The free, open-source 3D printing slicer that makes it easy to bring your ideas to life. Whether you are just getting started or have been printing for years, Orca Slicer has everything you need.
When you make something in a 3D modeling program, you end up with a digital file. But your 3D printer does not understand that file directly. It needs step-by-step instructions that tell it exactly where to move, how much plastic to push out, and how hot to get. That is what a slicer does. It takes your 3D model and "slices" it into thin layers, then creates a set of instructions (called G-code) that your printer follows.
Orca Slicer is one of the best slicers available today. It was created by a developer named SoftFever and is based on Bambu Studio, which itself grew out of PrusaSlicer. Think of it as the next step in a long line of great slicing software, with tons of extra features added by the community.
The best part? Orca Slicer is completely free and open-source. You do not pay a penny to use it. Anyone can look at the code, suggest changes, or help fix bugs. It is built by people who love 3D printing, for people who love 3D printing. The project lives on GitHub, where thousands of makers contribute ideas and improvements every month.
Free and open-source. Pick your platform below — all links go directly to the official GitHub release.
Ubuntu 24.04+ / Flatpak
All downloads from the official GitHub release. Orca Slicer is free under the AGPLv3 license.
Orca Slicer gives you powerful tools in a simple package. Here is what you can do with it.
Paint colors right onto your models. Print with up to 16 colors at once using Bambu Lab AMS or other multi-material setups.
Smart, tree-shaped supports that use less material and snap off cleanly. Your prints look better with less waste.
Built-in tools to tune your printer automatically. Calibrate flow rate, pressure advance, and more in just a few clicks.
Smart speed controls help your printer move fast without losing quality. Orca Slicer picks the best speed for each part of your print.
Fine-tune every detail of your print. Control seam placement, wall order, layer height, and hundreds of other settings.
Send prints straight to your printer over Wi-Fi. Works with Bambu Lab, Klipper, OctoPrint, and more. No SD card needed.
There are a lot of slicers out there. Here is why so many people pick Orca Slicer.
Easy for beginners. If you are new to 3D printing, Orca Slicer will not overwhelm you. The default settings work great for most prints. Just load your model, pick your printer, and hit Slice. You do not need to understand every setting on day one. The interface is clean and guides you through the basics without getting in your way.
Powerful for experts. When you are ready to go deeper, Orca Slicer has everything. Hundreds of advanced settings let you control every tiny detail of your print. Per-object settings, custom G-code, variable layer heights, and more. There is no ceiling to how much you can tweak and tune.
A great community. The Orca Slicer community is active and helpful. Got a question? There are forums, Discord servers, and Reddit threads full of people happy to help. The developers listen to feedback and add features that real users ask for.
Regular updates. New versions come out often with bug fixes, new printer profiles, and new features. The project moves fast because so many people contribute. You are not stuck waiting years for improvements.
Works with tons of printers. With over 500 printer profiles built in, your printer is probably already supported. And if it is not, the community is always adding new ones.
People from all walks of life use Orca Slicer. Here are just a few of the groups that love it.
You love building things on weekends. Maybe it is cosplay armor, custom figurines, or gifts for friends. Orca Slicer makes it simple to go from idea to finished print with great results every time.
Teachers use Orca Slicer to bring lessons to life. Students learn about design and engineering by printing real objects. It is free, so every classroom can use it without worrying about licenses.
If you sell 3D printed products or use printing for prototypes, Orca Slicer saves you time and money. No license fees means more budget for filament and growing your business.
Need exact dimensions and strong parts? Orca Slicer gives you the precision controls that engineers rely on. Test your designs quickly and iterate fast with accurate prototypes.
Getting started is quick and easy. Follow these five steps and you will be printing in minutes.
Grab the latest version of Orca Slicer from GitHub. Pick the installer for your system: Windows, macOS, or Linux.
Run the installer and follow the prompts. It takes just a few seconds. No complicated setup needed.
Pick your 3D printer from the built-in list of over 500 profiles. Your settings are ready to go right away.
Load your STL or 3MF file, choose your filament, tweak settings if you want, and hit Slice. Done.
Send the file to your printer over Wi-Fi, SD card, or USB. Watch your creation come to life layer by layer.
Wondering how Orca Slicer stacks up against the other popular slicers? Here is a quick, honest look.
Cura by Ultimaker is one of the most well-known slicers. It has been around for a long time and supports many printers. However, Cura can feel slow on some computers, and its interface has gotten more complex over the years. Some features that are free in Orca Slicer require plugins or marketplace add-ons in Cura.
PrusaSlicer is excellent, especially if you own a Prusa printer. It is fast, reliable, and has great features. Orca Slicer actually started from the same codebase (through Bambu Studio), so many core features are similar. But Orca Slicer adds extra tools on top, like better multi-color painting, more calibration options, and wider printer support out of the box.
What makes Orca Slicer stand out? A few things. First, the multi-color workflow is one of the best available. Second, the built-in calibration tools save you from guessing at settings. Third, it supports more printers than most slicers, with ready-to-use profiles. Fourth, the community is very active, so updates and fixes come fast. And like the others, it is completely free.
