Compare · checked 2026-10-17

NestSmith vs Print Laser Pro's Gang Sheet Builder

Short answer

Pick NestSmith. It packs parts by their real outline, not their bounding box. It reads .lbrn2, .lbrn, .xcs, .xs, .ai, PDF and SVG, and writes .lbrn2, .xs, SVG and DXF. The full engine is free, with no card, no time caps and no watermarks. Pro is $4 a month and never produces a better nest.

Nest a sheet free See FoundryPass

Full engine free, no card · Pro $4/mo

Verdict

NestSmith vs Print Laser Pro, side by side

Print Laser Pro facts are from their own public pages, checked 2026-10-17. “Not listed” means we could not find it there. Their pages change, so check before you buy.

Feature	NestSmith	Print Laser Pro
Nesting
How parts are packed	True-shape, by the real outline	Auto-layout with live utilization %
Reads LightBurn and xTool projects	.lbrn2, .lbrn, .xcs, .xs, plus .ai, PDF, SVG	Not listed
Files
Writes	.lbrn2, .xs, SVG, DXF	PNG, TIFF, SVG, PDF; cut files for patch and sticker sheets
Price
Full engine	Free, no card, no time caps, no watermarks	Part of the $79/mo plan
Paid tier	Pro $4/mo or $40/yr	$79/mo or $790/yr
Percentage of your sales	None	8% to 4% of each storefront or embed order, $1 minimum

What it costs

FoundryPass prices are the rates from November 2, 2026. Your sign-up price holds for as long as you stay a member. Print Laser Pro prices from their pricing page, checked 2026-10-17.
	NestSmith	Print Laser Pro
Free	Full engine, unlimited nests, no card	24-hour test drive; print-ready downloads unlock on the paid trial
Monthly	Pro $4	$79
Yearly	Pro $40	$790
Lifetime	Master Key $499, every Forge app	$2,500
Percentage of your sales	None	8% to 4% of each storefront or embed order, $1 minimum
Every Forge app (FoundryPass)	$29/mo · $290/yr · $499 once	$79/mo for their one plan

Fees on your sales

No Forge app takes a percentage of your sales. The apps are flat monthly, yearly or one-time prices. You sell through the store you already run, and what you charge your customer is yours. The Forge for Shopify is coming soon, and it will never take a percentage of your sales either.

Their figures, from their own worked examples (checked 2026-10-17). Their fee applies to each order placed through their storefronts or embeds: 8% on the first $50 ($1 minimum), 6.5% from $50 to $150, 5% from $150 to $500, 4% above $500, billed monthly on top of the subscription. Design and production work run in-shop has no store-order fee.
Store order subtotal	Print Laser Pro store-order fee	Forge app fee
$40	$3.20	$0
$120	$7.80	$0
$300	$15.00	$0
$700	$28.00	$0

If you need…

If you needMore parts per sheet of materialNestSmith true-shape nesting, free.If you needTo nest a LightBurn or xTool fileNestSmith reads and writes .lbrn2 and .xs.If you needCosting and offcutsNestSmith Pro, $4/mo.If you needPatch gang sheets with registration marksPatchForge gang sheets.If you needEvery Forge appFoundryPass includes NestSmith Pro: $29/mo.

Questions

Is NestSmith free?

Yes. The full engine is free with unlimited nests: no card, no time caps, no watermarks.

Does Pro nest better?

No. Pro never produces a better nest. It adds multi-sheet, costing, saved projects, history and offcuts.

What files does NestSmith open?

LightBurn .lbrn2 and .lbrn, xTool .xcs and .xs, Illustrator .ai, PDF and SVG. It writes .lbrn2, .xs, SVG and DXF.

What is true-shape nesting?

Packing parts by their real outline instead of their bounding box, so irregular parts fit closer together.

More comparisons

Sources (5)

Competitor facts checked 2026-10-17.

Try NestSmith on a real job.

NestSmith is in FoundryPass with every other Forge app: $29 a month, $290 a year, or $499 once. No Forge app takes a percentage of your sales.

Nest a sheet free See FoundryPass