Overview

SOLIDWORKS is a 3D design software portfolio from Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS Corp. Its tools cover creating and simulating designs, publishing them, and managing product data. The core SOLIDWORKS Design application supports parts, assemblies, drawings, sheet-metal work and framing, with parametric modeling, sculpting, animation, a built-in render engine and 3D-print export.

This is product-development software rather than a dedicated home-building or renovation planner. Its capabilities may be relevant when a project involves detailed component design, fabrication or engineering analysis, but the stated markets are industrial, medical, scientific, consumer, education, technology and transportation organizations. SOLIDWORKS says its global community has more than 8 million users. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

The portfolio includes a locally installed SOLIDWORKS Design application that can connect to the cloud-based 3DEXPERIENCE platform, as well as SOLIDWORKS xDesign, a set of browser-based modeling tools that does not require local installation.

Key features

Design and simulation

SOLIDWORKS Design supports work across individual parts, assemblies and drawings, along with sheet-metal and framing workflows. The broader portfolio includes simulation tools for analyzing performance, efficiency and durability. Higher paid plans add capabilities such as photorealistic rendering, tolerance stack-up analysis, cost estimation and CAD standards checking; the Premium plan also includes electrical cable and harness routing, pipe and tube routing, linear static analysis, motion analysis and advanced surface flattening.

Cloud collaboration and data management

Cloud Services connect the installed application with 3DEXPERIENCE for collaboration and data management. Teams can share and mark up designs with stakeholders in different locations, while cloud storage supports model storage and revision management. SOLIDWORKS Design can also be used without an internet connection.

The company says the cloud platform is certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and ISO/IEC 27017:2015, has been independently audited under AICPA SOC 2 Type 2 standards, and is registered for CSA STAR Level 1. Its online purchase terms state a 99.5% service-availability SLA and identify ISO 9001:2015 QMS certification and OWASP engagement.

AI, support and integrations

AURA and LEO virtual companions and listed AI competencies are included without an additional license for eligible commercial SOLIDWORKS Design and Design with Cloud Services customers. Online purchases include technical support and access to getting-started resources for installation, onboarding and tutorials. The SOLIDWORKS Solution Partner Program includes hundreds of partners, and Certified Gold Products integrate within the SOLIDWORKS interface.

Pricing

SOLIDWORKS lists free and paid options. The three Cloud Services plans below are billed yearly for a single user, with local taxes excluded.

Plan	Price	Included capabilities
SOLIDWORKS Design Standard with Cloud Services	2,820.00 USD per year	Machine-locked single-device license; parts, assemblies and drawings; cloud collaboration and revision management; technical support.
SOLIDWORKS Design Professional with Cloud Services	3,456.00 USD per year	Everything in Standard, plus a CAD component library, photorealistic rendering, tolerance stack-up analysis, cost estimation and CAD standards checking.
SOLIDWORKS Design Premium with Cloud Services	4,716.00 USD per year	Everything in Professional, plus electrical cable and harness routing, pipe and tube routing, linear static analysis, motion analysis and advanced surface flattening.

SOLIDWORKS also offers a Design Standard free tier for students. SOLIDWORKS says students receive the same professional 3D CAD software used by leading companies. The SOLIDWORKS for Makers plan costs 48.00 USD per year, billed yearly, for personal, non-commercial use. It includes 25 GB of 3DEXPERIENCE cloud storage, which cannot be expanded, and does not include a free trial.

A free trial is available for the service generally. Orders can be cancelled and refunded within 15 days after purchase. Online purchases include support; accepted payment methods include credit card, PayPal, wire transfer and prepaid purchase orders.

Platforms

The platform information lists macOS, web and Windows access. Client SOLIDWORKS products list Windows 10 and Windows 11 64-bit support, while eDrawings for Mac lists supported macOS releases. The browser-based xDesign tools work on any device without local installation. By contrast, SOLIDWORKS Design is installed locally and connects to the cloud when using Cloud Services; it can be used offline.

Who it's for

SOLIDWORKS is aimed primarily at organizations and users who need detailed 3D CAD, product data management or design analysis. Contractors may find it relevant when work involves engineering components, custom fabrication or coordination around technical models, while homeowners planning ordinary renovations may find its product-design focus broader than their immediate needs. The listed markets include industrial, medical, scientific, consumer, education, technology and transportation organizations.

For a broader look at options, see our 3D CAD software and CAD software lists. Work centered on electrical layouts may also call for a tool from our electrical design software list.

Pros and cons

Pros

Supports parts, assemblies, drawings, sheet metal and framing, with parametric modeling and 3D-print export.
Cloud Services provide design sharing, markups and revision management while allowing offline use of the installed application.
Plan options add rendering, estimating, standards checking, routing and analysis tools.
Students have access to a free Design Standard tier, and a lower-cost Makers plan is available for non-commercial personal use.
Online purchase includes technical support and getting-started resources.

Cons

The full Design plans are substantial yearly commitments, with the entry paid plan costing 2,820.00 USD per year before local taxes.
The listed client SOLIDWORKS products support Windows 10 and Windows 11 64-bit; the macOS information specifically concerns eDrawings for Mac.
The Makers plan is restricted to personal, non-commercial use and its cloud storage cannot be expanded.
The software is geared toward product design and engineering workflows, rather than the everyday planning needs of many home renovation projects.

Alternatives

For mechanical CAD alternatives, consider Autodesk Inventor, Creo or Onshape. Other options include FreeCAD and nanoCAD. For different modeling approaches, look at Rhino 3D, Shapr3D or OwlCAD.

Verdict

SOLIDWORKS brings together capable 3D CAD, simulation, rendering and cloud collaboration options, with plan levels that distinguish core design work from more advanced analysis and routing. That breadth is useful for engineering and fabrication teams, but the cost and product-design orientation may be difficult to justify for a typical home build or renovation. Contractors should weigh the need for detailed component design, collaboration and analysis against the yearly license cost and their project's actual drawing requirements.

	BRL-CAD	SOLIDWORKS
Free plan	No	No
Free trial	No	Yes
Paid from	—	$4/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	macOS, Web, Windows
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Paid from	—	$2,820/user/mo
Assembly design	—	Yes
Sheet-metal tools	—	Yes
Cloud collaboration	—	Yes

BRL-CAD vs SOLIDWORKS

BRL-CAD

SOLIDWORKS