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SimScale

By SimScale GmbH

4.6 out of 5 stars

How would you rate your experience with SimScale?

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SimScale Pros and Cons: Top Advantages and Disadvantages

Quick AI Summary Based on G2 Reviews

Generated from real user reviews

Users value the ease of use of SimScale, praising its intuitive interface and seamless integration with CAD tools. (64 mentions)
Users commend the responsive and proficient customer support of SimScale, enhancing their experience with efficient troubleshooting. (50 mentions)
Users value the integrated FEA and CFD capabilities of SimScale, enhancing versatility and simplifying engineering simulations. (48 mentions)
Users value the online accessibility of SimScale, appreciating its ease of use and quick support response. (35 mentions)
Users highlight the efficiency improvements from SimScale, enabling faster simulations and parallel design work without PC overload. (17 mentions)
Users find a lack of features in SimScale, expressing concerns over outdated tutorials and insufficient post-processing tools. (14 mentions)
Users experience meshing issues with vague controls, slower simulations, and lack of depth in mesh parameters. (12 mentions)
Users report experiencing slow simulations that stall for hours, raising concerns about efficiency and reliability. (12 mentions)
Users experience performance issues with SimScale, particularly during large simulations, causing delays and frustrations. (11 mentions)
Users face challenges with complex modeling, as mesh issues and limited built-in tools complicate simulation setups. (6 mentions)
Users find SimScale not user-friendly, facing challenges with its learning curve and complex CAD features. (5 mentions)
Users find the complex geometry handling to be difficult and limited, impacting simulation and post-processing capabilities. (4 mentions)
Users find missing features in SimScale, such as lack of buckling calculations and parametric sweeps, limiting functionality. (3 mentions)

Top Pros or Advantages of SimScale

1. Ease of Use
Users value the ease of use of SimScale, praising its intuitive interface and seamless integration with CAD tools.
See 64 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User
E

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.5/5

"Overall a decent cheap program"

What do you like about SimScale?

Its accurate and useful, fairly easy to use, but not intiutive

Jacob B.
JB

Jacob B.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Excellent toolchain and support"

What do you like about SimScale?

Easy and intuitive interfaces for CFD and thermal transport problems. Fast-running simulations and has great flexibility in meshing. Awesome side-by-s

2. Customer Support
Users commend the responsive and proficient customer support of SimScale, enhancing their experience with efficient troubleshooting.
See 50 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Luca M.
LM

Luca M.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

3.0/5

"Nice and easy tool with basic electric field simulation features"

What do you like about SimScale?

It is easy to use, intuitive and integrated with Onshape. Customer support is very responsice and proficient.

SB

Sameer B.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"Easy to use and a great support team that's available quickly"

What do you like about SimScale?

I like that it is cloud based so that I can log in from wherever. It's very easy to use once you understand how to run simulations and the support tea

3. Simulation
Users value the integrated FEA and CFD capabilities of SimScale, enhancing versatility and simplifying engineering simulations.
See 48 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Paul  L.
PL

Paul L.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"Very complete and user friendly Software"

What do you like about SimScale?

I like that Simscale, using it weekly, that integrate Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in one cloud-based platform

SQ

Sarah Q.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Excellent product, user friendly, efficient and with very good customer support"

What do you like about SimScale?

the fast simulation time is helpful as well as the included mesh analysis

4. Online Accessibility
Users value the online accessibility of SimScale, appreciating its ease of use and quick support response.
See 35 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User
U

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Perfect getting started Simulation Tool that requires only a little curiousity"

What do you like about SimScale?

Easy to get started, requires only a little curiousity. Web based so no Hardware preconditions. Tutorials on many examples and many help-ready Users t

Eli G.
EG

Eli G.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"SimScale CFD and FEA"

What do you like about SimScale?

I purchased a SimScale CFD and FEA license for my company. It's a really great product with great support. It's a very easy product to use and setup.

