China
Anet A8 at a glance
The Anet A8 is a 3D printer by Anet with a 220 x 220 x 240 mm build volume.
- Build volume
- 220 x 220 x 240 mm
- Enclosure
- Open frame
- Max print speed
- 100 mm/s
- Motion system
- Bed slinger
- Prints well
- PLA, PETG, TPU & flexibles, ABS & ASA, Nylon (PA)
- Built-in camera
- No
- Connectivity
- SD card
Connect the Anet A8 to SimplyPrint
Does the Anet A8 3D printer work with SimplyPrint, OctoPrint, Mainsail and Fluidd? Each way of connecting it, what it needs, and how to set it up.
-
OctoPrint
Directly, over USB
Compatible
What you need: A Raspberry Pi running OctoPrint, plugged into the printer with a USB cable
50+ printers use SimplyPrint
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Klipper (Moonraker)
Not compatible
- Doesn't ship with Klipper: it runs Klipper after you install it in place of its own firmware, a modification
What works with SimplyPrint
Connected through OctoPrint, SimplyPrint supports everything the Anet A8 lets other software do: the camera and AI failure detection, remote printing, temperature and movement control and AutoPrint. 3 features depend on how it's set up: the table says what each needs.
Every SimplyPrint feature, for each way of connecting it to SimplyPrint
| Connected to SimplyPrint through | |
|---|---|
| SimplyPrint feature | OctoPrint Compatible |
| Monitoring | |
| Live status and progress | Yes |
| Webcam | Yes 1 |
| AI failure detection | Yes 1 |
| Time left | Yes |
| Layer progress | Yes |
| Temperatures | Yes |
| Printing | |
| Starting a print | Yes |
| Pause, resume and cancel | Yes |
| Skip objects | Depends 2 |
| Files | |
| Print binary G-code (.bgcode) | Depends 3 |
| Printer control | |
| Change temperatures | Yes |
| Moving with the controls | Yes |
| Homing | Yes |
| Extrude and retract | Yes |
| Change print speed | Yes |
| Fan speed | Yes |
| Baby stepping | Yes |
| Send G-code | Yes |
| Calibration | |
| Change filament | Yes |
| Bed leveling | Yes |
| Z-Offset Calibration | Yes |
| Automation | |
| AutoPrint Pro | Yes |
| Download the file before the print starts | Depends 4 |
Connected to SimplyPrint through OctoPrint
Compatible
Monitoring
- Live status and progress Yes
- Webcam Yes 1
- AI failure detection Yes 1
- Time left Yes
- Layer progress Yes
- Temperatures Yes
Printing
- Starting a print Yes
- Pause, resume and cancel Yes
- Skip objects Depends 2
Files
- Print binary G-code (.bgcode) Depends 3
Printer control
- Change temperatures Yes
- Moving with the controls Yes
- Homing Yes
- Extrude and retract Yes
- Change print speed Yes
- Fan speed Yes
- Baby stepping Yes
- Send G-code Yes
Calibration
- Change filament Yes
- Bed leveling Yes
- Z-Offset Calibration Yes
Automation
- AutoPrint Pro Yes
- Download the file before the print starts Depends 4
Works Depends Not supported
- Needs a camera
- Requires the OctoPrint plugin Cancel Objects
- Requires the OctoPrint plugin BGCode
- Requires version 4.2.0 or newer of the SimplyPrint plugin
Anet A8 owners on SimplyPrint
50+ printers use SimplyPrint
What slicer to use for the Anet A8
Use Cura: it has a ready-made profile for the Anet A8.
Ready-made profile for the Anet A8
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CuraRuns in the SimplyPrint cloud
No profile for the Anet A8
PrusaSlicer
OrcaSlicer
BambuStudio
ElegooSlicer
CrealityPrint
Kiri:MotoWe only list slicers you can use in the SimplyPrint cloud, so there may be others for the Anet A8.
Cloud-Based Slicer for Anet A8: Use Cura Online
Use Cura and other slicers - directly in your browser with SimplyPrint's online cloud slicer. No installation required. Slice your Anet A8 models from any device, anywhere in the world!
