--- title: SOLIDWORKS Reviews meta_title: 'SOLIDWORKS Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta_description: Filter 698 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how SOLIDWORKS works for a business like yours. aggregate_rating: rating_value: 4.5 review_count: 698 scale: '5' date_modified: '2026-09-28' parent_category: name: CAD url: https://www.g2.com/categories/cad --- # SOLIDWORKS Reviews **Vendor:** Dassault Systèmes **Category:** [Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/mechanical-computer-aided-design-mcad) **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 698 **AI Verified:** At least 10 G2 reviewers have confirmed using this product's AI features and functionality. ## About SOLIDWORKS SOLIDWORKS is the industry-standard 3D CAD solution trusted by more than 8 million engineers and designers worldwide. For over 30 years, it has helped mechanical engineers, product designers and manufacturing firms compress design cycles, control costs and deliver higher-quality products faster. SOLIDWORKS combines parametric 3D modeling, integrated simulation, product data management and direct manufacturing workflows in a single, connected environment—eliminating the need for disconnected point tools. Key Benefits: Parametric 3D Modeling: Design parts, assemblies and production-ready drawings with tools built for large, complex products. Changes ripple automatically across all models, drawings and documentation. Integrated Simulation and FEA: Validate designs early with built-in structural, thermal, motion and flow analysis to reduce physical prototyping costs. Cloud Collaboration and Secure File Management: Share and mark up designs in 3D in a browser—no extra software needed. CAD-aware cloud storage keeps file relationships intact with a single source of truth. PDM and Data Lifecycle Management: Automate workflows, manage revisions and control engineering change orders with full version control. AI Virtual Companions: Reduce repetitive tasks with assistive, predictive and generative AI tools that understand your design intent and keep projects moving. Design-to-Manufacturing Workflows: Take designs from ideation to production with integrated CAM, model-based definition, inspection and costing—all driven by the same 3D data. What Sets SOLIDWORKS Apart Built by engineers, for engineers, SOLIDWORKS delivers an intuitive, customizable interface backed by decades of user-driven development and regular capability updates throughout the year. ## SOLIDWORKS Pros & Cons Pros and Cons are compiled from review feedback and grouped into themes to provide an easy-to-understand summary of user reviews. **What users like:** - Users appreciate the **user-friendly interface** of SOLIDWORKS, enhancing their design experience across various sectors. (34 reviews) - Users appreciate the **user-friendly interface** and robust tool options in SOLIDWORKS that enhance productivity and flexibility. (28 reviews) - Users find SOLIDWORKS to be **user-friendly and cost-effective** , making it ideal for both beginners and professionals. (25 reviews) - Users value the **user-friendly interface** of SOLIDWORKS, facilitating fast learning and enhancing productivity in design tasks. (20 reviews) - Users value the **CAD integration** of SOLIDWORKS, enhancing design flexibility with comprehensive tools and simulation capabilities. (15 reviews) - Users value the **in-built simulation tools** in SOLIDWORKS, which enhance testing and analysis efficiency for complex designs. (15 reviews) - CAD Designing (14 reviews) - Efficiency (14 reviews) - Users value the **robust features** of SOLIDWORKS, which enhance machine design and support diverse modeling needs. (14 reviews) - Intuitive (14 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users experience **performance issues** with SOLIDWORKS, especially with large assemblies and complex models, affecting productivity. (16 reviews) - Users experience **slow performance** with large assemblies, affecting productivity and causing occasional crashes during complex modeling. (15 reviews) - Users note the **high system requirements** of SOLIDWORKS, necessitating powerful hardware for optimal performance. (14 reviews) - Users find SOLIDWORKS to be **expensive** , particularly challenging for small businesses to afford and justify. (11 reviews) - Users experience **slow simulation** issues with large assemblies, affecting performance and responsiveness during complex modeling tasks. (11 reviews) - Users find the **complexity** of SOLIDWORKS challenging, especially during installation and when working with mesh models. (10 reviews) - High Hardware Requirements (10 reviews) - Users experience **software instability** with SolidWorks, facing issues like crashes and slow performance with large assemblies. (10 reviews) - Users often face **assembly issues** in SOLIDWORKS, experiencing slow performance and crashes with large and complex models. (9 reviews) - Crashes (9 reviews) ## SOLIDWORKS Reviews ### 1. Versatile, Great Value, and Easy to Learn **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Dan F. | Principal Mechanical Design Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** Its versatility—by which I mean the ability to create almost anything in it—and the fact that I can come from other software and still learn to use Solidworks quickly and with relatively little effort. It offers good value for money, especially the makers versions and student versions. It performs generally well on any hardware and the forums and YouTube are a great place to get help and more information. The training is relatively straightforward and gets you up and running in a short amount of time. The Excel integrations and plugins make it versatile with Microsoft systems and now they are introducing AI elements, it will only get better. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Stability is one of the main issues I struggle with. With crashes a daily occurrence on any hardware platform. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** In the past I have used it for CFD, FEA, product design, animations, product renders, jig design, the list goes on and on. ### 2. Intuitive and Powerful 3D Modeling Tool **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Thomas V. | Principal Mechanical Engineer, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 08, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I love SOLIDWORKS for its ease of use and intuitive interface, which makes it my go-to tool for 3D modeling. I find it fairly easy to create any shape I can imagine, and the control over edges and tangencies in freeform surface modeling is powerful for complex designs. The help tools are extensive, and the widely-used nature of the software ensures there's plenty of existing 3D models and community support available. The freeform surface modeling tool is particularly useful for product design, allowing a lot of flexibility and creativity. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** SOLIDWORKS has certain little bugs, particularly with appearances getting confused which can lead to unintended results. There's also the issue of system crashes where I might lose some of my work if it's not saved frequently. Additionally, it would be ideal if all the SOLIDWORKS tools were available as one complete package without needing separate add-ins. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS is my go-to tool for 3D modeling. It's intuitive and has extensive help tools, enabling me to easily create complex shapes and designs. The freeform surface modeling tool gives me precise control over designs, making it ideal for both professional projects and personal hobbies. ### 3. SOLIDWORKS – The software that helps us save lives! **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Phil H. | Senior Engineer (In-Service Support), Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 15, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** SOLIDWORKS makes it relatively quick and intuitive to turn an idea into a detailed 3D design, while making it easy to adapt and change things as the design develops. It brings modelling, assemblies and drawings together in one environment, with good visualisation and a wide range of tools covering most aspects of the design process. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** It does require reasonably capable hardware, particularly when working with large or complex models and assemblies. There is also so much functionality available that most users will probably never know everything it can do. We naturally tend to stick with the tools and workflows we know, which means some genuinely useful features can easily be missed. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** We use SOLIDWORKS every day to design and develop lifeboats and their systems, which need to operate reliably in some very demanding conditions. It allows us to design accurately, understand how components and assemblies interact, and use simulation to assess designs before anything is manufactured. Ultimately, it helps us identify problems earlier and develop safer, more reliable engineering solutions. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Thanks for sharing such a detailed review, Phil. It means a lot to hear how SOLIDWORKS supports the design and development of lifeboats and their systems. Work like yours, where reliability under demanding conditions is non-negotiable, is exactly why we focus on giving engineers tools to catch problems early and build safer, more reliable solutions. We also appreciate your note on hardware requirements and the depth of functionality available. It's a fair point that with so many tools at hand, some features can go undiscovered. If you're looking to explore workflows beyond your daily routine, MySolidWorks training [https://my.solidworks.com/training] and the user community which you may already know about [link below] are great places to find tips from other engineers doing similar work. Thanks again for taking the time to share this, and for trusting SOLIDWORKS with work that genuinely helps save lives. ### 4. Easy-to-Use SOLIDWORKS with Highly Customizable UI and Shortcuts **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jonathan M. | Design Engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 14, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** My favorite part of SOLIDWORKS is how easy it is to use. The UI is customizable for each user, which makes it simple for everyone to keep their most-used tools, features, and other functions right where they want them. On top of that, additional customization through shortcut keys, mouse gestures, and the "S" key flyout menu really lets you create a personal space that helps you work as efficiently as possible. A very close second is the sheer number of tools available for creating 3D parametric models and assemblies. I regularly use the specialized tools for creating sheet metal parts that can unfold with the click of a button, weldments that can be trimmed to create corner joints and copes in multiple configurations, and direct editing tools for working with imported geometry. The surfacing tools are also great for repairing imported geometry that has gaps or other issues, and the mold tools offer a diverse set of options to go from part to finished mold while keeping design aspects linked, which makes updates and changes simpler. On top of that, the simulation tools (both built-in and add-on) allow you to verify designs with intuitive inputs and a wizard that guides you through the setup. The community surrounding SOLIDWORKS is unrivaled. If you’re looking for an answer, the online community, resellers, and user groups are a great place to start. Everyone has their own strengths when it comes to software as complex as SOLIDWORKS, and they’re more than willing to help you solve your problem. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** In my experience, the biggest downside of SOLIDWORKS is its performance when I’m working with components that have a large number of features, or when I’m handling large assemblies. I understand that 3D modeling is inherently demanding on a computer’s hardware, but even after optimizing the settings within SOLIDWORKS, it doesn’t always resolve the performance problems. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** One of the best things about SOLIDWORKS is that they’re constantly innovating. With every release, the software includes new features along with bug fixes. They also take user enhancement requests seriously and seem to prioritize improvements based on real user suggestions, rather than only adding features they’ve come up with internally. Since I started using SOLIDWORKS 2007, I’ve seen numerous enhancements to sheet metal, weldments, and drawing tools, and those updates have helped me create easier designs, produce clearer shop drawings, and, overall, use my time more efficiently. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > What a thoughtful, detailed review, Jonathan—thank you for taking the time to share it. We love hearing how you've made SOLIDWORKS your own through the customizable UI, shortcut keys and the "S" key flyout, and it's great to know the specialized tools for sheet metal, weldments and simulation are earning their place in your workflow. Your point about performance with large assemblies and feature-heavy components is noted and appreciated, and it's precisely the kind of hands-on insight that shapes our development priorities. Thanks again for being part of our community, Jonathan! ### 5. SOLIDWORKS: A-to-Z Product Design And Engineering **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Rob W. | Senior Industrial Design Engineer, Design, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through a business email account added to their profile **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 11, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** SOLIDWORKS is my go-to tool for integrated industrial design projects. It offers an A-to-Z solution for product development, with an extensive set of surfacing features for complex shape design, all the way through to professional engineering and manufacturability tools for real-world products, machines, and vehicles. This gives us the flexibility to integrate last-minute insights into the product without the software becoming a constraint in the optimization process. Instead, it serves as an efficient tool for exploring variations and ultimately achieving better designs. Having a single solution rather than separate packages and licenses for every design and engineering phase also offers great value for money. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** The surfacing tools can be a bit cumbersome and have a steeper learning curve compared to Sub-D tools or much more expensive dedicated CAD packages. But with the right skills, you can create surprisingly complex shapes with great surface quality and curvature. That said, a truly integrated Sub-D-like tool for quick concepting and more fluid surface modeling is high on my wish list. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Although the software’s possibilities are almost endless, its intuitive user interface makes onboarding students and employees quick and efficient. As a result, they can remove much of the guesswork from the design process early on, which makes it a strong tool for confirming that everything fits and works as intended before investing in costly physical prototypes. