Two different jobs. Craftcloud helps you shop for the best price on a part. 3DAPI makes and ships your store's orders to your customers, automatically.
Last reviewed September 2026
The short answer
Different jobs. 3DAPI is ongoing, automated print on demand fulfillment for an online store. Craftcloud is on-demand buying of parts, with price comparison across a broad industrial network.
| 3DAPI | Craftcloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Online sellers fulfilling consumer products to buyers in many countries | Buying parts and comparing quotes |
| Model | Print on demand fulfillment, every store order made and shipped automatically | Aggregator: upload a model, compare offers, order |
| Where orders are made | 30+ production centers in 10+ regions, the one nearest your buyer | Around 180 to 200 manufacturers worldwide; you choose the offer |
| Store integrations | Shopify connects through ShipStation for now, and a direct Shopify connection is coming soon. Etsy, Amazon, eBay and WooCommerce connect through ShipStation, plus an API. | Not built for store order sync; you upload and order each time |
| Processes | FDM 3D printing | FDM, SLA, SLS, MJF, DMLS, CNC, injection molding, casting, sheet metal |
| Inventory and minimums | None and no minimums, with optional regional Stock for bestsellers | No minimums, from one-offs to batches |
| Pricing | Pay per order: production price plus shipping. Free plan available | Instant quotes per part, compared across providers |
Craftcloud, by All3DP, is a 3D printing and manufacturing aggregator. You upload a model and it returns real-time quotes from a global network of manufacturers, reported at around 180 to 200 providers.
Those providers cover many processes (FDM, SLA, SLS, MJF, DMLS, plus CNC machining, injection molding, casting and sheet metal) and more than 100 materials. You pick an offer, Craftcloud is your contractual partner, and the provider produces and ships. Its customer base is mostly business buyers.
Both give you access to production in many places, but they do different jobs. Craftcloud helps a buyer find the best quote and order parts. 3DAPI is the fulfillment backend for a seller's store: orders flow in automatically from Shopify, or from Etsy, Amazon and more through ShipStation, and ship to the seller's customers with no quoting per order.
For running a product business, 3DAPI is built for the workflow Craftcloud is not: store integration, SKU-to-design mapping, and automatic fulfillment of every order to the end customer.
With Craftcloud you would quote and order each time by hand; it is not a store-connected dropshipping pipeline. If the goal is "my store's orders get made and shipped to my buyers automatically", that is 3DAPI's lane.
Craftcloud's breadth is its strength. If you need a one-off or a batch of parts, want to compare prices across many providers, or need processes beyond consumer FDM (metal, CNC, injection molding, SLS, MJF, DMLS), Craftcloud is excellent and transparent.
For prototyping, industrial parts, or any time you need a part made and want to shop the price, it is the better tool.
Craftcloud is built for uploading a model and ordering parts, not for automated, store-connected dropshipping. 3DAPI connects to your store and fulfills each order to your customer automatically.
Craftcloud, by far: its providers span many industrial processes and materials, including metal and CNC. 3DAPI focuses on FDM print on demand for ecommerce.
Details about Craftcloud come from its public website and industry coverage, last reviewed September 2026. Services and prices change; check with Craftcloud before deciding. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will correct it.
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