๐Ÿ–จ 3D Printer Radar

Anycubic Kobra 4 vs Qidi Tech Plus4

The Anycubic Kobra 4 (entry) and Qidi Tech Plus4 (prosumer) come from different brands and sit in different tiers, so this is less a head-to-head than a question of how much printer you need. Note that the Plus4 has been replaced by the Plus5 and is no longer sold new. The Plus4 costs $320 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF on its materials list) and 48% more build volume.

๐Ÿ’ฐAnycubic Kobra 4 is $320 cheaper (46% less)
๐Ÿ“Qidi Tech Plus4 has 48% more build volume
๐Ÿ Only Qidi Tech Plus4 has an enclosure โ€” and it adds ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC, PPS-CF to the materials list
Cross-ecosystem comparison: These printers use different software ecosystems. Accessories, filament profiles, and community support are not interchangeable between brands. Consider the total ecosystem cost, not just the printer price.
Anycubic Kobra 4
Buy/Wait:Buy

Early in release cycle โ€” no urgency to wait

Best for: Budget makers who want 4-color multicolor printing without committing to the Bambu or Prusa ecosystem โ€” and are comfortable with a less mature software experience.

Full details โ†’
Qidi Tech Plus4
Buy/Wait:Superseded

This printer is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Qidi Tech Plus5.

Best for: Makers and small businesses who need a large enclosed build volume for engineering materials at a prosumer price โ€” particularly those printing PA-CF, ABS, and PC at scale. Look for clearance deals โ€” the Plus5 is the current model.

Full details โ†’
Anycubic Kobra 4Qidi Tech Plus4
Pricing
Starting Priceโ˜… $379$699
Print Specs
TierEntryProsumer
MotionBedSlingerCoreXY
Build Volume260 ร— 260 ร— 260 mmโ˜… 305 ร— 305 ร— 280 mm
Max Speed600 mm/s600 mm/s
Multicolorโœ… 4 slotsโœ… 4 slots
EnclosureโŒโ˜… โœ…
Auto Calibrationโœ…โœ…
Open SourceโŒโŒ
Upgrade Kitโ€”โ€”
Buy Timing
ReleasedMay 18, 2026Sep 20, 2024
Cycle length~368 days~408 days
Cycle adviceBuySuperseded
Deals adviceBuyClearance
Next modelโ€”โ€”

Timing: When to Buy

The Kobra 4 was released on May 18, 2026, 178 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 368 days, so it is 48% of the way through โ€” roughly 190 days before a successor would be due at that pace.

The Plus4 has been replaced by the Plus5 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time โ€” any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.

On timing alone, the Kobra 4 is the safer buy right now โ€” it is only 48% of the way through its expected cycle, while the Plus4 has already been replaced by the Plus5.

Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar โ†’

Deals & Pricing

The Kobra 4 lists at $379 and the Plus4 at $699 โ€” $320 apart, so the Plus4 costs 84% more.

Per litre of build volume, that works out to $22 for the Kobra 4 versus $27 for the Plus4 โ€” the Kobra 4 is the better value per litre as well.

  • Kobra 4: On sale until Dec 5, 2026. Black Friday 2026 โ€” best time to buy Anycubic printers.
  • Plus4: No longer sold new, so there is no sale calendar to track โ€” judge any listing against the Plus5's $749 list price.

Who Should Choose Each

Choose the Anycubic Kobra 4 ifโ€ฆ

  • you want to spend less โ€” it is $320 cheaper ($379 vs $699)
  • you are buying now โ€” it is the safer pick on timing (early in cycle, vs superseded for the Plus4)
  • your prints fit within 260 ร— 260 ร— 260 mm โ€” then the Plus4's extra build volume is money you do not need to spend
  • you are buying before Dec 5, 2026 โ€” it is in Black Friday 2026 right now

Choose the Qidi Tech Plus4 ifโ€ฆ

  • you find it at a clearance price โ€” it is no longer sold new, and the Plus5 is its replacement
  • you want our higher-rated printer โ€” 8.4 vs 8.1 out of 10
  • you want to print ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF โ€” it is enclosed and lists them, while the Kobra 4 is open-frame
  • you print large parts โ€” its 305 ร— 305 ร— 280 mm build volume holds 48% more than the Kobra 4's 260 ร— 260 ร— 260 mm

Our Take

Buy the Kobra 4. The Plus4 has already been replaced by the Plus5 and is no longer sold new, so it is only worth considering at a clearance price. If the Plus4 appealed to you, the fair comparison today is the Kobra 4 against the Plus5.

