Hingesmith vs MakerCase
A free online box designer for laser cutters, CNC routers and 3D printers. Here is what each does, so you pick the right one for the box in front of you.
What MakerCase is
MakerCase designs finger-joint boxes, divider and drawer boxes, sliding-lid boxes, stackable parts bins, polygon boxes, a laser-hinge box and a curved box, with kerf compensation and dogbone fillets for CNC, and exports SVG, DXF and 3MF. It is free and runs in the browser.
Best for: Enclosures, drawer and divider boxes, parts bins, and anything cut on a CNC router as well as a laser.
Visit MakerCaseWhat 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.
| MakerCase | Hingesmith | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free tier; Pro from $9/month |
| Box outlines | Rectangles, polygons, one curved box | 100 curved shapes in 13 collections |
| Living hinge | Laser hinge box and curved box | 21 patterns, spacing solved from the curvature at every point |
| 3D preview | Yes | Yes, with a fold-together animation |
| Kerf | Yes, plus dogbones for CNC | Kerf compensation on tabs, slots and holes |
| Lids | Sliding, hinged, open | Drop-in, snap-lock, magnetic lip; lid art scored on top |
| Export | SVG, DXF, 3MF | SVG, DXF (Pro) |
| Dividers and drawers | Yes | No |
The boxes MakerCase doesn’t make
