Short answer: The best free slicer to start with is your printer maker’s own. All five brands here offer one at no cost. Bambu Lab has Bambu Studio, Prusa has PrusaSlicer, Creality has Creality Print, Elegoo has ElegooSlicer (and its own Cura package), and Anycubic has Anycubic Slicer Next. They ship tuned profiles for that brand’s printers. The main free alternatives are OrcaSlicer, PrusaSlicer and UltiMaker Cura. Download each one only from the links below, which are the makers’ own pages.
Official free slicer for each brand
This guide covers FDM (filament) printers. We checked every page on September 26, 2026.
| Printer brand | Official slicer | Official download page | Built on | Latest version on the official page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bambu Lab | Bambu Studio | bambulab.com/en/download/studio | PrusaSlicer (per its README) | 02.08.02.61, August 21, 2026 (beta 02.08.04.57) |
| Prusa | PrusaSlicer | prusa3d.com/p/prusaslicer/ | Slic3r | 2.9.6, June 25, 2026 |
| Creality | Creality Print | creality.com/download | Creality calls it “self-developed” | V7.2.2.5483, September 6, 2026 |
| Elegoo | ElegooSlicer (also Elegoo’s Cura package) | elegoo.com/pages/download (3D Printers, Slicing Softwares) | OrcaSlicer (per its README) | Not shown on the page; check the download center |
| Anycubic | Anycubic Slicer Next (FDM) | anycubic.com/slicerNextDownload | OrcaSlicer (per Anycubic) | Not shown on the page; check the download page |
Bambu Lab: Bambu Studio
Bambu Lab’s download page links the Windows and Mac installers straight to its GitHub releases. The current stable build is 02.08.02.61, released August 21, 2026, and a public beta, 02.08.04.57, is also offered. Bambu lists Windows 10 (64-bit) or later and macOS 10.15 or later. Linux builds are on GitHub, and Bambu Studio’s README also points to a Flathub version.
Use it for automatic calibration on supported Bambu printers, AMS multi-color printing and Bambu’s cloud features. Our Bambu Studio page lists SHA-256 hashes for each file. Wondering whether OrcaSlicer would suit you better? See OrcaSlicer vs Bambu Studio.
Prusa: PrusaSlicer
Prusa’s page offers PrusaSlicer 2.9.6, released June 25, 2026. The Windows build requires Windows 10 or later, and there is a macOS build. Prusa’s README says Linux builds are distributed only through Flathub. Prusa describes it as “Free. Open-source. No account required. Runs on your machine.”
Prusa also offers a preview of PrusaSlicer 3 (3.0.0-alpha12, September 21, 2026). Prusa itself says it does not recommend pre-release builds for production use. They keep their own configuration, so they can run alongside the stable version.
Prusa’s README says that apart from Prusa printers, PrusaSlicer “supports machines from a wide variety of manufacturers.” That makes it one of the main general-purpose alternatives.
Creality: Creality Print
Creality’s software page lists Creality Print for Windows, macOS (Apple and Intel) and Linux. At the time of writing it shows V7.2.2.5483, dated September 6, 2026. Creality describes it as a “self-developed” slicer that can also remote-control and monitor your printer. Creality’s GitHub repository, CrealityOfficial/CrealityPrint, lists v7.2.1 (August 4, 2026) as its latest release. The website offers the newer build.
Creality’s download page also lists HALOT BOX, Creality Scan and Falcon Design Space. Those are for other product lines, not FDM slicing.
Elegoo: ElegooSlicer or Elegoo Cura
In Elegoo’s Download Center, under “3D Printers (Slicing Softwares)” and “FDM 3D Printer,” Elegoo offers two options:
- ElegooSlicer, for Windows and Mac (x86_64 and ARM64), with a user manual. Its README says it “is based on Orca Slicer by SoftFever.”
- Cura, Elegoo’s packaged Cura builds for Windows, including a “V5.6 New Version,” plus nozzle parameter files for the Neptune 4 series.
Get these from elegoo.com or Elegoo’s GitHub organization, not from sites named after the slicer.
