Your phone can do a surprising amount of 3D printing work. The right app lets you start and watch prints from anywhere, get an alert when a print fails, scan real objects into printable models, and view or edit CAD files on the go. Here are the most useful 3D printing apps for Android and iPhone, grouped by what they do, with links to both app stores.
Almost every app on this list runs on both platforms. The one exception is Printoid, which is Android only, so we list OctoPod as its iPhone equivalent.
Quick comparison
| App | What it does | Android | iPhone / iPad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bambu Handy | Official Bambu Lab printer app | Yes | Yes |
| Creality Cloud | Creality printers + model library | Yes | Yes |
| Prusa | Prusa Connect printer control | Yes | Yes |
| Printoid | OctoPrint control | Yes | No |
| OctoPod | OctoPrint control | No | Yes |
| OctoApp | OctoPrint and Klipper control | Yes | Yes |
| Mobileraker | Klipper (Moonraker) control | Yes | Yes |
| Obico | Remote access + AI failure detection | Yes | Yes |
| Polycam | 3D scanning from photos or LiDAR | Yes | Yes |
| eDrawings | SOLIDWORKS model and drawing viewer | Yes | Yes |
| Onshape | Full cloud CAD | Yes | Yes |
| Autodesk Fusion | View and collaborate on Fusion designs | Yes | Yes |
Apps from printer makers
Bambu Handy
If you own a Bambu Lab printer, Bambu Handy is the official companion app. It lets you start and monitor prints remotely, watch the camera feed, get notifications, and print models from the MakerWorld community in a tap or two. It connects through Bambu Lab’s cloud, so it needs an internet connection to work.
Creality Cloud
Creality Cloud is the official app for Creality printers. It combines a large model library with cloud slicing, remote printing, and monitoring for supported Creality machines, plus a community where makers share and remix designs. Creality also offers a lighter Creality Cloud Lite app focused on printer control.
Prusa
Prusa’s official app works with Prusa Connect, so owners of supported Original Prusa printers can check print progress, manage the print queue, adjust settings during a print, and get notified when a job finishes or needs attention. It also handles NFC-based Wi-Fi setup on newer printers.
Remote control for OctoPrint and Klipper printers
Many makers run their printers through OctoPrint or Klipper on a Raspberry Pi. These apps give you a phone-friendly way to control those setups.
Printoid (Android only)
Printoid is a long-running, feature-rich OctoPrint client for Android phones, tablets, and Chromebooks. You can upload and start files, pause or cancel prints, watch temperature graphs, send custom G-code, and view the webcam. A free Lite version lets you try it before upgrading to Premium.
OctoPod (iPhone only)
OctoPod is the closest iPhone equivalent to Printoid. It’s a free, open source OctoPrint client with a dashboard for several printers at once, multiple webcams per printer, Lock Screen widgets, and Live Activities that show print progress without opening the app. It also works on iPad and Apple Watch.
OctoApp
OctoApp is a clean, modern app for both OctoPrint and Klipper, and newer versions also support some Bambu Lab and Elegoo printers. It focuses on the controls you use most during a print, with live progress, webcam view, a G-code viewer, and notifications.
Mobileraker
Mobileraker is built for Klipper printers running Moonraker. It gives you printer control, macros, webcam streams, and print notifications in a mobile layout, and it can manage several printers from one screen.
Obico
Obico adds remote access and AI failure detection to OctoPrint and Klipper printers. It watches your webcam feed for signs of a failed print, such as spaghetti, and can alert you or pause the job before it wastes filament. Remote access works without setting up a VPN.
3D scanning apps
Polycam
Polycam turns photos taken with your phone into 3D models. It is a quick way to capture an existing object as a starting point for a replacement part or a custom design. On iPhone and iPad Pro models with a LiDAR sensor, it can also capture rooms and larger objects with depth data. The free tier is limited, and exporting models generally requires a paid plan.
CAD and viewing apps
eDrawings
eDrawings from SOLIDWORKS lets you open and review 3D models and drawings on your phone or tablet, including native SOLIDWORKS parts, assemblies, and drawings. Its augmented reality mode shows a model at full scale through your camera, which is handy for checking a part’s size with a colleague or client before you print it. The iOS version is a low-cost paid app.
Onshape
Onshape is a full, cloud-based CAD system with a capable mobile app. You can view, edit, and share parametric models from your phone, then export files for 3D printing. On iPad it supports Apple Pencil for sketching and selection, and Onshape is free for students, educators, and public hobby projects.
Autodesk Fusion
The Autodesk Fusion mobile app lets you view and collaborate on Fusion designs from anywhere, with support for more than 100 file formats including STEP and STL. You need a Fusion account to sign in. It’s a good way to review a model before sending it to the printer.
Which app should you start with?
- Own a Bambu Lab, Creality, or Prusa printer? Start with your printer maker’s official app. All three run on Android and iPhone.
- Running OctoPrint? On Android, try Printoid or OctoApp. On iPhone, try OctoPod or OctoApp. Add Obico for failure detection and remote access.
- Running Klipper? Mobileraker or OctoApp, on either platform.
- Want to copy a real object? Use Polycam to scan it. An iPhone Pro with LiDAR gives the best results.
- Designing parts? Use Onshape or Fusion on mobile, and eDrawings to review SOLIDWORKS files. Our comparison of SOLIDWORKS vs. Fusion vs. Onshape for 3D printing will help you choose a CAD program.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best 3D printing app for iPhone?
If you own a Bambu Lab, Creality, or Prusa printer, the maker’s own app is the best place to start. For OctoPrint setups, OctoPod is a free and well-supported iPhone choice, and Mobileraker is the go-to for Klipper.
Can I control my 3D printer from my phone?
Yes. Most current printers from Bambu Lab, Creality, and Prusa connect to an official app over Wi-Fi or the cloud. Older printers can be controlled from a phone by adding OctoPrint or Klipper on a Raspberry Pi and using an app like OctoApp, OctoPod, or Mobileraker.
Is there a free app to make 3D models on a phone?
Onshape is free for students, educators, and public hobby projects and offers real parametric CAD on mobile. To capture an existing object instead of designing one, Polycam can scan it from photos.
Ready to design your own printable parts? Learn CAD with SolidProfessor’s 3D printing learning path, or browse SOLIDWORKS tutorials. Shopping for a printer? See our picks for the best 3D printers for engineering students.