One licence. One controller.
One machine.
MASSO vs UCCNC — the cheapest licence in this comparison, and what it is actually tied to.
UCCNC is control software for CNCdrive’s own motion controllers. At about US$77 it is the lowest price of entry to PC-based control anywhere in this set of comparisons, and it is capable software with a long track record.
The licence key is issued against the serial number of one motion controller. One key, one controller, one machine. A MASSO is the control system — screen, motion control and I/O in one unit, with no computer in the chain.
UCCNC What a UCCNC build takes
- 7parts to buy: PC, Windows, the licence, a motion controller, a breakout board, a display, and a keyboard and mouse
- 5connections to make and keep good
- 2pieces of software to keep in step: Windows and UCCNC
The licence is the smallest number on that list. Drawn with a separate breakout board; some CNCdrive combo boards put the motion controller and breakout on one card, which makes it six parts rather than seven.
MASSO What a MASSO build takes
- 2parts to buy
- 2connections to make
- 0operating systems or drivers to keep in step
One purchase per machine, with no separate software licence tied to any component. The controller executes only job files and does not run arbitrary code.
What each one costs to buy
Taken from CNCdrive’s own webshop and from masso.com.au. CNCdrive lists in euros; the figures below are converted to USD. The software price does not include a motion controller, a PC, or a display.
| UCCNC From CNCdrive | USD |
|---|---|
| UCCNC licence key | US$77 |
| Licence with UC100 motion controller | US$167 |
| UC300ETH and UC400ETH controllers | priced separately |
shop.cncdrive.com, checked 9 September 2026. Listed in euros at €66 and €144, converted at €1 = US$1.16 on 9 September 2026. Rates move; check the euro price at source.
| MASSO Complete controller | G3 | G3 Touch |
|---|---|---|
| Core | US$750 | US$1,090 |
| Advanced | US$950 | US$1,490 |
| Professional | US$1,550 | US$2,090 |
masso.com.au, checked 9 September 2026 — see the full controller range
Three things about the licence worth reading first
All published by CNCdrive. None of this makes UCCNC a bad choice — it makes it a choice with a shape you should know about before the second machine.
The key is tied to one controller
After buying, you send CNCdrive the serial number of your motion controller and they issue a key for that specific unit. One licence key works with one motion controller only.
Two machines means buying twice
Because the key follows the controller rather than the PC or the person, a second machine needs a second controller and a second licence. Four machines means four of each.
The demo will not drive a machine
The software downloads free and runs fully in demo mode, but it will not talk to a machine until it is licensed against a controller serial. Useful for evaluating, not for cutting.
Published at cncdrive.com and shop.cncdrive.com, checked 9 September 2026. A MASSO is one purchase per machine, with no separate software licence.
Put your own numbers in
The MASSO price is published. The UCCNC side depends on which motion controller you choose and what you pay for a PC and a display, so those are yours to enter. Enter everything in one currency. If it comes out in UCCNC’s favour, it will say so.
Your situation
CNCdrive lists the licence at €66, about US$77, or €144 bundled with a UC100 motion controller, about US$167. Checked 9 September 2026 at €1 = US$1.16. Larger controllers are priced separately.
For reference, a fanless industrial PC starts around US$641 (OnLogic CL260) and Windows 11 Pro is US$199 at the Microsoft Store, both checked 9 September 2026.
Control system only, over 5 years across 1 machine. Drives, motors, the frame and the spindle are left out of both sides. Licences are counted per machine, which is how CNCdrive licenses them. All figures USD.
Where you notice the difference
UCCNC is well-regarded software with an active user base. These are the things that decide whether you are still happy in year three.
When a UCCNC build is the right answer
Three situations where nothing on this page should move you.
It already works
If your UCCNC machine runs and you know the software, there is no argument here for changing it. It is capable, it is inexpensive, and plenty of machines run on it happily.
You have one machine
The per-controller licensing only starts to bite at the second machine. For a single build where you already have a PC and a screen, UCCNC is very hard to beat on entry price.
You want to customise the screen
UCCNC has a built-in visual screen editor and a flexible macro engine. If reshaping the interface yourself matters to you, that is a real reason to stay.
Tell us about your machine
Tell us what you have or what you are building and what you need it to do, and we will tell you which tier fits and what a retrofit involves. If a MASSO is the wrong fit, we will say so.
Ask about your machine
A few questions. A technician reads it, not a bot.
