Quick Answer: For most buyers in 2026, xTool offers more laser per dollar than Glowforge — more wattage, larger work areas, offline operation, and LightBurn support, all for less money. The xTool P2S (55W CO2, ~$3,999) out-powers and undercuts the Glowforge Pro (45W, ~$4,995–$6,000), engraving up to 600mm/s versus the Glowforge’s 300mm/s, and the xTool S1 (40W diode) dwarfs the 6W Glowforge Aura’s power for cutting and engraving. Buy Glowforge only if a frictionless cloud web app and the simplest possible beginner experience matter more than power, price, and software freedom — and you can accept that it has no offline mode and pushes a ~$50/month Premium subscription. Buy xTool if you want the most capability for the money and the freedom to run LightBurn offline.
Glowforge and xTool are the two biggest names in desktop laser cutting, and they sit at opposite ends of the same trade-off: Glowforge sells simplicity, xTool sells capability. Glowforge built its reputation on a beautifully simple cloud workflow that gets first-time makers cutting in minutes; xTool built its lineup on giving you more power, more open software, and more machine for the same budget. This guide breaks down every difference that matters — ease of use, power, materials, software, price, and ecosystem — and names the exact machines worth buying in each camp.
Glowforge vs xTool at a glance
| Factor | Glowforge | xTool |
|---|---|---|
| Laser types | 6W diode (Aura), 40–45W CO2 (Plus/Pro) | 10–40W diode, 55W CO2 |
| Top CO2 power | 45W (Pro) | 55W (P2S) |
| Engrave speed | Up to ~300mm/s | Up to 600mm/s (P2S) |
| Software | Proprietary cloud web app only | LightBurn + free xTool app |
| Offline use | No — internet required | Yes — USB / Type-C |
| Subscription | Optional Premium ~$50/mo | None |
| Entry price | $1,199 (Aura, 6W diode) | ~$449 (D1 Pro, 10W diode) |
| CO2 price | ~$4,995–$6,000 (Pro) | ~$3,999 (P2S, 55W) |
| Best at | Simplest beginner experience | Power, value, software freedom |
Glowforge vs xTool by the numbers
- The xTool P2S delivers 55W of CO2 power versus the Glowforge Pro’s 45W, and engraves up to 600mm/s against the Glowforge’s ~300mm/s (per xTool’s published specs and head-to-head reviews) — roughly double the speed, which matters most for production batches.
- The xTool S1 is about 81% faster than the Glowforge Aura and offers a 19.6”×13” work area — roughly 77% larger than the Aura’s 12”×12” (per xTool’s comparison data), because the S1’s 40W diode dwarfs the Aura’s 6W module.
- xTool’s P2S lists around $3,999 while the comparable Glowforge Pro runs ~$4,995–$6,000 (per current manufacturer pricing) — you get more power for less money, and you skip Glowforge’s optional ~$50/month Premium subscription entirely.
- Glowforge runs cloud-only with no offline mode, so the machine has zero functionality without internet (per Glowforge’s documentation), while xTool machines run offline over USB or Type-C and support LightBurn — a meaningful reliability difference for anyone running a business.
Ease of use: Glowforge’s home turf
This is the one area where Glowforge clearly leads. The Glowforge web app is the cleanest interface in the category: you place your material, the built-in camera shows it on screen, you drag your design onto the live image, and you press the glowing button. There is almost nothing to learn, which is why Glowforge dominates classrooms and first-time buyers.
xTool’s Creative Space app is also beginner-friendly and adds a guided workflow, but xTool’s real advantage — LightBurn support — comes with a small learning curve. If you want the absolute shortest path from unboxing to a finished cut and never plan to touch professional software, Glowforge’s simplicity is genuinely worth something.
Power, materials, and speed: xTool pulls ahead
Machine for machine, xTool gives you more laser. On the CO2 side, the xTool P2S (55W) cuts thicker stock and engraves up to 600mm/s, double the Glowforge Pro’s ~300mm/s, with a larger bed and a dual-camera alignment system. On the diode side, the xTool S1 (40W) cuts up to ~15–18mm basswood, while the Glowforge Aura’s 6W diode is built for light engraving and thin cuts, not production.
Both brands handle the same core materials — wood, acrylic, leather, paper, coated metal — but the higher-wattage xTool machines clear thick and clear acrylic in fewer passes and finish jobs faster. Neither marks bare metal without help; for that you need a fiber laser.
