented direct printing to Dymo or Zebra.

## Feature Comparison: SimplyPrint vs FilaMan

### General

| Feature | FilaMan | SimplyPrint |
|---------|-------|-------------|
| Has free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Max cost | Free, self-hosted | Free, or from $4/printer/mo |
| Free cloud storage | ✗ | 1GB |
| Usage based cost | ✗ | ✗ |
| Unlimited printing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Supports all printers | ✗ | ✓ |

### Features

| Feature | FilaMan | SimplyPrint |
|---------|-------|-------------|
| Remote access | ✗ | ✓ |
| Filament management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Knows your printer | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cloud files | ✗ | ✓ |
| Print queue | ✗ | ✓ |
| Livestream | ✗ | ✓ |
| Gcode analysis | ✗ | ✓ |
| A.I failure detection | ✗ | ✓ |
| AutoPrint / continuous printing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Custom fields | ✗ | ✓ |
| Staggered Start (for power draw) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Print job history | ✗ | ✓ |
| Print remotely | ✗ | ✓ |
| Built-in slicer | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi-printer friendly | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi-print | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi-stream | ✗ | ✓ |
| Statistics | ✗ | ✓ |
| API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Slicer smart-rotation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Smart filament change | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bed level helper | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self-hosting option | ✓ | Contact us |

### Organizations

| Feature | FilaMan | SimplyPrint |
|---------|-------|-------------|
| Multiple users | ✗ | ✓ |
| User groups / ranks | ✗ | ✓ |
| User permissions | ✗ | ✓ |
| School plan | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shared files & folders | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shared slicer profiles | ✗ | ✓ |
| Hub | ✗ | ✓ |
| Custom domains | ✗ | ✓ |
| SSO (single sign-on) | ✗ | ✓ |

### Notifications

| Feature | FilaMan | SimplyPrint |
|---------|-------|-------------|
| Email notifications | ✗ | ✓ |
| Push (mobile / app) notifications | ✗ | ✓ |
| SMS / text message notifications | ✗ | ✓ |

### Apps

| Feature | FilaMan | SimplyPrint |
|---------|-------|-------------|
| Android app | ✗ | ✓ |
| iOS app | ✗ | ✓ |
| "PWA" (installable web-application) | ✗ | ✓ |

### Security & Privacy

| Feature | FilaMan | SimplyPrint |
|---------|-------|-------------|
| Account 2-factor authentication | ✗ | ✓ |
| EU servers | ✗ | ✓ |
| Privacy-minded analytics & data-gathering | ✗ | ✓ |

### Support

| Feature | FilaMan | SimplyPrint |
|---------|-------|-------------|
| Email support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Live-chat support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Phone support | ✗ | ✓ |

### Firmware & Gateway Support

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