Meet an alternative to SpoolEase

How does SimplyPrint compare with SpoolEase? What's the best 3D printing cloud platform? Discover why SimplyPrint might be what you and your printer never knew you were missing!

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Looking for SpoolEase alternatives?

SpoolEase is a free, source-available, fully local filament manager for Bambu Lab printers. It's a genuinely clever project: build a little ESP32 NFC console (and, optionally, a load-cell scale), and it reads your AMS, tracks each spool's weight and keeps everything offline, on your own hardware, with no account and no cloud. If you own a Bambu printer, like soldering and want everything local, it's a neat build.

But SpoolEase only works with Bambu Lab, and getting it running means sourcing parts and assembling a DIY device. SimplyPrint's filament manager takes the opposite approach: it's brand-agnostic and needs no hardware at all. It reads the G-code of every print and deducts filament automatically, on any printer you already own, with NFC, AMS auto-import and an open database, free on every plan. Here's a fair, side-by-side look, first purely as a filament manager, then as the whole platform.

SimplyPrint filament manager

There's a lot more to the SimplyPrint filament manager

Automatic usage tracking, NFC across every standard, Bambu & Creality AMS auto-import, direct Dymo & Zebra label printing, drying, storage locations, a mobile app and the Open Filament Database. See it all, with screenshots, on one page.

Explore the filament manager
The SimplyPrint filament manager

Compare SpoolEase vs SimplyPrint for:

The bottom line

SpoolEase is a free, source-available (Apache 2.0 + Commons Clause), fully local filament manager for Bambu Lab printers, built around a DIY ESP32 NFC console (an optional load-cell scale adds real measured weight). It's a clever, offline-first build for solder-capable Bambu owners, and it's a very new (2025), single-developer project.

SimplyPrint is a brand-agnostic filament manager with nothing to build: it reads the G-code of every print and deducts filament automatically, on any printer you already own, with no console, no scale and no soldering. It adds native NFC read/write from your phone, browser or a USB reader, Bambu and Creality AMS auto-import, direct Dymo and Zebra label printing, the open Open Filament Database (143 brands and growing), and a whole platform around it, and the filament manager is free on every plan. It's also a company-backed product that's been running print operations since 2020. If you want local, scale-accurate, Bambu-deep tracking and enjoy building hardware, that's SpoolEase; if you want tracking that just happens across any printer brand with nothing to solder, that's SimplyPrint.

Comparing purely as a filament manager, the deep, head-to-head view.

Any printer, no hardware to build

This is the heart of it. SpoolEase works with Bambu Lab printers only, and getting it running means building a DIY ESP32 device. SimplyPrint is brand-agnostic and needs no extra hardware at all.

Which printers it works with
SimplyPrint
Brand-agnostic. We connect Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality, Klipper, OctoPrint and more, so filament tracking works on whatever printers you already own, in one place.
SpoolEase
Bambu Lab only. SpoolEase reads the AMS and tracks usage by monitoring active Bambu jobs; there's no support for Creality CFS, Anycubic ACE, Prusa or any non-Bambu printer.
Hardware to get started
SimplyPrint
None. Our filament manager is software: sign in and it tracks usage straight away, no scale, no reader, no soldering iron.
SpoolEase
You build the DIY ESP32 NFC console yourself (the load-cell scale is an optional second build for measured weight), sourcing the parts, 3D-printing the case and soldering it together. No assembled kit is sold.
Automatic usage tracking
SimplyPrint
We read the G-code of every print on a connected printer, convert it to grams and deduct it from the assigned spool when the print ends, automatically, for every print on any brand.
SpoolEase
Tracking is Bambu-only and live-monitor-based: the console has to be powered on and watching the job, so prints started from the printer's internal memory or "Print Again" can be missed. The estimate is corrected by the optional load-cell scale if you build it.
The core difference is reach and effort: SimplyPrint tracks any printer brand with nothing to build, while SpoolEase is a Bambu-only tool you assemble yourself from ESP32 parts.

NFC, AMS and an open database, without the DIY console

SpoolEase does real NFC and deep Bambu AMS work, but it all runs through the console you build. SimplyPrint does it natively, from devices you already have, plus an open filament database.

