Glowforge Plus vs OMTech 40W CO2 — Which Should You Buy?

Side-by-side specs, settings, and decision guide. Both have community-tested settings for 46 shared materials.

Glowforge Plus vs OMTech 40W CO2: $599 — prices as of 2026, check retailer for current pricing.

Which one should you buy?

Pick the Glowforge Plus if you want: more cutting power (45W vs 40W).

Pick the OMTech 40W CO2 if you want: native LightBurn support (industry-standard).

Where to buy

Glowforge Plus — check current price & availability

See price on Amazon →

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

Where to buy

OMTech 40W CO2 — check current price & availability

See current price →

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

Glowforge Plus

Power
45W

Laser Type
co2

Buy Glowforge Plus →

OMTech 40W CO2

Price
$599

Power
40W

Laser Type
co2

Work Area
300×200mm

Software

LightBurn

Buy OMTech 40W CO2 →

78 settings for Glowforge Plus190 settings for OMTech 40W CO2

Settings Comparison

Material · Operation	Glowforge Plus	OMTech 40W CO2
2mm Basswood Plywoodcut	—	28 mm/s · 32% · air assist
3mm Baltic Birch Plywoodcut	150 mm/min · 100% · air assist	20 mm/s · 75% · 2× passes · air assist
3mm Basswood Plywoodcut	150 mm/min · 100%	20 mm/s · 40% · air assist
3mm Black Acryliccut	—	22 mm/s · 60–70% · air assist
3mm Cherry Plywoodcut	—	18 mm/s · 46% · air assist
3mm Clear Acryliccut	250 mm/min · 100%	12 mm/s · 55% · air assist
3mm Coloured Acryliccut	—	14 mm/s · 62% · air assist
3mm Hardboard HDFcut	—	12 mm/s · 55% · air assist
3mm Maple Plywoodcut	—	16 mm/s · 48% · air assist
3mm MDFcut	133 mm/min · 100%	30 mm/s · 65–75% · air assist
3mm Mirrored Acryliccut	—	12 mm/s · 55% · air assist
3mm Tinted Acryliccut	—	18 mm/s · 62% · air assist
3mm Walnut Plywoodcut	22 mm/s · 65%	18 mm/s · 45% · air assist
5mm Plywoodcut	—	10 mm/s · 60% · 2× passes · air assist
6mm Baltic Birch Plywoodcut	84 mm/min · 100%	7 mm/s · 70% · 2× passes · air assist
6mm Basswood Plywoodcut	—	8 mm/s · 65% · 2× passes · air assist
6mm Clear Acryliccut	—	6 mm/s · 72% · 2× passes · air assist
6mm MDFcut	14 mm/s · 80%	8 mm/s · 62% · 2× passes · air assist
9mm Birch Plywoodcut	—	4 mm/s · 78% · 3× passes · air assist
Acrylic Feltcut	65 mm/s · 22%	55 mm/s · 28%
Acryliccut	—	12 mm/s · 70% · air assist
Alder 3mmcut	—	22 mm/s · 52% · air assist
Aldercut	—	250 mm/min · 95% · 2× passes · air assist
Bamboo 3mmcut	22 mm/s · 62% · air assist	22 mm/s · 50% · air assist
Bamboo Cutting Boardcut	300 mm/min · 95–100% · 2× passes · air assist	14 mm/s · 80–85% · air assist
Bamboocut	130 mm/min · 100% · air assist	250 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist
Basswoodcut	300 mm/min · 40–45% · 2× passes · air assist	30 mm/s · 55–70% · air assist
Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm)cut	—	80 mm/s · 45%
Cardboardcut	500 mm/min · 35%	60 mm/s · 20%
Cardstock 160gsmcut	—	60 mm/s · 15%
Cardstock 300gsmcut	100 mm/s · 14%	80 mm/s · 10%
Cardstock (80–110 lb / ~220–300 gsm)cut	—	100 mm/s · 20%
Cardstockcut	600 mm/min · 25%	80 mm/s · 12%
Cedar 3mmcut	—	22 mm/s · 50% · air assist
Cedarcut	—	400 mm/min · 85% · air assist
Cherry 3mmcut	—	18 mm/s · 58% · air assist
Cherrycut	—	250 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist
Chipboard 2mmcut	34 mm/s · 48% · air assist	30 mm/s · 28% · air assist
Copy Paper 80gsmcut	120 mm/s · 10%	100 mm/s · 12%
Cork 3mmcut	34 mm/s · 28% · air assist	28 mm/s · 35% · air assist
Cork Sheet 3mmcut	—	25 mm/s · 35% · air assist
Corkcut	230 mm/min · 55%	30 mm/s · 45%
Corrugated Cardboard 4mmcut	—	22 mm/s · 45%
Corrugated Cardboardcut	42 mm/s · 36%	35 mm/s · 45%
Cotton Fabriccut	18 mm/s · 40–45% · air assist	50 mm/s · 18% · air assist
Craft Felt 3mmcut	—	45 mm/s · 16%
Denim Fabriccut	19 mm/s · 40–45% · air assist	45 mm/s · 22% · air assist
EVA Foam 3mmcut	—	40 mm/s · 20% · air assist
EVA Foam 6mmcut	55 mm/s · 26%	45 mm/s · 32%
Faux Leathercut	42 mm/s · 38% · air assist	35 mm/s · 45% · air assist
Feltcut	—	800 mm/min · 25%
Foam Board 5mmcut	50 mm/s · 28%	42 mm/s · 35%
Foamcut	—	50 mm/s · 15%
Genuine Leather (Veg-Tan, ~3mm)cut	32 mm/s · 42–50% · air assist	28 mm/s · 45–55% · air assist
Genuine Leathercut	300 mm/min · 80–85% · 2× passes · air assist	20 mm/s · 35% · air assist
HTV Vinylcut	105 mm/s · 9%	90 mm/s · 12%
Kraft Papercut	280 mm/s · 12%	80 mm/s · 12%
Leathercut	200 mm/min · 65% · air assist	10 mm/s · 50% · air assist
Maplecut	15 mm/s · 60–70%	19 mm/s · 50–55% · air assist
Mylar Stencil 7.5milcut	80 mm/s · 14%	68 mm/s · 18%
Oak 3mmcut	—	15 mm/s · 65% · air assist