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Rob, thank you for a thoughtful review. We're glad SOLIDWORKS works as a true A-to-Z solution for you, carrying projects from complex surfacing all the way through to the engineering and manufacturability tools that get real products, machines and vehicles built. It's great to hear that the flexibility to fold in last-minute insights keeps the software working for you, not against you, and that a single integrated solution delivers the value you're after. We also appreciate your honest note on the surfacing learning curve (adding a link to MySolidWorks Surface Modeling tutorials below in case it is helpful). Your firsthand input helps guide where we take the tools next. Thanks again for choosing SOLIDWORKS. ### 6. An incredibly capable CAD platform—with a few “SOLIDQUIRKS” **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** James L. | Designer III, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 09, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** What I like best about SOLIDWORKS is the combination of its intuitive interface and powerful parametric modeling capabilities. The software gives me multiple ways to access the tools I need, which makes it easy to build efficient workflows around how I work. Shortcuts like the S-key toolbar have become an essential part of my daily workflow. I also really appreciate the strength of its design-intent and parametric modeling. When a model is built thoughtfully, making design changes can be incredibly efficient because the rest of the model can respond intelligently to those changes. That flexibility, combined with the depth of tools available for parts, assemblies, drawings, and sheet metal, is what keeps SOLIDWORKS my preferred CAD platform for day-to-day mechanical design. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** My biggest frustration with SOLIDWORKS is that it can occasionally be finicky. I affectionately call these “SOLIDQUIRKS”—those situations where something that worked perfectly before suddenly decides it doesn't want to cooperate. Some features and workflows can also create dependencies that aren't always obvious. For example, the Tab and Slot feature can create references between parts that can be difficult to break or manage when you want the geometry to become independent. I would like to see more control over those relationships directly within the feature. Drawings have their quirks as well, particularly with things like foreshortened dimensions that can sometimes behave unpredictably. Performance and stability can also be affected by how models are constructed and by the hardware being used. SOLIDWORKS is very hardware-intensive, and things like excessive mates, underdefined sketches, rebuild errors, and complex models can all contribute to problems. That said, in my current role I have experienced very few crashes, so I don't consider stability a significant issue in my day-to-day use. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS gives me a powerful way to take a design concept and turn it into accurate, manufacturable parts and assemblies while maintaining the design intent throughout the process. Its parametric modeling makes it easy to make changes and iterate on designs without having to rebuild everything from scratch. It also helps me manage the complexity of real-world mechanical designs by allowing parts, assemblies, and drawings to remain interconnected. Changes made to a model can flow through to assemblies and drawings, which saves significant time and reduces the risk of errors. Ultimately, SOLIDWORKS makes my day-to-day design work more efficient. I can develop, modify, document, and communicate mechanical designs in one environment, allowing me to spend more time solving engineering and design problems rather than fighting the CAD software. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > "SOLIDQUIRKS", James, we don't hear that one every day, and we appreciate it. A 4.5 rating, paired with a name that witty says a lot about how well you know the software. It's clear you've put in the time: building models where design intent does the heavy lifting, reaching for the S-key toolbar without thinking, and working across parts, assemblies, drawings and sheet metal as one connected workflow. That's exactly the kind of efficiency we aim for. Your notes on Tab and Slot reference management, foreshortened dimensions, and the role model construction plays in performance are precise, practical, and the kind of input our teams pay close attention to. Glad stability hasn't been an issue in your current role. Thanks for the thoughtful review. ### 7. SolidWorks: Powerful, User-Friendly, and Continuously Evolving **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Neil Jefferson A. | Senior Design Engineer, Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 09, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** What I like most about SolidWorks is its feature-based design tree approach, which makes it very easy to modify and update designs whenever engineering changes are required. This significantly improves efficiency and flexibility throughout the design process. The user interface is also intuitive, user-friendly, and easy to navigate, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced users. Another aspect I greatly appreciated was the structured learning paths, which provided clear guidance on what to study and practice when I was first learning SolidWorks. I have been using SolidWorks for more than a decade, and one of the reasons I continue to value it is its commitment to continuous improvement. Each new release introduces useful enhancements and innovative features that help streamline design workflows, improve productivity, and support more efficient product development. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** One downside of Solidworks is that there are frequent updates, and sometimes I have difficulty installing them because of internal company security restrictions. At the same time, that can also be a positive, since it means the software keeps improving over time. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SolidWorks helps solve the problem of 2D drawings being very difficult to visualize, which can lead to manufacturing errors and a lot of wasted effort and cost on prototypes. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Neil, thank you—and a decade-plus with SOLIDWORKS means a lot to us. It's great to hear the feature-based design tree keeps engineering changes fast and flexible, and that the interface has worked for you from day one right through to today. Replacing hard-to-read 2D drawings with clear 3D models that catch manufacturing issues early is exactly the kind of difference we design for. We hear you on the friction with installation updates. Company security policies can make that difficult. Your feedback helps us work on making the experience smoother. Thanks again for your thoughtful review. ### 8. Easy-to-Learn UI with Helpful Tooltips That Boost ROI **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Todd H. | Computer Aided Design Administrator, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 08, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** One of the most helpful aspects of SOLIDWORKS is it UI, or User Interface. It is easy to learn and the tooltips that are available will help anyone learn the commands quickly and efficiently. This is a big plus when it comes to the ROI, or Return On Investment. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** One of the downsides of working with SOLIDWORKS and perforated panels is performance. SOLIDWORKS does not do a great job with sketching many, 2500+ holes. Even patterns of smaller groupings of holes is not handled well. It recognizes every sketch entity in a pattern, instead of patterning the cut itself. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** We had always had to do physical testing up until we bought SOLIDWORKS. Now we utilize FEA and Motion to take us a long way into the prototype schedule. By doing many iterations of products, we have come to trust the outputs of the program. This has saved us multiple thousands of dollars by not having to create physical prototypes for testing. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Todd, thank you for such a detailed and honest review. We're glad the intuitive interface and tooltips helped you get up to speed quickly—and that the ROI case made itself. Results like these are exactly why we build SOLIDWORKS the way we do. Replacing physical prototypes with FEA and Motion, running confident iterations and saving thousands of dollars in the process, is a meaningful outcome. We're proud to be part of that. Your feedback on the perforated panels is noted, too. Handling 2,500+ holes as individual sketch entities rather than patterned cuts is a real performance limitation, and specific input like yours drives improvement. Thanks for sharing both sides. ### 9. An Complete, Afortable Solution for Mechanical Design and Engineering Analysis **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Theodore C. | Educator at University of West Attica, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 08, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I have been using SOLIDWORKS since 2006 for professional mechanical design, engineering analysis, and education. Its greatest strength is the integration of the engineering workflow—from concept and parametric 3D modeling to assemblies, Simulation, technical drawings, and manufacturing documentation. The interface is relatively intuitive, while the software provides enough depth for advanced engineering applications. I particularly value the close connection between CAD and SOLIDWORKS Simulation, which makes it possible to evaluate and improve designs without separating modeling from engineering analysis. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Performance and stability can still be challenging with complex assemblies, large drawings, and demanding projects. I would like to see greater emphasis on robustness, performance, and refinement of existing functionality rather than continually adding new features. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS allows me to take an engineering problem from concept → design → analysis → optimization → documentation → manufacturing within one environment. Professionally, this reduces iteration time and helps validate designs before manufacturing. In education, it allows me to connect engineering theory and hand calculations with real CAD models and finite element analysis, helping bridge the gap between theory and engineering practice. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Theodore, thank you for such a considered review, and for nearly two decades of designing with SOLIDWORKS since 2006. It's great to hear how much value you get from working across the full engineering workflow in one place, moving from parametric 3D modeling and assemblies through Simulation, drawings and manufacturing documentation without breaking stride. You're right that performance and stability on complex assemblies and large drawings still deserve attention, and your call for sharper refinement of existing tools over new features is fair, well-taken feedback. Thanks again for sharing such thoughtful insight. ### 10. A Powerful Software That Continues To Grow **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Gaurab C. | R&D Engineer, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through a business email account added to their profile **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 04, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** What I like most is being able to go from sketch to final product in a short period of time. This is the one thing SOLIDWORKS does better than any other CAD software. The ease of use, the beginner friendly UI and the functional depth really set it apart. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** I’ve noticed the trend is shifting more toward cloud-based software. Personally, I prefer having software installed and kept on my own computer for privacy reasons. To me, that feels like it reduces the chances of cyber attacks/hacking and similar issues. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I really like the addition of AI, and having AI companions adds a lot to the overall experience. Instead of having to dig through forums and other portals to find answers, it’s helpful to have an assistant that can not only support your designs and recommend things, but also solve some of your problems along the way. For me, this can genuinely speed up the design process. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Thank you for such a thoughtful review Gaurab. It's great to hear how much the sketch-to-final-product workflow and user friendly UI have helped you, and we appreciate you naming that as a standout strength. Regarding your concerns about cloud security, these are entirely valid points worth addressing. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform holds ISO 27701 certification for privacy information management, and its security controls are independently audited by Deloitte in accordance with AICPA SOC 2 Type 2 standards. Data security and privacy are central priorities for Dassault Systèmes, and further details can be found at our Trust Center: https://www.3ds.com/trust-center We're also so glad the SOLIDWORKS AI Virtual Companion features are already saving you time and helping speed up your design process. Thanks again for sharing your experience with the community! ### 11. Easy to Use, Great Exports, and Leo AI Makes Presentations Fast **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** SHAWGI S. | Mechanical Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 07, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** It’s easy to use and very clear. There’s also a lot of information on YouTube showing how to do specific tasks, which makes it easier to learn as I go. For sheet metal and structures, exporting my work is really straightforward. In the last update, they introduced AI (Leo), and it helps a lot by making it faster and more accurate to prepare and present my work. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Some topics are difficult to get into, such as APIs, macros, and PDM. I don’t feel there’s enough material available to learn these properly, so it can be hard to build a solid understanding. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** For me, since I work with sheet metal a lot, this makes my job much easier. Being able to design a complete 3D part and then flatten any part with a single click is a feature that’s worth investing in. On top of that, the spacing for the bending machine is calculated automatically. And when it comes to welded structures, SolidWorks generates the BOM with ease. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Thank you, Shawgi, for such a generous review. It's great to hear that the interface, the wealth of YouTube tutorials, and the sheet metal exporting have made the learning curve feel manageable. Even better, it's better to know that the AI Virtual Companion LEO is already speeding up how you prepare and present your work. Your point on APIs, macros, and PDM is well taken, Shawgi. Those are genuinely more advanced areas, and we agree the learning materials there could go further. In the meantime, the official SOLIDWORKS API Help documentation is a solid starting point (accessible in-app under Help > API Help), and MySolidWorks offers a dedicated API Fundamentals training course: https://my.solidworks.com/training/elearning/68/api-fundamentals It's especially rewarding to hear how much time the one-click flattening, automatic bend spacing, and BOM generation for welded structures are saving you. Thank you again for the detailed feedback! ### 12. Intuitive Workflow and Powerful Community Support for Complex Mechanical Design **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ali S. | Chassis Head, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 06, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** The UI and workflow have completely become muscle memory for my daily mechanical design tasks. When I am working on complex assemblies, routing, or iterating on sheet metal components for our racing team's chassis, I can focus entirely on the engineering rather than fighting the interface. Earning my CSWE certification really opened my eyes to the advanced capabilities of the software, and becoming a SOLIDWORKS Champion has connected me with an incredibly deep user community. Having access to decades of community history and knowledge is an absolute lifesaver when I hit a wall with a complex design problem late at night. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** While it handles individual parts and moderate sub-assemblies beautifully, working with very large, complex top-level assemblies can sometimes bog down system resources, even on a highly capable workstation. You definitely learn to build a muscle memory for hitting 'Save' frequently, as pushing the software hard can occasionally lead to unexpected crashes. Additionally, the strict lack of backwards compatibility can be frustrating; if you are collaborating with external manufacturing partners or suppliers who are running a previous year's version, sharing native files becomes an unnecessary hurdle. