PreForm
by Formlabs · dental.formlabs.com ↗
Formlabs' free print-preparation software: automatic orientation, supports and layout with dental presets, plus remote fleet management through Dashboard. Excellent, but only for Formlabs printers.
PreForm review: our verdict
By the Denture-ID Research Desk · updated Oct 1, 2026 · based on vendor documentation, published pricing and public user reviews; not hands-on tested
Reviewed by Prof. Tanya Villalpando Mitchell, RDH, MS, Professor of Dental Hygiene & Academic Researcher · Editorial Board
PreForm is one of the main reasons Formlabs printers are easy to run in a dental office. It sets up layout, orientation and supports automatically, has presets for common dental indications, and is free. Dashboard adds remote monitoring and job management across printers.
Its only real limitation is scope: it serves Formlabs printers and nothing else.
Strengths
- Free to download and use
- Automatic layout, orientation and supports
- Dental presets and custom presets by material, layer height and supports
- Open Material Mode for third-party resins
- Dashboard for fleet management and starting jobs remotely
- Windows and macOS
Watch-outs
- Works only with Formlabs printers
- Open Material Mode shifts validation of intraoral devices to you and the resin maker
- Few public reviews: 11 on G2
What PreForm is
PreForm is Formlabs' print-preparation software. For dentistry it automatically sets up the model layout, orientation and supports for diagnostic models, surgical guides, aligner models, dentures, crowns and temporary restorations, and lets users save custom presets by material, layer height, orientation and supports. It runs on Windows 10 (64-bit, version 1809 or later) and macOS 10.15 or later.
Dashboard, Formlabs' companion web tool, manages multiple printers, tracks prints and material use, sends status notifications and lets users start jobs from anywhere. Open Material Mode allows third-party resins.
Price
PreForm is free. The cost of a Formlabs setup lies in the printer, resin, tanks and wash and cure units: see the Form 4B review and the dental 3D printer price list.
Where PreForm is strong
- Free.
- Automation. One-click setup for the common dental jobs.
- Presets. Built-in and custom, tied to validated Formlabs materials.
- Fleet tools. Dashboard for labs with several printers.
- Cross-platform. Windows and macOS.
Where it falls short
- Formlabs only.
- Open materials carry responsibility. Settings for third-party resins are yours to validate.
- Few public reviews. 11 on G2, rated 4.8.
Alternatives to compare
- CHITUBOX Dental, for many printer brands: CHITUBOX Dental vs PreForm.
- RayWare, for SprintRay printers: PreForm vs RayWare.
- Asiga Composer: Asiga Composer vs PreForm.
All slicers: dental slicer comparison.
Bottom line
If you own a Formlabs printer, PreForm is the software to use, and it costs nothing. The decision is really about the printer: compare Formlabs' printers and resins with alternatives before you buy.
Sources for this review (2)
- Formlabs Dental: PreForm — features, presets, Dashboard, Open Material Mode and system requirements
- Formlabs: PreForm release notes — version history
Data Index profile
Table view
| Axis | PreForm | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 10.0 | 9 of 9 tracked capabilities confirmed (0 unverified) |
| Integrations | no data | No integration data verified |
| Pricing clarity | 10.0 | public full, free plan |
| Support | 4.0 | 2 channels |
| Vendor stability | 8.0 | 750+ staff |
| User rating | 9.6 | 4.8/5 from 11 public reviews |
Of the 5 axes we could measure, PreForm is strongest on features (10.0/10) and weakest on support (4.0/10). That combination — broad functionality, thin support documentation — is typical of fast-growing vendors; ask for onboarding terms in writing. It ranks #1 of 9 in dental slicers, 3.6 points above the category median of 4.8. We could not verify integrations yet, so those axes are left blank rather than scored.
