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Glowforge Basic vs Glowforge Pro — Which Should You Buy?

Side-by-side specs, settings, and decision guide. Both have community-tested settings for 66 shared materials.

Glowforge Basic: $3,995 vs Glowforge Pro: $7,999 — prices as of 2026, check retailer for current pricing.

Where to buy

Buy the Glowforge Basic — check current price & availability

Buy on Amazon →

Affiliate link — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Where to buy

Buy the Glowforge Pro — check current price & availability

Buy on Amazon →

Affiliate link — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Glowforge Basic

Price
$3,995
Power
45W
Laser Type
co2
Software
Glowforge App
Buy Glowforge Basic →
Glowforge Pro

Glowforge Pro

Price
$7,999
Power
45W
Laser Type
co2
Software
Glowforge App
Buy Glowforge Pro →
142 settings for Glowforge Basic158 settings for Glowforge Pro

Settings Comparison

Material · OperationGlowforge BasicGlowforge Pro
2mm Basswood Plywoodcut25 mm/s · 35% · air assist25 mm/s · 35% · air assist
3mm Baltic Birch Plywoodcut20 mm/s · 100% · air assist25 mm/s · 100% · air assist
3mm Basswood Plywoodcut300 glowforge_units · 100%30 mm/s · 100% · air assist
3mm Black Acryliccut20 mm/s · 60–70% · air assist25 mm/s · 60–70% · air assist
3mm Clear Acryliccut500 glowforge_units · 100%20 mm/s · 100% · air assist
3mm Coloured Acryliccut—15 mm/s · 60%
3mm MDFcut28 mm/s · 65–75% · air assist35 mm/s · 65–75% · air assist
3mm Tinted Acryliccut18 mm/s · 60% · air assist18 mm/s · 60% · air assist
3mm Walnut Plywoodcut18 mm/s · 100% · air assist22 mm/s · 100% · air assist
5mm Plywoodcut9 mm/s · 60% · 2× passes · air assist12 mm/s · 55% · 2× passes · air assist
6mm Baltic Birch Plywoodcut—168 glowforge_units · 100%
6mm Clear Acryliccut6 mm/s · 72% · 2× passes · air assist6 mm/s · 72% · 2× passes · air assist
6mm MDFcut10 mm/s · 100% · air assist12 mm/s · 100% · air assist
9mm Birch Plywoodcut3 mm/s · 78% · 3× passes · air assist4.5 mm/s · 72% · 3× passes · air assist
Acrylic Feltcut55 mm/s · 28%65 mm/s · 22%
Acryliccut—150 mm/s · 80% · air assist
Alder 3mmcut20 mm/s · 55%24 mm/s · 50%
Aldercut—300 mm/min · 80–85% · 2× passes · air assist
Bamboo 3mmcut20 mm/s · 55%25 mm/s · 50%
Bamboocut120 mm/min · 100% · air assist300 mm/min · 90–95% · 2× passes · air assist
Basswoodcut25 mm/s · 55–70% · air assist30 mm/s · 55–70% · air assist
Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm)cut85 mm/s · 42%85 mm/s · 42%
Cardboardcut180 mm/s · 35%200 mm/s · 40%
Cardstock 300gsmcut70 mm/s · 12%80 mm/s · 10%
Cardstock (80–110 lb / ~220–300 gsm)cut110 mm/s · 18%110 mm/s · 18%
Cardstockcut250 mm/s · 15%250 mm/s · 12%
Cedar 3mmcut20 mm/s · 54%24 mm/s · 48%
Cedarcut—338 mm/min · 90% · air assist
Cherry 3mmcut16 mm/s · 62%20 mm/s · 58%
Cherrycut—203 mm/min · 100% · air assist
Chipboard 2mmcut28 mm/s · 30%32 mm/s · 28%
Copy Paper 80gsmcut100 mm/s · 12%120 mm/s · 10%
Cork 3mmcut28 mm/s · 35% · air assist34 mm/s · 28% · air assist
Cork Sheet 3mmcut22 mm/s · 40% · air assist28 mm/s · 35% · air assist
Corkcut800 mm/min · 70–85% · 2× passes250 mm/min · 55%
Corrugated Cardboardcut35 mm/s · 45%42 mm/s · 36%
Cotton Fabriccut45 mm/s · 20%55 mm/s · 18%
Craft Felt 3mmcut40 mm/s · 18%50 mm/s · 15%
Denim Fabriccut40 mm/s · 25%48 mm/s · 22%
EVA Foam 3mmcut35 mm/s · 22%40 mm/s · 20%
EVA Foam 6mmcut45 mm/s · 32%55 mm/s · 26%
Faux Leathercut35 mm/s · 45% · air assist42 mm/s · 38% · air assist
Foam Board 5mmcut42 mm/s · 35%50 mm/s · 28%
Foamcut55 mm/s · 14%55 mm/s · 14%
Genuine Leather (Veg-Tan, ~3mm)cut28 mm/s · 45–55% · air assist32 mm/s · 42–50% · air assist
Genuine Leathercut8 mm/s · 60–65% · air assist25 mm/s · 80%
HTV Vinylcut90 mm/s · 12%105 mm/s · 9%
Kraft Papercut280 mm/s · 12%300 mm/s · 15%
Leathercut9 mm/s · 80–85% · air assist170 mm/min · 100% · air assist
Maplecut12 mm/s · 65–75%15 mm/s · 60–70%
Mylar Stencil 7.5milcut68 mm/s · 18%80 mm/s · 14%
