Hingesmith vs Box Studio
A free, no-signup finger-joint box generator with a 3D preview. Here is what each does, so you pick the right one for the box in front of you.
What Box Studio is
Box Studio makes finger-joint boxes with automatic joints, internal dividers and a pin-hinge lid, shows a 3D preview, and exports SVG for LightBurn, xTool Creative Space, Glowforge and others. It is free and ad-supported with no account, has a kerf calculator and a material calculator, and its October 2026 update added a flex-wall living-hinge box. It is available in English, Spanish and French.
Best for: A quick rectangular box with dividers, for anyone who does not want to install or pay for anything.
Visit Box StudioWhat Hingesmith is
A generator for the boxes a finger-joint tool can’t make: 100 curved outlines whose wall is one strip of plywood with a living hinge. The cut spacing is solved from the curvature at every point of the wall and the wood’s twist limit, alternate cuts run out through the edges, and you watch the box fold together in 3D before cutting. Three shapes and two hinges export free; Pro unlocks the rest, custom kerf and DXF.
Best for: gift, keepsake and seasonal boxes with a shape, and any box with curved walls.
Side by side
From each tool’s own site, October 2026. Check theirs for changes.
| Box Studio | Hingesmith | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, ad-supported | Free tier; Pro from $9/month |
| Box outlines | Rectangles; a flex-wall box | 100 curved shapes in 13 collections |
| Living hinge | Flex-wall box (one pattern) | 21 patterns, spacing solved from the curvature at every point |
| 3D preview | Yes | Yes, with a fold-together animation |
| Kerf | Setting plus a kerf calculator | Kerf compensation on tabs, slots and holes; a kerf calculator |
| Lids | Pin hinge, open | Drop-in, snap-lock, magnetic lip; lid art scored on top |
| Export | SVG | SVG, DXF (Pro) |
| Languages | English, Spanish, French | English |
The boxes Box Studio doesn’t make
