Shapeways changed in 2024. The designer marketplace that once let creators sell prints is gone, and today's Shapeways is a B2B manufacturing service. Here is how that compares with 3DAPI.
Last reviewed September 2026
The short answer
3DAPI is ecommerce print on demand fulfillment for online sellers. Today's Shapeways is a relaunched B2B and industrial manufacturing service, no longer the consumer designer marketplace it once was. Choose by job: store fulfillment of consumer goods (3DAPI) or industrial and B2B parts in specialist materials (Shapeways).
| 3DAPI | Shapeways | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Online sellers fulfilling consumer products to buyers in many countries | B2B and industrial parts in specialist materials |
| Model | Print on demand fulfillment, every store order made and shipped automatically | B2B digital manufacturing service |
| Where orders are made | 30+ production centers in 10+ regions, the one nearest your buyer | Eindhoven, Netherlands |
| 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. | Direct B2B ordering; the designer shops were not restored |
| Processes | FDM 3D printing | Wide range, including high-detail processes and metals |
| Inventory and minimums | None and no minimums, with optional regional Stock for bestsellers | Per-order production |
| Pricing | Pay per order: production price plus shipping. Free plan available | Quoted per order |
Shapeways was a pioneering 3D printing service and designer marketplace, founded in 2007. In July 2024 its parent, Shapeways Holdings, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and stopped operating.
In December 2024 the brand relaunched under new ownership: two of the original co-founders together with the team from its Eindhoven (Netherlands) facility, which acquired the Shapeways name, website and plant. The new Shapeways focuses on B2B and industrial digital manufacturing, with a wide range of technologies and materials including metals. The old designer marketplace, where creators sold their prints, was not restored.
The Shapeways that competed with consumer print on demand, the marketplace for selling prints, no longer exists in that form. Today's Shapeways is closer to an industrial and B2B manufacturing service than to 3DAPI's ecommerce model.
For an ecommerce seller who wants store-connected, automated fulfillment of consumer products shipped to shoppers, 3DAPI is built for that workflow.
The current Shapeways is oriented to B2B manufacturing rather than being the fulfillment backend for an Etsy or Shopify store, and it no longer runs the designer shops that once filled a similar role. If you sold through a Shapeways shop, 3DAPI lets you sell the same kind of products through your own store.
If you need industrial or B2B production with a broad material range, including high-detail processes and metals, and value the experience of the original Shapeways team and its Eindhoven facility, the relaunched Shapeways is a strong specialist option.
It is particularly worth a look for European B2B work and materials beyond consumer FDM.
No. After its 2024 bankruptcy and relaunch under new ownership, the designer marketplace was not restored; today's Shapeways focuses on B2B and industrial manufacturing. To sell consumer products through your own store, 3DAPI offers store-connected print on demand.
Shapeways Holdings filed for Chapter 7 in July 2024. The brand relaunched in December 2024 under new owners, including original co-founders and its Eindhoven team, with a B2B and industrial focus.
Details about Shapeways come from its public website and industry coverage, last reviewed September 2026. Services and prices change; check with Shapeways before deciding. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will correct it.
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