The First Step in Buying ANY Laser Isn’t the Laser – It’s the Software

The First Step in Buying ANY Laser Isn’t the Laser – It’s the Software
Let’s just get this out of the way: If you’re shopping for a laser and you haven’t thought about the software yet, you’re already behind.

Seriously, think about it. You’re about to drop hundreds or thousands of dollars on a machine that can vaporize metal, cut through wood like butter, or engrave your dog’s face into a ceramic mug… and your whole operation hinges on what? A piece of software.

LightBurn: The Industry Standard for a Reason
Enter LightBurn—the software that’s quietly become the backbone of the laser world. Why? Because it works. And not just with one type of laser. LightBurn plays nicely with Diode, Fiber, UV, and CO₂ lasers across both Gantry and Galvo systems.

That’s right: Learn it once, and you can move between machines like a laser ninja. One day you’re engraving leather with a diode, the next you’re deep-marking stainless steel with a fiber galvo. Same software. Same workflow. No headaches.

Personally, I went with Aeon Lasers. They’re built for accuracy and performance, run natively on LightBurn, and—equally important—they have a strong U.S. base of operations. That means real support, real people, and no waiting two weeks for a firmware update lost in translation.

Here is a link to the Lasers I use https://tinyurl.com/4px4njzs

Proprietary Software: A Ticking Time Bomb
Now let’s talk about the dark side—proprietary software. You know, the kind that only works with that one weird brand from a company that’s based who-knows-where and may or may not exist in six months.

If (when?) that company folds, merges, or changes strategy (spoiler alert: they all do), you’re left with a very expensive paperweight. No updates, no bug fixes, and absolutely no way to run the machine you just bought. Congratulations—you’re now the proud owner of a 70-pound regret.

Industrial Machines: A Slight Detour
Yes, it’s true—many of the big industrial fiber cutting machines run on their own proprietary software. But here’s the workaround: LightBurn lets you design everything—then you just export a DXF file, and boom, you’re good to go. The machines don’t care where the file came from as long as it’s clean.

(I’ll dive deeper into this DXF-export trick in an upcoming blog, so stay tuned.)

The Logical Play
Look, buying a laser is already a technical decision. Let’s not make it a risky one. Choosing a machine that works with open, actively supported, and industry-adopted software like LightBurn is just common sense.

It’s like buying a car that uses regular gas instead of moon juice. One keeps going. The other leaves you stuck and wondering where it all went wrong.

Bonus Tip: One Software = One Learning Curve
Here’s the kicker: if you run a shop or plan to grow your business, having one software platform across all your lasers simplifies training, file management, upgrades, troubleshooting, and even outsourcing. It’s like standardizing your power tools—no one wants a different battery for every drill.

 
Bottom Line: Buy the Software Before the Laser
Before you fall in love with specs, wattage, bed size, or marketing hype, ask yourself:

“What software does this thing run?”

If the answer isn’t LightBurn, it better come with a very good reason—or you’ll find yourself learning the hard way. And trust me… I’ve already done that, so you don’t have to.