Software and offline use: xTool’s freedom advantage
Glowforge is cloud-only and proprietary. It does not support LightBurn, and it cannot run without an internet connection — if your WiFi drops mid-job, the machine stops. Many of its design assets and convenience features also sit behind a ~$50/month Premium subscription.
xTool is the opposite: every machine runs LightBurn (the ~$60 GCode-tier industry standard) plus xTool’s own free app, and operates fully offline over USB or Type-C with no account required and no subscription. For a hobbyist this is convenient; for a small business that can’t afford an internet outage to halt production, it’s a deciding factor.
The machines worth buying
xTool — best value and power
xTool P2S (55W CO2) — Best overall for cutting
- 55W CO2 tube engraves up to 600mm/s and cuts ~18mm wood and thick acrylic — out-powers the Glowforge Pro for less.
- Runs LightBurn and xTool's app, offline over USB/Type-C — no cloud dependency, no subscription.
- Large bed, dual cameras, and autofocus for fast, accurate batch production.
xTool S1 (40W diode) — Best enclosed diode
- 40W enclosed Class-1 diode cuts ~15–18mm basswood — vastly more powerful than the 6W Glowforge Aura.
- 19.6"×13" work area (~77% larger than the Aura) with curved-surface autofocus and a camera.
- Runs LightBurn and the free xTool app; offline, no subscription.
xTool D1 Pro (10W diode) — Best budget entry
- Genuine 10W diode engraves fast and cuts up to ~8mm basswood — a fraction of the Aura's price.
- Rigid all-metal frame, huge accessory ecosystem, and LightBurn support.
- Runs both the free xTool Creative Space app and LightBurn, fully offline.
Glowforge — best for simplicity
Glowforge Aura (6W diode) — Best beginner simplicity
- Compact, fully enclosed 6W diode designed for first-time makers and classrooms.
- Cleanest cloud web app in the category with a built-in camera for drag-and-drop placement.
- Engraves and cuts wood, acrylic, leather, and paper out of the box — internet required.
Glowforge Plus / Pro (40–45W CO2) — Glowforge's CO2 cutters
- 40W (Plus) or 45W (Pro) CO2 cuts thick wood and clear acrylic the Aura cannot.
- Same effortless cloud workflow and camera-guided placement Glowforge is known for.
- Cloud-only and pricey, but the smoothest start in the CO2 category.
Head-to-head by need
| If you want… | Glowforge | xTool |
|---|---|---|
| The simplest setup | Aura — best | Creative Space — close |
| The most power per dollar | — | P2S / S1 — best |
| Offline reliability | No offline mode | USB/Type-C offline |
| LightBurn support | Not supported | Fully supported |
| No subscription | Pushes ~$50/mo Premium | None |
| Cutting clear acrylic | Plus/Pro (CO2) | P2S (CO2) |
| Lowest entry price | $1,199 (Aura) | ~$449 (D1 Pro) |
| Small-business throughput | Limited by cloud | P2S — best |
How to decide in 30 seconds
- You’re a total beginner who wants zero friction: Glowforge Aura — the cleanest web app and a press-the-button workflow.
- You want the most laser for your money: xTool — the xTool S1 (40W) and P2S (55W) out-power their Glowforge counterparts for less.
- You run a business and can’t risk downtime: xTool — it works offline and supports LightBurn for batch production.
- You want to cut clear acrylic or thick wood: a CO2 machine — the xTool P2S or Glowforge Pro.
- You’re on the tightest budget: xTool — the D1 Pro (10W) costs a fraction of any Glowforge.
- Your work is bare metal (jewelry, tools): skip both and get a fiber laser at 1064nm.
The bottom line
Buy xTool if you want the most capability for the money — more wattage, larger beds, offline operation, LightBurn support, and no subscription. For most makers and small businesses in 2026 that’s the smarter purchase; start with our best laser engraver pillar or the best laser engraver for small business picks. Buy Glowforge only if a frictionless cloud workflow and the simplest possible beginner experience outweigh power, price, and software freedom — and you can live with cloud-only operation. The dividing line is simple: Glowforge sells the easiest start, xTool sells the most machine. If you’re still deciding which laser type fits your work, read our diode vs CO2 laser breakdown, the best CO2 laser engraver roundup, or the best diode laser engraver ranking.