Quick Summary
Choose Twist When:
- You need oligos up to 300 nt
- Uniformity is critical (CRISPR screens)
- Fast turnaround matters (2–4 days)
- You need sub-pool support
Choose Agilent When:
- You need NGS capture probes (SureSelect)
- HiFi option fits your accuracy needs
- You're already in the Agilent ecosystem
- Large panels (>100K probes) for capture
Comprehensive Comparison
| Feature | Twist Bioscience | Agilent SurePrint |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesis Technology | Silicon-based chip | Inkjet printing on glass slides |
| Max Oligo Length | 300 nt (standard pools) | 230 nt |
| Min Pool Size | ~2,000 sequences | ~5,000–10,000 sequences |
| Max Pool Size | No stated limit | Up to 244K per chip |
| Per-Base Error Rate | ~1:3,000 | ~1:500–1:1,500 (HiFi: 1:4,000) |
| Uniformity (90/10) | <3-fold | ~5-fold |
| Turnaround Time | 2–4 business days | 3–6 business days |
| Delivery Format | Lyophilized in tube | Lyophilized |
| Yield per Oligo | 1–10 pmol | ~10 fmol |
| Sub-Pool Support | Up to 100 sub-pools | Not standard |
| Modifications | Biotin, phosphorylation | Biotin |
| Order File Format | Name, Sequence, Length (CSV) | Vendor-specific CSV |
Important Note on Agilent HiFi
Agilent offers a "HiFi" option with error rates as low as 1:4,000 — potentially matching or exceeding Twist's standard accuracy. However, HiFi comes at a premium cost and may have longer turnaround times. Contact Agilent for HiFi-specific pricing and availability.
Error Impact by Oligo Length
The practical impact of per-base error rates depends heavily on your oligo length. Longer oligos accumulate more errors:
| Oligo Length | Twist (1:3,000) | Agilent (1:500–1:4,000) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 nt (sgRNA) | 99.3% perfect | 96.1–98.0% perfect |
| 100 nt (probe) | 96.7% perfect | 81.9–93.2% perfect |
| 200 nt (assembly) | 93.6% perfect | 67.0–87.1% perfect |
Use our Error Rate Calculator to model these scenarios with your exact oligo length and coupling efficiency.
Application-Specific Recommendations
CRISPR Library Screening
Winner: Twist Bioscience — Superior uniformity (<3-fold 90/10) ensures even representation of all guides. 2–4 day turnaround enables rapid iteration. Sub-pool support (up to 100) enables multi-experiment designs. The 300 nt max length accommodates all common sgRNA library architectures.
NGS Target Enrichment Panels
Winner: Agilent SurePrint — Agilent's SureSelect is the industry standard for target enrichment. Their probe design software integrates tightly with SurePrint synthesis. Up to 244K probes per chip covers even the largest clinical panels. The HiFi option (1:4,000 error rate) provides excellent probe quality.
Gene Assembly (Synthetic Biology)
Winner: Twist Bioscience — The 300 nt max length allows longer assembly fragments, reducing the number of overlapping oligos needed per gene. Higher accuracy reduces the frequency of error-correction steps.
Deep Mutational Scanning (DMS)
Winner: Twist Bioscience — Better uniformity means more even representation of all variants. Sub-pool capability enables dose-response experiments within a single order.
Ready to Order?
Convert your sequence files to the exact format required by either vendor using our Vendor Format Adapter. Validate your sequences first with Batch Sequence QC.