5. Efficiency Improvement
Users highlight the efficiency improvements from SimScale, enabling faster simulations and parallel design work without PC overload.
See 17 mentions

See Related User Reviews

SB

Sameer B.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"Easy to use and a great support team that's available quickly"

What do you like about SimScale?

I like that it is cloud based so that I can log in from wherever. It's very easy to use once you understand how to run simulations and the support tea

Verified User
U

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.0/5

"Simscale - An excellent design companion"

What do you like about SimScale?

Server based processing is excellent for freeing up my pc's processing power, allowing me to complete design tasks in parallel with simulation work.

Top Cons or Disadvantages of SimScale

1. Lack of Features
Users find a lack of features in SimScale, expressing concerns over outdated tutorials and insufficient post-processing tools.
See 14 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Niketa W.
NW

Niketa W.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"Perspective from a student"

What do you dislike about SimScale?

In the modal analysis there isn't an option to do a free body. Quite alot of the tutorials online are outdated and aren't relevant or aren't as easy t

MG

Mikel G.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.0/5

"Good experience overall."

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Maybe a bit "too easy". For example, having sometimes solid results that may not be that good when in-depth analysed. The software lacks some postpro

2. Meshing Issues
Users experience meshing issues with vague controls, slower simulations, and lack of depth in mesh parameters.
See 12 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Gage C.
GC

Gage C.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.5/5

"Easy to Use Simulation Tool with Wide Functionality"

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Meshes and simulations seem to take longer to run in SimScale than in other programs I have used. SimScale is also less widely known than other progr

Verified User
U

Verified User

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Simplest yet highly powerful CAE software i have ever used"

What do you dislike about SimScale?

- Lack of high level in-depth mesh parameters , but honestly it's not so useful 99% of the time, Simscale does a great job with automatic settings.

3. Slow Simulation
Users report experiencing slow simulations that stall for hours, raising concerns about efficiency and reliability.
See 12 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Gage C.
GC

Gage C.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

4.5/5

"Easy to Use Simulation Tool with Wide Functionality"

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Meshes and simulations seem to take longer to run in SimScale than in other programs I have used. SimScale is also less widely known than other progr

DB

David B.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"SimScale Initially For Flow"

What do you dislike about SimScale?

I have run into times where there will be something wrong with the model and/or mesh where SimScale will restart and then sit stalled for hours unless

4. Performance Issues
Users experience performance issues with SimScale, particularly during large simulations, causing delays and frustrations.
See 11 mentions

See Related User Reviews

JE

Joab E.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Very engaging and has alot of enhanced features to share with the user."

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Due to its performative limits, this cloud infrastructure can handle large simulations, there may still be performance limits compared to high-end loc

DB

David B.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"SimScale Initially For Flow"

What do you dislike about SimScale?

I have run into times where there will be something wrong with the model and/or mesh where SimScale will restart and then sit stalled for hours unless

5. Complex Modeling
Users face challenges with complex modeling, as mesh issues and limited built-in tools complicate simulation setups.
See 6 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Viven S.
VS

Viven S.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.5/5

"Cloud based simulation tool"

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Internal updates are sometimes rolled out without notifying users, complicating things when running a series of simulations.

David E.
DE

David E.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"Great ability to visualize complex scenarios and perform FEA for heat transfer."

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Meshing seems to be my main complaint, as I have had numerous simulations fail due to issues with mesh sizing and quality. Being able to customize the

6. Not User-Friendly
Users find SimScale not user-friendly, facing challenges with its learning curve and complex CAD features.
See 5 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Petr T.
PT

Petr T.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.0/5

"Efficient and great for collaboration"

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Overall, I wish the CAD feature in SimScale was a little more user-friendly. Right now, it's a little difficult to work with so we usually have to be

WM

Will M.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.0/5

"Electromagnetic Simulation for surgical implants"

What do you dislike about SimScale?

