xTool S1 vs Glowforge Pro — Which Should You Buy?

Side-by-side specs, settings, and decision guide. Both have community-tested settings for 71 shared materials.

xTool S1: $1,699 vs Glowforge Pro: $7,999 — prices as of 2026, check retailer for current pricing.

Where to buy

Buy the xTool S1 — check current price & availability

Buy on xTool →

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.

Which one should you buy?

Pick the xTool S1 if you want: a more affordable price point.

Pick the Glowforge Pro if you want: more cutting power (45W vs 40W); CO₂ — cuts clear acrylic and engraves glass; diode lasers can't.

xTool S1

Price
$1,699

Power
40W

Laser Type
diode

Work Area
498×330mm

Software

xTool Creative Space

Buy xTool S1 →

Glowforge Pro

Price
$7,999

Power
45W

Laser Type
co2

Software

Glowforge App

Buy Glowforge Pro →

176 settings for xTool S1158 settings for Glowforge Pro

Settings Comparison

Material · Operation	xTool S1	Glowforge Pro
2mm Basswood Plywoodcut	5000 mm/min · 90% · air assist	25 mm/s · 35% · air assist
3mm Baltic Birch Plywoodcut	550 mm/min · 100% · air assist	25 mm/s · 100% · air assist
3mm Basswood Plywoodcut	600 mm/min · 100% · air assist	30 mm/s · 100% · air assist
3mm Black Acryliccut	3000 mm/min · 75% · air assist	25 mm/s · 60–70% · air assist
3mm Clear Acryliccut	500 mm/min · 100% · air assist	20 mm/s · 100% · air assist
3mm Coloured Acryliccut	3200 mm/min · 72% · air assist	15 mm/s · 60%
3mm Hardboard HDFcut	400 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist	—
3mm MDFcut	600 mm/min · 100% · air assist	35 mm/s · 65–75% · air assist
3mm Tinted Acryliccut	600 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist	18 mm/s · 60% · air assist
3mm Walnut Plywoodcut	500 mm/min · 100% · air assist	22 mm/s · 100% · air assist
5mm Plywoodcut	1500 mm/min · 100% · 3× passes · air assist	12 mm/s · 55% · 2× passes · air assist
6mm Baltic Birch Plywoodcut	—	168 glowforge_units · 100%
6mm Basswood Plywoodcut	200 mm/min · 85% · air assist	—
6mm Clear Acryliccut	—	6 mm/s · 72% · 2× passes · air assist
6mm MDFcut	300 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist	12 mm/s · 100% · air assist
9mm Birch Plywoodcut	600 mm/min · 100% · 6× passes · air assist	4.5 mm/s · 72% · 3× passes · air assist
Acrylic Feltcut	6000 mm/min · 38% · air assist	65 mm/s · 22%
Acryliccut	—	150 mm/s · 80% · air assist
Alder 3mmcut	4200 mm/min · 62% · air assist	24 mm/s · 50%
Aldercut	400 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist	300 mm/min · 80–85% · 2× passes · air assist
Bamboo 3mmcut	4500 mm/min · 60% · air assist	25 mm/s · 50%
Bamboo Cutting Boardcut	1100 mm/min · 80–85% · 2× passes · air assist	—
Bamboocut	400 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist	300 mm/min · 90–95% · 2× passes · air assist
Basswoodcut	3000 mm/min · 80% · air assist	30 mm/s · 55–70% · air assist
Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm)cut	300 mm/s · 80% · air assist	85 mm/s · 42%
Cardboardcut	3000 mm/min · 25%	200 mm/s · 40%
Cardstock 300gsmcut	10000 mm/min · 20%	80 mm/s · 10%
Cardstock (80–110 lb / ~220–300 gsm)cut	200 mm/s · 30%	110 mm/s · 18%
Cardstockcut	3500 mm/min · 20%	250 mm/s · 12%
Cedar 3mmcut	4000 mm/min · 60% · air assist	24 mm/s · 48%
Cedarcut	550 mm/min · 90% · air assist	338 mm/min · 90% · air assist
Cherry 3mmcut	3800 mm/min · 65% · air assist	20 mm/s · 58%
Cherrycut	400 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist	203 mm/min · 100% · air assist
Chipboard 2mmcut	5000 mm/min · 58% · air assist	32 mm/s · 28%
Copy Paper 80gsmcut	11000 mm/min · 18%	120 mm/s · 10%
Cork 3mmcut	6500 mm/min · 35% · air assist	34 mm/s · 28% · air assist
Cork Sheet 3mmcut	5000 mm/min · 55% · air assist	28 mm/s · 35% · air assist
Corkcut	800 mm/min · 70–85% · 2× passes	250 mm/min · 55%
