Overview

SOLIDWORKS is a 3D product-design and engineering portfolio for teams building detailed parts, assemblies and drawings. It suits organizations that need established CAD workflows alongside optional cloud collaboration and analysis. Its depth is compelling, but the main commercial plans are machine-locked annual licenses, so teams should check device and seat needs before committing.

Key features

Design and analysis

SOLIDWORKS Design covers parts, assemblies, drawings, sheet-metal and framing workflows, with parametric modeling, sculpting, animation, a built-in render engine and 3D-print export. That breadth makes it relevant from component design through presentation and fabrication preparation. Simulation tools in the wider portfolio support performance, efficiency and durability analysis; the more advanced capabilities are concentrated in higher-priced plans.

Cloud, collaboration and integrations

The installed application works offline and can connect to the 3DEXPERIENCE cloud platform for collaboration and data management. Teams can share and mark up designs with stakeholders remotely, while cloud storage supports model storage and revision management. This pairing serves teams that want desktop CAD with cloud coordination, rather than a browser-only workflow. SOLIDWORKS xDesign is a separate collection of browser-based modeling tools for use on any device without local installation.

The Solution Partner Program spans hundreds of partners, and Certified Gold Products integrate within the SOLIDWORKS interface. Commercial Design and Design with Cloud Services customers receive AURA and LEO virtual companions and listed AI competencies without a separate license. Online purchases include technical support and getting-started resources. The service states a 99.5% availability SLA; the cloud platform has ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and ISO/IEC 27017:2015 certifications and SOC 2 Type 2 audit coverage.

Pricing

The three commercial Design plans are billed yearly for a single user and exclude local taxes. Each is a machine-locked device license, so the annual price does not imply a floating seat shared across machines.

Design Standard with Cloud Services — $2,820.00 USD per year. Includes parts, assemblies, drawings, cloud collaboration, revision management and technical support. It is the entry point for a single user who needs core CAD and connected project coordination.
Design Professional with Cloud Services — $3,456.00 USD per year. Adds a CAD component library, photorealistic rendering, tolerance stack-up analysis, cost estimation and CAD standards checking. Choose it when those production and review tasks justify the higher annual cost.
Design Premium with Cloud Services — $4,716.00 USD per year. Adds electrical cable and harness routing, pipe and tube routing, linear static analysis, motion analysis and advanced surface flattening over Professional. It fits engineering work that needs those specialized routing and analysis tools; otherwise, Standard or Professional avoids paying for them.

All three plans include a 15-day money-back policy. Online purchases include support. Students can use SOLIDWORKS Design Standard for free, with the same professional 3D CAD software used by leading companies. SOLIDWORKS for Makers costs $48.00 USD per year for personal, non-commercial use and includes 25 GB of 3DEXPERIENCE storage; the storage cannot be expanded, and there is no free trial. That makes it a low-cost personal route, not a substitute for commercial licensing or a growing shared workspace.

Platforms

The core client products support Windows 10 and Windows 11 64-bit. SOLIDWORKS Design is locally installed and can run without an internet connection; Cloud Services adds a connection to 3DEXPERIENCE for cloud collaboration and data management. The separate xDesign browser collection avoids local installation. Although the portfolio lists macOS and web access, the stated macOS support is for eDrawings rather than the core SOLIDWORKS client.

Who it's for

SOLIDWORKS is best suited to product-development teams and individual engineers whose work depends on parts, assemblies, drawings, sheet metal or framing, especially when they also need simulation, rendering or specialized routing. The installed workflow, offline use and partner integrations favor organizations building around desktop CAD. It is a weaker fit for commercial users seeking a low-cost shared license, or for makers whose work exceeds the non-commercial scope and fixed storage of the Makers plan.

Pros and cons

Pro: The core workflow combines parts, assemblies, drawings, sheet-metal and framing design with parametric modeling, rendering and 3D-print export.
Pro: Offline-capable desktop use and optional cloud collaboration let teams retain an installed workflow while sharing and managing revisions remotely.
Pro: Professional and Premium add concrete analysis, rendering, estimation and routing capabilities for more demanding engineering work.
Con: Commercial licenses start at $2,820.00 USD per year per user, and each is machine-locked to one device.
Con: Makers is restricted to personal, non-commercial use, caps cloud storage at 25 GB and offers no free trial.
Con: Core client support is Windows-focused; macOS support applies to eDrawings, not the main SOLIDWORKS client.

Alternatives

Onshape is worth considering for non-commercial work if public documents and its free plan suit your collaboration needs.
Rhino 3D is an alternative for users who prefer its Windows and macOS availability and permanent single-user license model.
Solid Edge is another freemium CAD option, with web and Windows platforms.
FreeCAD is the free option for teams that need Linux support alongside macOS and Windows.
Shapr3D may suit users looking for a free basic tier limited to two projects, with a paid Pro plan for broader use.
CATIA is another paid design platform with web and Windows access.
Creo offers a floating-license route for organizational users, with support and maintenance included in its Essentials plan.
Autodesk Inventor is a Windows-based paid alternative with a free trial and a no-contract monthly subscription option.

Browse more 3D CAD software, CAD software, electrical design software and 3D modeling software.

Verdict

Choose SOLIDWORKS when your team needs comprehensive desktop product CAD, offline access and a path from core design into cloud collaboration and specialized engineering tools. The main reason to look elsewhere is the annual, single-device commercial commitment: it is a substantial fit decision for smaller teams, shared-seat workflows or non-commercial makers.

	DIgSILENT PowerFactory	SOLIDWORKS
Free plan	No	No
Free trial	No	Yes
Paid from	—	$4/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Windows	macOS, Web, Windows
Free plan	No	Yes
Electrical simulation	advanced	—
Standards libraries	Yes	—
Deployment	desktop	—

DIgSILENT PowerFactory vs SOLIDWORKS

DIgSILENT PowerFactory

SOLIDWORKS