# Abaqus, SolidWorks Simulation, Simulink vs Inventor Comparison

| | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.3 out of 5 | 4.4 out of 5 | 4.2 out of 5 | 4.4 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 54 | 60 | 98 | 440 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (45.3% of reviews) | Mid-Market (47.4% of reviews) | Enterprise (43.2% of reviews) | Mid-Market (42.7% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | No pricing available | No pricing available | No pricing available | $2085 1 year | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Abaqus

Pros:
- Ease of Use (2 reviews)
- Simulation (2 reviews)

Cons:
- Not User-Friendly (2 reviews)
- CAD Limitations (1 reviews)

### SolidWorks Simulation

Pros:
- Ease of Use (4 reviews)
- Intuitive Use (2 reviews)

Cons:
- Missing Features (2 reviews)
- Complexity (1 reviews)

### Simulink

**Not enough data**

### Inventor

Pros:
- Ease of Use (4 reviews)
- Features (2 reviews)

Cons:
- Assembly Issues (1 reviews)
- Complexity (1 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 8.7 (41 reviews) | 8.3 (43 reviews) | 8.4 (82 reviews) | 8.8 (376 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 7.6 (42 reviews) | 8.4 (43 reviews) | 8.0 (88 reviews) | 8.4 (377 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 9.6 (8 reviews) | 8.3 (7 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.9 (107 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 8.0 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.7 (99 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.3 (39 reviews) | 8.4 (38 reviews) | 7.9 (86 reviews) | 8.1 (346 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 9.0 (5 reviews) | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (94 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 7.7 (40 reviews) | 8.3 (40 reviews) | 8.9 (87 reviews) | 8.3 (371 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Abaqus

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

### SolidWorks Simulation

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

### Simulink

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

### Inventor

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: 1 Year

Price: $2085 1 year

Description: Choose online store or reseller or call toll-free 1-844-821-0545.


[Browse all 4 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/inventor/pricing)

#### Free Trial

Yes

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### General-Purpose CAD

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Abaqus** | N/A | N/A |
| **SolidWorks Simulation** | N/A | N/A |
| **Simulink** | N/A | N/A |
| **Inventor** | 8.2/10 | 38 |

#### Design

| Feature | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Drawing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.6 (37 reviews) | 
| **Modeling** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.9 (37 reviews) | 
| **Visualize ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.5 (38 reviews) | 
| **Rendering** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.6 (35 reviews) | 

#### Edit

| Feature | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **File Import ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (37 reviews) | 
| **Push/Pull** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.4 (36 reviews) | 
| **Views** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.0 (37 reviews) | 
| **Grips ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.7 (36 reviews) | 

#### Collaboration

| Feature | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Annotate** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.1 (36 reviews) | 
| **Documentation ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.6 (36 reviews) | 
| **Data Extract** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (36 reviews) | 

### Simulation & CAE

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Abaqus** | 7.8/10 | 29 |
| **SolidWorks Simulation** | 8.3/10 | 25 |
| **Simulink** | 8.3/10 | 22 |
| **Inventor** | 7.5/10 | 20 |

#### Design

| Feature | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **3D/solid modeling Tools** | 6.4 (18 reviews) | 9.1 (22 reviews) | 8.3 (14 reviews) | 9.0 (20 reviews) | 
| **Drawing Tools** | 6.8 (19 reviews) | 9.0 (21 reviews) | 8.3 (15 reviews) | 8.6 (20 reviews) | 
| **Editing Tools** | 6.7 (20 reviews) | 8.9 (22 reviews) | 8.8 (15 reviews) | 8.7 (20 reviews) | 
| **Rendering tools** | 7.0 (16 reviews) | 8.0 (21 reviews) | 7.6 (11 reviews) | 7.6 (19 reviews) | 

#### Tools

| Feature | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Fluid analysis** | 8.2 (14 reviews) | 8.0 (20 reviews) | 8.2 (12 reviews) | 5.6 (16 reviews) | 
| **Finite element analysis** | 9.0 (26 reviews) | 8.3 (22 reviews) | 8.2 (13 reviews) | 7.5 (19 reviews) | 
| **Multibody dynamics** | 8.2 (17 reviews) | 8.5 (19 reviews) | 8.2 (13 reviews) | 7.1 (17 reviews) | 

#### Work

| Feature | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Discrete event modeling** | 7.9 (15 reviews) | 7.5 (19 reviews) | 9.1 (15 reviews) | 6.9 (15 reviews) | 
| **Continuous event modeling** | 8.1 (13 reviews) | 7.6 (19 reviews) | 8.4 (16 reviews) | 6.8 (15 reviews) | 
| **Mechanical event simulation** | 8.4 (18 reviews) | 8.4 (20 reviews) | 8.6 (13 reviews) | 7.2 (16 reviews) | 
| **Manufacturing process simulation** | 8.0 (14 reviews) | 8.1 (18 reviews) | 8.3 (8 reviews) | 7.6 (14 reviews) | 
| **Integrate** | 8.2 (12 reviews) | 8.5 (20 reviews) | 8.2 (13 reviews) | 7.6 (16 reviews) | 