- Features10.0
9 of 9 tracked capabilities confirmed (0 unverified). What this measures ⓘ
- Integrationsno data
No integration data verified. What this measures ⓘ
- Pricing clarity10.0
public full, free plan. What this measures ⓘ
- Support4.0
2 channels. What this measures ⓘ
- Vendor stability8.0
750+ staff. What this measures ⓘ
- User rating9.6
4.8/5 from 11 public reviews. What this measures ⓘ
Slicer capabilities
PreForm confirms 9 of 9 capabilities we track for this category. Relatively rare among its 8 peers: open resins, splint preset, denture base, and aligner model.
- ✓ Open resins
- ✓ Auto supports
- ✓ Auto orientation
- ✓ Hollowing
- ✓ Model preset
- ✓ Splint preset
- ✓ Denture base
- ✓ Surgical guide
- ✓ Aligner model
- License
- free
See how every dental slicers product compares on these features →
Pricing & 3-year cost
- License model
- Free
- Price transparency
- Full public pricing
- Starting price
- Not published
- Free trial
- Not verified
- Free plan
- Yes
- Price last checked
- Sep 30, 2026
- Minimum term
- Not verified
- Auto-renew
- Not verified
- Cancellation notice
- Not verified
- Early termination fee
- Not verified
- Data export on exit
- Not verified
Compliance & security
“Claimed by vendor” means a public statement we could cite; it is not an audit. Ask for the SOC 2 report or signed BAA before you share patient data.
Who it’s for
Best for
- Practices and labs that own Form 4B, Form 4BL or Form Auto
- Teams that want one-click setup for models, guides, dentures, crowns and temporaries
- Labs managing several Formlabs printers remotely
Not ideal for
- Owners of non-Formlabs printers
- Buyers looking for a general slicer across brands
Practice size
- Specialties
- Dental lab
- Deployment
- Desktop
- Open API
- ?
- Support
- phone, ticket
User ratings
4.8/5 averaged across G2 from 11 reviews. It is the highest-rated of 3 rated products in its category.
Ratings are snapshots from third-party platforms, shown with their date and link. We do not publish them as our own review stars.
Company
- Vendor
- Formlabs
- Employees
- 750+
Related buyer guides
FAQ
Is PreForm free?
Yes. Formlabs' PreForm software is free to download and use with Formlabs printers. Dashboard, its web tool for managing printers and material use, is also available to Formlabs owners.
Can PreForm be used with other 3D printers?
No. PreForm prepares prints for Formlabs printers such as the Form 4B, Form 4BL and Form Auto. For other brands, use the maker's software or a general dental slicer such as CHITUBOX Dental.
Does PreForm support third-party resins?
Formlabs offers Open Material Mode for third-party resins. For devices that go in the mouth, use a resin whose manufacturer validates it on your printer with stated settings.
Is PreForm HIPAA compliant?
The vendor does not claim HIPAA compliance in the sources we reviewed.
What are the best alternatives to PreForm?
By our Data Index, the strongest alternatives in dental slicers are Asiga Composer (7.0), CHITUBOX Dental (6.8), and Materialise Magics (5.3).
Sources16 cited · 18 field-level citations
- Formlabs Creator Program · formlabs.com · vendor site
- Formlabs - Programme de parrainage · dental.formlabs.com · vendor site
- PreForm Release Notes · formlabs.com · vendor docs
- PreForm Software for 3D Printing | Formlabs Dental · dental.formlabs.com · vendor site
- Formlabs Dental Software: Integrated Workflow for Dental 3D Printing · dental.formlabs.com · vendor site
- Formlabs Dental Products - Technical Specifications · dental.formlabs.com · vendor site
- Formlabs Support - PreForm · formlabs.com · vendor docs
- Formlabs Affiliate Program · ui.awin.com · review platform
- Formlabs | LinkedIn · linkedin.com · vendor site
- Formlabs Support · formlabs.com · vendor docs
- About Formlabs | Global · formlabs.com · vendor site
- About Formlabs · formlabs.com · vendor site
- Formlabs Support | Europe · formlabs.com · vendor docs
- Formlabs Support | Global · formlabs.com · vendor docs
- Soporte de Formlabs | España · formlabs.com · vendor docs
- Certifications & Standards - Cybersecurity | Formlabs · formlabs.com · vendor docs
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