The Prusa Research Mini+ (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 Note that the Plus4 has been replaced by the Plus5 and is no longer sold new.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 $240 more and gets you an enclosed chamber (with ABS, PA, PA-CF, PC and PPS-CF on its materials list) and 347% more build volume; the Mini+ answers with an open-source design.
Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Beginners who prioritize open-source hardware, community support, and long-term reliability over speed — and don't mind a slower, more deliberate printing experience.
Full details →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 It has been replaced by the Qidi Tech Plus5.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 →| Prusa Research Mini+ | Qidi Tech Plus4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | ★ $459 | $699 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Entry | Prosumer |
| Motion | BedSlinger | CoreXY |
| Build Volume | 180 × 180 × 180 mm | ★ 305 × 305 × 280 mm |
| Max Speed | 200 mm/s | ★ 600 mm/s |
| Multicolor | ❌ No | ★ ✅ 4 slots |
| Enclosure | ❌ | ★ ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ★ ✅ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Apr 25, 2021 | Sep 20, 2024 |
| Cycle length | ~730 days | ~408 days |
| Cycle advice | Wait | Superseded |
| Deals advice | Buy | Clearance |
| Next model | — | — |
The Mini+ was released on Apr 25, 2021, 2,027 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 730 days; it is now 1,297 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The Plus4 has been replaced by the Plus5 and is no longer sold new, so there is no release cycle left to time — any unit you find now is leftover or second-hand stock.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 Mini+ is the safer buy right now — it is 1,297 days past its ~730-day cycle with no successor announced, while the Plus4 has already been replaced by the Plus5.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 →
The Mini+ lists at $459 and the Plus4 at $699 — $240 apart, so the Plus4 costs 52% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $79 for the Mini+ versus $27 for the Plus4 — so the pricier Plus4 actually gives you more build space per dollar.
Buy the Mini+. 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 Mini+ against the Plus5.
Compare Prusa Research Mini+ vs Qidi Tech Plus5 →
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
The Mini+ has been on the market since 2021 and has proven its durability with thousands of community print-hours logged.
Prusa stocks replacement parts for all Mini+ components. Community guides cover every repair scenario.
The lowest-cost way to enter the Prusa ecosystem with a fully supported printer.
One of the largest build volumes in the prosumer enclosed category — 40% more printable area than the Bambu X1C at a lower price point.
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.
Handles high-performance engineering composites including PA-CF, PET-CF, and PPS-CF without requiring a separate hotend upgrade.