Oakcut	—	200 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist
Papercut	—	100 mm/s · 10%
Pine 3mmcut	—	20 mm/s · 55% · air assist
Pinecut	—	350 mm/min · 90% · air assist
Plywoodcut	130 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist	25 mm/s · 60–70% · air assist
Rubber Stamp Blankcut	13 mm/s · 50–55% · air assist	11 mm/s · 60–65% · air assist
Rubber Stamp Materialcut	12 mm/s · 75%	8 mm/s · 80–85% · air assist
Rubbercut	—	8 mm/s · 80–85% · air assist
Walnutcut	15 mm/s · 60–70%	17 mm/s · 55–60% · air assist
Washi Tapecut	—	150 mm/s · 8%
2mm Basswood Plywoodengrave	—	400 mm/s · 5–10%
3mm Basswood Plywoodengrave	500 mm/min · 75%	300 mm/s · 30%
3mm Black Acrylicengrave	—	350 mm/s · 18–25%
3mm Cherry Plywoodengrave	—	250 mm/s · 28%
3mm Clear Acrylic (Cast)engrave	440 mm/min	420 mm/min
3mm Clear Acrylicengrave	2000 mm/min · 40–45%	200 mm/s · 20%
3mm Hardboard HDFengrave	—	200 mm/s · 15–20%
3mm Maple Plywoodengrave	400 mm/min	390 mm/min
3mm MDFengrave	2000 mm/min · 40–45%	450 mm/s · 20–28%
3mm Mirrored Acrylicengrave	420 mm/min	400 mm/min
3mm Walnut Plywoodengrave	380 mm/s · 16%	250 mm/s · 10–15%
5mm Plywoodengrave	—	150 mm/s · 15–20%
6mm Baltic Birch Plywoodengrave	2000 mm/min · 40–45%	100 mm/s · 15–20%
6mm Basswood Plywoodengrave	—	250 mm/s · 35%
6mm Clear Acrylicengrave	—	100 mm/s · 20–25%
6mm MDFengrave	—	100 mm/s · 15–20%
9mm Birch Plywoodengrave	—	100 mm/s · 20–25%
Acrylic Feltengrave	500 mm/s · 5–8%	500 mm/s · 5–10%
Acrylicengrave	—	300 mm/s · 20%
Alder 3mmengrave	—	300 mm/s · 18%
Alderengrave	—	350 mm/min · 55%
Anodized Aluminumengrave	500 mm/min · 100%	300 mm/s · 40%
Bamboo 3mmengrave	350 mm/s · 15–20%	310 mm/s · 16%
Bamboo Cutting Boardengrave	375 mm/min · 65%	250 mm/s · 35%
Bambooengrave	—	350 mm/s · 30%
Basswoodengrave	1000 mm/min · 25% · air assist	500 mm/s · 22–30%
Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm)engrave	—	200 mm/s · 15%
Cardboardengrave	—	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Cardstock 160gsmengrave	—	300 mm/s · 8%
Cardstock 300gsmengrave	500 mm/s · 5–8%	400 mm/s · 6%
Cardstock (80–110 lb / ~220–300 gsm)engrave	—	300 mm/s · 8%
Cardstockengrave	—	300 mm/s · 6%
Cedar 3mmengrave	—	300 mm/s · 16%
Cedarengrave	—	400 mm/min · 45%
Ceramic Tileengrave	250 mm/s · 55%	180 mm/s · 65%
Cherry 3mmengrave	—	290 mm/s · 20%
Cherryengrave	—	350 mm/min · 55%
Chipboard 2mmengrave	500 mm/s · 10–15%	350 mm/s · 10%
Coated / Powder Coated Steelengrave	—	300 mm/min · 50%
Copy Paper 80gsmengrave	500 mm/s · 5–8%	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Cork 3mmengrave	500 mm/s · 5–10%	250 mm/s · 22%
Cork Sheet 3mmengrave	—	300 mm/s · 12%
Corrugated Cardboard 4mmengrave	—	300 mm/s · 18%
Corrugated Cardboardengrave	500 mm/s · 5–10%	500 mm/s · 10–15%
Cotton Fabricengrave	330 mm/s · 13%	280 mm/s · 16%
Craft Felt 3mmengrave	—	200 mm/s · 15%
Denim Fabricengrave	350 mm/s · 14%	350 mm/s · 8%
EVA Foam 3mmengrave	—	350 mm/s · 8%
EVA Foam 6mmengrave	500 mm/s · 5–10%	500 mm/s · 5–10%
Faux Leatherengrave	500 mm/s · 5–10%	500 mm/s · 10–15%
Feltengrave	—	2500 mm/min · 10–15%
Foam Board 5mmengrave	500 mm/s · 5–10%	500 mm/s · 5–10%
Foamengrave	—	150 mm/s · 6%
Genuine Leather (Veg-Tan, ~3mm)engrave	320 mm/s · 12–18% · air assist	300 mm/s · 14–20% · air assist
Genuine Leatherengrave	400 mm/min · 55%	200 mm/s · 25%
Glassengrave	380 mm/s · 8–12%	320 mm/s · 20%
HTV Vinylengrave	500 mm/s · 5–8%	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Kraft Paperengrave	500 mm/s · 8%	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Leatherengrave	2000 mm/min · 25–30%	150 mm/s · 10–15%
Mapleengrave	270 mm/s · 18–23%	350 mm/s · 18% · air assist
Marble Tileengrave	95 mm/s · 48%	280 mm/s · 30%
Mylar Stencil 7.5milengrave	500 mm/s · 5–8%	—
Oak 3mmengrave	—	280 mm/s · 22%
Oakengrave	—	300 mm/min · 60%
Paperengrave	—	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Photopolymer Stamp Blankengrave	—	150 mm/s · 40%
Pine 3mmengrave	—	300 mm/s · 18%
Pineengrave	—	400 mm/min · 50%
Plywoodengrave	—	450 mm/s · 22–30%
Powder Coated Steelengrave	—	300 mm/min · 50%
Rubber Stamp Blankengrave	240 mm/s · 18%	200 mm/s · 22%
Rubber Stamp Materialengrave	200 mm/s · 25%	150 mm/s · 50%
Rubberengrave	—	150 mm/s · 35% · air assist
Slate (coaster)engrave	380 mm/s · 13–18%	230 mm/s · 23–28%
Slateengrave	500 mm/min · 80%	250 mm/s · 65%
Spray Painted Metalengrave	—	350 mm/min · 45%
Stainless Steelengrave	240 mm/s · 58%	200 mm/s · 65%
Walnutengrave	270 mm/s · 18–23%	300 mm/s · 20% · air assist
Stainless Steelmark	—	170 mm/s · 75%