The flow region was a little bit annoying since after it was added I would have to hide it. Then when closing and opening the projects again, it would

7. Complex Geometry
Users find the complex geometry handling to be difficult and limited, impacting simulation and post-processing capabilities.
See 4 mentions

See Related User Reviews

DO

Daniel O.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"Powerful and convenient to use"

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Connection features in static simulation are a bit limited. Also it doesn't give reaction forces at your points of connection or constraints. Geometry

Tufan A.
TA

Tufan A.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"The team was very helpful in my projects and in places where I had difficulties."

What do you dislike about SimScale?

The primitive geometries are few and difficult to place.

8. Missing Features
Users find missing features in SimScale, such as lack of buckling calculations and parametric sweeps, limiting functionality.
See 3 mentions

See Related User Reviews

SM

Sławomir M.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"I am using Simscale for 2 years."

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Luck of dimensioning results and there are small bags with particle trace.

Verified User
U

Verified User

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"stiffness calculation"

What do you dislike about SimScale?

missing feature from ansys. missing edit in real model (need make a copy of part).

SimScale Reviews (272)

Reviews

SimScale Reviews (272)

4.6
272 reviews
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Noah S.
NS
Engineering Manager
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Excellent software, excellent support"
What do you like best about SimScale?

SimScale is exceptionally straightforward to use. Currently, we have only used the FEA side of SimScale, but have been very impressed. Not only is the software great, but the technical support that we receive with our subscription is phenomenal. Namely, Igor has been an incredible asset in providing tips/tricks and insight while using SimScale.

SimScale also seamlessly integrates with our 3D software, Onshape. We are able to select the exact version of a part or assembly and import directly into SimScale. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SimScale?

My only gripe against SimScale is its controls (fly, rotate, pan). It is difficult to go back and forth between various software, and need to mentally adjust between controls. I'd love to see this be more user preference driven. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

CM
Independent simulation engineer
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"powerful and intuitive cloud-based FEA-tool with great support"
What do you like best about SimScale?

SimScale combines an intuitive browser-based interface with the flexibility of a professional FEM solver. Onboarding was quick and easy, even coming from ANSYS, and the UI lets me focus on building solid engineering models instead of spending time on setup or IT infrastructure.

The biggest upsides for me (as a freshly started engineering service provider) are the excellent technical support (fast, personal, and very helpful), the fact that I don’t need to invest in expensive hardware or server setups, and the fair pricing.

For everyday structural simulations (static, harmonic, dynamic, thermomechanical) it delivers everything I need. The constant updates and user-requested features are also a strong plus, showing that the platform evolves fast according to the needs of their users. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Some clients of mine expect me to use “big-name” software just for the sake of it, which is not a technical issue but can be a practical one as a freelancer.

Under the standard mechanical FEA license, SimScale is not yet at the same level of solver robustness and feature depth as flagship tools like ANSYS. Very specialized modelling (e.g. advanced composites, multiphysics, or extreme nonlinear / dynamic cases) can be tricky or even impossible, and the solver stability can occasionally be an issue on more demanding setups.

While the platform is improving rapidly and a new MARC solver is promising (but rather costly), for very niche requirements you may still need additional (and much more expensive) tools. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

jaekyung l.
JL
CEO
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Most efficient FEA web service ever!"
What do you like best about SimScale?

Compared to other finite element analysis programs, Simscale offers excellent compatibility with Rhino models. I was able to quickly identify the structural fit, displacements, and interactions of my desired model. Over the past 15 years as an engineer, I've experienced many structural analysis programs, but Simscale is by far the best value for money. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SimScale?

When examining external forces for various cases in a single model, I have to re-enter all the boundary conditions, and it would be nice to be able to retrieve the boundary conditions from just before. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Ankit R.
AR
Robotics Engineer
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Experience using simscale for Thermal, Structural FEA and CFD for Robotics"
What do you like best about SimScale?