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** The biggest problem SOLIDWORKS solves for me is bridging the risky gap between digital conceptualization and physical fabrication. When designing complex mechanical assemblies or chassis components, the software allows me to accurately tailor parts for specific manufacturing methods—whether that involves CNC machining, turning, or laser cutting. It essentially eliminates the guesswork before a part ever reaches the shop floor. By allowing me to verify precise clearances, exact material thicknesses, and mechanical fit digitally, it prevents costly trial-and-error and significantly reduces wasted material during the actual build phase. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Ali, thank you for such a rich and specific review. It's fantastic to hear that the workflow has become second nature for your daily mechanical design work, and that earning your CSWE certification and becoming a SOLIDWORKS Champion has opened up both advanced capabilities and a valuable community. Knowing that network has helped you through tough design problems late at night says a lot about what that community means. On large assemblies, our current guide on Improving Large Assembly Performance covers tools like Performance Evaluation and SpeedPak that may help stretch your system's resources further: https://help.solidworks.com/2026/English/SolidWorks/sldworks/c_Improving_Large_Assembly_Performance_SWassy.htm. On backwards compatibility, that's actually seen real movement since SOLIDWORKS 2024: you can now save files back to the two previous release years, which should ease a lot of friction when collaborating with partners on older versions. Details here: https://help.solidworks.com/2026/English/SolidWorks/sldworks/c_Save_SW_Docs_Previous_Versions.htm It's especially great to hear how SOLIDWORKS helps you close the gap between digital design and the shop floor, verifying clearances and material thickness before a part ever gets cut. Thanks again for such a detailed and generous review, Ali. ### 13. Powerful for mechanical design, even better with its community **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Carlo P. | Responsible of the Metrology Technical & Automation Dept, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 04, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** What I like most about SOLIDWORKS is how natural the workflow becomes once you use it regularly. Moving from sketches to features, assemblies and drawings feels very consistent, and over time many operations become almost automatic. I mainly use SOLIDWORKS for mechanical design related to industrial automation, machine vision and custom equipment, so I appreciate how easily I can go from an idea to a real, manufacturable component or complete assembly. Parametric modeling, configurations and assembly tools are especially useful when projects evolve and dimensions, sensors or components need to change. Another major strength is the community. SOLIDWORKS has decades of tutorials, forum discussions, user groups and shared knowledge behind it. When I run into a very specific problem, there is a good chance that another user has already faced something similar and documented a solution. For me, that combination of a mature CAD workflow and a very active engineering community is one of the main reasons I continue to use SOLIDWORKS. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** What I dislike most is that some parts of the SOLIDWORKS ecosystem can feel more complex than they need to be. The core CAD workflow is very intuitive once you know it, but the integration with 3DEXPERIENCE, cloud services and the different roles/apps can sometimes be confusing. Performance can also become an issue with large or complex assemblies, especially if the project is not carefully structured and optimized. In addition, some areas of the interface feel more modern than others, so the overall user experience is not always completely consistent. I would like to see a more unified experience between desktop SOLIDWORKS and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, with simpler navigation and fewer steps for common tasks. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps me turn engineering ideas into real, manufacturable systems. I use it to design mechanical components, fixtures, sensor and camera supports, enclosures and complete assemblies for industrial automation and machine vision projects. One of the biggest benefits is parametric design. In real projects, dimensions change, components are replaced and customers often request variants. With SOLIDWORKS, I can update the design without rebuilding everything from scratch and keep parts, assemblies and drawings connected. It also helps me bridge the mechanical side with the rest of my work in automation, robotics and software. Having a reliable 3D model makes it easier to validate layouts, avoid interferences and move from concept to manufacturing with fewer mistakes. For me, the main benefit is reducing the distance between an idea and a working machine. ### 14. Powerful 3D Design with Great Value and Strong Support Ecosystem **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** praveen k. | Assistant Manager - Post Sales, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 04, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I like most about SOLIDWORKS is its intuitive and powerful 3D design environment. It makes complex mechanical design, assemblies, drawings, simulation, and manufacturing workflows much easier to manage. The strong feature-based modeling, parametric design, large ecosystem, and seamless integration with manufacturing and CAM tools make it a very practical solution for real-world engineering. . with the best value for money, tremendous reseller community for the technical support on both online and offline , recently added the aura, leo and marie the AI capablities bring a stronge foundation towards upcoming days . **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** The main areas I would like to see improved in SOLIDWORKS are performance with large assemblies, stability when working with complex models, and better integration between SOLIDWORKS Desktop, PDM, and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. There are also areas where workflows can feel more complex than necessary, particularly for large assembly management, file references, configuration management, and data management. Improvements in performance, automation, interoperability, and consistency across the desktop and cloud platforms would make the overall user experience even better. That said, SOLIDWORKS remains a very capable and widely adopted mechanical design platform, and these improvements would primarily help make an already strong product more efficient for demanding engineering and manufacturing environments. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps solve several key challenges in the engineering and manufacturing process, particularly 3D product design, assembly development, design validation, documentation, and collaboration. It allows us to move from 2D concepts to accurate 3D models and assemblies much faster, identify design issues early, and reduce the need for physical prototypes and rework. The parametric design approach also makes design changes and iterations significantly easier. For me, the biggest benefit is improved engineering productivity and reduced development time. SOLIDWORKS also provides strong integration with manufacturing workflows, simulation, PDM, and the broader 3DEXPERIENCE ecosystem, helping connect design data with downstream processes. Overall, it helps us design faster, communicate designs more clearly, reduce errors, and accelerate the journey from concept to manufacturing. ### 15. Solidworks: intuitive and comprehensive for 2D, 3D, CAM, and CAE all in one place **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sérgio G. | Clarinetist, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from Portuguese using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 03, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** Solidworks has been my favorite software since I discovered it in 2010. Its layout is based on Windows, making it much more intuitive. The software integrates various areas in one place, 2D drawings, 3D, CAM, CAE, among others, allowing multiple tasks to be performed using a single software. I am a Solidworks Champion and maintain an active page on GrabCAD, where I have published approximately 500 projects developed entirely in Solidworks. Although I use the software daily in my work environment, I also acquired the student license to deepen my studies at home, which allowed me to achieve various official certifications, including CSWA, CSWP, CSWPA-DT, CSWPA-SM, CSWPA-SU, among others. This journey highlights not only the technical mastery of the tool but also the continuous commitment to professional evolution. Moreover, Solidworks has become my central software, replacing various other CAD and engineering solutions, reinforcing its versatility and efficiency. From a return on investment perspective, Solidworks demonstrates high cost-benefit: the investment made in the license is widely compensated by gains in productivity, learning, certifications, and recognition in the technical community. In other words, the software not only pays for itself but generates continuous and sustainable value. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** I think it's a bit weak for working with molds and surfaces. Although it can create a lot, sometimes it lets me down. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I work with EPS injection molds. Before I took over, another designer used PowerShape to create the cavity and core of the mold, Creo to apply the draft angles, and MicroStation to prepare the 2D drawings, as well as Microsoft Word to prepare the critical mold analysis, checklists, etc. Today, I can do everything within Solidworks, which has made the workflow much more straightforward. I even did some tests with Solidworks Plastics, but since I didn't have support to validate the simulations in the software, I ended up leaving that part aside for now. ### 16. Fast, Insightful Flow Simulation Directly Inside SOLIDWORKS **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Yohanes B. | Design Engineer and Student, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 02, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** As a mechanical design engineer, I really enjoy being able to evaluate how a design will behave before building a physical prototype. I can use it to study airflow, pressure drop, velocity, temperature distribution, and heat transfer directly within the SOLIDWORKS environment. What makes it especially useful for me is the connection between design and simulation. I can modify the geometry, run the simulation again, and quickly see how the changes affect the results. It helps me understand the engineering behavior behind my designs and make better design decisions before going into fabrication. Since my SOLIDWORKS license is provided by my company, I don't personally pay for it. From a company perspective, I believe it provides good value because it combines powerful design, simulation, and manufacturing tools in one platform, helping us work efficiently and reduce the need for multiple software solutions. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** SOLIDWORKS can become demanding with large and complex assemblies, so good model and assembly organization is important. For Flow Simulation, more complex studies can also take some time to set up, especially when defining boundary conditions, mesh, goals, and rotating regions. However, the ability to quickly connect design changes with simulation results makes it well worth the effort. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps me solve many of the challenges I face in mechanical design, especially when developing complex equipment and making frequent design changes. I can create 3D models, assemblies, and manufacturing drawings in one environment, while parametric modeling and configurations make it much easier to manage design iterations and different product variants. Another major benefit for me is simulation, especially Flow Simulation. I can evaluate airflow, pressure, temperature, and heat transfer before building a physical prototype. This helps me identify potential problems earlier, make better engineering decisions, reduce unnecessary trial and error, and ultimately save time during the development and fabrication process. ### 17. Solidworks: A Powerful Modeling Ecosystem That Keeps Getting Better **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Aleksandar Y. | Construction Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 02, 2026 **Describe the project or task SOLIDWORKS helped with:** Solidworks offers a comprehensive suite of tools for 3D modeling, simulation, and product data management. Its intuitive interface and robust features make it a preferred choice for engineers and designers worldwide. The software supports collaboration and innovation, enabling teams to bring their ideas to life efficiently and effectively. **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** Over the years, Solidworks has turned into an entire ecosystem of capabilities, additional modules, and tools that help and make things easier, but at times also confuse engineers and all kinds of enthusiasts who want to dive into the world of modeling. Over the years, I've had some—albeit minimal—exposure to NX and Solid Edge. In practice, I would always choose SW. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Here is what I dislike: the policy that has taken over the software world regarding annual payments, which is practically renting the software. As a company, we have 6 standard licenses bought many years ago. If we don’t pay for them, they just stay on that specific version. However, when we upgrade our hardware, it turns out that the version is already too old, and we are forced to pay all the backlogged fees for the missed years. That's the thing. Otherwise, I always find myself wishing for more tools in the modeling module, though even I don't know exactly what kind :) **Recommendations to others considering SOLIDWORKS:** To make the most of Solidworks, consider investing in training sessions for your team to ensure everyone is up to speed with the latest features. Additionally, regularly review your software needs and consider upgrading your licenses to avoid compatibility issues with new hardware. Engage with the Solidworks community to share insights and learn from others' experiences. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** When I started my professional career back in the distant year of 2005, everything was done on manual machines, and we drafted mainly in 2D. Even the managers lacked trust back then; even if something was sent to CNC machines, the operators would model it there based on the 2D drawings, and that was that. Gradually, this changed. Today, we manufacture parts with incredibly complex geometry that are practically impossible to dimension in a 2D space. We use quite a few CNC machines as well as 3D printers. Things just happen. SOLIDWORKS is the reason things happen. It provides accurate, clear geometry with no open or unsewn surfaces, and it is remarkably easy to use. In practice, designing, dimensioning, and releasing a hot box for manufacturing used to take at least a month. Now, that can be done before lunch. It’s not just a revolution; it’s straight up a different era. