Glaze Calculation Software Finder

The best ceramic glaze calculation software depends on your budget and device. Glazy is free in any browser, HyperGlaze and GlazeMaster run on Windows and Mac, Flux runs on iPhone, OpenGlaze is self-hosted, and Insight-Live is a paid online service. Use the finder below to match one to your needs.

How to use the glaze software finder

• Budget: choose free to use, one-time purchase or subscription. Leave it on “Any budget” to see every option.
• Platform: pick the device you will work on: a web browser, Windows, macOS, iPhone/iPad, or your own server.
• Must-have feature: select the one capability you cannot do without, such as a UMF calculation, a thermal expansion estimate or limit formula checks.
• Online or offline: choose “Must work offline” to see only tools confirmed to run without a connection, or “Browser-based tools only” to see web and self-hosted web apps.
• Read the result table. Each row shows the cost model, platforms, key features, activity or support status and official site address. Tools with recent activity (a dated 2026 update) are listed first; this reflects update dates, not a support promise.

If nothing matches, loosen one filter at a time. None of the free-to-use tools in this directory has verified test and firing records, so that combination returns no result. HyperGlaze is filed under one-time purchase because it is sold as a license, even though its vendor currently offers free, unsupported downloads. Flux is also filed under one-time purchase: it is a free download, but its description mentions a one-time purchase.

What glaze calculation software actually calculates

A glaze recipe is written in raw materials, such as feldspar, silica, whiting and kaolin, by weight. Each material contributes several oxides. Glaze software multiplies each material’s percentage by its oxide analysis. It then converts the totals to moles and normalizes the result so the flux oxides (the RO and R₂O group) add up to 1. This normalized form is called the unity molecular formula (UMF) or Seger formula. It lets you compare glazes by chemistry instead of by recipe.

Once the program knows the oxides, it can do more. It can estimate the glaze’s thermal expansion, which helps predict crazing or shivering. It can flag values that fall outside published limit formulas for a firing range. It can also scale a recipe to a batch weight. The table below shows which verified tools state each capability on their official pages.

Choosing between free, paid and self-hosted glaze software

Free and in the browser: Glazy is a free, open ceramics recipe library. It calculates the chemical analysis of a recipe automatically. User contributions are shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence, which makes it a common starting point for beginners.

Desktop programs: HyperGlaze runs on Windows 10 and macOS, including Sonoma with version 10.4.2. It calculates percentage and UMF formulas, estimated thermal expansion and glaze cost, and it can paste recipes copied from glazy.org. It is sold as a license, but the vendor currently offers free downloads without support. GlazeMaster is free and calculates the Seger unity formula, expansion and limit formulas. However, it officially stops at Windows 10 and macOS Catalina, and its author no longer supports it.

Mobile and self-hosted: Flux: Glaze Chemistry is an iOS app with UMF, limit-formula warnings and offline use. Its store record lists it as free, and its description mentions a one-time purchase. OpenGlaze is an open-source (MIT) UMF analyzer and recipe manager. You run it on your own server with Docker or Flask, so it suits users who are comfortable with technical setup. Its page does not state whether it works offline.

Studio and school management: Digitalfire Insight-Live is an online service with renewable Personal, Group and Managed plans. Alongside chemistry, it covers materials, firing schedules and testing records. That makes it the only listed tool aimed at full test tracking.

Methodology & sources

We checked each tool live on its official website, code repository or App Store record on November 9, 2026. We recorded only the cost model, platforms and features stated there. A tool is marked “recent activity” when its official page, repository or store record shows a dated 2026 update; otherwise its support is marked unknown, or ended where the author says so. Offline use counts only when the tool is a desktop install or the vendor states it. We left out Matrix glaze software (its site returned an empty page), The Glaze Calculator (no platform or price stated) and DOS-era programs without a live official page. The finder does not rate skill level or learning curve, because vendors do not publish one.

• Glazy – recipe library and chemical analysis
• Digitalfire Insight-Live – renewable plans and features
• HyperGlaze – compatibility, features, license and download offer
• GlazeMaster – features, platforms and support status
• OpenGlaze on GitHub – licence, features and last update
• Flux: Glaze Chemistry on the App Store – store record

Last updated: November 2026

FAQ

What is ceramic glaze calculation software?

It is a program that converts a glaze recipe written in material percentages into its oxide chemistry, usually as a unity (UMF or Seger) formula. Many of these programs also estimate thermal expansion or compare the result against limit formulas.

Is there free glaze calculation software?

Yes. Glazy (web), GlazeMaster (older Windows and Mac) and OpenGlaze (self-hosted, MIT licence) are free. Flux: Glaze Chemistry is listed as free in the App Store, and its description mentions a one-time purchase, so the finder files it under one-time purchase.

Which glaze software works offline?

The desktop programs HyperGlaze and GlazeMaster run on your own computer, and the Flux iOS app lists offline use as a feature. Glazy and Digitalfire Insight-Live are web services that need a connection. OpenGlaze does not state whether it works offline, so the finder treats it as unknown.

Is GlazeMaster still supported?

No. Its author states he will stop supporting the program except for answering easy questions, and it is listed for Windows up to 10 and Mac OS X up to Catalina. It can still be downloaded free.

Why is Matrix glaze software not listed?

Its official site returned an empty page when we checked in November 2026, so we could not verify its price, platforms or features. We only list tools we could confirm on an official page.

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