NFC read & write
SimplyPrint
Native NFC read and write across Bambu Lab, Creality CFS, Prusa OpenPrintTag, OpenSpool and OpenTag, from your phone, your browser or a USB reader. Nothing to build.
SpoolEase
Real NFC read and write, but only through the DIY console's built-in reader: there's no phone, Web-NFC or USB path. It reads NTAG and Mifare tags, imports Bambu factory RFID and supports OpenPrintTag, but not OpenSpool or OpenTag.
AMS & multi-material
SimplyPrint
Drop a tagged spool into a Bambu Lab AMS (or a Creality CFS or Anycubic ACE) and we auto-create the spool, assign it to the right slot and sync the AMS-measured weight, across brands.
SpoolEase
Deep but Bambu-exclusive: it auto-configures AMS slots (material, colour, K-factor), reads Bambu factory RFID and shows live AMS weight, with no support for Creality, Anycubic or Prusa multi-material.
Labels & a shared database
SimplyPrint
Direct label printing to Dymo and Zebra thermal printers, plus the Open Filament Database (MIT-licensed, 143 brands and growing, editable in a no-code web editor), wired straight into your presets and tracking.
SpoolEase
No documented label printing (its "Virtual Spool Label" is a phone view you scan, not a printed label), and no shared, browsable, contributable filament database. Filaments are bring-your-own or synced from Bambu Studio.
SpoolEase's NFC and AMS work is genuinely deep, but it's Bambu-bound and runs through hardware you build. SimplyPrint does NFC, AMS and labels natively across brands, from the devices you already own, backed by an open database.

Where SpoolEase is the better pick

SpoolEase is a clever, well-made project, and for the right setup it's the right call. Credit where it's due:

Fully local & offline, no cloud
SimplyPrint
Hosted for you (on-prem is an enterprise option), so there's no hardware to run, but it is our cloud.
SpoolEase
Runs entirely on your own ESP32 hardware with no account, login, subscription or cloud at all, ideal if a fully offline, anti-cloud setup is a hard requirement.
Real measured weight & deep Bambu AMS
SimplyPrint
We estimate remaining filament from G-code and AMS-reported weight, accurate, but a calculated figure rather than a fresh weighing.
SpoolEase
The optional load-cell scale physically weighs each spool for true measured weight, and the Bambu AMS integration (slot auto-config, factory RFID, live AMS weight, even a Bambu Studio fork) is about as deep as Bambu-specific tooling gets.
If you own Bambu printers, want everything local and offline, like building hardware and value a real load-cell weighing, SpoolEase is a fine choice, and it's free for the cost of parts. If you'd rather the tracking just happen, across any printer brand, with nothing to solder, that's SimplyPrint.
The bottom line

SpoolEase does one job, Bambu filament tracking, and does it locally and well. SimplyPrint includes a brand-agnostic filament manager and surrounds it with the rest of a print operation: a print queue, a full cloud slicer, AI failure and bed detection, a maintenance system, teams and permissions, mobile apps and more, in one hosted platform that's free to start, and works with the printers you already own, not just Bambu. In the table below, SpoolEase's column is its Bambu filament tool; ours is the whole platform.

The same filament comparison, plus everything else SimplyPrint does that a single-purpose Bambu filament tool doesn't.

Any printer, no hardware to build

This is the heart of it. SpoolEase works with Bambu Lab printers only, and getting it running means building a DIY ESP32 device. SimplyPrint is brand-agnostic and needs no extra hardware at all.

Which printers it works with
SimplyPrint
Brand-agnostic. We connect Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality, Klipper, OctoPrint and more, so filament tracking works on whatever printers you already own, in one place.
SpoolEase
Bambu Lab only. SpoolEase reads the AMS and tracks usage by monitoring active Bambu jobs; there's no support for Creality CFS, Anycubic ACE, Prusa or any non-Bambu printer.
Hardware to get started
SimplyPrint
None. Our filament manager is software: sign in and it tracks usage straight away, no scale, no reader, no soldering iron.
SpoolEase
You build the DIY ESP32 NFC console yourself (the load-cell scale is an optional second build for measured weight), sourcing the parts, 3D-printing the case and soldering it together. No assembled kit is sold.
Automatic usage tracking
SimplyPrint
We read the G-code of every print on a connected printer, convert it to grams and deduct it from the assigned spool when the print ends, automatically, for every print on any brand.
SpoolEase
Tracking is Bambu-only and live-monitor-based: the console has to be powered on and watching the job, so prints started from the printer's internal memory or "Print Again" can be missed. The estimate is corrected by the optional load-cell scale if you build it.
The core difference is reach and effort: SimplyPrint tracks any printer brand with nothing to build, while SpoolEase is a Bambu-only tool you assemble yourself from ESP32 parts.

