Comparison

Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop vs BamBuddy

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop

Consolidate your 3D model searching and collecting across multiple platforms into one app. Find, organize, and manage designs from various sites with cross-platform search and unified favorites.

Highlights
  • Cross-platform 3D model search
  • Unified favorites and collections
  • Cloud sync across devices
  • Website account integration
  • Download management
  • Content filtering
Features
Read full description

All your favorite 3D printing model sites — one app. 3Drop brings together Printables, Thingiverse, MakerWorld, Cults 3D, Thangs, Maker Online, Creality Cloud, GrabCAD, MyMiniFactory, and NextPrint into a single, unified experience. Stop switching between browsers and tabs — find, collect, and manage 3D models across all major platforms. 【Cross-Platform Search】 Search across all 10 websites at once. Filter by category, price, license, and more. Sort by relevance, popularity, or upload date to find exactly what you need. 【Unified Favorites & Collections】 Like models from any site and organize them into custom lists. Create themed collections — group by project, material, or printer. All your favorites in one place, no matter the source. 【Cloud Sync】 Sign in to sync favorites across all your devices. Your collections stay up to date everywhere. You can also sync likes and follows directly with each website's account. 【Website Account Integration】 Log in to each website within the app. Check your login status, view your profile, browse your published designs, and manage follows — all without leaving 3Drop. 【Competitions】 Browse active design competitions from supported platforms. See entries, deadlines, and prizes at a glance. 【Personalization】 Light, Dark, and System themes with Material You support Customize card layout: choose which details to display Adjust image fit, title position, and grid layout 7 languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese 【Download Management】 Track your downloaded files, choose storage locations, and clean up history with a built-in download manager. Supported sites: • Printables • Thingiverse • Cults 3D • MakerWorld • Thangs • Maker Online • Creality Cloud • GrabCAD • NextPrint • MyMiniFactory 3Drop is the essential companion app for 3D printing enthusiasts, makers, and hobbyists. Whether you're looking for your next print or managing a growing collection of favorites, 3Drop keeps everything organized in one place. Download now and explore millions of 3D models from across the web. You may purchase an auto-renewing subscription through an In-App Purchase. • Auto-renewable subscription • 1-month ($1.99) duration • 12-month ($14.99) duration • Your subscription will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. It will automatically renew (at the duration selected) unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Current subscription may not be canceled during the active subscription period; however, you can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal by visiting your iTunes Account Settings after purchase Privacy Policies: https://three-drop.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://three-drop.com/terms

About

BamBuddy

Monitor and control your 3D printers remotely with live status updates, camera feeds, and print management. Offers advanced features like AI assistance and smart notifications for a seamless printing experience.

Highlights
  • Live printer status and camera feed
  • Remote print control (pause, resume, stop)
  • Filament and error message monitoring
  • Print statistics and history
  • Live Activity and Lock Screen widgets
  • AI Print Assistant for error codes
Features
Read full description

BamBuddy is the companion app for your self-hosted Bambuddy server. Monitor and control your Bambu Lab 3D printers from iPhone and iPad: over your local network at home, via your remote address on the go. The app switches automatically. LIVE ON YOUR LOCK SCREEN • Live Activity with progress, finish time and a pause button, also in the Dynamic Island and StandBy • Widgets for your Home Screen and Lock Screen, with pause and chamber light without opening the app • Chamber light and BamBuddy in Control Center and on the Action button • Ask Siri: "How's my print in BamBuddy?" MONITOR EVERYTHING LIVE • Real-time status: progress, layers, time remaining and finish time • Live camera view, with a snapshot you can share instantly • Temperatures, fans and AMS units with filament colors • Filament overview: every spool on one screen, including what's running low • HMS error messages right in view CONTROL WITH CONFIDENCE • Pause, resume or stop prints • Print speed and chamber light • Manage the queue: start, reorder, cancel • Archive with favorites and print history STATISTICS • Success rate, print hours, filament usage, cost and energy • Charts by filament type and by printer FREE AND PRO The free version controls one printer, including widgets, Siri and all the features above. BamBuddy Pro (subscription or one-time purchase, 7-day free trial) adds: • Unlimited printers: your entire print farm in one app • Live Activity and Dynamic Island for every print • AI Print Assistant: explains error codes and gives advice on failed prints, fully on-device with Apple Intelligence • AI Insights: analysis of your print statistics with practical tips • Smart notifications: print finished or failed, printer error, filament running low PRIVACY FIRST No account, no cloud, no tracking. The app only talks to your own server. Your server token is stored securely in the Keychain. Available in English, Dutch, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese. Requires a running Bambuddy server (open source, free). SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION BamBuddy Pro is available as a monthly subscription (EUR 1.99 per month) or an annual subscription (EUR 14.99 per year, with a 7-day free trial). There is also a one-time lifetime purchase (EUR 29.99). Prices may vary by country; the App Store shows the price in your currency. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. A subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions in your Apple Account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://wemeekit.nl/privacy/bambuddy/

Screenshots

Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop4 screens
BamBuddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop at 79% against BamBuddy's 0%. Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop also leads on ratings volume (395 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). BamBuddy's advantage is monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and BamBuddy sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BamBuddy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop has 395 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop's written reviews are positive against 0% of BamBuddy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop ships an update every 9 days, BamBuddy every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop versus BamBuddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThingiverse MakerWorld | 3DropBamBuddy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (395 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.4% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings395 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size66 MB20 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperWU FU-HUNGWeMeekIt

Customer experience

Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop

All ratings395 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral1.0%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews63 reviews
Positive79.4%
Neutral4.8%
Negative15.9%

BamBuddy

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • App closes after 10 seconds
  • Account connection/syncing not working for Thingiverse and Cults 3D
  • Printables.com not appearing in results
  • App keeps crashing
  • App force closes when scrolling
Show 4 more
  • Keyboard remains open after search input and cannot be closed
  • Syncing only brings back a fraction of favorites
  • Previews don't load in-app, requires opening in browser
  • Search results are not comprehensive or ranked correctly

Requested features

10 requests
  • Nexprint account support
  • More Creality friendly prints
  • More print options for storage, wall shelves etc.
  • Printables.com login/sync fix
  • Thangs integration fix
Show 5 more
  • Filter to sort by date/newest models
  • PC version of the app
  • Sort function by likes or trends
  • Add MyMiniFactory
  • iPad app version

BamBuddy

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop

Subscriptions3
  • Support Me Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Support Me Yearly (Ad-Free)$9.991 Year
  • Support Me Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time2
  • Buy Me Filaments$29.99
  • Buy Me Filaments$39.99
3 purchases

BamBuddy

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$12.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop free?
Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BamBuddy free?
BamBuddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop or BamBuddy?
BamBuddy is rated higher. Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop averages 4.8 out of 5 from 395 ratings, while BamBuddy averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop or BamBuddy have ads?
Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop shows ads; BamBuddy does not.
Which is updated more often, Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop or BamBuddy?
Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop ships an update every 9 days, and BamBuddy every 2 weeks. Most recently, Thingiverse MakerWorld | 3Drop was updated on October 24, 2026 and BamBuddy on October 16, 2026.

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