There are a few different ways to access OctoPrintTM. Of course, the most common, and feature rich method is through the web interface. However, there are apps out there that you might find a lot quicker than waiting for the web interface to load up. My personal favorite is Kraken. Release the kraken!
Kraken
Kraken makes it easy to monitor, control and manage your 3D printers. Connect to any OctoPrint server on your local network or over the internet.
- Kraken(iOS): This is the one I use since I started using OctoPrintTM. But I also didn’t try the Pro version which costs $6. But I don’t really see any features that the Pro version has that OctoPod doesn’t. It may be able to handle multiple printers better, but I only have the one printer, so I can’t test. But, there have been constant updates for the past few months. Might be worth keeping an eye on this one
- OctoPod(iOS): I don’t like it as much as Kraken The last few big updates have been awesome, so that usually means the product will continue to get better. It even has push notifications, so it can send you a notification when your print is done and when the bed has cooled below a specified temperature. You do need to be connected to your local network via WiFi or VPN, to be able to use the app.
- AstroPrint(iOS and Android): This is probably the easiest way to get remote access to your OctoPrint instance. However, the controls are limited, and I believe the video doesn’t refresh that often. I love the AstroPrint service, but their app needs some work.y
- OctoRemote(Android): I haven’t tried it, but it looks really good and is well reviewed. The interface looks a lot like the web interface. Just my personal opinion, but I like the OctoPod interface better for a touch device.
- Printoid(Android): I have not tried it. But the free, ‘lite’ version appears to be available on the Play Store so you can test it and make sure it can connect to OctoPrint. The Premium version costs $8, and unlocks a bunch of features. It supports widgets, and smartplugs, and a few other things. This one looks like it would be worth checking out. I miss having widgets from when I was using Android.
Conclusion
OctoPrint is one of the most useful upgrades for my printer. There have been times when I have printing multiple items when I wasn’t even home. I was able to just push the old print off by moving the hotend, and then starting the next print. It makes the printer much safer to use because you can implement logic to cut power under certain circumstances. You can monitor your job remotely to see if it has gone awry. It is well worth the price of a Pi for the features it brings to a printer.