Shapeways vs Proofly: fundamentally different models
Shapeways is a print-on-demand service: you upload a design, Shapeways prints and ships physical objects, and you earn a small markup per item. You never monetize the digital file itself. Buyers can't download your STL — they can only order a physical print.
Proofly is a digital file marketplace: buyers purchase and instantly download your STL, OBJ, GLB, or 3MF files directly. You set the price, you keep 100%, and HiddenMark™ embeds a unique fingerprint per buyer so you can trace any leak back to its source.
Beyond the model, Shapeways also charges creators a $24.99/month Pro plan fee — $299.88 per year — on top of their margin on physical prints. Proofly has no monthly fee, no setup fee, and 0% commission on digital sales.
HiddenMark™ — what Shapeways doesn't offer
Shapeways offers no per-buyer fingerprinting or piracy-tracing mechanism. Once a buyer downloads a file from Shapeways, there is no way to know if they redistribute it — and no way to prove they did if you find it on a piracy forum.
Proofly's HiddenMark system embeds a unique steganographic code per buyer inside the mesh geometry of every paid download. If your file surfaces on a piracy site, upload it to proofly.store/hiddenmark — the system identifies exactly which buyer's download it came from in seconds.
🔐 HiddenMark™
Per-buyer fingerprinting on every paid download. No extra steps — it happens automatically at the moment of purchase.
How HiddenMark works →You don't have to choose
If you already have a Shapeways presence, you don't need to abandon it. Proofly requires no exclusivity — you can cross-list your catalog on both platforms simultaneously. Keep your Shapeways store for existing customers while using Proofly to earn 100% on every new sale, with HiddenMark protection and a full WebGL 3D viewer on every listing.
Upload to Proofly takes under 2 minutes. The in-browser 3D viewer is automatic, and HiddenMark protection activates on every paid download with no configuration.
Frequently asked questions
What does Shapeways charge creators?
Shapeways charges a $24.99/month Pro plan fee plus approximately 20% commission on each sale. On 100 sales of a $10 model, that's $200 in commission plus $299.88/year in platform fees — nearly $500 lost annually. Proofly charges 0% and has no monthly fee.
Can I sell the same models on both Shapeways and Proofly?
Yes — Proofly has no exclusivity requirements. You can list the same models on both platforms and earn 100% of sales on Proofly while still maintaining your Shapeways store.
Does Proofly support the same file formats as Shapeways?
Proofly supports STL, OBJ, GLB, 3MF, and ZIP packages. Shapeways primarily focuses on STL for 3D printing services. Proofly is format-agnostic — ideal for digital file sales.
How does HiddenMark protect my files?
HiddenMark embeds a unique steganographic watermark into each sold file, tied to the buyer's identity. If your file appears on piracy sites, you can identify exactly who leaked it.
Is there a setup fee on Proofly?
No setup fee, no monthly fee, no commission. Create an account, upload your model, set your price. Buyers pay a small flat fee — you keep 100%.
$0 fees. 100% earnings. Built for 3D creators.
No monthly fee, no commission, no subscription. Upload in 2 minutes. HiddenMark per-buyer fingerprinting on every paid download.
Start selling on Proofly →