AutoCAD vs. SimScale

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
AutoCAD
Score 8.1 out of 10
N/A
AutoCAD is a CAD product from Autodesk. It allows designers to work in 2D and 3D, and is available on Windows and Mac, but with extensive online collaboration tools.
$245
per month
SimScale
Score 8.0 out of 10
N/A
SimScale is an engineering simulation platform that aims to revolutionize the way engineers, designers, scientists, and students design products. The SimScale platform is fully cloud-based and is accessible completely via a standard web browser. The easy-to-use interface supports numerous simulation types including Structural Mechanics, Fluid Dynamics, Thermodynamics, and more. The vendor says that SimScale eliminates many of the hurdles that accompany traditional simulation tools: high…N/A
Pricing
AutoCADSimScale
Editions & Modules
Monthly Subscription
$245
per month per user
Yearly Subscription
$1975
per year per user
3-Year Subscription
$5925
3 years per user
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
AutoCADSimScale
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoYes
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeOptional
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
AutoCADSimScale
Features
AutoCADSimScale
Computer-Aided Design Software
Comparison of Computer-Aided Design Software features of Product A and Product B
AutoCAD
7.0
7 Ratings
6% below category average
SimScale
-
Ratings
3D Modeling6.07 Ratings00 Ratings
2D Drafting8.77 Ratings00 Ratings
Rendering and Visualization6.37 Ratings00 Ratings
Parametric Design7.57 Ratings00 Ratings
Collaboration and Sharing8.67 Ratings00 Ratings
Compatibility with other software and formats8.77 Ratings00 Ratings
Assembly Design6.67 Ratings00 Ratings
Simulation and Analysis4.66 Ratings00 Ratings
Documentation and Annotation7.67 Ratings00 Ratings
Customization and Extensions5.47 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
AutoCADSimScale
Small Businesses
Onshape
Onshape
Score 6.5 out of 10
SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS
Score 8.7 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Onshape
Onshape
Score 6.5 out of 10
SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS
Score 8.7 out of 10
Enterprises
Rhino
Rhino
Score 8.4 out of 10
Navisworks
Navisworks
Score 9.4 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
AutoCADSimScale
Likelihood to Recommend
7.7
(88 ratings)
8.5
(4 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(3 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
Usability
8.3
(9 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
6.9
(13 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.0
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
AutoCADSimScale
Likelihood to Recommend
Autodesk
Once again, for jobs/companies where you are doing a lot of design and modelling of tanks, pipework or filling machine or basic electronics its fantastic as a 3D and 2D modelling tool, however once again when it comes to testing these actual products in the real world, I feel like AutoCAD is let down by its clunky fitting and spec management and also in very limited in-house engineering simulations.
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SimScale GmbH
For a small company, SimScale is a great fit. It allows me to gain the use and support of higher-end software analysis on demand without the traditional high cost. This is super convenient for a company that does occasional design and analysis. Since the computing is cloud-based it also allows me to process large and detailed models without the high hardware cost that can be required. One potential drawback is that the design information is stored on someone else's server. For some industries and companies this would be a deal-breaker.
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Pros
Autodesk
  • Compatibility of different file formats, and also exports to different file formats.
  • CLI Commands as well as internal functions which are exposed can be used for automation of various tasks.
  • The new 2025 comes with .NET Core support which helps AutoCAD to connect with Cloud based features.
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SimScale GmbH
  • Material non-linear analysis.
  • Geometric non-linear analysis.
  • Meshing.
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Cons
Autodesk
  • User Interface Customisation: AutoCAD's user interface could benefit from more robust customisation options. Allowing users to rearrange toolbars, menus, and panels according to their specific workflows and preferences would enhance productivity.
  • Enhanced 3D Modeling Tools: While AutoCAD is capable of 3D modeling, it's not as intuitive or feature-rich as dedicated 3D modeling software. Streamlining the process and adding more advanced modeling tools would be a welcome improvement.
  • Enhanced Collaboration and Version Control: AutoCAD could improve its collaboration tools, such as real-time editing and version tracking, to facilitate smoother teamwork, especially in multi-disciplinary projects.
  • Intelligent Object Libraries: AutoCAD could benefit from an expanded and more intelligent library of standard objects and components. This would save time for designers who often have to create custom components from scratch.
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SimScale GmbH
  • Learning from tutorials is great, but limiting. The online help is a must.
  • Some simulations take a lot of time, but at least it's not on your PC.
  • Sometimes the software times out due to the server.
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Likelihood to Renew
Autodesk
Because rarely we [would] rather wait for a whole year to update, sometimes the new updates don't bring many new features and we are still ok with the current version. Also the change of interface is always something that takes time for every partner in the company to get comfortable with. So those are the main reasons we may want to keep the same version.
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SimScale GmbH
I had a great experience with SimScale but we only used the software for a short period of time to complete the current design requirements. It is not a software that we would continually subscribe to. Next subscription event would occur when there is a design requirement to do so.
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Usability
Autodesk
It is very usable once you understand the program. I believe there is room for improvement in the 2D to 3D modeling capability. We have to use other apps to 3D model and that can be time consuming and sometimes AutoCAD doesn't transfer work that well between apps. They can improve there.
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SimScale GmbH
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Autodesk
AutoCAD has the issue of crashing or slowing down the design procedure once a heavy design that includes several disciplines or multiple families/blocks is involved. Customer services gets the feedback from the crash reports but this issue seems like it has never been addressed in the software updates past several years.
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SimScale GmbH
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Autodesk
the implementation was realy easy , to set up our workstation we pay for the licenses we are about to use , there was a little bit of delay to get the payment processed to receive the serial but after that the install runs without any problem , so you can fell secure there will be not issue with the implementation.
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SimScale GmbH
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
Autodesk
I use Revit far more than I use AutoCAD. AutoCAD is great for simple linework, but even then I will often create the lines in Revit and then export to AutoCAD for final touches and printing. AutoCAD is a bit easier for large-format prints, which is why I almost always end up using it after starting in Revit.
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SimScale GmbH
SimScale is much faster to spin up on than OpenFOAM. Ansys CFD tools are much more expensive! Both tools require expensive computing equipment to run, which SimScale does not!
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Return on Investment
Autodesk
  • As an educational institute there are no overall business objectives.
  • As a negative, the licensing is expensive and we have to limit the number of computers we put it on.
  • As a positive, many of our students will have a leg up when entering into programs or companies that use this software.
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SimScale GmbH
  • It has allowed us to increase our service offering which has lead to additional work.
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ScreenShots

SimScale Screenshots

Screenshot of Thermodynamics: Gearbox Thermal SimulationScreenshot of Finite Element Analysis (FEA): Gantry Crane Stress AnalysisScreenshot of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): HVAC Internal Flow Analysis