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Aleksandar, thank you for such a thorough and thoughtful review. Twenty years of perspective, from manual machines and 2D drafting to complex geometry and same-day design releases, is a remarkable story, and it means a lot that SOLIDWORKS has been part of that journey. Your comparisons to NX and Solid Edge, and your generous advice to other buyers about training and community engagement, will genuinely help others evaluating the software. Your point about subscription lapses and the cost of reactivating older licenses after a hardware upgrade is a fair one, and we know that can feel like a steep penalty for stepping away temporarily. Our Subscription Services page walks through how the program works and what stays included while active, which may help with future planning: https://www.solidworks.com/how-to-buy/subscription-services. For your specific licenses, your reseller can also often work with you on reinstatement options. Thank you again for taking the time to share such a detailed history with us, Aleksandar. It's rare to hear from someone who's watched the software evolve over two decades, and that kind of firsthand account carries real weight as we keep building. ### 18. Practical, Engineering-Focused CAD with Strong Assembly Tools **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Bishowjit P. | Mechanical Engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 14, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I’ve been using SOLIDWORKS for over 3 years, mainly for mechanical design, assemblies, and engineering drawings. I appreciate its engineering-focused interface and the straightforward workflow for creating parts and assembling them into complete designs. The assembly tools are especially useful for day-to-day mechanical design work. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** One limitation is that larger or more complex assemblies can become slower and require careful file and assembly management. Overall, SOLIDWORKS is a practical and capable CAD tool for mechanical engineering. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps me tackle mechanical design challenges such as developing complex parts and assemblies, running design iterations, checking for component interference, and creating manufacturing documentation. Its parametric modeling and associative drawings allow me to update designs quickly while keeping everything consistent across the project. As a result, I see fewer errors and spend less time on prototyping, which reduces the overall development effort in my product-development work. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Bishowjit, three-plus years of mechanical design and assembly work, says a lot about how well SOLIDWORKS fits into your daily engineering, so thank you for sharing this. We're glad the parametric modeling and associative drawings help you run iterations quickly, catch interferences early, and cut down on errors and prototyping time. On large or complex assemblies slowing down, that's real feedback we take seriously, and improving performance for demanding work like yours is a priority we keep pushing on. Thank you for sharing this feedback with us. ### 19. Powerful Parametric Modeling with Unmatched Community Support **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ammar A. | Mechanical Design Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 12, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** SOLIDWORKS remains my go-to software for everyday mechanical design and 3D modeling. The interface is intuitive, and feature controls like Mate references, Smart Dimensions, and Configurations save a massive amount of time during complex assembly setups. Transitioning from 2D drafts to full 3D parametric models is seamless, and the depth of the user community makes finding quick solutions or techniques effortless whenever you hit a roadblock. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Large assemblies can sometimes lag or freeze if display settings and rebuild options aren’t carefully optimized. Additionally, minor updates or version upgrades occasionally cause stability glitches, so keeping up with performance settings and graphics driver compatibility is crucial. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** It speeds up our product development cycle significantly—from initial conceptual sketches and reverse engineering tasks down to manufacturing drawings and BOM generation. It allows us to catch design flaws early in the 3D phase before moving to production. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Ammar, thank you for providing such an insightful review. It’s encouraging to confirm that Mate references, Smart Dimensions and Configurations increase your efficiency on complex assemblies and that the transition from 2D drafts to full 3D parametric models is intuitive. We value your technical observations regarding large-assembly lag and the stability issues following updates or driver changes—this data helps guide our efforts to optimize performance. ### 20. Intuitive 3D Modeling with Robust Simulation **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Salah Hossam H. | Mechanical Design Coordinator, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 14, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I’ve been using SOLIDWORKS for more than 3 years now, and honestly, it’s still my favorite CAD software. I’ve used it in a lot of different projects,from basic part modeling and assemblies to drawings, sheet metal, weldments, surfaces, and simulation. What I really like about SOLIDWORKS is how easily I can take an idea and turn it into a complete 3D design. Over the years, I’ve become very comfortable and experienced with it, and it’s still the software I prefer whenever I start a new design. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Some large assemblies can become slow, especially with detailed models. Performance improvements and faster loading for complex assemblies would make the experience even better. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps me turn ideas into accurate 3D models, manage complex assemblies, and validate designs before building. Simulation helps me identify design issues early, making better engineering decisions. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Salah, three-plus years of pushing SOLIDWORKS across sheet metal, weldments, surfaces and simulation says a lot about your expertise—thank you for sharing it. We're glad SOLIDWORKS helps you take designs from concept to validated model with confidence. Your note on large assembly performance is well taken, and it's exactly the kind of input that shapes where we focus next. Thanks for staying with us, Salah. ### 21. Solidworks Developers Listen—Regular Updates That Keep Getting Better **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Christopher N. | Pr Mechanical Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 08, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** The Solidworks developers really listen to the user base. They understand what is needed to make the software better and more useful to the people like me who actually use it everyday, and they apply updates regularly via service packs and annual releases. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Solidworks can occasionally be unstable, and it can and does crash often if I'm pushing a lot of advanced features in complex models. I will say the stability has improved greatly over the 25 years I've been using it. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** The backwards compatibility to previous versions was a big one, and they gave us this several years ago. This solved a lot of headaches when collaborating with partners and suppliers. I'm also very excited about the new AI integrations. That looks like it will integrate well with current workflows. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Christopher, thank you for sharing your experience, especially with a perspective built over 25 years with SOLIDWORKS. That kind of insight means a lot to us. We understand how critical stability is when working with advanced features in complex models, and we're pleased to hear that our ongoing improvements have made a difference. Rest assured, this remains a key focus for our R&D team. It's great to know that backwards compatibility has smoothed collaboration with your partners and suppliers, and we're excited you're looking forward to the new AI integrations too. Thanks again for being such a dedicated part of the SOLIDWORKS community. ### 22. SolidWorks: Easy, intuitive, and powerful—my essential tool **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** angel daniel g. | Jefe de ingeniería y diseño, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from Spanish; Castilian using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 17, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** Good day. The truth is that SolidWorks has become, for me, a way of life and the economic support of my family. I can say with all sincerity that it is an excellent program: easy to use, intuitive, and powerful. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** As constructive criticism, I do think it feels very forced to migrate to the new 3Dexperience, somewhat invasive when accidentally saving to the cloud. And I understand that virtual assistants need to be put into practice, however, I consider that the level of the assistants is far below other free-use platforms. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SolidWorks helps us to model parametrically and carry out the manufacturing process with the appropriate documentation of our products (Automation and machinery manufacturing services) ### 23. SW as tool in the industry **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jesús Daniel D. | Esp. Diseño CAD Fase Liberación - Volkswagen Group Services México , Automotive, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 11, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** SolidWorks is easy to learn. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, you can use the software in a way that makes each module feel intuitive, thanks to clear explanations and visual examples that show how the operations work. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** SolidWorks is geared more toward mechanical design than working with Class A surfaces. Compared with other CAD software such as CATIA, its surfacing module can be quite complicated to use. Even a basic operation like "split" requires a lot of considerations, which can slow down the surface-design process and lead to delays. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Viewing and manipulating CAD data from other software. SolidWorks lets me view, analyze, and validate the technical information in a CAD model created in another software program, which helps support thorough data conversion. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Jesús, thank you for sharing your experience. We're glad SOLIDWORKS feels intuitive, whether you're just starting out or working as an expert, and that clear explanations and visual examples help make each module easier to learn. We also appreciate your honest note on surfacing—working with Class A surfaces asks a lot, and feedback like yours on operations such as split is exactly what helps us guide where we refine the tools next. It's great to hear SOLIDWORKS supports your work viewing, analyzing and validating CAD data created in other software too. ### 24. SolidWorks - Easily The Best 3D CAD Choice on the Market **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jason H. | Mechanical Engineering Lead, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through a business email account added to their profile **Source: Seller invite:** Invitation from a seller or affiliate. This reviewer was not provided any incentive by G2 for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 03, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** The ease of use and intuitiveness of the software are some of its most appealing attributes. The pricing is incredibly competitive amongst its market counterparts, it can be easily implemented into a company's design and engineering workflow, and the learning curve to become proficient is incredibly small and reasonable. The support structure for SolidWorks, both in terms of reseller training and wider community resources, are completely unmatched in the industry. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** At times it can be slightly unpredictable and unstable especially when working on large, detailed assemblies. That said, the ease of use and robust UI more than make up for any shortcomings. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SolidWorks seems to focus on tools that increase stability, efficiency, and throughput and those things are incredibly important to an engineer with constant deadlines to meet. ### 25. Great CAD for 3d modeling and CFD preparation **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Samantha T. | Test Engineer, Environmental Services, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** April 08, 2024 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I find Solidworks the best for CFD model set up. It is easy to use and versatile. I use it in a slightly different way than Mechanical/Structural Engineers. I don't actually make "solids" that are materials; instead I set up "solids" as being fluid volumes where air/gas/liquid will flow within ductwork systems or around objects. I export to STL and this imports very well to my meshing software (Cubit and Ansys) for CFD preparation. SW is also great for making dimensioned drawings of my models. I find the pricing of SW reasonable. I have tried free CAD tools and they do not have the capabilities or efficiency needed for real paid engineering work. They seem more for home hobbies. I use online tools and tutorials for support which is great. I have not used any of the SW AI tools yet. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** I use Solidworks only for CAD set up and making drafting drawings. I have tried Solidworks CFD simulation and find it suboptimal. It is not that accurate for more complex geometries, and you don't have a lot of control over the mesh compared to traditional CFD methods. I prefer AzoreCFD or Fluent for fluid flow or heat transfer simulations. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** CAD set up for CFD simulation and modeling for 3D printing ### 26. Efficient and Reliable 3D Design Tool for Product Development **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ritesh S. | Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** August 25, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I like SOLIDWORKS because it makes 3D modeling and mechanical design fast and easy. The parametric design tools, assemblies, drawings, and simulation features help me create accurate designs and make changes efficiently. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** The main thing I dislike about SOLIDWORKS is that it can be resource-intensive, especially when working with large assemblies or complex models. It may slow down on lower-spec computers, and some advanced features can take time to learn. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps me solve design and engineering challenges by making 3D modeling, assembly design, and drawing creation faster and more accurate. It reduces design errors, makes it easier to visualize products before manufacturing, and helps me make design changes quickly. This saves time, reduces rework and material costs, and improves overall productivity in the product development process. ### 27. Reliable Workhorse for Concept to Production Design **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** design c. | Managing Partner, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 16, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** SolidWorks makes moving from concept to production fast and reliable through intuitive parametric modeling, powerful specialized modules (Sheet Metal, Weldments, Surfacing), and seamless 2D drafting with automated BOMs that update dynamically. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Performance lags and occasional crashes on large, complex assemblies remain frustrating, primarily due to single-core rebuild limitations. Additionally, the lack of backward compatibility with feature history makes collaborating across different supplier versions harder than it should be. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS streamlines our transition from initial 3D concept to fabrication. It resolves component fitment and alignment issues before prototyping through built-in interference detection and assembly simulation. Automated sheet metal flat patterning and dynamically linked 2D drawings/BOMs have significantly reduced manual drafting hours and eliminated expensive rework during production. ### 28. Intuitive, Powerful Design Tool with Room for Optimization **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Abdul Q. | Design Engineer, Consulting, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 08, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I like how intuitive and powerful SOLIDWORKS is for design. It makes it easy to go from initial concept to detailed, manufacturable model. What I enjoy most is how well everything is integrated. One feature I value most is Design Table. They make it easy to create and manage multiple design variations from a single model. The initial setup was quite straightforward. Installation and getting started with the basic tools were easy and didn't require much effort. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Large assemblies and complex models can sometimes slow down rebuild and overall performance. Better optimization in these areas would make SOLIDWORKS even more efficient. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps me turn concepts into accurate 3D designs and develop complex parts and assemblies easily. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Abdul, thank you for this detailed review. We're glad the workflow from concept to manufacturable model feels natural, and that Design Tables are delivering the efficiency and flexibility you need. It's also great to hear that the setup was quick and straightforward. Your feedback regarding performance with large assemblies is acknowledged. Rebuild slowdowns can indeed be a significant issue, and insights like yours help us determine our future focus. Thanks for taking the time to share both the highlights and the honest critique. ### 29. User-Friendly, Reliabamlessly Into Design and Manufacturing Workflole CAD That Fits Sews **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Maximiliano A. | Sales Application Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 04, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **Describe the project or task SOLIDWORKS helped with:** SolidWorks is a comprehensive CAD software solution that supports a wide range of design and engineering tasks. It is particularly well-suited for users involved in product design, engineering, and manufacturing processes. The software offers robust tools for 3D modeling, simulation, and analysis, making it a versatile choice for professionals in various industries. Key Features: - Intuitive user interface that simplifies the design process - Advanced simulation capabilities for testing and validating designs - Seamless integration with other engineering and manufacturing software - Extensive library of components and materials - Support for collaborative design and data management SolidWorks is designed to enhance productivity and innovation by providing users with the tools they need to create high-quality designs efficiently. Whether you're working on simple parts or complex assemblies, SolidWorks offers the flexibility and functionality required to meet your design goals. **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** UI / UX: What I value most about this software is how user-friendly and intuitive the interface is. The tools are clearly organized, and the software provides helpful guidance throughout the design process. This makes it especially easy for new CAD users to understand what each function does and how to use it correctly. Integrations: The software works well within my design and manufacturing workflow, allowing me to analyze parts, make modifications, and prepare better solutions for additive manufacturing applications. Its compatibility with different design processes makes it a practical tool for my daily work. Performance: Overall, the software performs reliably and efficiently for part analysis, CAD modifications, and design operations. The feedback provided during operations is also very useful, especially when an error or incorrect operation is detected, since it makes the issue easy to identify and correct. Pricing / ROI: I believe the software provides good value considering how frequently I use it and the impact it has on my daily work. It helps me reduce design time, identify potential issues earlier, and provide better technical recommendations and solutions to customers, which makes it a valuable tool from an ROI perspective. Support / Onboarding: One of the strongest aspects for users who are beginning with CAD is how intuitive the software makes the learning process. The recommendations and visual feedback help users understand not only what they are doing, but also why a certain operation may or may not work. AI / Intelligence: The AI capabilities are promising and can provide useful assistance during the design process. However, I feel there is still room for improvement, particularly when working with technical drawings and 2D drawings. The AI does not yet seem as developed or reliable in understanding and interpreting drawings compared with its capabilities in other areas of CAD design. Improving this aspect could provide significant value, especially for engineering and manufacturing applications. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** UI / UX Although SolidWorks has a generally intuitive interface, its workflow can become more complex when working with highly specialized applications. For advanced surfacing, mold design, or other specific engineering tasks, the software may feel less streamlined compared with solutions specifically developed for those applications. Integrations One of the main disadvantages is that SolidWorks may not be the most suitable solution for every stage of the engineering process. As designs become more specialized, users may need to move to other software better suited for areas such as advanced surfacing, mold design, or specialized engineering applications. This can create additional steps in the overall workflow. Performance SolidWorks is very capable for general modeling and basic analysis, but its capabilities become more limited when moving into highly specialized engineering applications. In those cases, dedicated software can provide more optimized tools and workflows. Pricing / ROI The ROI can become less attractive when SolidWorks needs to be complemented with additional specialized software. For companies working extensively with specific applications such as molds or advanced surfaces, maintaining multiple software solutions may increase overall costs and complexity. Support / Onboarding Although the basic modeling workflow is relatively easy to learn, the learning curve increases considerably when users need to take advantage of more advanced or specialized capabilities. Understanding how to properly use the software for complex applications can require additional training and experience. AI / Intelligence AI is currently one of the areas where I see the most room for improvement. The technology is not yet sufficiently developed to consistently support more advanced engineering tasks. In particular, AI assistance for creating and working with engineering drawings still feels limited and could be significantly improved in terms of accuracy, reliability, and practical application. **Recommendations to others considering SOLIDWORKS:** UI / UX To improve the user experience, SolidWorks could benefit from a more streamlined workflow for specialized applications. Simplifying the interface for advanced tasks could make it more accessible to users who need to perform complex engineering operations. Integrations Enhancing compatibility with other specialized software could reduce the need for users to switch between different platforms. This would streamline the engineering process and improve overall efficiency. Performance Optimizing performance for specialized engineering applications could make SolidWorks a more versatile tool. By enhancing its capabilities in areas like advanced surfacing and mold design, it could better serve users with specific needs. Pricing / ROI Offering flexible pricing models or packages that include specialized tools could make SolidWorks more attractive to companies with diverse engineering requirements. This could improve ROI by reducing the need for additional software purchases. Support / Onboarding Providing more comprehensive training resources for advanced features could help users better understand and utilize the full potential of SolidWorks. This would make it easier for users to transition to more complex applications. AI / Intelligence Investing in AI development to enhance its capabilities in understanding and interpreting engineering drawings could significantly improve the software's value. By providing more accurate and reliable AI assistance, SolidWorks could better support advanced engineering tasks. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** UI / UX SolidWorks has made my daily work significantly easier because its interface is intuitive and allows me to move quickly from an initial concept to a manufacturable design. As a designer working with additive manufacturing, I can easily modify geometries, evaluate different design alternatives, and prepare parts for production without having to deal with an overly complicated workflow. Integrations SolidWorks has helped me connect the design stage with the manufacturing process. Having a reliable CAD environment allows me to make design decisions while considering how a part will actually be manufactured. This is particularly useful in additive manufacturing, where geometry, orientation, wall thicknesses, tolerances, and part optimization can have a significant impact on the final result. Performance For my day-to-day work, SolidWorks allows me to develop and modify designs quickly, which is important when working with multiple customer projects and iterations. It has helped me reduce the time required to go from a customer's initial concept to a design that can realistically be manufactured using additive manufacturing. Pricing / ROI From my perspective, the biggest value SolidWorks provides is the time it saves during the design process. Being able to quickly modify, analyze, and optimize a part before manufacturing helps reduce unnecessary iterations and potential manufacturing issues. This translates directly into a better workflow and fewer costly mistakes. Support / Onboarding The intuitive nature of SolidWorks has made it easier for me to adapt to different customer requirements and projects. Since the software is widely used in engineering, it is also relatively easy to find information, tutorials, and solutions when I encounter a design challenge. AI / Intelligence SolidWorks has helped me solve many design challenges through its existing tools, but I believe AI could take this much further. In my work with additive manufacturing, AI could be especially valuable for automatically suggesting design optimizations, identifying manufacturability issues, improving lightweighting strategies, and assisting with engineering drawings. Currently, I feel this area still has significant room for improvement, particularly in the generation and interpretation of technical drawings. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Maximiliano, thank you for such a thorough, thoughtful review. It's great to hear that the intuitive interface, the integrations with your additive manufacturing workflow and the reliable performance help you move from concept to manufacturable design faster. Your notes on AI, especially around technical and 2D drawings, are genuinely valuable, and improving how designers work with drawings is an area we're actively developing. For the latest on where our AI capabilities are heading, take a look at https://www.SOLIDWORKS.com/product/solidworks-design/ai-overview. Thanks again for sharing your experience and helping shape what comes next, Maximiliano. ### 30. SOLIDWORKS: Easy to Use and Time-Saving in Automotive Design **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Anthony M. | Ingénieur innovation / Prototypage, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from French using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 14, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** What I appreciate most about SOLIDWORKS is its ease of use compared to other CAD software. In automotive component development, it allows for quick design of parts and assemblies while remaining smooth on medium-sized projects. I also like the quality of the drawings and the simplicity with which a model can be modified without having to rebuild everything. In the end, it saves time both in the design phase and during technical reviews with other teams. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** What I appreciate less about SOLIDWORKS is that performance can degrade quite quickly as assemblies become very large, which happens on some automotive projects. I have also noticed that managing external references and shared files requires a lot of rigor to avoid errors during modifications or updates. Finally, to access some more advanced features, additional modules need to be added, which can quickly increase the overall cost of the solution. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps us design and validate our parts and assemblies before manufacturing, which significantly reduces design errors. In our business, this allows us to detect issues of clutter, assembly, or compatibility during the study phase rather than in the workshop. The 3D modeling, drawing, and simulation functions save us time and facilitate communication between technical teams and suppliers. Ultimately, this helps reduce development costs, accelerate projects, and improve the quality of delivered products. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Anthony, it's great to see how well SOLIDWORKS fits into your automotive component work. Quick part and assembly design, clean drawings, and the freedom to modify a model without rebuilding it from scratch all add up to real time saved, both in design and in those cross-team technical reviews. Your points on large assembly performance, external reference management, and the cost of advanced modules matter to us, and they're exactly the kind of engineering-focused insight that guides where we invest next. ### 31. Deep, Mature CAD with a Community That Makes You Faster **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Mazen B. | Research Lab Assistand and Student, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 07, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I started on SOLIDWORKS in 2019 as a mechanical engineering student at Alexandria University because every competition team around me used it. My first serious models were underwater ROVs for the MATE ROV regional; we took first place in 2022 and qualified for the international, and the same workflow carried our team to first in the Underwater Robotics Challenge (ROV and AUV) in 2023. In parallel I worked as a mechanical design engineer, then R&D engineer, at MIA Robotics in Alexandria, and I designed my graduation project in it: an energy-efficient reverse osmosis plant with a double-acting-cylinder energy recovery unit and a pressure exchanger I developed myself. I could not have iterated on that exchanger as fast in a less mature tool. What I like best is that the depth is real. Sheet metal, weldments, surfacing and drawing tools are not bolted on; they follow the same sketch-relation and feature-tree logic you learn in week one. I went through the CSWP, the CSWPA exams in sheet metal, weldments, surfacing and drawing tools, and then the CSWE, and each one exposed capability I had been working around by hand. By now the workflow is muscle memory: the S key, configurations for variants, design tables when a project needs to scale, and drawings that a fabricator does not have to call me about. The second thing is the community. I hosted the official SOLIDWORKS User Group in Alexandria in 2024–2025, so I have seen how people actually learn this software and where they get stuck. Almost any problem you hit at 11 pm has already been hit, explained and answered in a forum thread or blog post, often years ago, and that shared history is worth more than any tutorial. That community is eventually what led me into the SOLIDWORKS Champions program. