With the right software, laser engravers and cutters can be great. Cutting and slicing through materials with a concentrated light beam might appear simple, it to get the precise product design requires the use of high-quality software.

1. Laser GRBL
This is a free laser engraving software designed for DIY laser engravers. Rated as the most sought-after Windows GCode streamer, you can use this software to load or stream your GCode path to engrave pictures, images, and logos. Its unique features are enhanced because it was specifically developed for a hobbyist laser engraver and cutter.

Features

Powered by user-defined buttons.
Ideal for image engraving with vectorization, dithering, and grayscale conversion.
GRBL configuration for import and export.
Offers real-time projection and job preview.
Offers different color scheme optimization for use with various safety glasses.
Has homing button, resume button, feed hold butting, and GRBL reset button.


2. Lightburn
It’s a control and editor software package. Lightburn is used to import a wide range of bitmap and vector graphic image formats. This software allows you to create new art, edit, and arrange your vector graphic. It’s highly efficient for use with a laser engraving machine since you can easily send your file directly to the machine.

Features

Works with a wide range of common image formats and vector graphics, including AI. DXF, SVG, GIF, PNG, PLT.
A native application that’s written for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS
Allows you to create, arrange, and edit new vector shapes in the editor.

Multiple powerful features such as welding, node editing, offsetting, and Boolean operations.
It has several passes, speed, power, dithering mode, cut order, brightness, and contrast.