Very Intuitive User interface. The workflow integration with Onshape makes it very easy to import assemblies for simulating and testing. Cloud based simulation removes hardware restrictions. Very useful to have access anywhere with an internet connection to improve simulations. The Support team is amazing, extremely knowledgeable and documentation regarding different simulation models is very helpful. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Slightly cost prohibitive for multiple users. Ability to define local coordinate system after importing the CAD to simulate varying load cases is not implemented, so the coordinate system has to be changed in the original source file. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

MH
Mechanical Engineer
Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
"A Powerful and Accessible CFD Platform That Delivers Real Results"
What do you like best about SimScale?

SimScale has completely transformed the way I approach HVAC and airflow analysis. As a mechanical engineer working on complex building systems, I’ve used a range of CFD tools—but SimScale stands out for its balance of capability, ease of use, and accessibility.

What really sets it apart is the cloud-based workflow. I can run large simulations without worrying about hardware limitations, and the interface is intuitive enough that I can quickly set up models, apply boundary conditions, and iterate on designs efficiently. I’ve modeled everything from temperature stratification in high-ceiling spaces to rooftop louver pressure losses, and the results have been both reliable and insightful.

The support team is exceptional—responsive, knowledgeable, and genuinely interested in helping users succeed. They’ve helped me troubleshoot complex setups and provided clear guidance that improved my results.

If you’re in the AEC or HVAC space and need fast, accurate airflow simulations with minimal friction, SimScale is a game-changer. It’s helped me optimize designs, validate performance, and communicate findings with confidence. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Occasional learning curve on advanced solver settings if coming from another CFD program. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

AP
Lead Engineer- Analysis
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"SimScale: An Excellent Platform for Engineering Simulations"
What do you like best about SimScale?

I think SimScale is an excellent platform for engineering simulations because it makes complex analyses accessible and efficient. Its cloud-based AI-powered tools streamline design optimization, and its collaborative features help teams work seamlessly on projects. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SimScale?

I find SimScale to be a great simulation tool, but it does have some frustrating aspects. The meshing process can be tricky, simulations sometimes take longer than expected, and certain features, like advanced post-processing, feel a bit limited. The learning curve is also steep for beginners, which can make getting started a challenge. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Oscar R.
OR
Strategic Product Manager
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"First months using SimScale"
What do you like best about SimScale?

The technical support and following sessions are provides a smooth and adequate induction to the use of SimScale tool. Also, the platform is intuitive and very well organized to provide a robust simulation experience to the user. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SimScale?

To what I have seen and research until now, there is no capability to calculate fatigue failures (number of cycles), under application of periodic thermal, mechanical or combined loads conditions. The results provided from simulations can be used on life predictions models, however, it will be good to have this capability as part of the simulation options in the future. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

AP
HVAC engineer
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"First Steps in CFD with SimScale: A New User’s Perspective"
What do you like best about SimScale?

What I like best about SimScale is the customer support, that’s always readily available to help with projects. It really makes a difference, especially when you're just starting out. The platform is also easy to use and runs entirely in the cloud, so it doesn’t slow down my computer at all—that’s a huge plus! Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SimScale?

The platform is powerful, but for beginners, setting up simulations correctly can be a bit overwhelming without deeper guidance, even with tutorials available. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

HP
Mechanical engineer
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Swiss army knife of CAE world!"
What do you like best about SimScale?

The support team is great. Always taking the extra mile to help.

The documentation is good (could always be better).

Public projects section is one of the best features. Act like the github of the simulation realm.

I appreciate that the failed runs are not considered towards the core hours. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SimScale?

It would have been really good if I could calculate more values in the post-processing. The fact that I had to set all the required results (such as max reaction force of a certain surface over time) before running the simulation, is annoying. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

JW
Sr. Principal Mechanical Engineer
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Very accurate results"
What do you like best about SimScale?

I love not solving on my PC. The cloud computing is great! The results are most important to me, though. I've run many studies in Conjugate Heat Transfer that have matched the benchtop experiments. The support team is a chat box away. They are live experts. This helps a new user get over the learning curve if their sim fails for some reason. Love this! Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about SimScale?

Downsides of Simscale? Nope, I can't think of any. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.