Xometry vs Fictiv vs Direct Vietnam Sourcing: 2026 Honest Comparison

If you're sourcing custom CNC parts, injection molded components, or sheet metal fabrications in 2026, you've probably gotten quotes from Xometry, Fictiv, or Protolabs. They're convenient — upload a STEP file, get instant pricing. But are you overpaying for that convenience?

We've quoted identical parts through all three platforms and through our direct Vietnam supplier network. This article shares real numbers, not marketing. We'll show you exactly where each option wins and where it costs you.

The Business Models — Why Pricing Differs

Understanding the business model explains the pricing:

• Xometry — Marketplace model. They collect your quote, algorithmically price it, then route to their supplier network (mostly US/China/India shops). Xometry's published gross margin is 28–32%. Your part is made by a shop you never meet, with Xometry taking nearly a third of the cost as their cut.
• Fictiv — Similar marketplace model, but more curated. They vet suppliers more aggressively and focus on higher-quality segments. Margins are comparable at 25–35%. More transparent about which facility makes your part.
• Protolabs — Owns their factories (US and Europe). No middleman margin, but US labor costs and overhead set a high floor price. Best for rapid prototyping; expensive for production.
• Direct Vietnam sourcing (Dewin model) — You work with our engineering team who manages vetted Vietnamese factories directly. Our margin is 12–18%, and the base manufacturing cost is already 40–65% lower than US shops. Double savings.

Real Price Comparison: Same Part, Four Sources

We quoted a medium-complexity CNC aluminum bracket (AL6061-T6, 120×80×35mm, 4 setups, ±0.05mm on critical dims, anodize Type II black, 5 tapped holes) at multiple quantities:

10 Units

• Xometry: $87/part — $870 total, 10 business days
• Fictiv: $94/part — $940 total, 8 business days
• Protolabs: $112/part — $1,120 total, 5 business days
• Dewin (Vietnam): $42/part — $420 total + ~$85 air freight, 12 business days

100 Units

• Xometry: $48/part — $4,800 total, 15 business days
• Fictiv: $52/part — $5,200 total, 12 business days
• Protolabs: $68/part — $6,800 total, 10 business days
• Dewin (Vietnam): $19/part — $1,900 total + ~$180 air freight, 15 business days

1,000 Units

• Xometry: $29/part — $29,000 total
• Fictiv: $31/part — $31,000 total
• Protolabs: doesn't quote production volumes well
• Dewin (Vietnam): $11/part — $11,000 total + ~$650 sea freight, 25 business days

At 1,000 units, direct Vietnam sourcing saves $18,000 (62%) vs Xometry on a single part number. For a typical BOM with 5–15 parts, annual savings easily reach $50,000–200,000.

Where the Online Platforms Win

Let's be fair — Xometry, Fictiv, and Protolabs have real advantages in specific scenarios:

• Speed on prototypes (1–5 pcs). When you need 3 aluminum brackets by Friday, Protolabs' 3-day turnaround can't be beat. The 2–3x price premium is justified by the time savings.
• Instant quoting for budgeting. Upload a STEP, get a ballpark in 60 seconds. Useful for early-stage cost estimation before committing to a supplier. Just know that actual production quotes from direct suppliers will be 40–60% lower.
• Simple parts, low quantities. For basic brackets and spacers under $500 total order value, the convenience of a US platform outweighs the savings from offshore. Transaction costs of managing an international supplier eat into small-order savings.
• Regulated industries needing US-made. Some defense and medical contracts require ITAR-compliant, domestic manufacturing. That limits your options to US shops regardless of cost.

Where Direct Vietnam Sourcing Wins

• Production quantities (50+ parts). Once you cross ~50 units, the 40–65% per-part savings overwhelm any shipping cost. At 500+ units, it's not even close.
• Ongoing production programs. If you reorder monthly or quarterly, a direct factory relationship delivers consistency, priority scheduling, and price-downs over time. With platforms, you might get a different shop every order.
• Multi-process BOMs. Need CNC + sheet metal + powder coating on one assembly? With platforms, each process goes to a different shop. With a direct partner, we coordinate the full BOM through optimized supplier routing, reducing logistics and assembly errors.
• Tariff savings (China+1). Vietnam has 0% duty under CPTPP for qualifying goods. Chinese-sourced parts through platforms face 7.5–25% Section 301 tariffs. If your platform supplier routes to China (which Xometry frequently does), you're paying tariffs on top of marketplace margins.
• DFM feedback. Platforms generate automated DFM reports. Our engineers do manual DFM review with the actual factory that will make your part — catching issues automated systems miss, like workholding challenges, tool access problems, or material substitutions that save money.

Quality: The Real Concern (And How We Address It)

The #1 objection to offshore sourcing: "Will the quality be as good?" Here's the honest answer:

Unmanaged offshore sourcing is risky. If you find a random Alibaba supplier and send them drawings, you'll get inconsistent results. That's not a Vietnam problem — it's a quality management problem.