NFC, AMS and an open database, without the DIY console

SpoolEase does real NFC and deep Bambu AMS work, but it all runs through the console you build. SimplyPrint does it natively, from devices you already have, plus an open filament database.

NFC read & write
SimplyPrint
Native NFC read and write across Bambu Lab, Creality CFS, Prusa OpenPrintTag, OpenSpool and OpenTag, from your phone, your browser or a USB reader. Nothing to build.
SpoolEase
Real NFC read and write, but only through the DIY console's built-in reader: there's no phone, Web-NFC or USB path. It reads NTAG and Mifare tags, imports Bambu factory RFID and supports OpenPrintTag, but not OpenSpool or OpenTag.
AMS & multi-material
SimplyPrint
Drop a tagged spool into a Bambu Lab AMS (or a Creality CFS or Anycubic ACE) and we auto-create the spool, assign it to the right slot and sync the AMS-measured weight, across brands.
SpoolEase
Deep but Bambu-exclusive: it auto-configures AMS slots (material, colour, K-factor), reads Bambu factory RFID and shows live AMS weight, with no support for Creality, Anycubic or Prusa multi-material.
Labels & a shared database
SimplyPrint
Direct label printing to Dymo and Zebra thermal printers, plus the Open Filament Database (MIT-licensed, 143 brands and growing, editable in a no-code web editor), wired straight into your presets and tracking.
SpoolEase
No documented label printing (its "Virtual Spool Label" is a phone view you scan, not a printed label), and no shared, browsable, contributable filament database. Filaments are bring-your-own or synced from Bambu Studio.
SpoolEase's NFC and AMS work is genuinely deep, but it's Bambu-bound and runs through hardware you build. SimplyPrint does NFC, AMS and labels natively across brands, from the devices you already own, backed by an open database.

Where SpoolEase is the better pick

SpoolEase is a clever, well-made project, and for the right setup it's the right call. Credit where it's due:

Fully local & offline, no cloud
SimplyPrint
Hosted for you (on-prem is an enterprise option), so there's no hardware to run, but it is our cloud.
SpoolEase
Runs entirely on your own ESP32 hardware with no account, login, subscription or cloud at all, ideal if a fully offline, anti-cloud setup is a hard requirement.
Real measured weight & deep Bambu AMS
SimplyPrint
We estimate remaining filament from G-code and AMS-reported weight, accurate, but a calculated figure rather than a fresh weighing.
SpoolEase
The optional load-cell scale physically weighs each spool for true measured weight, and the Bambu AMS integration (slot auto-config, factory RFID, live AMS weight, even a Bambu Studio fork) is about as deep as Bambu-specific tooling gets.
If you own Bambu printers, want everything local and offline, like building hardware and value a real load-cell weighing, SpoolEase is a fine choice, and it's free for the cost of parts. If you'd rather the tracking just happen, across any printer brand, with nothing to solder, that's SimplyPrint.
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SpoolEase and SimplyPrint comparison

Nothing is black-and-white, and there are always pros and cons to consider when choosing a 3D printing cloud solution!
And we're not here to simply tell you, that SimplyPrint is the best - we want you to make an informed decision, and of course there are pros of using SpoolEase as well!

Pros of using SpoolEase

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

  • Fully local and offline by design: runs on your own ESP32 hardware with no account, login, subscription or cloud, a real plus if you want everything off the internet.
  • Real measured weight: the optional load-cell scale physically weighs each spool, which is more accurate than any pure-software estimate.
  • Deep Bambu Lab integration: AMS slot auto-config (material, colour, K-factor), Bambu factory RFID reading, live AMS weight, even a Bambu Studio fork that surfaces spool ID and net weight in the slicer.
  • Free and source-available: the whole project (Apache 2.0 + Commons Clause) costs only the price of the DIY parts if you can solder, and you can use it in a commercial setting.
  • Genuine NFC, on built hardware: the console reads and writes NTAG and Mifare tags and imports Bambu factory RFID, with a real nested storage-location system.
  • Actively maintained: a solo developer shipping in a hard stack (Rust, Slint, embedded ESP32), not abandonware.

