Gweike Cloud

One of the advantages of the Gweike Cloud laser cutter is that it can be used offline – you are not locked into cloud-only operation. Gweike provides a cloud web interface (similar to Glowforge’s approach) for convenience, but it is optional. You can run the Gweike Cloud machine with offline software on a PC. In fact, the machine is compatible with LightBurn software, which means you can control it entirely locally without an internet connection. Many users give Gweike credit for this flexibility. By contrast, something like the Glowforge requires cloud connectivity to function. With Gweike, if your internet goes out (or even if Gweike’s cloud service were unavailable), you can still use the laser via offline control. So the bottom line: no, you do not have to use the cloud app – it is your choice.

You have a few options: Gweike’s web-based cloud software, Gweike’s offline desktop software, and third-party software like LightBurn. The web-based cloud software runs in a browser and provides camera previews and convenience features such as reading QR codes on materials to set parameters. Users often describe it as functional but relatively basic and occasionally sluggish for complex work. The offline desktop software is installed on Windows and talks to the laser over USB or Ethernet; it supports offline use and basic file import and job control, but you lose access to the built-in camera preview. LightBurn offers a powerful design and control environment and connects directly to the Gweike Cloud over USB or network. LightBurn cannot access the Gweike camera feed either, because that integration is proprietary to the cloud interface. In practice, you can pick whichever workflow fits your needs and switch between them as required.

Yes, the Gweike Cloud laser works with LightBurn. This is a major selling point, as some competing machines only work with their own software. To use it, you need the LightBurn license type that supports DSP controllers, because the Gweike Cloud uses a DSP-class controller similar to Ruida. The DSP license costs more than the G-code-only license but is still a one-time purchase. After configuring the correct device profile in LightBurn, you can send jobs directly to the Gweike Cloud. Camera-based alignment and a few proprietary functions remain tied to Gweike’s own software, but cutting and engraving control is fully available in LightBurn without additional fees from Gweike.

The Gweike Cloud includes an ultra-wide-angle camera used primarily for two things: providing a visual preview of the work area for design alignment and reading QR codes on Gweike-branded materials. The camera view lets you position artwork directly on the material in the software, while QR codes automatically populate recommended settings such as power, speed, and material thickness. Unlike higher-end Glowforge models, the Gweike Cloud does not have a dedicated hardware autofocus system that continuously measures material height. Instead, you either enter the material thickness manually or rely on the values encoded in QR-coded materials, combined with a fixed-focus optical system. If you run the machine via offline software or LightBurn, the camera feed is generally not available, since it is integrated into the cloud interface. In that case you align jobs using traditional methods such as positioning jigs, rulers, or test pulses.

No. Gweike does not require a subscription fee to use its cloud platform or offline control software. Both are available to owners of the machine without recurring software charges. If you choose to use LightBurn, you pay for a LightBurn license once, with optional paid upgrades in the future, but there is no mandatory subscription. This is a key difference compared to some competitors that lock advanced software features behind monthly or yearly plans. Your ongoing costs with Gweike Cloud are primarily hardware-related (consumables, maintenance, and eventual tube replacement), not software subscription fees.