Try Online Slicer NowProfiles and other slicers
Automatic Profile Updates: Profiles are automatically checked and fetched from the slicer GitHub repositories every day, as well as from our own open-source community-driven slicer profile database. This ensures you always have access to the latest profiles.
Note: Other slicers, such as Simplify3D, ideaMaker, SuperSlicer and KISSlicer, aren't in our cloud, so we don't track their profiles. They may still work well with your Anet A8: check the slicer's own documentation or forums for a profile. You can also contribute profiles to our open-source slicer profile database on GitHub.
The app for the Anet A8
SimplyPrint works as the Anet A8's app: on your phone and in any browser, with a slicer in the cloud.
What you get with SimplyPrint
- An app for iPhone and Android, the same in any browser, and a slicer in the cloud.
- More than monitoring: a print queue, AI failure detection, AutoPrint and accounts for a team.
- Printers from many brands in one place, side by side.
- A European cloud: hosted in Frankfurt, Germany, under the GDPR.
Automate the Anet A8
There's no plate swapper or auto-ejection kit for the Anet A8 in SimplyPrint yet, but AutoPrint can still keep it printing: once the plate is clear, it starts the next job from your queue.
The Anet A8 moves its bed back and forth, so its plate comes out to the front of the printer. That's what plate swappers like these use: they take the finished plate off and slide a fresh one on. Without a kit, a G-code routine can push cooled prints off with the toolhead.
Ways to automate it
- Push prints off with the toolhead On a bed slinger, a G-code routine can sweep the cooled print off the bed before the next job starts.
- Your own ejection G-code Write the routine that clears your plate, and AutoPrint runs it after every print.
- A robot arm, or anything with an API Tell SimplyPrint the plate is clear through the API or a webhook, from a robot arm or your own system.
- Clear it by hand, keep the queue AutoPrint waits for you to mark the plate clear, then starts the next job.
AutoPrint comes with the Pro plan and up.
Anet A8 specifications: bed size, print height and more
Its size, temperatures, multi-material and how it connects, from the maker and our own research. Read more by the manufacturer
Size
| Build volume | 220 x 220 x 240 mm |
|---|---|
| Bed type | Square |
| Bed size | 220 x 220 mm |
| Max print height | 240 mm |
Printing
| Enclosure | Open frame |
|---|---|
| Motion system | Bed slinger |
| Max print speed | 100 mm/s |
| Max extruder temperature | 280 °C |
| Has heated bed | Yes |
| Max bed temperature | 100 °C |
| Number of nozzles | 1 |
| Toolheads | 1 |
| Direct drive | Yes |
| Probing tool / Auto Bed Leveling | No |
| Filament width | 1.75 mm |
Multi-material
| Toolchanger or hotend changer | No |
|---|---|
| IDEX (independent dual extruders) | No |
Connecting
| Connectivity | SD card |
|---|---|
| Built-in camera | No |
| Prints from | microSD card |
| Supports serial printing | Yes |
| Shipped firmware | Marlin |
Files and slicing
| Supported file formats | G-code (.gcode, .gco, .g) |
|---|
The printer
| Printer manufacturer / brand | Anet |
|---|---|
| Printer model name | A8 |
| Made by a company from | China |
| Launched | 2016 |
Disclaimer: We strive to keep this information as current and accurate as possible, but cannot guarantee its completeness or reliability. Our data is based on user submissions and manufacturer references.
What filament can the Anet A8 print?
Filament compatibility for the Anet A8: the materials Anet lists for it.
| Filament | Suitability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PLA | Great | On the maker's list of materials for this printer. |
| PETG | Great | Comfortably in range (PETG likes a ~230-250C hotend and a ~70-85C bed). |
| TPU & flexibles | Great | The direct-drive extruder feeds flexible filament well. Print slowly for clean results. |
| ABS & ASA | Great | On the maker's list of materials for this printer. |
| Nylon (PA) | Great | On the maker's list of materials for this printer. |
| Polycarbonate (PC) | With care | On the edge - PC really wants an enclosed, hot chamber to avoid warping. |
| Carbon-fiber & glass-filled | With care | Possible if you fit a hardened or wear-resistant nozzle - the abrasive fibers quickly wear a stock brass nozzle. |
Tip: this is a general guide from the printer's specs - always check your filament's recommended settings. With SimplyPrint you can save a profile for each spool and track exactly what filament you have in stock.
