3D gel vs 4D acrylic characters
These are the two ranges customers compare most often. They look different, fit differently and are made differently, so the right answer depends on the finish you are after rather than on one being better than the other.
Construction
3D gel characters are a domed resin over a printed character. The dome is soft-edged and catches light across its whole curve.
4D acrylic characters are cut from solid acrylic sheet. The face is flat and the sidewalls are square, so the character stands off the plate as a block.
Appearance on the plate
Gel reads as a raised, glossy character with a rounded profile. It is the closer match to a factory look.
4D acrylic reads as a sharper, more engineered character, and the thickness you pick is visible from the side. A 5mm character is noticeably more prominent than a 3mm one.
Fitting and price
Gel flexes slightly with the plate, which makes it forgiving on a curved mounting area.
Acrylic is rigid, so it wants a flat blank and a clean first placement.
Gel is our lower-priced range per character; acrylic and retro sit at the same higher price. Exact prices are on the range pages and on each character's own page.