# SimplyPrint vs Obico

## About Obico

- **Website:** [Obico](https://obico.io/)
- **Pricing:** [Obico Pricing](https://app.obico.io/ent_pub/pricing/)

## Overview

Obico - previously called "TheSpaghettiDetective" - has been doing a great job of watching over the printers of hobbyists for a while now.

Started as an open-source hobby project, focused on detecting print failures, Obico now a full time job for the creator, Kenneth, and we have a lot of respect for what he has built!

At first Obico might seem like it covers all your 3D printing needs, but we started SimplyPrint, because it didn't cover ours.
If you're looking for an alternative to Obico, here are some reasons why you should consider SimplyPrint.

## Pros of Obico

Obico has its advantages - depending on your needs. Especially their "tunneling" to OctoPrint, as well as the possibility to run their software on their own server.

- Tunnel to OctoPrint
- Self-hosted option

So, if you're a Linux-nerd and want to host the software yourself, that's definitely an advantage that Obico has over SimplyPrint, as well as their AI detection - which they were one of the first on the market to implement! Since then, we at SimplyPrint have released our own AI detection software though - but, it still can't be self-hosted.

With these points, Obico has something that SimplyPrint does not currently offer - but as described in the "Cons" section, Obico's strengths may also be some of their weaknesses.

## Cons of Obico

Features such as a "tunnel" so you can access your OctoPrint instance wherever you are, the dependency on OctoPrint is something that SimplyPrint is trying to eliminate - we'd rather focus on adding the functionality needed in our own platform.

And when it comes to new features in the platform, Obico is not quite as far ahead as SimplyPrint, and most often functionality in Obico comes a long time after we have added it in SimplyPrint (Print history, statistics, Gcode analysis, etc.) - we think it's cool that more platforms get some of the same functions that SimplyPrint has, as it promotes innovation to have a little healthy competition in the market! But if SimplyPrint has it first, we see no reason to wait for Obico to implement it a bit later 😉

- Only 1 printer on the free plan *(SimplyPrint offers 2)*
- Less user-friendly platform
- Lack of features
- Usage-based costing of AI *(SimplyPrint offers unlimited licenses)*
- Heavily dependent on OctoPrint
- Less user-friendly platform
- Most often get new features after SimplyPrint
- Limited "tunnel" access
- Not EU-GDPR-friendly *(data stored in the US, no cookie banners or privacy settings)*

## Feature Comparison: SimplyPrint vs Obico

### General

| Feature | Obico | SimplyPrint |
|---------|-----|-------------|
| Has free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Max cost | $6+ | $39.99+ |
| Free cloud storage | 1GB | 1GB |
| Usage based cost | ✓ | ✗ |
| Unlimited printing | ✓ | ✓ |

### Features

| Feature | Obico | 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 | ✓ | ✗ |
| OctoPrint / Mainsail / Fluidd tunnel | ✓ | ✗ |

### Organizations

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

### Apps

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

### Security & Privacy

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

### Support

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

### Firmware & Gateway Support

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

### Enterprise & Partners

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

## Why Choose SimplyPrint Over Obico

### More than just '3D print online'

SimplyPrint goes beyond being just another online printing platform. We strive to create a complete ecosystem for managing and enhancing your 3D printing experience.

- Printer management and control
- File storage and organization
- Filament tracking and inventory
- Integrated slicer for print preparation
- Remote monitoring and access
- Multi-user support for print farms, companies, and institutions

Embrace SimplyPrint for a comprehensive solution that caters to all aspects of your 3D printing needs.

### Get more out of your printers; Filament Management System & more

SimplyPrint features an innovative filament management system that allows you to keep track of each individual spool of filament.

- Monitor the amount of filament remaining on each spool digitally
- Receive warnings before starting a print if there's insufficient filament
- Maintain a clear overview of your filament stock

By offering these capabilities, SimplyPrint ensures that you stay informed about your filament usage and avoid potential issues before even starting a print.