Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro vs Qidi Tech Plus4
The Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro and Qidi Tech Plus4 are both prosumer-tier printers, but the Plus4 costs 2.7× as much — so the question is what the extra money buys. Note that the Plus4 has been replaced by the Plus5 and is no longer sold new. The Plus4 costs $439 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with PA, PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF on its materials list) and 94% more build volume.
💰Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro is $439 cheaper (63% less)
📐Qidi Tech Plus4 has 94% more build volume
⚡Qidi Tech Plus4 tops out at 600 mm/s vs 500 mm/s
🏠Only Qidi Tech Plus4 has an enclosure — and it adds 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.
Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro
Buy/Wait:Wait
Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Budget-conscious makers who want a capable bed-slinger with Klipper firmware for customization — without Bambu's closed ecosystem or Prusa's premium pricing.
Full details →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Buy/Wait:Superseded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 It has been replaced by the Qidi Tech Plus5.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 — particularly those printing PA-CF, ABS, and PC at scale. Look for clearance deals — the Plus5 is the current model.
Full details →| Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro | Qidi Tech Plus4 |
|---|
| Pricing |
| Starting Price | ★ $260 | $699 |
| Print Specs |
| Tier | Prosumer | Prosumer |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 225 × 225 × 265 mm | ★ 305 × 305 × 280 mm |
| Max Speed | 500 mm/s | ★ 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ❌ No | ★ ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing |
| Released | Jul 15, 2023 | Sep 20, 2024 |
| Cycle length | ~450 days | ~408 days |
| Cycle advice | Wait | Superseded |
| Deals advice | Buy | Clearance |
| Next model | — | — |
Timing: When to Buy
The Neptune 4 Pro was released on Jul 15, 2023, 1,216 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 450 days; it is now 766 days past that point and no successor has been announced.
The Plus4 has been replaced by the Plus5 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.
On timing alone, the Neptune 4 Pro is the safer buy right now — it is 766 days past its ~450-day cycle with no successor announced, while the Plus4 has already been replaced by the Plus5.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
Deals & Pricing
The Neptune 4 Pro lists at $260 and the Plus4 at $699 — $439 apart, so the Plus4 costs 169% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $19 for the Neptune 4 Pro versus $27 for the Plus4 — the Neptune 4 Pro is the better value per litre as well.
- Neptune 4 Pro: On sale until Dec 5, 2026. Black Friday 2026 — Elegoo consistently offers deep Black Friday discounts on the Neptune line.
- Plus4: No longer sold new, so there is no sale calendar to track — judge any listing against the Plus5's $749 list price.
Who Should Choose Each
Choose the Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro if…
- you want to spend less — it is $439 cheaper ($260 vs $699)
- you are buying now — it is the safer pick on timing (overdue for refresh, vs superseded for the Plus4)
- your prints fit within 225 × 225 × 265 mm — then the Plus4's extra build volume is money you do not need to spend
- you are buying before Dec 5, 2026 — it is in Black Friday 2026 right now
Choose the Qidi Tech Plus4 if…
- you find it at a clearance price — it is no longer sold new, and the Plus5 is its replacement
- you want our higher-rated printer — 8.4 vs 7.7 out of 10
- you want to print PA, PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF — it is enclosed and lists them, while the Neptune 4 Pro is open-frame
- you print large parts — its 305 × 305 × 280 mm build volume holds 94% more than the Neptune 4 Pro's 225 × 225 × 265 mm
- you want multicolor prints — it supports 4 slots, while the Neptune 4 Pro is single-color
- print speed matters — it is rated for 600 mm/s against 500 mm/s
Our Take
Buy the Neptune 4 Pro. 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 Neptune 4 Pro against the Plus5.
Compare Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro vs Qidi Tech Plus5 →
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
Quick Winner by Buyer Type
💰
Budget pick
Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro
$260 vs $699
📐
Large prints
Qidi Tech Plus4
305×305×280 mm
⚡
Fastest prints
Qidi Tech Plus4
600 vs 500 mm/s
🔓
Open ecosystem
Tie
Neither open source
🧪
Engineering filaments
Qidi Tech Plus4
6 vs 2 listed
🎨
Multicolor
Qidi Tech Plus4
4 slots vs none
⭐
Editor score
Qidi Tech Plus4
8.4 vs 7.7
🗓
Buy-now timing
Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro
Overdue for refresh
The Gaps That Matter
💰PriceNeptune 4 Pro wins
$260 vs $699 — 63% less than the Plus4
🏠EnclosurePlus4 wins
Enclosed Plus4 vs open-frame Neptune 4 Pro
PA, PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF appear only on the Plus4's materials list.
📐Build volumePlus4 wins
305 × 305 × 280 mm vs 225 × 225 × 265 mm (26.0 L vs 13.4 L)
The Neptune 4 Pro tops out at 225 × 225 × 265 mm; anything larger has to be printed in pieces.
🎨MulticolorPlus4 wins
4 slots vs single-color
⚡SpeedPlus4 wins
600 vs 500 mm/s — 20% higher rated top speed
🗓TimingNeptune 4 Pro wins
Neptune 4 Pro: Overdue for refresh · Plus4: Superseded
Materials
—
PLAEasy to print, no enclosure needed — everyday parts
PETGTougher, slightly flexible, moisture-resistant
ABSHeat and impact resistant — needs enclosure
ASAUV-stable ABS alternative — outdoor parts, needs enclosure
TPUFlexible rubber-like — phone cases, gaskets, wheels
PANylon — strong and wear-resistant, needs dry storage
PA-CFCarbon-fibre nylon — very stiff, abrasive to standard nozzles
PCPolycarbonate — extremely tough, challenging to print
PPS-CFExtreme temperature and chemical resistance
Why buy each?
Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro
Klipper firmware out of the boxThe Neptune 4 Pro ships with Klipper pre-installed — enabling advanced input shaping, pressure advance, and configuration flexibility without modding.
500 mm/s at budget pricingA 500 mm/s rated speed at a price significantly below Bambu and Prusa alternatives.
Auto calibrationFull automatic bed leveling reduces setup time and calibration friction.
Qidi Tech Plus4
305×305×280 mm build volumeOne of the largest build volumes in the prosumer enclosed category — 40% more printable area than the Bambu X1C at a lower price point.
Active 65°C chamber heatingThe second-generation active heating delivers consistent chamber temperatures for PA, PA-CF, ABS, ASA, and PC with minimal warping across the full build plate.
370°C bimetal hotendHandles high-performance engineering composites including PA-CF, PET-CF, and PPS-CF without requiring a separate hotend upgrade.