Price Comparison
Prices checked on Mar 1, 2026
Short answer: Xometry's $118.10 quote for our CNC benchmark bracket includes shipping and customs for US delivery. The “cheapest” platform (RapidDirect at $65.55) ships from China with shipping and customs extra — bringing the estimated delivered cost to $100–125. The real gap is smaller than sticker prices suggest.
| Platform | Raw Quote | Shipping | Customs | Origin | Lead Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xometry | $118.10 | Included | Included | Global network (US and international) | Standard - 3 business days |
| HubsOriginal: EUR 141.66 | $151.58 | Included | Included | Global network (cross-docks in Amsterdam and Chicago) | Standard - 14 business days |
| SendCutSend | $150.54 | Included | N/A (domestic) | US | Default lane (arrives Mar 5) |
| RapidDirect | $65.55 | Extra | Extra | China (Shenzhen) | Standard - 5 business days |
| eMachineShop | $166.81 | Included | N/A (domestic) | US | Standard - 20 days |
These are our best estimates. High-confidence rows include documented shipping and customs policies. Medium-confidence rows include our estimates for international shipping and duties.
| Platform | Platform Quote | Est. Delivered (pre-tax) | Confidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RapidDirect | $65.55 | ~$112.00 | medium | Raw part price only. Shipping ($25-40 estimated for small CNC part via DHL/FedEx from Shenzhen) and US customs/duties ($10-20 estimated based on aluminum HTS codes) are additional. Estimated landed cost of ~$100-125 is approximate — we did not obtain an actual shipping or customs quote for this specific part. Lead time of 5 business days is manufacturing only; total delivery to US is estimated 8-15 business days including international shipping. |
| Xometry | $118.10 | $118.10 | high | Xometry includes shipping and customs for prototype/single-unit US orders. Manufacturing location unknown per order — could be domestic or international with Xometry handling logistics. Tax excluded. |
| SendCutSend | $150.54 | $150.54 | high | US-based manufacturing and shipping. Free shipping for orders $39+. No customs/duties applicable (domestic). Tax excluded (applied at checkout per state). |
| Hubs | $151.58 | ~$151.58 | medium | Original quote EUR 141.66 (€125.66 part + €16.00 shipping). Converted at 1.07 USD/EUR (March 2026 approximate rate). Hubs uses DDP terms — duties and shipping included for US delivery. USD estimate may vary with exchange rate fluctuations. Tax handling for US delivery not confirmed. |
| eMachineShop | $166.81 | $166.81 | high | US-based manufacturing. Free ground shipping to contiguous US included. No customs/duties applicable (domestic). Tax excluded (added at checkout). Free CAD design service included. Lead time of 20 days is unusually long for a simple bracket — may include shipping time. |
The main driver of the price gap is manufacturing location and what's bundled in the quote. RapidDirect manufactures in Shenzhen, China, where machining costs are lower, but the sticker price excludes international shipping ($25–40 estimated) and US customs duties ($10–20 estimated). Xometry uses a global supplier network and bundles shipping and customs into the quote for prototype orders.
US-based platforms (SendCutSend, eMachineShop) quote higher sticker prices but include domestic shipping. There are no customs or import duties because the part is manufactured and shipped within the US.
Hubs (by Protolabs) uses a global manufacturing network with DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) terms, similar to Xometry's model. Their quote was in EUR and converts to approximately $152 USD.
The claim “Xometry is 30–50% more expensive than direct manufacturers” appears across multiple comparison sites, but none disclose how they measured it. Our data tells a more specific story: Xometry at $118.10 all-in vs. RapidDirect at ~$100–125 estimated landed — a 5–15% gap when you compare apples to apples. The “80% more expensive” headline only holds if you compare Xometry's all-in price to RapidDirect's part-only sticker price.
No other public comparison page we found shows actual dollar amounts for the same part across multiple platforms on the same date. Third-party analyses with real data (like the Industrial Analyst Substack's Q4 2024 pricing analysis) are paywalled. The data on this page is, to our knowledge, the only free, methodologically documented, multi-platform price comparison available for CNC machining.
These platforms could not provide an instant quote for our benchmark part. This is not a criticism — it reflects different business models. But it matters if you need a quick price check.
Configured to Aluminum 6061-T651/T6, qty 1, and default as-machined options, but review page still shows '$—' with 'This part needs to be configured' and only RFQ path.
Quote retrieval blocked by mandatory email verification gate; account cannot access instant quote until inbox verification is completed.
Platform explicitly states it does not provide instant quotes; route is human-reviewed quote in 24h.
Reached MISUMI/meviy login wall requiring existing account credentials before CAD upload or instant subtotal.