Cons of using SpoolEase

Where SpoolEase falls short if you want tracking that just happens:

  • Bambu Lab only: it works with Bambu printers and AMS exclusively. There's no support for Creality, Anycubic, Prusa, Klipper or any other brand.
  • You build the hardware: getting started means sourcing parts, 3D-printing a case and soldering a DIY ESP32 NFC console (the load-cell scale is a second optional build). No assembled kit is sold.
  • Tracking depends on the hardware running: usage is read by live-monitoring Bambu jobs, so the console has to be on and watching, and prints from the printer's internal memory or "Print Again" can be missed.
  • NFC is console-only, and there's no shared database: NFC works through the built console reader, not from a phone, browser or USB, and there's no shared, browsable filament database, no documented label printing and no documented camera or barcode scanning.
  • A very new, single-developer project: it started in 2025 and is maintained by one person, where SimplyPrint is a company-backed platform running print operations since 2020.

SpoolEase vs. SimplyPrint

Side-by-side list comparison of details and features in SpoolEase and SimplyPrint

SpoolEase logo SimplyPrint logo
Filament management
Free to use
Open-source / self-hostable ? Source-available (Apache 2.0 & Commons Clause), not OSI open source
Filament database ? Open Filament Database
Connects directly to your printer ? Bambu only; live-monitor, needs hardware running
Automatic usage tracking (no manual subtracting) ? Bambu only; hardware-dependent live monitor
AMS auto-import (Bambu / Creality / Anycubic) ? Bambu AMS only Bambu, Creality, Anycubic + more
Read filament NFC tags Console reader only
Write filament NFC tags Console reader only
Label printing (direct to Dymo / Zebra) Dymo & Zebra
Barcode / QR scanning
Drying tracking
Storage locations Nested rack > bay > shelf > position
Cost & spend tracking
Custom fields
Mobile app (iOS & Android)
Multi-user / team access
Import your existing spools ? CSV export + backup/restore
Developer API for filament data ?
Dedicated hardware (scale / reader / dryer) ?
Compare Learn more Learn more
SpoolEase logo SimplyPrint logo
Filament management
Free to use
Open-source / self-hostable ? Source-available (Apache 2.0 & Commons Clause), not OSI open source
Filament database ? Open Filament Database
Connects directly to your printer ? Bambu only; live-monitor, needs hardware running
Automatic usage tracking (no manual subtracting) ? Bambu only; hardware-dependent live monitor
AMS auto-import (Bambu / Creality / Anycubic) ? Bambu AMS only Bambu, Creality, Anycubic + more
Read filament NFC tags Console reader only
Write filament NFC tags Console reader only
Label printing (direct to Dymo / Zebra) Dymo & Zebra
Barcode / QR scanning
Drying tracking
Storage locations Nested rack > bay > shelf > position
Cost & spend tracking
Custom fields
Mobile app (iOS & Android)
Multi-user / team access
Import your existing spools ? CSV export + backup/restore
Developer API for filament data ?
Dedicated hardware (scale / reader / dryer) ?
General
Has free plan
Free printers 2
Max cost Free (DIY hardware) Free, or from $4/printer/mo
Free cloud storage 1GB
Usage based cost
Unlimited printing
Supports all printers
Features
Remote access
Knows your printer
Cloud files
Print queue
Livestream
Gcode analysis
A.I failure detection
AI Bed Check (is the bed clear?)
AutoPrint / continuous printing
Maintenance & servicing system
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
Organization
Multiple users
User groups / ranks
User permissions
School plan
Shared files & folders
Shared slicer profiles
Hub
Custom domains
SSO (single sign-on)
Notifications
Email notifications
Push (mobile / app) notifications
SMS / text message notifications
Apps
Android app
iOS app
"PWA" (installable web-application)
Security & privacy
Account 2-factor authentication
Privacy-minded analytics & data-gathering ?
Support
Live-chat support
Phone support
Email support
Firmware & gateway support
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
OEM
Partner program (reseller / distributor)
Affiliate program
On-prem / self-hosting ? Contact us
Compare Learn more Learn more

Contact us if you think we made a mistake in our comparison!