#### Environment

| Feature | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Hardware support** | 7.0 (15 reviews) | 8.2 (19 reviews) | 7.7 (14 reviews) | 7.7 (17 reviews) | 
| **Task** | 8.3 (12 reviews) | 8.2 (17 reviews) | 8.0 (17 reviews) | 7.7 (18 reviews) | 
| **Manage Multiple Profiles** | 8.5 (13 reviews) | 7.8 (16 reviews) | 8.2 (10 reviews) | 6.9 (18 reviews) | 
| **Command Clarity** | 8.6 (19 reviews) | 8.3 (21 reviews) | 8.7 (17 reviews) | 8.1 (19 reviews) | 

### Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Abaqus** | N/A | N/A |
| **SolidWorks Simulation** | N/A | N/A |
| **Simulink** | N/A | N/A |
| **Inventor** | 9.0/10 | 6 |

#### Tools - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)

| Feature | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **3D/solid modeling Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (5 reviews) | 
| **Rendering Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Drawing Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (5 reviews) | 
| **Editing Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Text Editing Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### File Options - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)

| Feature | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Export Files** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Import Files** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **File Interoperability** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.3 (5 reviews) | 
| **Backwards compatibility** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **File size** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.3 (5 reviews) | 

#### Customization - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)

| Feature | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Custom Commands** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Scripts** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Menus** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Interface** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Environment - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)

| Feature | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Hardware support** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Task-based interfaces** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Manage Multiple Profiles** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Command Clarity** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories
**Shared Categories (1):** [Simulation & CAE Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/simulation-cae)


**Unique to SolidWorks Simulation (1):** [Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/mechanical-computer-aided-design-mcad)


**Unique to Inventor (2):** [Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/mechanical-computer-aided-design-mcad), [General-Purpose CAD Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/general-purpose-cad)


---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Abaqus | SolidWorks Simulation | Simulink | Inventor | 
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 45.3% | 42.1% | 22.1% | 35.0% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 26.4% | 47.4% | 34.7% | 42.7% | 
| **Enterprise** | 28.3% | 10.5% | 43.2% | 22.3% | 

### By Industry

#### Abaqus

- **Mechanical or Industrial Engineering:** 18.9%
- **Higher Education:** 18.9%
- **Automotive:** 17.0%
- **Aviation & Aerospace:** 11.3%
- **Research:** 9.4%
- **Airlines/Aviation:** 7.5%
- **Design:** 5.7%
- **Transportation/Trucking/Railroad:** 1.9%
- **Museums and Institutions:** 1.9%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 1.9%
- **Other:** 5.7%

#### SolidWorks Simulation

- **Mechanical or Industrial Engineering:** 22.8%
- **Design:** 15.8%
- **Higher Education:** 14.0%
- **Oil & Energy:** 7.0%
- **Machinery:** 7.0%
- **Airlines/Aviation:** 3.5%
- **Consulting:** 3.5%
- **Industrial Automation:** 3.5%
- **Architecture & Planning:** 1.8%
- **Automotive:** 1.8%
- **Other:** 19.3%

#### Simulink

- **Information Technology and Services:** 17.9%
- **Automotive:** 13.7%
- **Higher Education:** 10.5%
- **Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing:** 8.4%
- **Mechanical or Industrial Engineering:** 6.3%
- **Computer Software:** 4.2%
- **Airlines/Aviation:** 3.2%
- **Defense & Space:** 3.2%
- **Research:** 3.2%
- **Aviation & Aerospace:** 2.1%
- **Other:** 27.4%

#### Inventor

- **Mechanical or Industrial Engineering:** 24.9%
- **Machinery:** 7.8%
- **Design:** 7.1%
- **Construction:** 5.0%
- **Oil & Energy:** 3.8%
- **Utilities:** 3.8%
- **Automotive:** 2.6%
- **Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing:** 2.6%
- **Industrial Automation:** 2.4%
- **Education Management:** 2.4%
- **Other:** 37.7%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Abaqus

- [MATLAB](https://www.g2.com/products/matlab/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (771 reviews)
- [Ansys Mechanical](https://www.g2.com/products/ansys-mechanical/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (92 reviews)
- [Altair HyperWorks](https://www.g2.com/products/altair-hyperworks/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (56 reviews)
- [Ansys LS-DYNA](https://www.g2.com/products/ansys-ls-dyna/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (48 reviews)
- [COMSOL Multiphysics®](https://www.g2.com/products/comsol-multiphysics/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (36 reviews)
- [Altair OptiStruct](https://www.g2.com/products/altair-optistruct/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (34 reviews)
- [Inventor Nastran](https://www.g2.com/products/inventor-nastran/reviews) — 4.0/5 stars (23 reviews)
- [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (519 reviews)
- [Ansys Fluent](https://www.g2.com/products/ansys-fluent/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (122 reviews)
- [SOLIDWORKS](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (644 reviews)

