Comparison · 3D printing

Sculpteo or objekto: with or without a 3D file

Updated 11 November 2026 · 3 min read

In short

Sculpteo prints the 3D file you send it, while objekto first designs the object when you have no file, then has it made. Sculpteo is a French online 3D printing service: you upload the file, choose the material and receive the parts. objekto starts before the file exists: its AI designs the object from a description, a photo or a sketch, then has it made and delivered in France. If you already have a print-ready file, Sculpteo is the direct route; if the object has to be designed first, objekto.

Sculpteo: a French online 3D printing service founded in 2009, acquired in 2026 by the French group 3D Prod (according to 3D Printing Journal) after several years under BASF.
Sculpteo recommends STL or OBJ uploads and accepts many other formats, STEP and SolidWorks included.
objekto needs no file: it designs the object part by part, checks printability and has it made.
objekto delivers in France; design is paid in credits (from 1,900 credits), printing at a firm price.

Sculpteo or objekto: which one when you already have a file?

With a print-ready file, Sculpteo does exactly what's needed: upload it, pick the technology and the material, order. Sculpteo recommends STL or OBJ and also takes CAD formats (STEP, IGES, SolidWorks, Rhino, SketchUp…). Its pages list engineering plastics (PA12 and PA11 nylons in laser sintering and Multi Jet Fusion, and TPU), resins and metals.

objekto takes 3D files too, but its point is different: having the AI edit them (logo, text, scale) before printing. See import a 3D file and have AI adapt it.

Sculpteo needs a 3D file: what's the alternative when you don't have one?

Without a file, the object has to be designed first. objekto does it from your description: the AI writes the model in parametric CAD, part by part, checks walls, details, clearances and each material's maximum size, and provides an exploded view and an assembly guide. You adjust dimensions with free sliders and see the delivered price; then the object is made and usually delivered in France within 1 to 3 weeks (an estimate); 4,300 credits free at signup.

The other routes without a file (learning CAD, a designer, a model library, a mesh generator) are compared in six ways to get a custom object made.

The differences, point by point

	Sculpteo	objekto
Starting point	Your 3D file	A description, a photo, a sketch or a 3D file
Design	No: the file must exist	Yes: parametric CAD, part by part
Accepted formats	STL and OBJ recommended, many CAD formats	STL, OBJ, 3MF, STEP… (proprietary formats refused)
Manufacturing	Sculpteo	Partner workshops (Craftcloud, 3DAPI)
Multi-part objects	Each file is a part to order	Up to 12 unique parts designed to fit together, exploded view and assembly guide
Delivery	As Sculpteo states	Delivered in France

When to choose Sculpteo

You have a print-ready file and need no design work.
You need a material or a technology objekto doesn't offer, or series production.
You need delivery outside objekto's area (in France).

When to choose objekto

You have no file, only an idea, a photo or a broken part.
The object has several parts that must fit together, printed screws, clips and hinges included.
You want to adjust dimensions with sliders and see the delivered price before ordering.

Frequently asked questions

Does Sculpteo design the 3D file?

Its online printing pages assume you provide the file and offer tools to prepare it. For an object with no file, objekto designs the model from your description.

Can I order a file designed with objekto from Sculpteo?

Yes, if you download the print files (STL, 3MF, STEP), which takes a paid plan, from Creator up.

Sources

Public information read on 10 November 2026 from the sites listed; it may have changed since. Spotted a mistake? Write to bonjour@objekto.io.