Laser cutting is a modernized form of sculpting for engraving various designs on different materials like wood, metal, or plastic. Nowadays, this technique is used in most of the industry, starting from automobiles to furniture making. The laser cutting is all based on software that hobbyists can also use.
Initially, the technology was used for shaping diamonds. However, for its high accuracy and availability, now laser engraving can be used by any person. A design can be made on these laser engraving software or imported externally. Most of the engraving software uses a programming language named g-code for working.
But availing of regular laser engraving software may not be a feasible option for a non-professional. For this reason, we have created a list of laser engraving software that are either free to use or charges minimal fees for working. Furthermore, all of them are compatible with Windows Operating System.
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List of Best Free Laser Engraving Software For Windows
- GBosLaser 6.2
- Laser GRBL
- Inkscape
- EzGraver
- Adobe Illustrator
- SolveSpace
- LaserWeb
- LightBurn
1. GBosLaser 6.2
GBosLaser 6.2 is another free laser engraving software that offers all the drawing and shaping tools. Additionally, you will get many extra features like 2-order operation, transformation, and alignment distribution to do world-class engraving. It also has the facility to troubleshoot problems based on vectors.
The software works on scalable vector graphics, which is a beautiful graphic formatting language. Moreover, thousands of GBosLaser 6.2 users and strong developers’ support to keep the software functional.
Price: Free
2. Laser GRBL
It is one of the most widely used open-source laser engraving software for Windows. You may not find some advanced features in Laser GRBL as it is designed for ordinary uses. But at the same time, it is very much efficient and user-friendly to use.
Laser GRBL automatically controls the laser engraving machine to structure a design. If you have any design in g-code, that file can be imported into the software for engraving. You can also do manual changes before engraving the final design.
Price: Free
3. Inkscape
This is a professional laser engraving software designed for advanced users. The user interface of Inkscape Is minimalistic, with several functions and tools to experiment with. Inkscape allows users to export 2D vector art to an external laser engraving machine. You can also create your design using the software for engraving.
Inkscape has a storage-friendly design that is handy to download and use. It also allows you to export designs in the form of SVG. In addition, a text tool is provided in Inkscape for inscribing designs with alphabets.
Price: Free
4. EzGraver
If you are a hobbyist or a beginner in the field of laser engraving, then EzGraver will be an excellent option for you. The software has an easy-to-use interface and automatic functions and is suitable for elementary users. In addition, EzGraver is an open-source program and free to use.
Users may not get advanced functionality compared to other professional software, but it still provides a design tool for making custom designs. You will also get a machine instructor to specify feeding time, feed length, etc., easily for engraving.
Price: Free
5. Adobe Illustrator
This software may not be dedicated to laser engraving software, but you can create an attractive design using Adobe Illustrator. The designs, in turn, can be converted into SVG files required for generating g-code and laser engraving. Adobe Illustrator has the most graphic design tools and facilities to make eye-catching vector art.
You will also get a preview option in Adobe Illustrator that can overview how your design will look on the material. Moreover, vector cutting, vector engraving, and raster engraving are supported by the software.
Price: Free and Paid
6. SolveSpace
It is a laser engraving software capable of controlling external laser cutters based on customized designs. The best thing about SolveSpace is that you can import multiple files and collaborate them to make your unique engraving design. Moreover, the software has a straightforward user interface for easy handling.
As SolveSpace uses both vector and raster files for engraving, you will be able to engrave small and large designs with it. The software also lets you customize different parameters like pass depth, cut rate, etc.
Price: Free
7. LaserWeb
The next option in our list is LaserWeb which is a fantastic laser engraving software for Windows. Various pre-designed shapes in the software can be directly engraved over material or merged with other designs. In addition, you can import designs from SVG files, DFX files, etc.
There is also a great option to choose engraving areas according to size, like 0.0625 inches, 0.1 inches, etc. The end design is sent to the laser cutter machine that inscribes the design. There are multiple videos available on their website for reference.Â
Price: Free
8. LightBurn
It is a layout editing software for controlling external laser cutters. The software supports artworks and graphic designs in various image formats that can be used to laser engrave on any material. Light Burn also has a graphic designing tool where you can make your design.
Additionally, the software can control the engraver’s speed, cut rate, number of passes, and other such aspects. Currently, the software doesn’t support any plugins to extend its functionalities and runs on g-code, Ruid, and Trocen.
Price: Paid (30 Days Free Trial)
