Printer comparison
FlashForge Creator 4 vs QIDI Plus4
Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore FlashForge Creator 4 comparisonsMore QIDI Plus4 comparisons
| Property | FlashForge Creator 4IDEX | QIDI Plus4COREXY |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | FlashForge | QIDI |
| Class | IDEX | COREXY |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | Flashforge Creator 4, sold in A and S configurations (Creator 4A, Creator 4S)[1] | QIDI Plus4, sold as "Plus4 3D Printer". QIDI's own wiki files it under X-Plus4[2][3] |
| Release date (announcement and actual shipping) | Not documented | Announced September 2024; QIDI ran launch promotional pricing in the week of 20-27 September 2024 (secondary reporting, not a QIDI press release)[4] |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | $10,999.00 at Top 3D Shop with a 2-3 week lead time, checked Aug 2026[1] | $649.00 on us.qidi3d.com for the Plus4 + 1 filament variant against a $799.00 compare-at price; $699.00 on qidi3d.com against $799.00. Checked Aug 2026[2][3] |
| Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk) | Two factory configurations that share the chassis but not the temperature ceiling: Creator 4A ships 2 x HT extruders (320 °C max, no composite support), Creator 4S ships 1 x HT + 1 x HS (360 °C max, supports PA-CF, PA-GF, PP-CF, PPS-CF). A third extruder type, F, is rated 265 °C and intended for flexibles. Any published "360 °C" figure applies only to the HS head[1] | Two purchasable variants: Plus4 + Filament x1 at $649 and Plus4 Combo + Filament x1 at $799 (Combo adds the QIDI Box multi-material unit). Distinct from the older X-Plus 3 (280x280x270, 350 °C) and from the newer Plus5 (320x320x300)[3][2] |
| Market position: superseded? successor announced? | Not documented | Superseded at the top of the large-format line by the Plus5, launched 5 August 2026 with 18% more build volume; Plus4 still listed and in stock Aug 2026[5][6] |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 400 x 350 x 500 mm[1] | 305 x 305 x 280 mm advertised. No independently measured usable envelope found[2][4] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | 840 x 675 x 1000 mm (1050 mm on the stand). FlashForge specifies an installation space of at least 1400 x 1500 x 1600 mm[1] | 505 x 487 x 550 mm[4] |
| Net weight (kg) | 90 kg net[1] | 32 kg gross (3DJake). QIDI does not publish a net weight on the product page[4] |
| Frame construction & material | Fully enclosed professional chassis on a stand[1] | Enclosed CoreXY chassis with double-layer chamber insulation; QIDI does not publish a frame material breakdown[2] |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Fully enclosed with HEPA 13 filtration and an actively controlled chamber[1] | Fully enclosed, double-layer insulated chamber with second-generation active heating to 65 °C[2][4] |
| Passive chamber temperature reached (if enclosed; measured values preferred) | Up to 65 °C, actively controlled (manufacturer claim)[1] | 65 °C, actively heated by a 400 W heater which QIDI says reaches setpoint in about 8 minutes (manufacturer claim)[2][4] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | IDEX — two independently driven extruders on the same gantry[1] | CoreXY[4] |
| Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlash | Not documented | Dual independent Z motors on 10 mm linear shafts and screws[2] |
| Speed & Acceleration | ||
| Max print speed (claimed, mm/s) | 10-200 mm/s, adjustable per material. On the 4S the HS head is quoted 100-150 mm/s and the HT head 100-200 mm/s (manufacturer figures)[1] | 600 mm/s (manufacturer claim, tool-head maximum)[4] |
| Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²) | Not documented | <=20,000 mm/s2 (manufacturer claim)[4] |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Direct drive, two independent extruders, interchangeable modules (F / HT / HS)[1] | Direct drive with hardened steel dual gears, 1.75 mm filament[2][4] |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?) | Not documented | Second-generation 80 W bimetal hotend with a multi-metal composite hardened-tip nozzle; 0.4 mm standard, 0.2/0.5/0.8 mm optional[2][4] |
| Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values) | Depends on the fitted extruder module: F 265 °C, HT 320 °C, HS 360 °C[1] | <=370 °C claimed. No firmware max_temp verified for this model[2][4] |
| Heater cartridge power (W) | Not documented | 80 W hotend heater (manufacturer figure)[2] |
