Looking for a LightBurn alternative?
BurnBadger is laser engraving software made for hobby diode lasers. It’s simpler to learn, it comes with settings that work, it runs on your phone too, and Pro is $59 once, with no yearly update fee.
Easy by default, powerful when you want it
BurnBadger starts simple on purpose. Pick your material and the settings are already done, so your first burn comes out right. The deeper controls are one click away when you want them: layers that each burn with their own power, speed and passes, line spacing, dither style, scan angle, cross-hatch, air assist and a pause between layers, plus saved presets, a test grid, trace, weld, and select, align and group. They stay out of the way until you go looking for them.
See it: how layers work
BurnBadger and LightBurn, side by side
| BurnBadger | LightBurn | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to download. Pro is $59 once | Core $99, Pro $199 (one time) |
| Updates after the first year | Included, no yearly fee | $40 a year to keep getting updates |
| Devices | Windows and Mac. iPhone, iPad and Android apps coming very soon. One code works on 3 devices | Windows and Mac (Linux stopped at version 1.7). 3 computers per key |
| Phone or tablet app | Yes, for Wi-Fi lasers | No |
| First-time setup | Finds your laser, reads its settings and fixes the common ones ($32 laser mode, $30 max power) in one click | Device wizard; firmware settings are changed by hand in the console or Machine Settings |
| Material settings | Tested presets for slate, kraft paper, cork, leatherette, anodized aluminum, denim, balsa and wood, for 3, 7 and 12 W lasers. Save your own | You build your own material library; a test grid generator helps |
| Placing the burn | Frame shows exactly where it burns; "Center design here" moves the design under the laser | "Start From" modes and a 9-point job origin |
| Wi-Fi burns | On lasers with an SD card (like the Artilume T1) the job uploads to the card, so a Wi-Fi dropout can’t ruin it | Streams over the network for GRBL lasers |
| Lasers | GRBL diode lasers (Artilume, Sculpfun, Atomstack, Ortur, Creality Falcon, TwoTrees, Longer and more) | GRBL diode lasers plus Ruida/DSP CO2 and galvo lasers (Pro) |
| Design tools | Text, shapes, art library, SVG and photos, trace, weld, select/align/group, fit to material | A full design suite: node editing, booleans, offsets, variable text, nesting, camera and rotary |
LightBurn details from LightBurn’s own website and documentation, October 2026.
BurnBadger is the better fit if…
- You’re new to lasers and want your first burns to come out right
- You have a diode laser (Artilume, Sculpfun, Atomstack, Ortur, Falcon…)
- You want to burn from your phone or tablet
- You don’t want to pay every year for updates
- You make coasters, signs, gifts, patches and photos, not production runs
LightBurn is the better fit if…
- You run a CO2 (Ruida) or galvo laser
- You need nesting, variable text, a camera overlay or rotary today
- You need detailed vector editing in one program
- You already know LightBurn well
Questions
Is BurnBadger free?
Yes. Text, shapes, art, test cards and burning are free. Pro ($59 once, no subscription) adds photo burning, tracing, copies, saving designs and your own presets.
Does BurnBadger work with my laser?
It works with diode lasers that run GRBL, which is most hobby diode lasers: Artilume, Sculpfun, Atomstack, Ortur, Creality Falcon, TwoTrees, Longer and others, over USB. Phone and tablet use needs a laser with Wi-Fi. xTool machines use their own system and aren’t supported.
Can BurnBadger open LightBurn files?
Not yet. Export your design from LightBurn as an SVG, then open the SVG in BurnBadger.
Is BurnBadger too simple for serious work?
It starts simple, but the depth is there when you want it. Each layer has its own power, speed, passes, line spacing, dither style, scan angle, cross-hatch and air assist, and you can put any object on any layer, so two photos can burn at two different settings in one job. You can also save your own material presets. Pick your material and burn right away, and open the settings only when you need them.
Is BurnBadger a subscription?
No. Pro is a one-time purchase with no yearly update fee.
Who should stay with LightBurn?
Owners of CO2 (Ruida) or galvo lasers, shops that need nesting, variable text or a camera overlay, and anyone who already knows LightBurn well. It is excellent, professional software.
Can I use both?
Yes. Many people keep LightBurn for complex jobs and use BurnBadger for quick burns and from their phone.
Try it free
Download BurnBadger, connect your laser, pick your material and burn the test card. It takes about five minutes.
LightBurn is a trademark of LightBurn Software, LLC. BurnBadger is independent and isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by LightBurn Software.