Comparison · software
Short answer: they all rebuild cost from the process: material, time, rates, overheads. They differ in what you upload (native CAD, STEP, drawing), in data depth (digital factories, country rate libraries) and in access model, from enterprise licences on demo to the monthly subscription published by simus systems.
By the RFQdecoder team · updated 27 September 2026
| Tool | What you upload | What you get | Access | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aPriori | 3D CAD model | Cost, manufacturability and carbon, by simulating digital factories | On demo | Design, manufacturing engineering, sourcing, quoting |
| Tset | Part or supplier quote, manufacturing parameters | Full cost structure and CO2, compared with the quote | Cloud, on demo | Procurement and cost engineering, OEMs and Tier 1s |
| DFM Concurrent Costing | Process, material, geometry, even without a detailed drawing | Should-cost and cycle time, 25+ processes | On request | Sourcing, design, manufacturing engineering |
| costing24 | SolidWorks, Inventor, NX, CATIA V5, Creo, STEP and more | Costs and times per machine: turning, milling, sheet metal, drilling | €200 per month for 200 calculations, 10-day trial | Sales engineers, designers, planning, purchasing |
| RFQdecoder | PDF, DXF or STEP drawing | Manufacturing routing and cost of each step, editable | Free, no account; API for volume | Buyers, design offices, SMEs |
Sources: aPriori, Tset, Boothroyd Dewhurst, simus systems, pages checked on 27 September 2026.
A tool that rebuilds the cost of a part from its manufacturing process: material, time per operation, hourly rates and overheads, to prepare a quote or analyse a supplier quote.
costing24 publishes a subscription of €200 per month for 200 calculations, with a 10-day free trial. aPriori and Tset give access on demo. RFQdecoder is free, with no account, for costing from a drawing.
costing24 reads native SolidWorks, Solid Edge, Inventor, NX, CATIA V5 and Creo files, plus STEP and JT. RFQdecoder accepts PDF, DXF and STEP.
Yes. Boothroyd Dewhurst states it can cost the same part across 37 manufacturing regions, with rates for 22+ countries.
For an occasional quote analysis or design check, an online tool working from the drawing; for pricing your own machining or sheet metal quotes, a monthly subscription.
Upload a PDF, DXF or STEP drawing: the routing and the cost of each step, no account, in a few minutes.