Best filament for the Anet A8
Filaments the Anet A8 prints well, Anet's own first, then the best known.
What reviewers say about the Anet A8
Reviews from people who test printers for a living. We link to them; the opinions are theirs.
Anet A8 Review: Most Popular 3D Printer in 2018
Reviews the A8 as the most popular 3D printer until fall 2018, when the Creality Ender 3 overtook it, covering key upgrades and how it differs from the A6. Rated 3/5. Read from an archive copy, which shows only the standfirst.
How Cheap Can A 3D Printer Get? The Anet A8
Builds an A8 kit for about $150 and finds assembly tedious and the build surface and calibration still to pay for. He loves his and found it reliable, but recommends it only to people who want a kit.
“If you’re willing to add a little sweat equity and fix up some of the bugs, an A8 can be turned into a good 3D printer on a shoestring budget.”
Compare the Anet A8 with similar printers
Printers from the same maker, of a similar size, printing the same engineering materials or multi-material like it, that you can buy today. Compare up to four side by side, with their specs and how each connects.
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ELEGOO Neptune 4 Pro
225 x 225 x 265 mmLaunched June 2023Connects with: Klipper (Moonraker)Similar build volume · Also prints ABS & ASA, Nylon (PA)Compatible Compare side by side ELEGOO Neptune 4 Pro -
ELEGOO Neptune 4
225 x 225 x 265 mmLaunched June 2023Connects with: Klipper (Moonraker)Similar build volume · Also prints ABS & ASA, Nylon (PA)Compatible Compare side by side ELEGOO Neptune 4 -
Flashforge Creator 5
256 x 256 x 256 mmLaunched May 2026Connects with: SimplyPrint ClientSimilar build volume · Also prints ABS & ASA, Nylon (PA)Compatible Compare side by side Flashforge Creator 5 -
Creality Ender-3 V4 Combo
220 x 220 x 235 mmLaunched November 2025Connects with: Klipper (Moonraker), SimplyPrint ClientSimilar build volume · Also prints ABS & ASA, Nylon (PA)
Frequently asked questions
Is the Anet A8 compatible with SimplyPrint?
Yes. You can connect the Anet A8 to SimplyPrint via OctoPrint, then slice, queue, start and monitor prints from your browser or the mobile app.
How do I connect the Anet A8 to SimplyPrint?
Follow our step-by-step setup guide for the Anet A8. It shows how to connect it via OctoPrint, what you need for each, and which to pick.
What slicer should I use for the Anet A8?
We recommend Cura for the Anet A8. You can run it, and 6 other slicers, directly in SimplyPrint's online slicer - no install, on any device, with profiles for the Anet A8 kept up to date automatically.
Can I use OrcaSlicer with the Anet A8?
Yes, but OrcaSlicer has no built-in profile for the Anet A8 that we know of: start from a similar printer's profile and set the bed size, height and nozzle to match.
What filament can the Anet A8 print?
Anet lists PLA, ABS & ASA and Nylon (PA) for the A8.
Does the Anet A8 work with OctoPrint or Klipper?
The Anet A8 works with OctoPrint, and SimplyPrint connects to it through them - so you get cloud access, a queue and camera monitoring on top.
What is the Anet A8's bed size and build volume?
The Anet A8 has a 220 x 220 mm print bed and prints up to 240 mm tall, a build volume of about 220 x 220 x 240 mm. See the full specifications table above for bed type, temperatures and more.
When did the Anet A8 come out?
Anet launched the A8 in 2016.
Can the Anet A8 eject prints automatically?
There's no kit for it that we support yet, but SimplyPrint's AutoPrint can push prints off with the toolhead, or run your own ejection G-code, and then start the next job from your queue.
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