| Stock nozzle size & sizes included in box | 0.4 mm default; 0.6 and 0.8 mm optional[1] | Not documented |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | 130 °C maximum (manufacturer claim)[1] | Conflicting manufacturer figures: QIDI's own Plus4 page states a 100 °C bed temperature, 3DJake's spec table states <=120 °C. Not resolved; the lower vendor-published figure is used as the sortable value[2][4] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Not documented | 6 mm aluminium-substrate heated bed with a double-sided textured PEI plate[2][4] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | Automatic bed levelling; FlashForge does not name the probe technology in this spec table[1] | Full-auto calibration; QIDI markets "hands-free automatic" levelling and does not name the probe technology on the product page[2][4] |
| Filament Handling & Detection | ||
| Filament runout sensor (type, location) | Not documented | Filament run-out sensor, plus a filament cutter and filament tangle detection (tangle mechanism not described)[4] |
| Spool holder location & max spool size; drybox compatibility | Two spool bays, 1 kg and 2 kg capacity[1] | Not documented |
| Multi-material/multi-color capability or official upgrade path | Not documented | QIDI Box multi-material unit supported; sold bundled as the Plus4 Combo[2][3] |
| Cooling & Air Handling | ||
| Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting design | Not documented | Auxiliary part-cooling fan plus a chamber circulation fan; fan sizes and duct design not published[4] |
| Electronics & Power | ||
| Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto) | AC 100-130 V / 200-240 V, 50-60 Hz, 30 A overcurrent protection[1] | 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz[4] |
| Total rated power draw | 2320 W rated[1] | 450 W plus 400 W for chamber heating (rated)[4] |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | Not named; the supported slicer is FlashPrint[1] | Klipper v0.12, described by QIDI as open source. Fork details and current release not published on the product page[2] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | 7-inch touchscreen, 1024 x 600[1] | 5-inch touchscreen, 800 x 480[2][4] |
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | USB flash drive, Ethernet, Wi-Fi[1] | Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz, Ethernet, USB[2][4] |
| Cloud service & phone app; LAN-only mode possible? | Not documented | Mobile and computer control, remote cloud or LAN-only operation[2] |
| Camera: built-in / optional? Resolution & framerate (verify — marketing often omits real fps) | Not documented | Built-in low-frame-rate camera, up to 1080p, timelapse supported[2][4] |
| Calibration Routines & QoL | ||
| Assembly level & time from unbox to first print | Not documented | QIDI claims about 10 minutes from unbox to printing[2] |
| Power-Loss & Interruption Recovery | ||
| Power-loss recovery: mechanism (how is state saved? capacitor / eeprom / file on shutdown?) | Not documented | Power-loss recovery listed; mechanism not published[4] |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | Standard and engineering plastics on the HT head; the HS head adds PA-CF, PA-GF, PP-CF and PPS-CF. Materials such as PC, PA and carbon fibre are the stated targets for the 130 °C bed[1] | PLA, ABS, ASA, PETG, TPU, PA, PC, PA-CF/GF, PET-CF/GF, PPA-CF/GF, PPS-CF and other CF/GF-filled polymers[2][4] |
| Reliability, Support & Ecosystem | ||
| Warranty length & support reputation (evidence, not vibes) | 12 months on the printer, 3 months on extruder parts[1] | 1-year coverage, 14-day no-reason return, 30-day price protection[2] |
Manufacturer claims, independent measurements, packages and test conditions retain their source wording. FDM linear speed and resin vertical speed use different units and are not directly comparable. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.
Sources for this comparison
- Flashforge Creator 4 (A/S) product listing with full spec table top3dshop.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Plus4 product page (global store) qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Plus4 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Tech Plus4 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Plus5 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Plus5 launch write-up 3dprintbeginner.com · 2026-08 · review