Corrugated Cardboardcut	5500 mm/min · 38% · 2× passes	42 mm/s · 36%
Cotton Fabriccut	6000 mm/min · 50% · air assist	55 mm/s · 18%
Craft Felt 3mmcut	7000 mm/min · 48% · air assist	50 mm/s · 15%
Denim Fabriccut	6000 mm/min · 52% · air assist	48 mm/s · 22%
EVA Foam 3mmcut	8000 mm/min · 45% · air assist	40 mm/s · 20%
EVA Foam 6mmcut	5500 mm/min · 35%	55 mm/s · 26%
Faux Leathercut	4500 mm/min · 48% · air assist	42 mm/s · 38% · air assist
Foam Board 5mmcut	6500 mm/min · 32% · 2× passes	50 mm/s · 28%
Foamcut	1200 mm/min · 20%	55 mm/s · 14%
Genuine Leather (Veg-Tan, ~3mm)cut	5000 mm/min · 70–80% · air assist	32 mm/s · 42–50% · air assist
Genuine Leathercut	2000 mm/min · 90% · 2× passes · air assist	25 mm/s · 80%
HTV Vinylcut	11000 mm/min · 12%	105 mm/s · 9%
Kraft Papercut	3000 mm/min · 18%	300 mm/s · 15%
Leathercut	2000 mm/min · 90% · 2× passes · air assist	170 mm/min · 100% · air assist
Maplecut	3500 mm/min · 75–90% · 2× passes · air assist	15 mm/s · 60–70%
Mylar Stencil 7.5milcut	9000 mm/min · 18%	80 mm/s · 14%
Oak 3mmcut	3500 mm/min · 70% · 2× passes · air assist	18 mm/s · 65%
Oakcut	350 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist	169 mm/min · 100% · 2× passes · air assist
Papercut	2500 mm/min · 15%	300 mm/s · 8%
Pine 3mmcut	4000 mm/min · 65% · air assist	22 mm/s · 55%
Pinecut	500 mm/min · 100% · air assist	304 mm/min · 100% · air assist
Plywoodcut	600 mm/min · 85–100% · 2× passes · air assist	28 mm/s · 60–70% · air assist
Rubber Stamp Blankcut	1000 mm/min · 95–100% · 2× passes · air assist	13 mm/s · 50–55% · air assist
Rubber Stamp Materialcut	600 mm/min · 95–100% · 2× passes · air assist	—
Walnutcut	3500 mm/min · 75–90% · 2× passes · air assist	15 mm/s · 60–70%
Washi Tapecut	2000 mm/min · 12%	160 mm/s · 7%
2mm Basswood Plywoodengrave	8000 mm/min · 40%	380 mm/s · 11%
3mm Baltic Birch Plywoodengrave	2000 mm/min · 25–30%	400 mm/s · 25–30%
3mm Basswood Plywoodengrave	6000 mm/min · 50%	150 mm/s · 40%
3mm Black Acrylicengrave	6000 mm/min · 40%	350 mm/s · 18–25%
3mm Clear Acrylic (Cast)engrave	7500 mm/min	440 mm/min
3mm Clear Acrylicengrave	—	200 mm/s · 20%
3mm Hardboard HDFengrave	2000 mm/min · 40–45%	—
3mm Maple Plywoodengrave	4800 mm/min	400 mm/min
3mm MDFengrave	200 mm/s · 25–30%	450 mm/s · 20–28%
3mm Mirrored Acrylicengrave	7000 mm/min	420 mm/min
3mm Tinted Acrylicengrave	4000 mm/min · 60%	140 mm/s · 20%
3mm Walnut Plywoodengrave	2000 mm/min · 25–30%	350 mm/s · 25–30%
5mm Plywoodengrave	5000 mm/min · 55%	160 mm/s · 18%
6mm Baltic Birch Plywoodengrave	—	2000 mm/min · 40–45%
6mm Basswood Plywoodengrave	2000 mm/min · 35–40%	—
6mm Clear Acrylicengrave	—	120 mm/s · 22%
6mm MDFengrave	2000 mm/min · 35–40%	200 mm/s · 25–30%
9mm Birch Plywoodengrave	4000 mm/min · 60%	120 mm/s · 22%
Acrylic Feltengrave	8000 mm/min · 10–15%	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Acrylicengrave	—	500 mm/s · 20–25%
Alder 3mmengrave	7500 mm/min · 40%	—
Alderengrave	4000 mm/min · 42%	371 mm/min · 52%
Anodized Aluminumengrave	1500 mm/min · 70–80%	250 mm/s · 40%
Bamboo 3mmengrave	8000 mm/min · 38%	330 mm/s · 15%
Bamboo Cutting Boardengrave	4000 mm/min · 55%	—
Bambooengrave	4000 mm/min · 48%	300 mm/s · 30%
Basswoodengrave	—	450 mm/s · 20–28%
Cardboard (corrugated, ~3–4mm)engrave	500 mm/s · 20–25%	—
Cardboardengrave	8000 mm/min · 10–15%	500 mm/s · 10–15%
Cardstock 300gsmengrave	12000 mm/min · 10%	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Cardstock (80–110 lb / ~220–300 gsm)engrave	500 mm/s · 12%	—
Cardstockengrave	6000 mm/min · 12%	400 mm/s · 6%
Cedar 3mmengrave	7500 mm/min · 38%	—
Cedarengrave	5000 mm/min · 30%	405 mm/min · 45%
Ceramic Tileengrave	500 mm/min · 90–100%	160 mm/s · 65%
Cherry 3mmengrave	7000 mm/min · 42% · air assist	310 mm/s · 18%
Cherryengrave	4500 mm/min · 40%	371 mm/min · 55%
Chipboard 2mmengrave	8500 mm/min · 32%	—