Managed offshore sourcing through vetted partners matches or exceeds platform quality. Here's what we do that platforms don't:

• Factory audits before any supplier enters our network — we check equipment lists (specific machine brands and models), metrology capabilities, QMS documentation, and run test orders
• First Article Inspection (FAI) with full CMM reports, dimensional data for every critical feature
• On-site QC engineers at partner factories during production — not reviewing photos remotely
• Material certificates with mill heat-lot traceability for every metal order
• Pre-shipment inspection with photo documentation of every part
• Statistical process control (SPC) data for production runs over 500 units

Our delivered defect rate: 0.4%. Xometry's published satisfaction rate implies 3–5% defect rates based on customer reviews and Trustpilot data. We're not just cheaper — we're more consistent.

Process Comparison Table

Here's how the experience compares across the full procurement cycle:

Quoting

• Platforms: Instant algorithmic quote. Fast but often 15–30% higher than actual market. No negotiation possible.
• Dewin: Manual engineer quote in 24–48 hours. More accurate, negotiable, includes DFM review at no charge.

Communication

• Platforms: Ticket system. You rarely speak to the machinist making your part. Questions go through layers.
• Dewin: Direct WhatsApp/email with your project engineer. Questions reach the factory floor within hours.

Engineering Changes

• Platforms: Cancel and re-quote. Mid-production changes are essentially impossible.
• Dewin: Call or message your engineer. Minor changes mid-production are handled without re-quoting if they don't affect tooling or setup.

Repeat Orders

• Platforms: Full price every time. No relationship-based pricing. You might get a different factory on the reorder.
• Dewin: Same factory, same fixtures, 5–10% price-down on reorders. Tooling is stored. First-article re-approval only if specs change.

Injection Molding: Where the Savings Are Massive

The platform vs. direct sourcing gap is largest for injection molding because of tooling costs:

• Single-cavity mold for a phone case (ABS+PC): Xometry $8,000–12,000 · Fictiv $9,000–14,000 · Vietnam direct $2,800–4,500
• 4-cavity mold for an automotive connector (PA66+GF30): Xometry $22,000–35,000 · Vietnam direct $8,000–14,000
• Per-part at 10K units (phone case): Xometry $0.85–1.20 · Vietnam direct $0.28–0.45

Tooling savings alone often pay for the entire first production run. And unlike with platforms, you own your mold — we'll ship it to you or store it at the factory at no charge.

The Transition: How to Start

You don't need to go all-in. Most of our clients follow this progression:

1. Benchmark quote. Send us drawings for parts you're currently sourcing through platforms. We'll quote within 24 hours so you can compare directly. No commitment.
2. Test order (1–2 part numbers). Pick a non-critical part at moderate volume (50–200 pcs). Evaluate quality, communication, and delivery performance.
3. Production migration. Once satisfied, move production parts over, starting with the highest-spend items for maximum savings impact.
4. Full BOM management. Let us handle your complete bill of materials — CNC, sheet metal, injection molding, die casting, finishing, assembly, and logistics.

Average time from first contact to first delivery: 4–6 weeks. Average cost savings at steady state: 45–60% vs. platforms.

Section 301 Tariff Impact

This deserves its own section because it fundamentally changes the math. As of 2026:

• Chinese-manufactured parts: 7.5–25% additional tariff under Section 301 (on top of standard duty rates)
• Vietnamese-manufactured parts: 0% Section 301 tariff. Standard MFN rates apply (typically 0–5% for most machined parts)
• When Xometry or Fictiv routes your order to a Chinese shop (common for lower-cost jobs), you pay the tariff — or more likely, it's already baked into their price
• CPTPP benefits: Vietnam's trade agreements with major economies create additional duty advantages for multi-national supply chains

A part that costs $20 from a China-routed platform shop costs $20 + $3–5 tariff = $23–25 landed. The same part from Vietnam: $11 + $0 tariff + $1.50 prorated freight = $12.50 landed. That's a 46–50% cost difference.

Who Should Stick With Platforms?

Direct Vietnam sourcing isn't for everyone. Stay with Xometry/Fictiv if:

• You order fewer than 20 unique parts per year at quantities under 50
• Speed is the #1 priority and you'll pay 2x for 3-day turnaround
• Your total annual custom parts spend is under $25,000
• ITAR or domestic-only requirements apply
• You need 3D printing / additive manufacturing (we don't offer this)

For everyone else — especially if your annual custom parts spend exceeds $50,000 — direct sourcing through a managed Vietnam partner will save you serious money while maintaining or improving quality.

Get Your Benchmark Quote

Send us drawings for any parts you're currently getting from Xometry, Fictiv, or Protolabs. We'll return a detailed comparison quote within 24 hours — same specs, same tolerances, real factory pricing. See the difference for yourself.

Get Your Benchmark Quote →