### Alternatives to SolidWorks Simulation

- [Designcenter](https://www.g2.com/products/designcenter/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (600 reviews)
- [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (519 reviews)
- [Ansys Mechanical](https://www.g2.com/products/ansys-mechanical/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (92 reviews)
- [Altair HyperWorks](https://www.g2.com/products/altair-hyperworks/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (56 reviews)
- [COMSOL Multiphysics®](https://www.g2.com/products/comsol-multiphysics/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (36 reviews)
- [MATLAB](https://www.g2.com/products/matlab/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (771 reviews)
- [Inventor Nastran](https://www.g2.com/products/inventor-nastran/reviews) — 4.0/5 stars (23 reviews)
- [Designcenter Solid Edge](https://www.g2.com/products/designcenter-solid-edge/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (606 reviews)
- [Onshape](https://www.g2.com/products/onshape/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (695 reviews)
- [Ansys LS-DYNA](https://www.g2.com/products/ansys-ls-dyna/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (48 reviews)

### Alternatives to Simulink

- [Simcenter Amesim](https://www.g2.com/products/simcenter-amesim/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (123 reviews)
- [Scilab](https://www.g2.com/products/scilab/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (64 reviews)
- [GNU Octave](https://www.g2.com/products/gnu-octave/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (55 reviews)
- [NI Multisim](https://www.g2.com/products/ni-multisim/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (42 reviews)
- [COMSOL Multiphysics®](https://www.g2.com/products/comsol-multiphysics/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (36 reviews)
- [PSIM](https://www.g2.com/products/psim/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (27 reviews)
- [SimPy](https://www.g2.com/products/simpy/reviews) — 3.9/5 stars (5 reviews)
- [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (519 reviews)
- [SOLIDWORKS](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (644 reviews)
- [Ansys Fluent](https://www.g2.com/products/ansys-fluent/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (122 reviews)

### Alternatives to Inventor

- [Onshape](https://www.g2.com/products/onshape/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (695 reviews)
- [SOLIDWORKS](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (644 reviews)
- [Designcenter Solid Edge](https://www.g2.com/products/designcenter-solid-edge/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (606 reviews)
- [Creo](https://www.g2.com/products/creo-2025-08-26/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (200 reviews)
- [IronCAD](https://www.g2.com/products/ironcad/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (43 reviews)
- [CATIA](https://www.g2.com/products/catia/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (256 reviews)
- [Rhinoceros](https://www.g2.com/products/rhinoceros/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (192 reviews)
- [FreeCAD](https://www.g2.com/products/freecad/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (61 reviews)
- [SketchUp](https://www.g2.com/products/sketchup/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1326 reviews)
- [Designcenter](https://www.g2.com/products/designcenter/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (600 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Abaqus

No discussions available for this product.

### SolidWorks Simulation

- Title: [What is the use of Solidworks software?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-the-use-of-solidworks-software) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Its Computer aided design software, of course you can do lot of things using solidworks package. 
Design 3D CAD Engineering models
2D technical drawing..."
- Title: [Is solidworks simulation free?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-solidworks-simulation-free) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "No its based on subscription"

### Simulink

No discussions available for this product.

### Inventor

- Title: [What are some of the best practices for students working in groups to use Inventor?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-are-some-of-the-best-practices-for-students-working-in-groups-to-use-inventor) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "Hi, to be honest with you, I would work with a consultant on that. It shouldn't take more than a day for a consultant to help with a report that will answer..."
- Title: [How do you handle the data creation problem?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-do-you-handle-the-data-creation-problem) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "You basically need to create each model from scratch in Inventor. You can copy your AutoCAD in Inventor and extrude the models but the models won't be..."
- Title: [Is integration with other Autodesk products being considered?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/15145-is-integration-with-other-autodesk-products-being-considered) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "Autodesk published a video on how to export Inventor parts to Revit here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue7-WtyiUtI"
- Title: [Is there a good place to look for more advanced tutorials/examples for iLogic?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/13895-is-there-a-good-place-to-look-for-more-advanced-tutorials-examples-for-ilogic) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "I'm not aware of a flat out repository for examples, but there is a fantastic thread on the Inventor forum that showcases a ton of different examples. If you..."
- Title: [there is a form to get more realistic renders from inventor?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/12147-there-is-a-form-to-get-more-realistic-renders-from-inventor) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "Max can load Inventor files natively, so that's certainly one option.

The render engine in Inventor is pretty good, though. There is a great deal of ..."

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/abaqus-vs-solidworks-solidworks-simulation-vs-simulink-vs-inventor)