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FabDigit vs RapidDirect: which fits your part?

RapidDirect quotes from China factories with company-level ISO 9001 / 13485 / IATF 16949, plus a week of transit and import duties on every order. FabDigit is a US company with a US engineering front end, a wider material and finish menu in the quote, an engineer on every quote, inspection reports chosen per line and a price-beat offer.

Facts checked September 13, 2026 on both companies’ sites · FabDigit runs this site · RapidDirect facts are its own published figures

Upload CAD — instant FabDigit quotePrice-beat policy

Side by side

Same rows for both. “Edge” names the side whose published fact is the stronger one on that row; “Even” means neither, or the two are not comparable on one line.

Checked September 13, 2026
Compared onFabDigitRapidDirect
MaterialsEdge: FabDigit790 grades, all quotable790 grades with full datasheets in the Material Explorer — the largest published library of the platforms compared (Xometry 50+, Hubs 75+, Fictiv 45+); every grade quotable, tempers priced separately100+ materials; 30+ CNC100+ materials and 30 finishes; 30+ CNC materials
Finishes & heat treatmentEdge: FabDigit150+ finishes · 30 heat treatments150+ finishes priced in the quote — anodize (Type II, hard Type III), chem film, passivation, electropolish, zinc / zinc-nickel / nickel / electroless nickel / chrome / tin / silver / gold plating, black oxide, phosphate, e-coat, powder coat, paint, Cerakote, PVD / CVD / DLC, blasting, brushing, tumbling, polishing, laser marking, PEM and helicoil hardware; 30 heat treatments (Q&T, H900–H1150, T6 / T651 / T73, carburize, nitride, induction, cryogenic, stress relief, anneal); 33 post-processes — all selectable per line30 finishes30 finishes across processes; 10+ finish options for sheet metal
Price policyEdge: FabDigit — price-beat offer on every FabDigit quotePrice-beat on every quoteInstant price with quantity breaks; lower quote for the same part? Send it — FabDigit can almost always beat it, and says so on every quote. No software or platform feeInstant; no match policyInstant price; states no hidden costs; membership rewards and expedite coupons; no price-match statement
Design feedbackEdge: FabDigitEngineer reviews every quoteA FabDigit engineer reviews DFM on every quote before it is released — not an automated flag list, and not only on requestInstant + engineer reviewInstant DFM plus engineer review
Inspection & certificatesEdge: FabDigit4 inspection levels · 8 certificates, per line4 inspection levels (standard, dimensional report, CMM, custom) and 8 certificates (CoC, material certs, traceability, DFARS US-melted, domestic material, hardware certs, ISO 9001 / AS9100 supplier) chosen per line in the quote; first-article inspection on every orderFAI, CMM, RoHS on requestFAI, CMM and RoHS reports on request; states 90 % first-pass yield
QuotingEvenInstant from CAD, engineer-checkedInstant quote from CAD (STEP, SLDPRT, IGES, X_T; DXF for flat patterns) with an engineer DFM review on every quoteInstant from CADInstant quote with DFM from STEP, IGES, SLDPRT, X_T or SAT; engineer DFM within one business day
Minimum orderEvenNone — 1 to 10,000+No minimum — single prototypes to 10,000+ partsNoneNo minimum order quantity
Standard lead timeEven5–7 business days5–7 business days CNC; expedite on request5 days + 3–10 days transitCNC 5 business days; sheet metal 3–7 days; plus 3–10 days delivery to North America or Europe
CNC toleranceEven±0.025 mm standard±0.025 mm standard; ±0.005 mm on critical features with grinding or wire EDMISO 2768-mISO 2768-m on metals; tighter than ±0.001" on request
ProcessesEvenCNC milling (3/4/5-axis) and turning, sheet metal (laser cutting, bending, welding, PEM hardware, finishing), injection molding (bridge and production tooling), 3D printingCNC milling, turning and EDM, injection molding, sheet metal, 3D printing, die and vacuum casting, extrusion
CertificationsEdge: RapidDirect — ISO 9001, ISO 13485, IATF 16949 at company levelISO 9001 partners; AS9100 / IATF on requestProduction partners hold ISO 9001:2015 (verified at onboarding); AS9100 / IATF 16949 work placed only with partners certified to that standard; FABDIGIT INC. itself is not ISO-certifiedISO 9001 / 13485 / 14001, IATF; no ITARISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, IATF 16949; no ITAR
How parts are madeEvenUS front end + vetted partner networkUS engineering front end (quoting, DFM review, program management, quality review) with a vetted ISO 9001 partner network in the US, Canada, Mexico and Asia; FABDIGIT INC. is the contracting party on every orderOwn China factories + networkHybrid — its own factories in Shenzhen, Foshan and Dongguan plus a network of vetted Chinese suppliers
Ships toEdge: FabDigit — no import duties or transit on US ordersUS; international acceptedUnited States; international orders accepted (customer is importer of record, Terms §11.4)120+ countries; buyer pays duties120+ countries; the buyer handles import duties
HeadquartersEdge: FabDigit — US contracting party, US front endDublin, California, USAShenzhen, China

Which one fits your part

Choose FabDigit when

  1. A US contracting party and no import surprises. FABDIGIT INC. (California) is the party on every order, with a US engineering front end. RapidDirect ships from China: add 3–10 days transit and import duties to the unit price.
  2. More materials and finishes in the instant quote. RapidDirect publishes 30 finishes across processes. FabDigit instant-quotes 790 grades, 150+ finishes and 30 heat treatments per line.
  3. An engineer on every quote. RapidDirect quotes automatically with DFM flags. A FabDigit engineer reviews DFM and the inspection plan on every quote before release.
  4. Landed price, beaten. FabDigit prints a price-beat offer on every quote; send the RapidDirect quote — including shipping and duties — for the same part and it is almost always beaten.

Choose RapidDirect when

  1. ISO 13485 or IATF 16949 at company level. RapidDirect holds them itself. FabDigit places medical and automotive work only with partners certified to those standards.
  2. Shipping to 120+ countries outside the US. RapidDirect ships worldwide with the buyer as importer; FabDigit accepts international orders but is built around US delivery.

FabDigit vs RapidDirect — FAQ

Is FabDigit cheaper than RapidDirect?

Compare landed cost. RapidDirect’s unit price excludes 3–10 days of transit and US import duties. FabDigit prints a price-beat offer on every quote: send the RapidDirect quote, with shipping and duties, for the same part and it is almost always beaten.

Does FabDigit have more materials and finishes than RapidDirect?

Yes. RapidDirect publishes 30 finishes across processes; FabDigit instant-quotes 790 grades, 150+ finishes and 30 heat treatments per line.

RapidDirect or FabDigit for a US buyer?

FabDigit for a US contracting party, US engineering contact, inspection reports chosen in the quote and no import handling. RapidDirect when company-level ISO 13485 / IATF 16949 is required and transit time is acceptable.

Sources

Facts read from each company’s own public pages on September 13, 2026; FabDigit runs this site and is listed first. Prices are compared as published policy, not as one number — our sampled prices are in the CNC and sheet metal cost guides. RapidDirect is described from its own public pages. RapidDirect is not affiliated with FabDigit; its name identifies the service compared. Vendor names identify the services compared and belong to their owners. Out-of-date fact? sales@fabdigit.com.

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Get the FabDigit quote next to your RapidDirect quote.

Same STEP file, instant price, 790 grades and 150+ finishes to pick from, an engineer’s DFM review, inspection and certificates chosen in the form — and if the other quote is lower, send it and FabDigit beats it.

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