SpoolEase vs. SimplyPrint: frequently asked questions

Is SimplyPrint or SpoolEase better for filament tracking?

It depends on your setup. SpoolEase is the better fit if you own Bambu Lab printers, want everything fully local and offline, like building hardware, and value a real load-cell weighing of each spool. SimplyPrint is the better fit if you want filament tracking that happens automatically across any printer brand: it reads the G-code of each print and deducts filament on its own, with no hardware to build, plus native NFC, Bambu and Creality AMS auto-import, direct Dymo/Zebra labels and the Open Filament Database, free on every plan.

Does SpoolEase work with non-Bambu printers?

No. SpoolEase is built for Bambu Lab printers only: it reads the Bambu AMS and tracks usage by monitoring active Bambu jobs, and there's no support for Creality CFS, Anycubic ACE, Prusa or any other brand. SimplyPrint is brand-agnostic, so its filament manager tracks usage on Bambu, Prusa, Creality, Klipper, OctoPrint and more, in one place.

Do I have to build hardware to use SpoolEase?

Yes. SpoolEase runs on a DIY ESP32 NFC console you assemble yourself, sourcing the parts, 3D-printing the case and soldering it together (an optional load-cell scale is a second build for measured weight). No assembled kit is sold. SimplyPrint needs no extra hardware at all: its filament manager is software, so you sign in and it tracks usage straight away.

Is SpoolEase open source?

Not in the strict sense. SpoolEase is source-available under Apache 2.0 plus the Commons Clause, so you can read, build and use it (including in a commercial setting), but you can't sell or redistribute the project itself. It's also free software, the only cost being the DIY hardware. SimplyPrint open-sources its filament data and tooling (the MIT-licensed Open Filament Database and slicer-profile data), and its filament manager is free on every plan, hosted for you with no hardware to run.

How does SpoolEase track filament usage?

It live-monitors active Bambu jobs and decrements each spool's weight as the print runs, so the console has to be powered on and watching, which means prints started from the printer's internal memory or "Print Again" can be missed. The optional load-cell scale corrects the estimate by physically weighing the spool. SimplyPrint reads the G-code of every print on a connected printer and deducts usage automatically, with nothing to keep running.

Does SpoolEase read NFC and AMS tags?

Yes, but through the DIY console you build. SpoolEase reads and writes NTAG and Mifare tags and imports Bambu factory RFID via the console's built-in reader (there's no phone, Web-NFC or USB path), and its AMS integration auto-configures Bambu slots and shows live AMS weight. SimplyPrint reads and writes NFC across Bambu, Creality CFS, Prusa OpenPrintTag, OpenSpool and OpenTag from your phone, browser or a USB reader, and auto-imports Bambu and Creality AMS spools, with no hardware to build.

Can I import my SpoolEase spools into SimplyPrint?

Partly. SpoolEase can export your filaments as CSV (and has its own backup/restore), so you can move the data over, with brands matched against the Open Filament Database as they import. There's no one-click SpoolEase importer, so check the exact column format first. SimplyPrint imports from Spoolman, Spoolstock, OctoPrint Filament Manager, 3D Filament Profiles and plain CSV or JSON.

Do I have to run a server or device to use SimplyPrint?

No. SpoolEase runs entirely on the ESP32 hardware you build and host, which some people specifically want. SimplyPrint is hosted for you, so you just sign in and start, with no console, scale or server to assemble; an on-premises option is available for enterprise customers who need it.

Conclusion
Why SimplyPrint is the Top SpoolEase Alternative

We made SimplyPrint due to the fact, that nothing else on the market quite fit our needs. We wanted a platform that was easy to use, but still had all the features we needed. We wanted a feature-rich platform, intuitive and easy to use, with a great user experience and actual innovation within the 3D print management software space.

In summary, we - humble and unbiased as we are 😉 - believe that the SimplyPrint platform is a great SpoolEase alternative!

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