Both programs prepare resin models: orienting, supporting, hollowing and slicing them into files your printer reads. Neither is open source. CHITUBOX's documentation footer lists Chitu Systems and CBD Tech as its companies, and Lychee's license agreement names Mango 3D SAS in Paris as the publisher.
Their business models differ in detail, and both have changed recently. CHITUBOX now lists its former standalone Pro product as deprecated, and Lychee reorganized its editions into Lite, Plus and Library.
CHITUBOX and Lychee side by side
| Feature | CHITUBOX | Lychee |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Chitu Systems and CBD Tech | Mango 3D SAS (Paris, France) |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary (licensed, not sold) |
| Pricing model | Free slicer; paid Advanced and Pro subscription plans | Free Lite; Plus €9.99 a month or €99.90 a year; Plus and Library €19.99 a month or €199.90 a year |
| Printing technologies | Resin (SLA, DLP, LCD) | Resin and filament (FDM) |
| Operating systems | Windows 10 1607 or later, macOS, Ubuntu | Windows 8 or later (64-bit), macOS 10.14.6 or later, Linux |
| Minimum RAM | 16 GB (32 GB or more recommended) | 16 GB (32 GB recommended) |
| Current version | Not verified | 8.0.3 listed on the download page (no date given) |
| Printer support | Sliced output for brands including Anycubic, Elegoo, Creality, EPAX and Phrozen | More than 750 printer models, according to Lychee |
| Model and project files | Imports STL, OBJ and 3MF; exports STL and OBJ; .ctp projects | Not verified |
| Supports and hollowing | Automatic and manual supports; hollow and dig-hole tools | Support management tools in all editions; auto-supports, voxel hollowing and support painting listed as Plus features |
| Network sending | Not verified | Wi-Fi sending on some printers, marked in the printer list |
Checked November 2, 2026. Lychee's download page listed version 8.0.3 without a release date. CHITUBOX's documentation did not state a current version number, and its main website and version list did not render for automated reading, so the CHITUBOX version is not given here. Prices are as published on lychee.co on that date.
Free tiers and paid plans
CHITUBOX's documentation describes it as a free slicer, and its license page explains that Advanced and Pro subscription plans unlock extra features after you log in. A personal license key works on up to two computers and a team key on up to five. The docs list the old standalone CHITUBOX Pro product as deprecated. Prices were not shown in the documentation checked.
Lychee publishes prices in euros. Lite is free and includes a 30-day trial of Plus. Plus costs €9.99 a month or €99.90 a year and adds auto-supports, full multi-plate access, voxel hollowing and support painting. The Plus and Library plan costs €19.99 a month or €199.90 a year and adds a library of pre-supported models. Lite shows ads on export, according to the pricing page.
Hardware requirements
Both developers publish demanding requirements for slicing high-resolution resin plates. CHITUBOX lists a minimum of Windows 10 version 1607, 16 GB of RAM, 1 GB of GPU memory and a CPU at the level of an Intel Core i5 6600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600, with 32 GB of RAM recommended. macOS and Ubuntu builds are also documented.
Lychee's minimum for Windows is a 64-bit Windows 8 system with 16 GB of RAM and a GPU such as an NVIDIA GTX 960 with 2 GB; it recommends 32 GB of RAM. Its macOS minimum is 10.14.6, and Linux is supported without listed requirements.
Printers, files and workflow
CHITUBOX's introduction says it imports STL, OBJ and 3MF meshes, saves .ctp projects and exports sliced formats for brands including Anycubic, Elegoo, Creality, EPAX and Phrozen. Its quick-start guide walks through choosing a printer, adding automatic or manual supports, slicing and saving to a USB drive. Older Basic documentation describes hollow and dig-hole tools.
Lychee says it works with more than 750 printer models and offers community-shared resin profiles. It can switch between resin and filament modes, and some printers accept files over Wi-Fi from inside the slicer. Its features page also lists a suction-cup detector in Plus and anti-aliasing.
Which should you choose?
Choose CHITUBOX if…
- You want a free resin slicer whose documented free tier includes automatic and manual supports.
- Your printer brand appears in CHITUBOX's list of supported sliced-file formats.
- You prefer a license key you can move between up to two computers on a personal plan.
Choose Lychee if…
- You print with both resin and filament and want one program for both.
- You want published monthly or yearly pricing and a 30-day trial of the paid features.
- You want Wi-Fi sending, which Lychee lists for some supported printers.
Common questions
Is CHITUBOX free?
Its documentation describes CHITUBOX as a free slicer, with optional Advanced and Pro subscription plans that unlock more features. The separate CHITUBOX Pro product is listed as deprecated.
How much does Lychee Slicer cost?
Lychee's pricing page lists Lite as free, Plus at €9.99 a month or €99.90 a year, and Plus with Library at €19.99 a month or €199.90 a year, plus local taxes. Check the page for current prices.
Do resin slicers need a powerful computer?
Both developers list 16 GB of RAM as the minimum and recommend 32 GB, along with a dedicated or capable GPU. Check the requirements against your computer before buying a paid plan.
Sources
- CHITUBOX quick start CHITUBOX · Checked 2026-11-02
- Lychee Slicer end-user license agreement Mango 3D SAS · Checked 2026-11-02
- CHITUBOX license management CHITUBOX · Checked 2026-11-02
- CHITUBOX introduction CHITUBOX · Checked 2026-11-02
- Lychee pricing: Lite, Plus, Library Lychee (Mango 3D) · Checked 2026-11-02
- CHITUBOX SLA/DLP/LCD 3D Slicer Software CHITUBOX · Checked 2026-11-02
- Lychee home page Lychee (Mango 3D) · Checked 2026-11-02
- CHITUBOX installation and system requirements CHITUBOX · Checked 2026-11-02
- Download Lychee Slicer (system requirements) Lychee (Mango 3D) · Checked 2026-11-02
- Lychee Slicer for resin printers Lychee (Mango 3D) · Checked 2026-11-02
- CHITUBOX Basic operations (hollow, dig hole) CHITUBOX · Checked 2026-11-02
- Lychee Slicer features for resin and filament Lychee (Mango 3D) · Checked 2026-11-02
- CHITUBOX documentation home CHITUBOX · Checked 2026-11-02
This comparison summarizes the cited documentation; it is not a lab test. Features and prices change between releases; check the developer’s site for the current version.