We tested whether an AI agent (or a busy engineer) could get an instant CNC quote from each platform without prior account setup.
| Platform | Instant Quote? | Friction |
|---|---|---|
| Xometry | Yes | Instant quote available |
| Hubs | Yes | Instant quote available |
| SendCutSend | Yes | Instant quote available |
| RapidDirect | Yes | Instant quote available |
| eMachineShop | Yes | Instant quote available |
| Protolabs | No | Configured to Aluminum 6061-T651/T6, qty 1, and default as-machined options, but review page still shows '$—' with 'This part needs to be configured' and only RFQ path. |
| Fictiv | No | Quote retrieval blocked by mandatory email verification gate; account cannot access instant quote until inbox verification is completed. |
| Jiga | No | Platform explicitly states it does not provide instant quotes; route is human-reviewed quote in 24h. |
| meviy | No | Reached MISUMI/meviy login wall requiring existing account credentials before CAD upload or instant subtotal. |
We uploaded the same STEP file (cnc-bracket-v1.step) to 9 platforms and configured each for CNC machining, Aluminum 6061, quantity 1, standard lead time, and as-machined finish. Quotes were collected via browser-assisted automation on Mar 1, 2026. Where platforms required account creation or login, we documented the blocker.
Landed cost estimates use documented platform shipping policies plus general estimates for international shipping ($25–40) and US customs duties ($10–20) where platforms ship from outside the US. These are estimates, not verified quotes.
Xometry's sticker price ($118.10 for our benchmark bracket) is mid-range when you compare estimated delivered costs. RapidDirect quotes $65.55 but ships from China — after estimated shipping and customs, the delivered cost is $100–125. US-based platforms like SendCutSend ($150.54) and eMachineShop ($166.81) are more expensive but include shipping.
The raw quote gap ($118 vs $66) is misleading. Xometry includes shipping and customs for prototype orders, while RapidDirect's quote is the part price only — shipping from China and US import duties are additional. The estimated delivered cost difference is roughly $118 vs $100–125.
Yes. For standard-size packages shipped within the US, Xometry includes shipping. For single-unit/prototype orders, they also include customs and duties. Tax is excluded and added at checkout.
By raw quote, RapidDirect was cheapest at $65.55 (China-based, shipping extra). By estimated delivered cost to the US, RapidDirect is still likely cheapest at $100–125, followed by Xometry at $118. See our full cheapest CNC comparison for details.
For US prototype orders, Xometry quotes are nearly all-in: they include the part, shipping, and customs/duties. Sales tax is the only addition at checkout. For production orders shipped internationally, customs may not be included.
Of 9 platforms tested, 5 gave instant quotes (Xometry, RapidDirect, Hubs, SendCutSend, eMachineShop). Four were blocked: Protolabs (RFQ-only for this part), Fictiv (email verification gate), Jiga (human-reviewed in 24h), and meviy (login required).
Xometry operates as a marketplace platform, not a manufacturer. They build in a ~20% platform margin on every quote to cover: routing your part to vetted suppliers, instant DFM feedback, logistics management, and quality guarantees. For simple parts where a local shop could compete, the markup may not be worth it. For complex, specialized, or urgent parts — where Xometry's supplier network adds real value — the premium can be justified. Our data shows Xometry at $118.10 all-in vs. RapidDirect at $65.55 sticker (80% more on paper), but only ~$118 vs. ~$100–125 landed (5–15% more all-in).
Use Xometry (or another online platform) when you need: an instant quote without sales calls, a one-off prototype with fast turnaround, a capability your local shop doesn't have, or an automated quoting workflow. Use a local shop when you have an ongoing relationship, need frequent design iterations, or have repeating production work — local shops often quote better on volume and build tighter working relationships. For first prototypes with no incumbent supplier, online platforms reduce friction significantly.
This is common practice in engineering communities. Xometry's instant quotes and DFM feedback are useful for price discovery and design validation — even if you ultimately order elsewhere. The quoted price is also a competitive reference point. Community opinion is mixed on the ethics, but it's widely done for initial budgeting.
The raw quote advantage (RapidDirect $65.55 vs Xometry $118.10) narrows significantly when you add shipping ($25–40) and US customs duties ($10–20), bringing estimated landed cost to $100–125 — comparable to Xometry's all-in $118.10. Beyond price, consider: IP exposure risk with overseas manufacturers, time zone overhead for communication, 8–15 day total delivery vs 3–5 days domestic, and tariff uncertainty (US-China tariff schedules can change). For one-off prototypes where IP risk is low and you can wait, RapidDirect may be the cheapest overall. For speed-critical or production work, the gap nearly disappears.
Machined aluminum parts from China are subject to Section 301 tariffs, which have ranged from 7.5% to 25% depending on HTS classification and current tariff schedules. The applicable HTS code range for machined aluminum parts is typically 7616.99 or 8479 depending on the part's function. We estimate $10–20 duty on our benchmark bracket but have not verified an actual customs quote. Always verify the applicable rate for your specific HTS code before making landed cost decisions — tariff schedules are subject to change and HTS classification can vary.