LightBurn vs EZCad for Fiber Lasers: Which Should You Use?

EZCad (free, Windows-only) has been the default fiber laser software for years. It works, but the interface is dated, the workflow is unintuitive for anyone coming from Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape, and Mac/Linux support doesn't exist. LightBurn ($60 one-time, all platforms) redesigned the workflow from scratch. It handles galvo fiber lasers, supports rotary attachments properly, has a modern UI, and integrates directly with JPT MOPA sources for pulse-width control from within the software. For machines that support both: LightBurn is almost always the better choice. The $60 one-time license pays for itself within the first week of regular use, mostly in time saved fighting the EZCad UI.

LightBurn's strengths that matter most in day-to-day fiber laser work: - **Cross-platform**: macOS, Linux, and Windows. EZCad is Windows-only. - **Modern vector tools**: full SVG import without the EZCad-style conversion artifacts; native node editing; boolean operations that match what designers expect from Illustrator or Affinity. - **Real rotary support**: the rotary calibration workflow is one screen, not the multi-tab dialog box that EZCad makes you click through. - **MOPA pulse-width direct control**: assign different pulse widths per layer in the same job — useful for multi-material runs and color marking workflows on stainless steel. - **Camera support**: align jobs to a pre-marked piece visually instead of by coordinates. EZCad doesn't have this at all. - **Live community and active development**: weekly updates, a real forum, and tutorials that are less than 8 years old.

EZCad makes sense in a narrow set of scenarios: - **Your machine doesn't support LightBurn.** Some older Q-switched machines, particularly from before 2022, ship with EZCad-only firmware. Check with the seller before assuming LightBurn will work. - **You're on Windows and your workflow is simple.** If you mark text, logos, and basic shapes — no rotary, no MOPA color marking, no SVG imports from a designer — EZCad will do the job. The free price tag matters at small scale. - **You need EZCad's specific output format for a downstream process.** Some industrial integrations expect EZCad files. This is rare in hobbyist contexts. The one place EZCad is genuinely better: deep parameter tuning for unusual materials. The exposed low-level controls are more direct than LightBurn's parameterized layers. But for 95% of users, this never matters.

The migration is straightforward but has a few gotchas worth knowing in advance: 1. **Confirm machine compatibility.** Check LightBurn's compatibility list and your firmware version. Most machines from 2023+ support LightBurn out of the box. Older units may need a firmware update from the manufacturer. 2. **Get a galvo license.** LightBurn separates galvo (fiber laser) licensing from CO2/diode licensing. You need the galvo version — about $80 with a single-year update window included. 3. **Re-create your material library.** EZCad parameter files do not convert. Plan an afternoon to retest your common materials and save layer presets in LightBurn — it's tedious but a one-time cost. 4. **Recalibrate the rotary.** LightBurn's rotary calibration is more accurate than EZCad's, but the values don't transfer. Run the LightBurn rotary calibration from scratch. 5. **Keep EZCad installed.** For at least the first month, keep both. There will be edge cases where you want to verify a result in EZCad. After 30 days you can usually uninstall.

Every machine on this list has confirmed, working LightBurn compatibility in our own testing. Buying any of these means LightBurn is a check-the-box install, not an integration project:

**Is LightBurn worth $60 if EZCad is free?** Yes, for any user who runs the machine more than a few times per month. The time saved on a single multi-step job typically pays for the license. For users running once a quarter for occasional projects, the free EZCad is fine. **Can LightBurn drive every fiber laser?** No. LightBurn supports specific controller families — primarily JCZ-based galvo controllers, which is what most current MOPA and Q-switched fiber lasers ship with. Older machines or industrial fiber lasers with non-JCZ controllers may not be supported. Always verify before buying. **Does LightBurn support MOPA pulse-width control?** Yes, on supported MOPA machines. You can set pulse width per layer in the job file, which makes multi-color workflows on stainless steel much faster than EZCad's flat-file approach. **Will my EZCad files open in LightBurn?** No. There's no native import for EZCad's .ezd files. Re-create designs from source (SVG or AI files) when migrating. This is the biggest one-time cost of switching, and it's the main reason longtime EZCad users delay the move.