Alibre Design vs SOLIDWORKS
Both are on the 3D CAD Software list. Here is what each maker publishes, side by side.
| Alibre Design | SOLIDWORKS | |
|---|---|---|
| Place on the list | #10 6.8 | #3 8.2 |
| Maker | Alibre Design | SOLIDWORKS |
| Starts at | $999 a month | $48 a year |
| Free | Free trial | Free plan |
| Runs on | API, Self-hosted, Windows | Mac, Web, Windows |
| Open source | No | No |
| Plans | Design Pro: $999 a month Design Expert: $1,999 a month Alibre Design Pro: $999 once Alibre Design Expert: $1,999 once | SOLIDWORKS Design Standard with Cloud Services: $2,820 a year SOLIDWORKS Design Professional with Cloud Services: $3,456 a year SOLIDWORKS Design Premium with Cloud Services: $4,716 a year SOLIDWORKS for Makers: $48 a year |
| Verdict | Alibre Design combines parametric modeling, documentation, sheet-metal tools and rendering in a Windows-only suite. Check the license type, internet requirements and STL limitation against your design workflow. | SOLIDWORKS combines locally installed design tools with optional cloud collaboration and browser-based modeling. Its plans differ in included capabilities, and the listed Standard price is an annual single-device license. |
| Visit Alibre Design | Visit SOLIDWORKS |