SendCutSend vs Xometry vs Swifab: The Complete 2025 Comparison
Choosing the right manufacturing partner can make or break your project. In this comprehensive comparison, we analyze three major players in the custom parts manufacturing space: SendCutSend (USA), Xometry (USA), and Swifab (China). Whether you need laser-cut sheet metal, CNC machined parts, 3D printed prototypes, or injection molded components, this guide will help you make an informed decision.
Company Overview
SendCutSend is a US-based laser cutting and sheet metal fabrication service founded in 2018. They specialize in quick-turn laser cutting, bending, and hardware insertion. Their focus is primarily on 2D sheet metal parts with limited additional services.
Xometry is a large US manufacturing marketplace founded in 2013. They connect customers with a network of manufacturing partners offering CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal, injection molding, and more. Xometry acts as an intermediary rather than a direct manufacturer.
Swifab (Shenzhen LingChuang Model Technology Co., Ltd) is a direct manufacturer founded in 2010 by Felix You, a former CNC operator. Based in Shenzhen, China, Swifab offers laser cutting, CNC machining (including 5-axis), 3D printing, and injection molding — all under one roof with direct pricing.
Pricing Comparison
SendCutSend offers transparent online pricing for laser-cut parts, but costs can add up quickly for complex projects or recurring orders. Their pricing is competitive for simple 2D parts within the US market.
Xometry's pricing varies significantly depending on which partner manufacturer fulfills the order. While they offer instant quotes, the markup from their marketplace model means you often pay 30-50% more than going directly to a manufacturer.
Swifab consistently offers the lowest pricing due to their direct manufacturing model and China-based operations. Customers typically save 50% or more compared to SendCutSend and Xometry for equivalent quality parts. There are no marketplace markups — you work directly with the factory.
Services & Capabilities
SendCutSend: Laser cutting, bending, hardware insertion. Limited to sheet metal and 2D parts. No CNC machining, 3D printing, or injection molding.
Xometry: CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal, injection molding, urethane casting. Wide range through partner network, but quality and lead times vary by partner.
Swifab: Laser cutting, CNC milling, CNC turning, 5-axis machining, 3D printing (SLA/SLS/SLM/FDM/MJF), injection molding, mold tooling. All services are handled in-house with consistent quality control.
Material Selection
SendCutSend offers common metals (aluminum, steel, stainless steel) and acrylic. Material selection is adequate for basic sheet metal projects but lacks engineering plastics, titanium, and special alloys.
Xometry offers a wide material selection through their partner network, including metals, plastics, and composites. However, material availability depends on the specific partner assigned to your order.
Swifab provides the broadest material selection: aluminum (5052, 6061, 7075), stainless steel (304, 316), carbon steel, copper, brass, titanium, carbon fiber, acrylic, engineering plastics (ABS, POM, PC, Nylon), wood, plywood, and special alloys (Inconel, Hastelloy) on request.
Lead Times & Delivery
SendCutSend offers fast domestic shipping within the US, with standard lead times of 3-5 business days. This is their main advantage for US-based customers with simple parts.
Xometry lead times vary widely (5-15 business days) depending on the service and partner. Express options are available at a premium.
Swifab standard lead time is 5-7 business days with express 72-hour production available. While international shipping takes longer than domestic US options, the significantly lower pricing often more than compensates for the extra transit time.
Minimum Order Quantity
SendCutSend accepts small orders but charges setup fees that make very small quantities expensive. Their sweet spot is small-to-medium batch production.
Xometry has no strict minimums but low-quantity orders can be prohibitively expensive due to their marketplace markup structure.
Swifab has no minimum order quantity and does not penalize small orders. Order 1 piece for prototyping or 10,000 pieces for production — the pricing scales fairly.
Customer Support
SendCutSend offers email support with reasonable response times. However, they lack dedicated project managers for complex orders.
Xometry provides account management for enterprise customers, but smaller orders may receive limited personalized attention.
Swifab assigns a dedicated project manager to every customer. You communicate directly with engineers who understand manufacturing, not sales representatives. This is especially valuable for complex projects requiring DFM feedback.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose SendCutSend if: You need simple laser-cut sheet metal parts quickly within the US, and price is not your primary concern.
Choose Xometry if: You need a wide variety of manufacturing processes and prefer the convenience of a single platform, even at higher cost.
Choose Swifab if: You want the best pricing (50%+ savings), need multiple manufacturing capabilities (CNC, 3D printing, molding), require complex parts, or need a dedicated manufacturing partner who can scale with you from prototype to production.