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Large-assembly performance. Once an assembly grows into the hundreds of components with in-context references, opening, rebuilding and drawing views all start to hurt, and I have had crashes on big assemblies that never happen on small ones. Lightweight mode, Large Design Review and SpeedPak help, but they are workarounds you have to learn, plan for and keep tidy, not something the software handles for you. The practical impact is that I stop designing and start managing display states. It also means the software is only as good as the workstation under it: I shopped for a laptop specifically around GPU power and 32 GB of RAM to keep SOLIDWORKS comfortable, which is not a budget every student or small shop has. I would like to see more of the rebuild and graphics work moved onto multiple cores and the GPU by default, rather than left to the user to configure. Comparison with a cloud tool. Since starting my master's at Morgan State University I do a lot of my research CAD in Onshape, and the contrast is sharp: browser-based, no install, versioning built in, and large assemblies that do not depend on my laptop. SOLIDWORKS still wins for me on feature depth, drawings and the sheer amount of shared knowledge around it, but on large-assembly behavior and collaboration it is behind, and I would like to see that gap close in the desktop product. Collaboration and file versioning. Without PDM there is no real version history, so teams fall back on filename conventions and shared folders. On my current propulsion research I work with teammates on different machines, and reconciling who has the current manifold model is manual work. Basic built-in versioning at the Standard tier, not only in PDM, would remove a lot of that. Interoperability. Files saved in a newer release cannot be opened in an older one. When a university lab, a supplier and a machine shop are on different renewal cycles, this becomes a real constraint, and neutral formats like STEP lose feature history. Round-tripping to Ansys for CFD and structural work also means geometry cleanup more often than it should. A "save as previous version" option would solve most of this. UI consistency. The interface has grown over many releases and shows it. Sheet Metal, Weldments and Surfacing each feel like they follow slightly different conventions, and some dialogs look untouched for years while others are modern. New users on my team notice this before anything else. Pricing structure. Simulation and PDM sit behind separate licensing, so a complete workflow costs well above the base seat. For students, startups and small teams that is the difference between adopting the full toolchain and improvising around it. Learning curve and support. Official onboarding assumes more baseline CAD knowledge than most beginners have. In practice the community — forums, user groups, MySolidWorks — carries the load. I hosted the official SOLIDWORKS User Group in Alexandria from 2024 to 2025, so I saw firsthand how much of the teaching happens outside the product. AI capability. Compared with what is appearing elsewhere in CAD, the built-in intelligence is thin. There is no meaningful assistance for suggesting mates, flagging rebuild-error causes, or proposing geometry from intent. Even something narrow, like automatically diagnosing why a rebuild failed and offering a fix, would save real time. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** It turns an idea into something a machine shop, a 3D printer or a laser cutter can make without a second interpretation step. Competition ROVs, robotics hardware at MIA Robotics, an RO plant with a custom pressure exchanger: the common thread is parametric models I can revise when test results come back, and drawings that go straight to fabrication. The certifications gave me a verifiable way to show that skill before anyone saw my work, which mattered when I moved from a company in Egypt to a graduate program and research lab in the US. Even now, working on a liquid rocket propulsion test rig at Morgan State with much of the CAD in Onshape, the modeling discipline I built in SOLIDWORKS is what I bring to the job. Two things to sanity-check before you submit, since they go out under your name: the "hundreds of components" threshold and the crashes line in the dislike section should match what you've actually hit, so tweak the numbers if your pain started earlier or later. On the last page, answer "No" to the employee/agent question, and verify with LinkedIn so the name matches. The file has suggested star ratings and the steps for grabbing the live link once G2 approves it. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Mazen, what a remarkable journey to read about, from those first-place MATE ROV and Underwater Robotics wins to your R&D work and that energy-efficient RO plant with a pressure exchanger you developed yourself. It's clear the depth you describe, sheet metal, weldments, surfacing and drawings all following the same feature-tree logic, is exactly what carried you through the CSWP, CSWPA and CSWE. We're grateful too for your detailed notes on large-assembly performance, versioning, interoperability, UI consistency and AI, because firsthand insight like yours from someone who truly knows the software is what shapes where we take it next. Most of all, thank you for giving back through the Alexandria SOLIDWORKS User Group and the Champions program, helping others learn faster the way this community does best. Wishing you the very best with your propulsion research at Morgan State. ### 32. SolidWorks: incredibly intuitive and easy to use, even for beginners **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Fabian P. | Tooling Project Leader, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 17, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** What I like most about SolidWorks is its incredible ease of use, even for beginners. The ability to model parts, review designs and assemblies without being an expert in the software is excellent and very intuitive. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** What I like least is the response time when importing large assemblies from other software that don't have good design practices, and the software tries to fix it, but the import process sometimes takes a long time. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SolidWorks is a great help in solving problems related to movement or mechanical adjustments in imported files. It also has very efficient and fast tools for calculating tonnage in plastic injection molding, allowing for accurate calculations. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Thank you Fabian for taking the time to write such a detailed review, and congratulations on finding SOLIDWORKS approachable enough to move from modeling into full design reviews and assemblies without needing to be a software expert first, that's exactly the kind of experience we hope beginners have. The slow response time on imported assemblies is a fair callout, especially when the source files come in with messy or inconsistent design practices from other systems. SOLIDWORKS does have to work harder to reconstruct clean, valid geometry in those cases, which is often where the extra time comes from. The Import Diagnostics tool is worth exploring if you haven't already, it identifies and repairs the specific faults (gaps, bad surfaces, and the like) that tend to bog down the import process, and can also speed things up once the geometry is cleaned: https://help.solidworks.com/2026/english/swtutorialonline/t_importdiagnosing_impexpttut.htm It's also great to hear the mold tonnage calculations are giving you accurate, fast results for your injection molding work, that's a nice complement to the mechanical adjustment tools you mentioned. Thanks again for sharing such a well-rounded perspective, it's genuinely useful feedback. ### 33. Empowers Design with Innovation and Community **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Adam S. | Engineering Designer, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 08, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I have been consistently impressed with SOLIDWORKS and the company behind it. I love its powerful, intuitive design environment that evolves with the needs of engineers and designers. The tools help me improve productivity, streamline workflows, and solve complex design challenges. I appreciate the strong and active user community and how SOLIDWORKS engages with its customers through user groups, events, and direct interaction. I also admire its commitment to innovation, incorporating new technologies, and improving usability. I like that it's easy to learn, with a passionate user base. Currently, I use PDM the most, but in the past, Weldments and Sheetmetal provided the most benefits for ease of use and getting work done in the shop. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Updating the software and testing internally is a long process, taking about 2 months. We have a lot of testing to do and need a good way to automate it, which SOLIDWORKS currently doesn't provide. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps me improve productivity and streamline workflows, especially with Weldments and Sheetmetal for ease of use. It outputs info back into drawings efficiently, solving complex design challenges. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Adam, thank you for the kind words and for your continued commitment to designing with us. It's great to hear that the user groups, events and direct engagement genuinely connect with you—that community is something we're proud of. It's clear PDM is central to your day-to-day work, and that Weldments and Sheetmetal have delivered real, practical value in the shop over the years. That kind of impact matters to us. Your point on the update and testing cycle is well taken. A two-month validation process is a significant overhead, and the absence of test automation tools is a legitimate gap. We appreciate you naming it clearly. Thanks again, Adam, for sharing both the highlights and the areas to improve. We're glad to have you with us. ### 34. Intuitive and Versatile, Needs Surface Modeling Enhancement **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ramesh Aravind R. | Customer Success - Specialist, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 18, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I really like SOLIDWORKS for its user interface and the learning curve it offers for new users in the design environment. It's fantastic how it caters to different industry verticals with its three associative property-based environments, offering all necessary features. The initial setup was very easy and understandable for beginners like how I was when I first started as a Design Engineer. I rely on SOLIDWORKS for capturing design intent into deliverable concepts. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** I feel that the new features are added but the area which can be improved is about the Surface Modeling capabilities. Its complex surface modeling features can be improved in terms of non-planar surface handling options. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use SOLIDWORKS to pitch ideas into design concepts, capturing design intent into deliverables. It supports me with training and presales and offers a user-friendly interface all while catering to various industry verticals. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Ramesh, thank you for such a thoughtful review, it's great to hear SOLIDWORKS made such a strong first impression when you were starting out as a Design Engineer, and that it's still helping you turn ideas into deliverable design concepts across different industries. On the surface modeling feedback, that's valuable input and we'll pass it along to our product team. In the meantime, this training course covers advanced surfacing techniques, including work with non-planar surfaces, that might help in the short term: https://my.solidworks.com/training/elearning/65/surface-modeling Thanks again for sharing your experience with us. ### 35. User-friendly and intuitive, but drafting is below what is needed. **Rating:** 3.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Boris E. | Owner, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Seller invite:** Invitation from a seller or affiliate. This reviewer was not provided any incentive by G2 for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 20, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** SW is user friendly and intuitive. This is it. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** SolidWorks sketchers are not well suited for drafting. They lack good layer and color control, which limits them to conceptual work—drawing something that can later be converted into a design. They also do not allow you to place a drafting view at a specific coordinate, which would be very helpful for CAD programming. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** It is a good program for implementation once you already know what you are designing. It is not as good for the actual design process, when you have only a very general idea and need to crystallize it into a design. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Thank you for taking the time to share this Boris, we really appreciate the detailed breakdown of where SOLIDWORKS is working well for you and where it's falling short. You're right that SOLIDWORKS shines once a design direction is established, and we hear you on the earlier, more exploratory phase of design being a different kind of challenge. On the layers and color point: this is actually supported through the Layer Properties and Line Format tools in the drawing environment, worth a look if you haven't set this up yet, since it gives you per-layer control over color, line weight, and visibility. Here's a walkthrough: https://help.solidworks.com/2025/english/DraftSight/additional/hlpid_adjust_layermanager.htm For placing a view at a specific coordinate for CAD programming purposes, that's not a built in dialog box, but it is achievable through the API using the SetViewPosition method, which lets you move a view to an exact x,y location relative to the sheet origin: https://help.solidworks.com/2026/english/api/sldworksapi/SolidWorks.Interop.sldworks~SolidWorks.Interop.sldworks.IView~SetViewPosition.html We'd like to hear if either of these close the gap for you. Thanks again for your feedback. ### 36. Effortless Setup, Customizable Features, Needs Better Surfacing **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** SURAJ S. | NPD ENGINEER, Automotive, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 03, 2026 **Describe the project or task SOLIDWORKS helped with:** SOLIDWORKS is a comprehensive CAD software used for designing, modeling, and simulating products. It offers tools for sheet metal, weldments, and surfacing, making it versatile for various engineering tasks. **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I like how SOLIDWORKS is easy to use, even for new users. If I explain its features in a day, someone can start working on it the next day. I appreciate how customizable it is, especially with weldment work, so I can create my own templates. SOLIDWORKS also saves me a lot of time in sheet metal and weldment related work. I can study its motion and demonstrate it to others, which is really helpful. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** I think SOLIDWORKS needs some work on surfacing. Sometimes there are problems with trimming, surfacing commands don't work well, and issues occur with large assembly parts. Additionally, there are instances where it gets stuck, won't lift the surface, or even breaks the surface. **Recommendations to others considering SOLIDWORKS:** To improve SOLIDWORKS, focus on enhancing the surfacing capabilities, ensuring commands work seamlessly, and addressing issues with large assemblies. Consider user feedback to refine the software further. