QuotedPartComparisons · Updated 2026-10-30
Kostira alternative: free STEP beta or PDF-and-model quoting?
Price one of your own parts: Drop a STEP model or PDF drawing — about 90 seconds, no account.
Your part priced in about 90 seconds, no account.
Kostira is worth testing first if a free browser workflow from STEP geometry to an editable PDF/XLSX estimate fits your shop. Its current open beta requires no card and publishes no future paid tiers. QuotedPart becomes a relevant alternative when PDF-only RFQs, drawing reading, mixed processes or buyer PO acceptance matter. Both approaches require an estimator to approve the manufacturing method; do not treat a solid model as the complete purchase specification.
See how QuotedPart connects to your workflow with its API, MCP server, autonomous quoting and shop-specific learning.
What the current beta says it does
Kostira's workflow and pricing pages were read October 30, 2026. The published sequence starts with STEP, reviews geometry, applies the shop's material/process rates and exports a reviewed estimate. Its own guidance leaves stock, process planning, inspection, outside work and commercial terms with the estimator. The English interface supports several workspace currencies, including USD.
| Question | Kostira | QuotedPart |
|---|---|---|
| Starting evidence | STEP geometry; estimator reviews drawing/RFQ | STEP/IGES, DXF and PDF drawing input |
| Price today | Free open beta, no card | Published $199/month shop subscription |
| Future packaging | Not yet published by Kostira | Month-to-month shop plan |
| Output | PDF quote or XLSX estimate export | Branded quote page or PDF; PO acceptance |
| Human decision | Approves rates, operations, hours and terms | Reviews and edits routing, costs and quote |
Use a model and a drawing that disagree in scope
For a controlled test, take a fictional 6061 spacer whose STEP model contains six through holes. The drawing calls for six tapped holes, clear anodizing and a first-piece inspection report. Keep those requirements explicit on the print. Ask how each tool prompts the estimator to account for them and where the final quote records its assumptions. The point is completeness, not a claim that Kostira promises automatic drawing interpretation.
Assume tapping adds 45 seconds per part at $100/hour, or $1.25 each. An anodizing supplier has a $90 lot minimum, adding $9 each at ten pieces or $0.90 at 100. First-piece inspection takes 30 minutes at $70/hour, adding $35 to the lot. At ten pieces those three requirements add $137.50 cost before markup: $12.50 tapping + $90 finish + $35 inspection. Geometry alone does not capture that commercial scope.
Check rate ownership and the approval boundary
Review stock dimensions, material price units and whether a machine rate already includes an operator. Change setup time and quantity independently. Confirm that per-lot costs spread over quantity while per-piece costs remain per piece. A free trial is useful because you can inspect these decisions without guessing from a screenshot; the same discipline applies to a paid product.
Kostira's explicit estimator-review boundary is a strength for teams that want a transparent starting point instead of an unexplained final price. Its free beta is also less expensive to enter than a paid subscription. A shop should decide separately whether it needs automated PDF intake, a shared quote record and buyer acceptance, rather than assuming every STEP estimator must provide them.
A sensible selection path
Run a repeat part with known actual cost, then a new model with a demanding print. Preserve the line-by-line estimate and customer output from each. Ask Kostira directly about any unlisted input format, ERP transfer, production limit or future plan; do not turn silence into an absence claim. Pick the smallest workflow that handles the RFQs your shop receives, with a review process someone can own.
Sources and limits
Claims are dated where they can change. Product calculations are examples from the stated inputs, not a promise about a customer's quote. Competitor wording is attributed to the source shown.
- Kostira: Browser workflow starts with STEP geometry, applies shop material/process rates and allows review before PDF or XLSX export; estimator remains responsible for the process plan and commercial terms. — source (checked 2026-10-30)
- Kostira: Open beta is currently free with no card; future paid tiers and prices have not been published. — source (checked 2026-10-30)
- Kostira: English application interface; workspace currencies include PLN, EUR, USD, GBP, CZK, MXN and CAD. — source (checked 2026-10-30)
Price one of your own parts
Drop a PDF drawing or a STEP file. QuotedPart reads the print, measures the model and prices it in seconds, on default shop rates you can change.
Your STEP file or PDF drawingDrop a PDF drawing, a STEP file or both
Free. No account, no email. Priced at our default US rates until you set yours.
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