Coated / Powder Coated Steelengrave	3000 mm/min · 70%	300 mm/min · 48%
Coated Stainless Steel Tumblerengrave	2000 mm/min · 70–80%	—
Copy Paper 80gsmengrave	8000 mm/min · 10–15%	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Cork 3mmengrave	—	500 mm/s · 5–10%
Cork Sheet 3mmengrave	8000 mm/min · 30%	320 mm/s · 12%
Corkengrave	4000 mm/min · 35–45%	—
Corrugated Cardboardengrave	8000 mm/min · 10–15%	500 mm/s · 5–10%
Cotton Fabricengrave	9000 mm/min · 16%	330 mm/s · 13%
Craft Felt 3mmengrave	3500 mm/min · 25–30%	2500 mm/min · 10–15%
Denim Fabricengrave	8000 mm/min · 30%	350 mm/s · 14%
EVA Foam 3mmengrave	10000 mm/min · 20%	2000 mm/min · 10–15%
EVA Foam 6mmengrave	8000 mm/min · 10–15%	500 mm/s · 5–10%
Faux Leatherengrave	8000 mm/min · 15–20%	500 mm/s · 5–10%
Foam Board 5mmengrave	8000 mm/min · 10–15%	500 mm/s · 5–10%
Foamengrave	4000 mm/min · 10%	—
Genuine Leather (Veg-Tan, ~3mm)engrave	7500 mm/min · 40–50% · air assist	320 mm/s · 12–18% · air assist
Genuine Leatherengrave	3000 mm/min · 40%	800 glowforge_units · 55%
Glassengrave	1000 mm/min · 55%	300 mm/s · 18%
HTV Vinylengrave	8000 mm/min · 10–15%	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Kraft Paperengrave	8000 mm/min · 10–15%	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Leatherengrave	4000 mm/min · 55%	170 mm/min · 60%
Mapleengrave	7000 mm/min · 45–55% · air assist	270 mm/s · 18–23%
Marble Tileengrave	2000 mm/min · 85%	250 mm/s · 30%
Mylar Stencil 7.5milengrave	8000 mm/min · 10–15%	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Oak 3mmengrave	7000 mm/min · 45% · air assist	300 mm/s · 20%
Oakengrave	4000 mm/min · 45%	338 mm/min · 60%
Paperengrave	6000 mm/min · 10%	500 mm/s · 5–8%
Photopolymer Stamp Blankengrave	3000 mm/min · 55%	120 mm/s · 45%
Pine 3mmengrave	7500 mm/min · 40% · air assist	300 mm/s · 17%
Pineengrave	5000 mm/min · 35%	405 mm/min · 50%
Plywoodengrave	3000 mm/min · 50–65%	450 mm/s · 22–30%
Powder Coated Steelengrave	3000 mm/min · 70%	300 mm/min · 48%
Rubber Stamp Blankengrave	3500 mm/min · 75%	240 mm/s · 18%
Rubber Stamp Materialengrave	2000 mm/min · 70%	—
Slate (coaster)engrave	2200 mm/min · 90%	200 mm/s · 23–28%
Slateengrave	3500 mm/min · 70%	1000 glowforge_units · 80%
Spray Painted Metalengrave	3500 mm/min · 65%	350 mm/min · 45%
Stainless Steelengrave	3500 mm/min · 90%	240 mm/s · 58%
Walnutengrave	7000 mm/min · 45–55% · air assist	270 mm/s · 18–23%
Washi Tapeengrave	5000 mm/min · 8%	—
Stainless Steelmark	400 mm/min · 90–100%	120 mm/s · 70%

All xTool S1 settings →All Glowforge Pro settings →

Ready to buy the xTool S1?

Buy on xTool →

Ready to buy the Glowforge Pro?

Buy on Amazon →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, the xTool S1 or Glowforge Pro?

It depends on your use case. xTool S1 is 40W diode with 498×330mm bed. Glowforge Pro is 45W co2. See the decision guide and side-by-side specs above.

What materials can both the xTool S1 and Glowforge Pro cut or engrave?

Both machines have community-tested settings for 71 shared materials. The settings table above lists every material with side-by-side speed, power, passes, and air assist values for direct comparison.

Can the xTool S1 cut clear acrylic like the Glowforge Pro?

No. CO₂ lasers like the Glowforge Pro cut clear acrylic cleanly because the CO₂ wavelength is absorbed by transparent materials. Diode lasers like the xTool S1 struggle with clear acrylic — only painted or tinted acrylic works reliably.

Is the Glowforge Pro (45W) much faster than the xTool S1 (40W)?

Higher wattage typically means faster cutting and the ability to cut thicker material in fewer passes. The Glowforge Pro (45W) cuts thicker material in single passes and engraves at higher speeds than the xTool S1 (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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