Compare Anycubic Kobra 4 vs Qidi Tech Plus5 โ†’

How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology โ†’

Quick Winner by Buyer Type

๐Ÿ’ฐ
Budget pick
Anycubic Kobra 4
$379 vs $699
๐Ÿ“
Large prints
Qidi Tech Plus4
305ร—305ร—280 mm
โšก
Fastest prints
Tie
Both 600 mm/s
๐Ÿ”“
Open ecosystem
Tie
Neither open source
๐Ÿงช
Engineering filaments
Qidi Tech Plus4
6 vs 0 listed
๐ŸŽจ
Multicolor
Tie
4 slots each
โญ
Editor score
Qidi Tech Plus4
8.4 vs 8.1
๐Ÿ—“
Buy-now timing
Anycubic Kobra 4
Early in cycle

The Gaps That Matter

๐Ÿ’ฐ
PriceKobra 4 wins
$379 vs $699 โ€” 46% less than the Plus4
๐Ÿ 
EnclosurePlus4 wins
Enclosed Plus4 vs open-frame Kobra 4
ABS, ASA, PA, PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF appear only on the Plus4's materials list. ABS and ASA need an enclosure.
๐Ÿ“
Build volumePlus4 wins
305 ร— 305 ร— 280 mm vs 260 ร— 260 ร— 260 mm (26.0 L vs 17.6 L)
The Kobra 4 tops out at 260 ร— 260 ร— 260 mm; anything larger has to be printed in pieces.
๐Ÿ—“
TimingKobra 4 wins
Kobra 4: Early in cycle ยท Plus4: Superseded
โญ
Editor scorePlus4 wins
8.4 vs 8.1 out of 10
๐Ÿ”€
Motion system
CoreXY Plus4 vs bed-slinger Kobra 4
On the Kobra 4 the bed moves back and forth under the nozzle; on the Plus4 the bed only moves down as layers build.

Materials

Anycubic Kobra 4 only
โ€”
Both
PLAEasy to print, no enclosure needed โ€” everyday parts
PETGTougher, slightly flexible, moisture-resistant
TPUFlexible rubber-like โ€” phone cases, gaskets, wheels
Qidi Tech Plus4 only
ABSHeat and impact resistant โ€” needs enclosure
ASAUV-stable ABS alternative โ€” outdoor parts, needs enclosure
PANylon โ€” strong and wear-resistant, needs dry storage
PA-CFCarbon-fibre nylon โ€” very stiff, abrasive to standard nozzles
PCPolycarbonate โ€” extremely tough, challenging to print
PPS-CFExtreme temperature and chemical resistance

Why buy each?

Anycubic Kobra 4

260ร—260ร—260 mm build volume

A cube-format build volume slightly larger than the Kobra 3 V2's 255ร—255ร—260 mm bed โ€” practical for most everyday prints.

ACE 2 Pro multicolor in the Combo

The Combo includes one ACE 2 Pro for 4-color printing. A second unit and an 8-color filament hub expand it to 8 colors.

49-point auto-leveling

LeviQ 3.0 probes 49 points and applies compensation automatically, with no manual adjustment required.

Qidi Tech Plus4

305ร—305ร—280 mm build volume

One of the largest build volumes in the prosumer enclosed category โ€” 40% more printable area than the Bambu X1C at a lower price point.

Active 65ยฐC chamber heating

The second-generation active heating delivers consistent chamber temperatures for PA, PA-CF, ABS, ASA, and PC with minimal warping across the full build plate.

370ยฐC bimetal hotend

Handles high-performance engineering composites including PA-CF, PET-CF, and PPS-CF without requiring a separate hotend upgrade.