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use SOLIDWORKS for sheet metal and weldment work, saving me time. I appreciate its ease of use and customizable templates for different requirements, allowing quick communication and demonstrations. ### 37. Powerful Design Tool with Stability Challenges **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Moaz A. | Human Resources Recruiter, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **AI Translated:** This review has been translated from English using AI. **Reviewed Date:** September 09, 2026 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I like how easy SOLIDWORKS is to use and how user-friendly it is. The AI in it is quite helpful and I appreciate the surfacing tools because they help me create complex shapes, especially valuable since I work with drones and often create wings. The assembly function is a big plus as it lets me see how parts come together accurately, considering tolerance. I find the software particularly useful in designing surfaces, mechanical parts, robotics, and drones, enhancing how I engage with these projects. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** SOLIDWORKS has a problem with crashing, especially when I'm working with complex and big assemblies. It crashes a lot, and I end up losing my progress. I think this is something that needs fixing. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use SOLIDWORKS to create accurate designs and understand part assembly and tolerance, which is great for my work with drones. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Hi Moaz, Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed review, it genuinely helps to hear how SOLIDWORKS fits into real drone and surfacing work. It's great to know the surfacing tools and assembly features are pulling their weight on the wing and mechanical designs you're creating, and that the tolerance checking in assemblies is giving you the accuracy you need. The crashing on large, complex assemblies is a frustrating issue, and losing progress on top of that makes it worse, so I want to point you toward a couple of things that might help. SOLIDWORKS Rx is a built in diagnostic tool that can pinpoint whether the crashes are tied to your graphics driver, memory, or system resources, and it also generates a capture you can hand directly to support for faster resolution: https://help.solidworks.com/2027/english/SolidWorks/sldworks/c_SOLIDWORKS_Rx.htm It's also worth running the Performance Evaluation tool under the Evaluate tab on your heaviest assemblies. It flags which specific components or settings are eating up your system resources, which is often the fastest way to stabilize a big drone assembly before it hits a breaking point: https://help.solidworks.com/2024/English/SolidWorks/sldworks/c_Improving_Large_Assembly_Performance_SWassy.htm If the crashes keep happening after trying these, I'd encourage you to reach out to support directly with an Rx capture in hand, that context tends to speed things up a lot on their end. Thanks again for sharing this, feedback like yours is exactly what helps us keep pushing for a more stable experience on demanding assemblies. ### 38. Lightweight and Affordable, but Lacks Power for Large Assemblies **Rating:** 0.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Defense & Space | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Seller invite:** Invitation from a seller or affiliate. This reviewer was not provided any incentive by G2 for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 02, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** It's somewhat easy to navigate through. But...that's because it's so lightweight...not because it has some amazing UI. It's popular because it's priced so far below other major packages. And it's priced low...because is capabilities are equally narrow. I really don't like it. And I'll cover that more in the section where I can write about what it's missing. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** It is not powerful enough to do major large assemblies in. It lacks all of the tools necessary to handle models of 60,000 parts or more. It is a dog when it comes to loading detailed models and drawings. And it does not have the robust model checking capabilities that come with other PDM/CAD tools. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** It's not. It's good for small parts and small assemblies...and as a hydraulic systems engineer...it's necessary for me to navigate and route across the whole project. SW just doesn't do this well at all. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback. We recognize large assembly performance as a critical area, particularly for projects like yours, and have introduced tools such as SpeedPak generation, selective loading, and AI-powered fastener simplification to address these challenges. Our team is committed to further enhancements, including advanced structure generation and mate repair, to improve load and rebuild times. We’d value an opportunity to discuss your specific needs and help you optimize your workflow with these features. ### 39. User-Friendly, Feature-Rich 3DEXPERIENCE Platform with Strong AI and Community Support **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jehan K. | Asst Technical Manager, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 06, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** User Friendliness Multiple features to perform specific operations Combined with AI, this has grown much powerful to troubleshoot day to day issues. Huge community to support you and tutorials available on youtube of all ranges Portfolio of almost all engineering solutions starting from CAD to SImulation to Visualization to Documentation and everything can remain interconnected on same 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Given the onboarding and learning cycle is quicker with reseller support, your ROI starts very soon. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Huge Setup Size. They must focus on improving their multiproduct development. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Using it to design day in day out from domain ranging from heavy machinery to furniture industry. ### 40. A Powerful and User-Friendly Tool for Simulation and Manufacturing **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Automotive | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic Review from User Profile:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was not provided any incentive by G2 for completing this review. **G2 Icon:** Our network of Icons are G2 members who are recognized for their outstanding contributions and commitment to helping others through their expertise. **Reviewed Date:** September 02, 2025 At G2, we prefer fresh reviews and we like to follow up with reviewers. They may not have updated their review text, but have updated their review. **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** What is best? Massive Community: Finding tutorials, parts, or troubleshooting help is nearly instantaneous.Parametric Power: Linking dimensions means making a change upstream updates your entire model automatically.Sheet Metal & Weldments: The dedicated toolsets for fabrication are incredibly robust and save hours of manual drafting.Seamless Ecosystem: Moving from initial 3D sketch to FEA simulation and 2D production drawings happens in one unified interface. What to watch out for? Resource Intensive: It demands high-end hardware and a certified GPU to prevent crashing on large assemblies.Legacy Code: Some stability issues and UI quirks persist across yearly updates. The Verdict SOLIDWORKS remains the industry standard for a reason. If you need precision engineering, seamless drafting, and a tool that scales from simple brackets to massive machinery, this is the gold standard for product development. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** While SOLIDWORKS is an industry powerhouse, its underlying architecture carries some legacy baggage. Users frequently point out that the software can feel clunky and frustrating when pushed to its limits. Major Pain Points Frequent Crashes: The software often crashes unexpectedly during heavy rendering or complex operations.Large Assembly Lag: Performance drops significantly when handling files with thousands of components.Resource Hog: It demands expensive, workstation-grade hardware and certified GPUs to run smoothly.Single-Threaded Limits: Many rebuilding processes only use one CPU core, creating performance bottlenecks.Backward Incompatibility: Files saved in newer versions cannot be opened or edited in older software versions. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS eliminates the chaos of disconnected design tools by uniting 3D modeling, simulation, and manufacturing data in one place. It solves the critical problem of design-to-production errors, ensuring that what you build on screen fits perfectly in the physical world. Problems Solved Costly Prototyping: Virtual stress and fluid testing eliminate the need for multiple physical trial-and-error builds.Communication Gaps: Standardized 2D drawings and 3D PDFs stop machinists from misinterpreting engineering intent.Design Re-work: Automated parametric updates ensure that changing one bolt size adjusts the entire assembly instantly.Siloed Workflows: Integrated CAM and sheet metal tools let you design with manufacturing constraints already in mind. Core Benefits Faster Time-to-Market: Speeds up the journey from a rough sketch to a finalized, shippable product.Reduced Scrap Metal: Finding interference and clearance issues on screen saves thousands in wasted material.Universal Collaboration: Using the industry-standard file format makes sharing data with suppliers seamless. ### 41. Intuitive Interface and Powerful Sheet Metal Tools for Detailed CNC Drawings **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Braulio Raul M. | Supervisor de Mantenimiento , Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** July 25, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** The interface is very intuitive and easy to understand. It offers a lot of features for drafting and annotation, along with helpful standardization. When there are things not too clear, you can also go to the Solidworks Help page and most likely you will find a very clear explanation of the feature. I use to create sheet metal design on a daily basis and there is always a feature that I can use to create very detailed models and drawings for CNC cutting machines and press brakes. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** I don't like that I feel it uses a lot of graphic memory resources, working with large assemblies can be very challenging sometimes. I know I could use the Large Assembly mode, however as it doesn't allow me to highlight the edges and faces, it can be very time consuming and tricky. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I love the ability to use multiparts body, I find it super easy and it allows me to create drawings of assemblies keeping a very high consistency during updates and modifications. ### 42. A USER FRIENDLY AND IMPORTANT SOFTWARE FOR THE ENGINEERS **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Vivek B. | Intern, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** May 01, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** As a mechanical engineer, I find that it gives me the freedom and ease to create 2D drawings and 3D models with lots of shortcuts, compared with AutoCAD and other software. Part assembly in SOLIDWORKS is also very user-friendly and straightforward. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Rebuild errors. I think SOLIDWORKS should integrate a system that can detect rebuild errors and help resolve the issue. Sometimes, while I’m applying commands, it shows rebuild errors, and after that I’m not able to find where the errors are coming from. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps reduce the cost of prototyping. With this software, I can create almost any part, choose materials using the Appearances section, and then run different types of analysis with SOLIDWORKS Simulation. As a third-year mechanical engineering student, I regularly model parts and assemblies, which has really helped me improve my skills. Right now I’m working on a project where I design parts in SOLIDWORKS, convert them to an .stl file, and then print them on a 3D printer. Overall, it makes my work much easier. ### 43. Solid Modeling Mastery Made Easy **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Aviation & Aerospace | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) This reviewer's identity has been verified by our review moderation team. They have asked not to show their name, job title, or picture. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 08, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I like that SOLIDWORKS has a straightforward interface, making it easy for me to move from an idea to a workable model without overthinking about tool placement. The balance between power and approachability in the sketching features and feature-based modeling is very useful. The large user community is invaluable for troubleshooting, as there's often someone who has encountered similar issues, which I can learn from through forums and tutorials. SOLIDWORKS's sketching, make, and assembly tools are incredibly valuable, and the AI features really help a lot. The huge ecosystem and the wealth of knowledge available, both officially and from other users, make it a reliable choice for my design work. Also, the initial setup was very easy for me to manage manually. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** I find the surface modeling tools in SOLIDWORKS to be lacking, particularly when it comes to handling complex surface measurements. I also struggle with the limitations in process automation since VB macros can't compete with Python capabilities. Lastly, I wish SOLIDWORKS offered real-time revision features like some of the modern CAD tools that help with team projects. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use SOLIDWORKS for engineering and design, making the process intuitive once familiar with it, allowing smooth transitions from ideas to models. The powerful yet approachable sketching and feature-based modeling simplifies modifications. Community support offers quick solutions, and robust tools enhance productivity. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Thank you for sharing your detailed review. We're glad our interface supports your journey from concept to finished model, and that our tools and the support of the SOLIDWORKS community enhance your work. We value your feedback on surface modeling, macro constraints, and real-time collaboration tools, and we're actively working to improve these areas. We appreciate the balanced, informed perspective. Feedback like this helps us improve. ### 44. Great CAD Companion for Everyday Work!! **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Deepak G. | Blogger, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 06, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** It’s easy to use, and the available tools make it a great CAD companion for everyday work. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** The tool has some limitations, but the R&D teams are working on many of them, and they gather input directly from users through enhancements request, beta testing and Top Ten lists. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** It helps solve many design errors before production kicks off. That, in turn, speeds up the overall process of designing, testing, and bringing a new product to market. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, Deepak! We're glad to hear that SOLIDWORKS has become such a trusted part of your daily workflow. It's especially rewarding to know that our design validation capabilities help you identify errors early and bring products to market more efficiently. We also appreciate you highlighting the enhancement request process, beta testing, and Top Ten lists. These programs are built on the contributions of engaged users like yourself, and your input directly influences where our R&D team directs its focus. If you haven't already, we encourage you to continue sharing your ideas through the SOLIDWORKS User Community. Thank you again for a thoughtful review. ### 45. Crash-Prone and Unreliable, with Frequent Reboots and Driver Issues **Rating:** 1.