Oak 3mmcut14 mm/s · 70%18 mm/s · 65%
Oakcut—169 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist
Papercut300 mm/s · 10%300 mm/s · 8%
Pine 3mmcut18 mm/s · 60%22 mm/s · 55%
Pinecut—304 mm/min · 100% · air assist
Plywoodcut22 mm/s · 60–70% · air assist28 mm/s · 60–70% · air assist
Rubber Stamp Blankcut11 mm/s · 60–65% · air assist13 mm/s · 50–55% · air assist
Walnutcut12 mm/s · 65–75%15 mm/s · 60–70%
Washi Tapecut160 mm/s · 7%160 mm/s · 7%
2mm Basswood Plywoodengrave380 mm/s · 11%380 mm/s · 11%
3mm Baltic Birch Plywoodengrave300 mm/s · 25–30%400 mm/s · 25–30%
3mm Basswood Plywoodengrave1000 glowforge_units · 75%150 mm/s · 40%
3mm Black Acrylicengrave350 mm/s · 18–25%350 mm/s · 18–25%
3mm Clear Acrylic (Cast)engrave440 mm/min440 mm/min
3mm Clear Acrylicengrave1000 glowforge_units · 40%200 mm/s · 20%
3mm Maple Plywoodengrave400 mm/min400 mm/min
3mm MDFengrave450 mm/s · 20–28%450 mm/s · 20–28%
3mm Mirrored Acrylicengrave420 mm/min420 mm/min
3mm Tinted Acrylicengrave140 mm/s · 20%140 mm/s · 20%
3mm Walnut Plywoodengrave250 mm/s · 25–30%350 mm/s · 25–30%
5mm Plywoodengrave140 mm/s · 20%160 mm/s · 18%
6mm Baltic Birch Plywoodengrave—2000 mm/min · 40–45%
6mm Clear Acrylicengrave120 mm/s · 22%120 mm/s · 22%
6mm MDFengrave150 mm/s · 25–30%200 mm/s · 25–30%
9mm Birch Plywoodengrave100 mm/s · 24%120 mm/s · 22%
Acrylic Feltengrave500 mm/s · 5–10%500 mm/s · 5–8%
Acrylicengrave—500 mm/s · 20–25%
Alderengrave—371 mm/min · 52%
Anodized Aluminumengrave300 mm/s · 40%250 mm/s · 40%
Bamboo 3mmengrave290 mm/s · 18%330 mm/s · 15%
Bambooengrave350 mm/s · 30%300 mm/s · 30%
Basswoodengrave400 mm/s · 22–30%450 mm/s · 20–28%
Cardboardengrave500 mm/s · 5–10%500 mm/s · 10–15%
Cardstock 300gsmengrave500 mm/s · 5–8%500 mm/s · 5–8%
Cardstockengrave400 mm/s · 8%400 mm/s · 6%
Cedarengrave—405 mm/min · 45%
Ceramic Tileengrave180 mm/s · 65%160 mm/s · 65%
Cherry 3mmengrave270 mm/s · 22%310 mm/s · 18%
Cherryengrave—371 mm/min · 55%
Chipboard 2mmengrave400 mm/s · 15–20%—
Coated / Powder Coated Steelengrave300 mm/min · 48%300 mm/min · 48%
Copy Paper 80gsmengrave500 mm/s · 5–8%500 mm/s · 5–8%
Cork 3mmengrave400 mm/s · 5–10%500 mm/s · 5–10%
Cork Sheet 3mmengrave280 mm/s · 14%320 mm/s · 12%
Corkengrave4000 mm/min · 35–45%—
Corrugated Cardboardengrave500 mm/s · 10–15%500 mm/s · 5–10%
Cotton Fabricengrave280 mm/s · 16%330 mm/s · 13%
Craft Felt 3mmengrave—2500 mm/min · 10–15%
Denim Fabricengrave300 mm/s · 18%350 mm/s · 14%
EVA Foam 3mmengrave—2000 mm/min · 10–15%
EVA Foam 6mmengrave500 mm/s · 5–10%500 mm/s · 5–10%
Faux Leatherengrave500 mm/s · 10–15%500 mm/s · 5–10%
Foam Board 5mmengrave500 mm/s · 5–10%500 mm/s · 5–10%
Genuine Leather (Veg-Tan, ~3mm)engrave300 mm/s · 14–20% · air assist320 mm/s · 12–18% · air assist
Genuine Leatherengrave150 mm/s · 22%800 glowforge_units · 55%
Glassengrave220 mm/s · 22%300 mm/s · 18%
HTV Vinylengrave500 mm/s · 5–8%500 mm/s · 5–8%
Kraft Paperengrave500 mm/s · 5–8%500 mm/s · 5–8%
Leatherengrave170 mm/s · 30% · air assist170 mm/min · 60%
Mapleengrave250 mm/s · 20–25%270 mm/s · 18–23%
Marble Tileengrave210 mm/s · 35%250 mm/s · 30%
Mylar Stencil 7.5milengrave500 mm/s · 5–8%500 mm/s · 5–8%
Oak 3mmengrave260 mm/s · 22%300 mm/s · 20%
Oakengrave—338 mm/min · 60%
Paperengrave500 mm/s · 5–8%500 mm/s · 5–8%
Photopolymer Stamp Blankengrave120 mm/s · 45%120 mm/s · 45%
Pine 3mmengrave270 mm/s · 20%300 mm/s · 17%
Pineengrave—405 mm/min · 50%
Plywoodengrave450 mm/s · 22–30%450 mm/s · 22–30%
Powder Coated Steelengrave300 mm/min · 48%300 mm/min · 48%
Rubber Stamp Blankengrave200 mm/s · 22%240 mm/s · 18%
Slate (coaster)engrave150 mm/s · 27–32%200 mm/s · 23–28%
Slateengrave130 mm/s · 80%1000 glowforge_units · 80%
Spray Painted Metalengrave350 mm/min · 45%350 mm/min · 45%
Stainless Steelengrave200 mm/s · 65%240 mm/s · 58%
Walnutengrave250 mm/s · 20–25%270 mm/s · 18–23%
Stainless Steelmark170 mm/s · 75%120 mm/s · 70%
All Glowforge Basic settings →All Glowforge Pro settings →