Anycubic: Anycubic Slicer Next
Anycubic’s page describes Anycubic Slicer Next as “an open-source slicing software developed based on Orcaslicer,” optimized for Anycubic printers. The requirements Anycubic lists:
- Windows 10 1607 or later
- macOS 11.3 or later
- Linux: Ubuntu 24.04 only
Anycubic’s site also lists Anycubic Photon Workshop, which is for its resin printers and outside the scope of this guide.
Free alternatives that work across brands
| Slicer | Official source | Current version (September 26, 2026) | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| OrcaSlicer | www.orcaslicer.com and github.com/OrcaSlicer/OrcaSlicer | v2.4.2, July 7, 2026 | Several brands in one slicer, built-in calibration tools, Klipper, PrusaLink and OctoPrint printers |
| PrusaSlicer | prusa3d.com/p/prusaslicer/ | 2.9.6, June 25, 2026 | A mature general-purpose slicer with no account requirement |
| UltiMaker Cura | ultimaker.com/software/ultimaker-cura/ | 5.13 (GitHub tag 5.13.0, May 28, 2026) | UltiMaker’s open-source slicer; UltiMaker cites “400+ customizable settings” |
OrcaSlicer is the one to download with extra care. Its project warns that orca-slicer[.]com and orcaslicer[.]net are malicious lookalikes. Our OrcaSlicer download guide lists the real files and their SHA-256 hashes, and our OrcaSlicer app page tracks new releases.
How to choose
- One printer, one brand: use the brand’s slicer. Its profiles and network features are made for your machine.
- Printers from several brands: OrcaSlicer or PrusaSlicer, so you keep one workflow.
- Your brand’s slicer is based on OrcaSlicer (Anycubic, Elegoo): OrcaSlicer itself is a reasonable second choice, since your brand’s slicer is built on it.
- You want to avoid accounts and cloud services: PrusaSlicer says no account is required. OrcaSlicer’s website says “No account, no telemetry.”
Download slicers safely
Slicer names are popular search terms, and unofficial sites named after them exist. Use the addresses in the tables above. When a slicer is on GitHub, compare the SHA-256 hash with the digest GitHub shows on the release page. Our guide to fake download sites explains the checks step by step.
Questions
Which slicer should I use for a Bambu Lab printer?
Bambu Studio, from bambulab.com. OrcaSlicer also supports Bambu printers if you want more calibration tools.
Can I use PrusaSlicer with a non-Prusa printer?
Yes. Prusa’s README says it supports machines from a wide variety of manufacturers, and Prusa says no account is required.
Is Creality Print free?
Yes, Creality offers it free on creality.com.
What slicer does Elegoo recommend?
Elegoo’s Download Center offers ElegooSlicer and Elegoo’s own Cura builds for its FDM printers.
Is Anycubic Slicer Next the same as OrcaSlicer?
No. Anycubic says it is developed based on OrcaSlicer and optimized for Anycubic printers.
Are these slicers safe?
The official builds from the pages above are. The risk comes from unofficial download sites, so always start from the maker’s domain.
Can I use more than one slicer?
Yes. They are separate programs, so you can keep your brand’s slicer and try OrcaSlicer or PrusaSlicer for comparison. Download each from its official page.
Do I need a different slicer for resin printers?
Yes. This guide covers filament (FDM) printers. Brands list separate software for resin, such as Anycubic Photon Workshop.
Sources
- Bambu Studio download, Bambu Lab
- Bambu Studio README and releases, GitHub
- PrusaSlicer, Prusa Research
- PrusaSlicer README, GitHub
- Creality Print download, Creality
- Creality Print releases, GitHub
- ELEGOO Download Center, Elegoo
- ElegooSlicer README, GitHub
- Anycubic Slicer Next (FDM), Anycubic
- Anycubic Slicer Next README, GitHub
- Download OrcaSlicer, orcaslicer.com
- OrcaSlicer README, GitHub
- UltiMaker Cura, UltiMaker
- UltiMaker Cura releases, GitHub