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Jeff H. | engineering, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through a business email account **Source: Seller invite:** Invitation from a seller or affiliate. This reviewer was not provided any incentive by G2 for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** September 02, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** Cheaper than alternates, not terrible to use if you ignore all the reliability issues **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Unreliable mates, crash prone, needs to be rebooted several times a day. Updates are often of no use for single user systems and create reliability issues. Has driver issues and they need to be updated regularly. Poor top level support, problems go unresolved through several updates or not at all. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** provides a cad format to design which allows us to build products **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Jeff, thank you for your feedback. We recognize the inconvenience caused by crashes and reboots, and we appreciate your concerns about reliability and support response times. These experiences do not reflect our commitment to excellence, and we are determined to address them effectively. If SOLIDWORKS Design crashes, the SOLIDWORKS Error Report dialog box lets you notify SOLIDWORKS of the problem and recover your work when you restart. This enables us to conduct a thorough investigation and implement appropriate solutions. [https://help.solidworks.com/2026/english/solidworks/sldworks/c_SW_error_report_db.htm] Adding the link to a variety of SOLIDWORKS support options. [https://www.solidworks.com/support/home] Your trust in SOLIDWORKS is greatly valued, and we are committed to ensuring your satisfaction. ### 46. SOLIDWORKS: User-Friendly with Strong Community Support **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Adam E. | Product Engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 08, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I really appreciate the sheetmetal feature in SOLIDWORKS, as well as the automation capabilities available through macros and design tables. The user-friendly interface makes the whole setup easy to navigate. I’m also grateful for the strong community around SOLIDWORKS, which is incredibly supportive and helps everyone learn and grow. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** I think SOLIDWORKS still needs some improvement in the AI drawing creation along with interference. It would be great if it could learn from customer datasets in their closed environment to enhance these features. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps me see and work through design issues and supports students and community members in learning the software. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Adam, thank you for providing such a comprehensive review. It's fantastic to hear that features like sheet metal, macros, and design tables contribute effectively to your workflow, and that the interface remains easy to navigate. Your comments about the SOLIDWORKS community resonated with us. We take great pride in the culture of shared knowledge, and it's clear that you play a significant role. We also appreciate your specific feedback regarding AI drawing creation and interference detection. The idea of learning from customer datasets in a controlled environment is certainly worth exploring, and insights like yours help guide our future investments. Thank you again for supporting the community. ### 47. A CAD tool that becomes part of your engineering workflow **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** khabab M. | Metrology Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 13, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** SOLIDWORKS is very easy to use and learn. It also has a lot of tools that help with modeling, such as surfacing, weldments, and scan to cad. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** The cost of the software should be cheaper **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use SolidWorks mainly for complex parts because it offers a wide range of tools that really help with that kind of work. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Khabab, it's wonderful to hear that SOLIDWORKS has become an integral part of your engineering workflow. Knowing that tools like surfacing, weldments, and scan-to-CAD are giving you the confidence to tackle complex parts — while remaining accessible throughout the learning curve — is exactly what we strive for. We understand your concerns about cost, and we're committed to ensuring that every element of the toolset continues to deliver real, tangible value in your day-to-day design work. Thank you for choosing SOLIDWORKS — we can't wait to see what you create next. ### 48. Built-In FEA Simulation That Catches Failures Early **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** TENANBOU Z. | UB Commonwealth Club Member, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through LinkedIn **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 11, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** Built-in simulation (FEA):You can test how a part will behave under stress, heat, or motion before ever manufacturing it, catching failures early and saving cost **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Hardware-hungry: Large assemblies with many parts can slow down or lag significantly without a strong workstation (good GPU, RAM) **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** It helps me model and simulate projects for my engineering courses. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > TENANBOU, thank you for taking the time to share your review. We're glad the built-in simulation tools are working hard for you. Testing how a part holds up under stress, heat or motion before anything reaches the shop floor is exactly how good designs catch problems early and keep costs down. You're right about the hardware demands too. Large assemblies can lean heavily on your GPU and RAM, and honest feedback like yours helps guide where we focus performance improvements next. It's great to know SOLIDWORKS is supporting your engineering coursework along the way. Thanks again for your review ### 49. Intuitive UI and Reliable Performance with Strong Integrations **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** shrinivasa k. | Junior Executive Engineer (EE1), Mechanical or Industrial Engineering, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through a business email account **Source: Organic Review from User Profile:** Invitation from G2. This reviewer was not provided any incentive by G2 for completing this review. **Reviewed Date:** April 22, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** What I like best about SolidWorks is its intuitive UI/UX, strong integrations with simulation and manufacturing tools, and reliable performance for most design tasks. It offers good ROI through efficient design workflows, has excellent support and onboarding resources, and includes useful automation and emerging AI features that enhance productivity. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** What I dislike about SolidWorks is its slower performance with large assemblies, high licensing cost, slightly outdated UI, and limited advanced AI and cloud collaboration features. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SolidWorks solves key problems like complex 3D design, assembly management, and accurate documentation. It helps me quickly create and modify designs, reduce errors through parametric modeling, and generate manufacturing-ready drawings. This improves my efficiency, supports faster R&D iterations, and ensures better design accuracy in my work. ### 50. SolidWorks Premium: User-Friendly, Feature-Rich Design Suite **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Arikila P. | Sr.Egineer Design, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Current User:** The reviewer uploaded a screenshot or submitted the review in-app verifying them as current user. **Validated Reviewer:** Validated through Google One Tap using a business email account **Source: Organic:** Organic review. This review was written entirely without invitation or incentive from G2, a seller, or an affiliate. **Reviewed Date:** September 09, 2026 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** The SolidWorks Premium Package offers a solid set of solutions, including eDrawing, rendering, and simulation, all within a user-friendly interface. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** I experience noticeable assembly lag when working with more than 100 components. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** They keep creating new AI features while also fixing older, important bugs. **Official Response from Meaghan Murphy:** > Arikila, it's great to hear that having eDrawings, rendering and simulation all in one place is working so well for you—that's exactly what SOLIDWORKS Premium is built for. The assembly lag beyond 100 components and the detail you've shared helps us understand where the real friction is and we will share this with our R&D team. We also appreciate you noticing the effort that goes into bringing new AI features forward, while keeping the tools you rely on every day stable and reliable. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. ## SOLIDWORKS Discussions - [Is SOLIDWORKS worth it for mechanical engineers managing CAE simulation work?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-solidworks-worth-it-for-mechanical-engineers-managing-cae-simulation-work) - 1 comment, 1 upvote - [What is SOLIDWORKS used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-solidworks-used-for) - 3 comments, 1 upvote - [How to stop or cancel a ongoing command.](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-to-stop-or-cancel-a-ongoing-command) - 2 comments, 1 upvote - [best use o this software](https://www.g2.com/discussions/35425-best-use-o-this-software) - 2 comments, 1 upvote - [Where is the Features toolbar in Solidworks?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/where-is-the-features-toolbar-in-solidworks) - 1 comment - [View SOLIDWORKS pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks/reviews?section=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-09-29+16%3A06%3A01+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=90a1e122-42ee-426e-bb58-4709b466813b&secure%5Btoken%5D=304cadb67a50c102cfdce9145cf19ef28d3af3cb8b0a9388a83ef575536bac1e&format=llm_user) ## SOLIDWORKS Features **CAD to CAM** - CAD-CAM Import - CAM Data Exchange - CAD/CAM Compatibility - Data Verification **Design** - Drawing - Modeling - Visualize - Rendering **Library** - Categorize - Search - Deduplication - Feedback **Data** - 3D Format - Data Quality - Extra Information - Standard Format - Translate - Validation **File Support - Additive Manufacturing** - STL Compatible - 3MF Compatible - OBJ Compatible **File Options** - Import files - Export files - View 2D files - View 3D files - Batch convert files - File size **Design** - PCB layout editing - Schematic editor **Design** - 3D/solid modeling Tools - Drawing Tools - Editing Tools - Rendering tools - Stochastic Modeling - Presentation Tools **Tools - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)** - 3D/solid modeling Tools - Rendering Tools - Drawing Tools - Editing Tools - Text Editing Tools **CNC Programming** - CNC Workflows - CNC Feature Recognition - Programming Control - Configurable Workflow - Job Card - Version Control **Edit** - File Import - Push/Pull - Views - Grips **CAD** - Types - Models - Compatibility **Logistics** - Integrate **File Editing - Additive Manufacturing** - Mesh Repair - File Editing **Tools** - Dimensioning tools - Change units - 3D/solid modeling tools **Tools** - 3D modeling tools - Component placement **Tools** - Fluid analysis - Finite element analysis - Multibody dynamics - Design Analysis **File Options - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)** - Export Files - Import Files - File Interoperability - Backwards compatibility - File size **Collaboration** - Annotate - Documentation - Data Extract **Integration** - Catalogs - CAD & PLM - ERP **Software Integrations - Additive Manufacturing** - Standalone Slicer - Inetgrated 3D Modeling **Design** - Drawing **Library** - Component libraries **Work** - Discrete event modeling - Continuous event modeling - Mechanical event simulation - Manufacturing process simulation - Integrate - Turbulence Modeling - Motion Modeling - Dynamic Modeling - Mathematical Modeling - Agent-Based Modeling - Monte Carlo Simulation **Customization - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)** - Custom Commands - Custom Scripts - Custom Menus - Custom Interface **Additional Functionality** - API - Image Editing - Activity Dashboard - Animation - Reference Management - Secure Data Storage - Third-Party Integrations - Configuration Management - Annotations - Drag & Drop - Data Synchronization - For 3D Printing - Customizable Templates - Modeling & Simulation - For Manufacturers - Multiple Format Support - Workflow Management - Version Control - Document Management - Sketching and Annotation Tools - Multiple Projects - For Architects - Content Library - Bill of Materials Management - Collaboration Tools - Design Management - Rules-Based Workflow - Reporting/Analytics - Data Visualization - Generative AI - Data Capture and Transfer - Projections - AI Copilot - Real Time Comparisons - Document Generation - Component Library - Compliance Management - Customizable Branding - File Management - Real-Time Updates - Configurable Workflow **Machining** - Job Set-up - Operations - Tooling and Toolpaths **Software Type - Additive Manufacturing** - Cloud-based Platform - Downloadable Application **Platform** - Board size - Layers **Environment** - Hardware support - Task - Manage Multiple Profiles - Command Clarity **Environment - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)** - Hardware support - Task-based interfaces - Manage Multiple Profiles - Command Clarity **Additional Functionality** - G-Code Output - Batch Processing - Toolpath Generation - Collaboration Tools - 2D and 3D Machining - Multi-Language - Real-Time Monitoring - AI/Machine Learning - Data Management - Templates - For Aerospace Industry - Multi-Axis Machining Support - Setup Sheet Generation - For Automotive Industry - Tool Library Management - Data Import/Export - Nesting - Additive Manufacturing - Reporting & Statistics - IoT Integration - Material Database - Real-Time Updates - Customizable User Interface - CAD Integration - Role-Based Permissions - Roughing & Finishing Strategies - Machine Simulation **Additional Functionality** - Activity Dashboard - Configurable Workflow - API - Data Verification - Data Visualization - Generative AI - 3D Imaging - Projections - Data Import/Export - Design Management - Drag & Drop - Real-Time Monitoring - Version Control - Visual Analytics - Third-Party Integrations - Access Controls/Permissions - Workflow Management - Direct Manipulation - Scenario Planning - Product Data Management - Predictive Analytics - Change Management - Process Control - Customization - Content Library - Document Management - Real-Time Data - Reporting & Statistics - Rules-Based Workflow - File Management - Compliance Management - Policy Management - Graphical Data Presentation - Customizable Reports - Graphical Workflow Editor - Reporting/Analytics - Industry Specific Database - Project Workflow - AI Copilot - Performance Management **Customization** - Custom commands - Custom interface **Generative AI - Additive Manufacturing** - AI Text-to-Image - AI Text-to-3D **Building Preparation - Additive Manufacturing** - Material Management - Building Simulation - Slicing Optimization ## Top SOLIDWORKS Alternatives - [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion/reviews) - 4.5/5.0 (509 reviews) - [Onshape](https://www.g2.com/products/onshape/reviews) - 4.7/5.0 (711 reviews) - [Designcenter Solid Edge](https://www.g2.com/products/designcenter-solid-edge/reviews) - 4.2/5.0 (655 reviews)