All Glowforge Plus settings →All OMTech 40W CO2 settings →

Shopping for a Glowforge Plus? Check the current price.

See price on Amazon →

Shopping for a OMTech 40W CO2? Check the current price.

See current price →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, the Glowforge Plus or OMTech 40W CO2?

It depends on your use case. Glowforge Plus is 45W co2. OMTech 40W CO2 is 40W co2 with 300×200mm bed. See the decision guide and side-by-side specs above.

What materials can both the Glowforge Plus and OMTech 40W CO2 cut or engrave?

Both machines have community-tested settings for 46 shared materials. The settings table above lists every material with side-by-side speed, power, passes, and air assist values for direct comparison.

Is the OMTech 40W CO2 or Glowforge Plus compatible with LightBurn?

The OMTech 40W CO2 works natively with LightBurn. The Glowforge Plus uses . LightBurn compatibility may be possible via a community device profile but is not officially supported.

Is the Glowforge Plus (45W) much faster than the OMTech 40W CO2 (40W)?

Higher wattage typically means faster cutting and the ability to cut thicker material in fewer passes. The Glowforge Plus (45W) cuts thicker material in single passes and engraves at higher speeds than the OMTech 40W CO2 (40W). For raster engraving the difference is smaller because surface engraving is limited by mechanical scan speed.

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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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