Ready to buy the Glowforge Basic?

Buy on Amazon →

Ready to buy the Glowforge Pro?

Buy on Amazon →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, the Glowforge Basic or Glowforge Pro?

It depends on your use case. Glowforge Basic is 45W co2. Glowforge Pro is 45W co2. See the decision guide and side-by-side specs above.

What materials can both the Glowforge Basic and Glowforge Pro cut or engrave?

Both machines have community-tested settings for 66 shared materials. The settings table above lists every material with side-by-side speed, power, passes, and air assist values for direct comparison.

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Settings are community-contributed and may not reflect your exact machine configuration or material batch. Always test on scrap first. Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What Makers Say

★★★★★5.0· 6 reviews
View all on Etsy →
★★★★★

"Used it with a Glowforge — engraved beautifully with no changes. I will be purchasing more digital downloads from this shop."

— Anna

★★★★★

"I was struggling with lining up my NFC business cards. I was able to not only line them up much better but also do multiple cards at once — making that job so much easier."

— Camp

★★★★★

"Excellent quality and design. Cut clean and neat!"

— LYNN

★★★★★

"Great jigs. Appreciate the time saved not having to build this from scratch!"

— Bruce

★★★★★

"Excellent quality. Item as described. Expectations exceeded."

— Michael

★★★★★

"This template made my slate coasters so much easier. 4×4 coasters from Michaels drop in easily and are easy to remove. Def worth it."

— chris

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