The truth is, all three are good slicers. But if you want the latest features, broad printer support, and an active community, Orca Slicer is hard to beat.
Orca Slicer comes with ready-to-use profiles for hundreds of 3D printers. Chances are, your printer is already on the list.
New to 3D printing? These quick tips will help you get a great first print.
1. Start with a simple model. Do not jump straight into a complex project. Print a small test cube or a benchy boat first. This helps you learn how your printer and Orca Slicer work together without wasting a lot of filament or time.
2. Use the default settings. Orca Slicer comes with great default profiles for most printers. Resist the urge to change everything at once. The defaults are tuned by experienced users and work well right out of the box.
3. Make sure your bed is level. A level print bed is the single most important thing for a good first layer. If your printer has auto bed leveling, run it before your first print. If not, take a few minutes to level it by hand.
4. Run the built-in calibration. Orca Slicer has calibration tools for flow rate, pressure advance, and temperature. Running these takes a few minutes but makes a huge difference in print quality. It is worth doing before your first real print.
5. Use the right filament temperature. Check the recommended temperature range on your filament spool. PLA usually prints well at 200 to 220 degrees Celsius. Start in the middle of the range and adjust from there.
6. Do not be afraid to fail. Your first print might not be perfect, and that is completely okay. Every maker has a box of failed prints somewhere. Each one teaches you something. The community is always happy to help you figure out what went wrong.
Thousands of people use Orca Slicer every day. Here is what some of them think about it.
Orca Slicer changed everything for me. The tree supports are amazing, and I was doing multi-color prints within minutes of installing it. I will never go back to my old slicer.
As a teacher, I needed something students could learn fast. Orca Slicer is perfect. The calibration tools mean our school printers give great results every single class.
I sell 3D printed products on Etsy. Orca Slicer saves me hours every week with network printing and batch processing. And since it is free, I can spend more on quality filament.
Orca Slicer keeps getting better with every release. Here are the highlights from the latest version.
Version 2.3.1 brings a bunch of improvements that make your printing experience smoother. The slicing engine is faster, so you spend less time waiting and more time printing. Several bugs that caused crashes on certain models have been fixed, making the software more stable overall.
New printer profiles have been added for recent models from Bambu Lab, Creality, and other brands. Multi-color printing has been refined with better color transition handling and reduced filament waste during purges. The user interface has also received small but helpful updates, including clearer labels and better tooltips for settings.
For the full list of changes, bug fixes, and new features, check out the official release notes on GitHub. Updating is easy: just download the latest version and install it over your existing copy. Your settings and profiles will carry over automatically.
Make sure your computer can run Orca Slicer. The good news: it works on most modern machines.
Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64-bit. Both Home and Pro editions work fine.
macOS 12 (Monterey) or newer. Works on both Intel Macs and Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4).
Ubuntu 22.04 or newer. Also available as a Flatpak for other distributions. x86_64 and ARM64 supported.
4 GB minimum to run the software. 8 GB recommended for a smooth experience with large models.
About 500 MB of free disk space for the installation. A bit more if you keep many custom profiles.
Any modern display works. A screen resolution of 1280x720 or higher is recommended for the best experience.
Guides, tutorials, and tips to help you get the most out of every print.
Learn the full story behind Orca Slicer. Find out where it came from, what makes it different, and why so many makers have switched to it.
Read Full Guide →Get better prints with these proven tips. Covers bed adhesion, support settings, temperature tuning, speed tweaks, and more.
Read Best Practices →Everything you need to know about multi-color printing. AMS setup, color painting, filament tips, and how to get vibrant results.
Read Tutorial →Quick answers to the things people ask most about Orca Slicer.
Orca Slicer is a free app that turns your 3D models into instructions your printer can follow. Think of it as the translator between your design and your printer. It stands out because of its easy multi-color tools, smart tree supports, built-in calibration, and support for over 500 printers. It gives you pro-level results without costing a thing.
Yes, 100%. It is open-source under the AGPLv3 license. There are no hidden fees, no premium plans, and no locked features. Everything is free for everyone. The project is built and maintained by volunteers who love 3D printing.
A lot of them. Orca Slicer works with printers from Bambu Lab, Prusa, Creality, Anycubic, Voron, QIDI, Elegoo, Artillery, Sovol, FlashForge, and many more. There are over 500 built-in profiles, and new ones get added with every update.
Yes, and it is one of the best things about Orca Slicer. You can paint colors right onto your model, set up filament changes at specific layers, and use up to 16 colors in a single print. It works great with Bambu Lab AMS and other multi-material systems.
Orca Slicer runs on Windows 10 and 11, macOS 12 and newer (both Intel and Apple Silicon), and Linux (Ubuntu 22.04+, plus Flatpak for other distros). You get the full feature set on every platform.
It is simple. Download Orca Slicer from GitHub, install it, pick your printer from the list, load a 3D model, click Slice, and send it to your printer. Most people go from download to first print in about 15 minutes. The built-in defaults work great, so you do not need to be an expert to get started.
Join over a million makers who use Orca Slicer. Download it free today and start bringing your ideas to life.