--- title: SOLIDWORKS Reviews meta_title: 'SOLIDWORKS Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta_description: Filter 646 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: 646 scale: '5' date_modified: '2026-08-14' parent_category: name: CAD url: https://www.g2.com/categories/cad --- # SOLIDWORKS Reviews **Vendor:** Dassault Systemes **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:** 646 ## About SOLIDWORKS SOLIDWORKS delivers connected, easy-to-use tools that help you innovate and accelerate every aspect of your product development process. ## SOLIDWORKS Pros & Cons **What users like:** - Users value the **user-friendly interface** of SOLIDWORKS, which simplifies complex tasks and enhances productivity. (37 reviews) - Users appreciate the **user-friendly interface** of SOLIDWORKS, enhancing productivity with easy file conversion and robust features. (29 reviews) - Users appreciate the **ease of creating accurate 3D models** with SOLIDWORKS, enhancing design and simulation capabilities. (27 reviews) - Users value the **user-friendly interface** of SOLIDWORKS, facilitating quick learning and efficient design processes. (21 reviews) - Users value the **in-built simulation tools** in SOLIDWORKS, which enhance testing and analysis efficiency for complex designs. (16 reviews) - Users value the **CAD integration** of SOLIDWORKS, which enhances efficiency and streamlines the design process. (15 reviews) - Efficiency (15 reviews) - Users value the **robust features** of SOLIDWORKS, which enhance machine design and support diverse modeling needs. (15 reviews) - 3D Visualization (14 reviews) - CAD Designing (14 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users experience **performance issues** like lag and crashes, especially with large assemblies, affecting usability. (17 reviews) - Users experience **slow performance** with SOLIDWORKS, especially when managing large assemblies on less powerful machines. (15 reviews) - Users face **high system requirements** with SOLIDWORKS, affecting performance and accessibility for less powerful machines. (14 reviews) - Users find the **complexity** of SOLIDWORKS challenging, especially during installation and when working with mesh models. (11 reviews) - Users find SOLIDWORKS to be **expensive** , especially with high system requirements and costly licensing impacting accessibility. (11 reviews) - Users report that **slow simulation** can hinder productivity, especially with large assemblies and complex models. (11 reviews) - Users experience **software instability** with SolidWorks, facing issues like crashes and slow performance with large assemblies. (11 reviews) - Users often face **assembly issues** in SOLIDWORKS, experiencing slow performance and crashes with large and complex models. (10 reviews) - Crashes (10 reviews) - High Hardware Requirements (10 reviews) ## SOLIDWORKS Reviews ### 1. Powerful CAD Tool with Easy 3D to 2D Conversion **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** MINASIE G. | Mechanical Design Engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 07, 2025 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I use SOLIDWORKS for various mechanical drawings, and it really helps me show the working principle of complex machinery parts in an easy and clear way for my clients. I love that I can simulate each part to see whether it is safe or not. SOLIDWORKS makes designing 3D and 2D drawings simultaneously simple, which saves me time because I can convert a 3D model into a 2D drawing easily. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Honestly it is a little bit difficult and takes a longer time when trying to download and install. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps me show the working principle of machinery clearly to clients and ensures safety with simulations. It designs 3D and 2D drawings simultaneously, saving time by easily converting 3D models to 2D drawings. ### 2. Intuitive, Feature-Rich, and Perfect for Daily 3D Modeling **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** NIRANJANA R. | Graduate Engineer Trainee, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 12, 2025 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** The features I like the best in SolidWorks are: -Ease of Use: Intuitive interface makes 3D modeling and assembly straightforward, even for complex designs. -Number of Features: Tons of tools for parametric modeling, simulations, and drawings all in one place. -Ease of Integration: Works smoothly with other CAD software and file formats, which helps with collaboration. -Frequency of Use: I use it daily, and it handles repetitive tasks efficiently, saving a lot of time. -Ease of Implementation: Quick to set up and get started, minimal downtime for learning the system. -Customer Support: Responsive and helpful when resolving issues or clarifying doubts. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** The downside I see in SolidWorks is that: -few large assemblies sometimes slow down the system. -Occasional crashes with highly complex models. -Some advanced features aren’t obvious at first and require digging to master. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SolidWorks benefits me by: -Streamlining design and prototyping, reducing errors before manufacturing. -Keeping all components and assemblies organized, improving team collaboration. -Accelerating iterations and testing, making the design process much more efficient. ### 3. SolidWorks: Fast and Easy for Simple Models, Needs Improvement for Complex Tasks **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** William D. | Spanish Interpreter, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 19, 2025 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** I use SOLIDWORKS to design and simulate static and dynamic systems such as metallic structures and machine movements. I really like how it helps to create things from scratch using my creativity. It's easy to change dimensions without having to redo all the previous work, and the interface motivated my team to switch from AutoCAD to SOLIDWORKS. The platform is fast when designing simple models, and the initial setup was so easy. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** When having complex systems done in SOLIDWORKS, it can be quite slow and sometimes the program closes itself or the computer gets frozen. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I use SOLIDWORKS to design and simulate systems, and it helps me create from scratch using creativity. It's easy to change dimensions without starting over, and it's fast for simple models. ### 4. Extraordinary for creators **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Mahas K. | Engineering Undergraduate., Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** August 04, 2025 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** In built Simulation tools are really helpful in testing strength, motion and performance. Can reduce cost before expensive prototyping. Best and in industry standard in mechanical engineering design. User friendly interface . Widely used among the design community. Customer support is excellent. This is the software used among the world, for 2D ,3D Designs and other technical drawings. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Requires very high system requirements, so that you need a powerful pc. License is a bit expensive, and no free versions for students as well. Slow and crashes for large assemblies Limited Support for mac. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Helps me visualize and refine complex parts before building them. Reduces trial-and-error by simulating forces and movements. Gives me power for quick prototyping. Reduces Time in manufacturing parts . ### 5. Easy and Powerful 3D Design Software **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Yash B. | Product Design Engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** November 07, 2025 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** It is easy to use, helps make 3D designs quickly, and has powerful tools for assemblies and drawings. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Nothing as much. Sometimes lag with large assemblies and needs a strong computer to run smoothly. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** It helps me design and check parts before making them, saving time and reducing mistakes. ### 6. Solidworks review **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Alexis H. | Design engineer - medical device, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 08, 2025 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** The interface is friendly, you can learn very fast, and used a lot in the industry **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Large assemblies slow down quickly. SOLIDWORKS can struggle with performance when dealing with thousands of parts or complex mates. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Allows me to design complex mechanical components accurately and link every detail ### 7. Amazing CAD Software **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Josh L. | Electrical Engineer, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 17, 2024 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** Solidworks has a very intuitive interface for part and assembly design. It has power parametric modeling features that enable more advanced assembly/part support. The software also does a good job at exporting to various file types wether it is .STEP for CAD sharing or .STL for 3D printing. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Solidworks is realtivly resource intensie and you need decent computer hardware to use it. Especially if you intend on doing large assemblies with complex parts. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Solidworks integrated well with Altium to allow seemelss communication with mechanical engineers in larger assemblies. ### 8. SOLIDWORKS: Empoweringprecicion and Innovation in design **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sivaprasad A. | design engineer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 24, 2025 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** The nicest thing about SolidWorks is that it's easy to convert complicated concepts into accurate 3D models thanks to its robust features and user-friendly interface. Some upsides are Simulation capabilities, customization, Wide industry use, and Detailed documentation. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** There are only a few thin:gs firstly, costly licensing and Limited cloud integration. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Made simulation very easy and runs without any lag. ### 9. Very user friendly interface and easy to use **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Aviation & Aerospace | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 25, 2025 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** Solid Works is best software in industry with great features like 3D modeling, Surface Modeling, Sheet Metals, Weldments and Drafting. Solid Works have simple and very user friendly interface. Easy to use with low licence cost that is very helpful for startup company and small scale industries **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Solid Works require high performance systems with good graphics card. Large assembly can take too much time for opening it self specially less powerful systems. And sometimes it's not responding while working on it.This can impact on production. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Design R & D of structural members and parts used in aerospace industries. Modeling and handling large assembly and miscellaneous parts using solid Works.Preperation and validation of engineering drawings with GD&T. ### 10. Horrible Market Strategy makes a great program unusable. **Rating:** 0.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Nathan T. | Engineering Manager, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 26, 2024 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** Great user interface, fantastic mechanical/engineering based 3D modelling (instead of push/pull artistic based models like Blender). **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** I have used Solidworks for 15 years - since I finished University. In 2019, I paid 14 thousand dollars for a perpetual license for SW19. Upon my laptop failing - Customer service has been unable to assit in providing the serial number to install on my new computer. 14 k - gone. I switched to Solidworks for Hobbiests and Markers.... AND MY GOD - WHAT A MESS> Constant 5-6 GB updates - which will fail >75% of the time, then 4 to 5 minutes for the program to actually open, the constant crashing, failing to find their servers, wanting to save files on their cloud instead of my local computer. The "3D Creater Home" is an un-navigatable nightmare that's more interested in teaching me how to model an "apple slicer" than it is in providing the support and platform I need to do the modelling. Pro tip, Solidworks - I can't model your apple slicer example if I can't open your program.... How about you focus on getting the basics right - and ignore the Learning, Collaboration, and Sample content - until your program can actually be used. Unfortunately - after being a fan for 15 years - my advice now is to STEER CLEAR. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Solving problems.... Unfortunately - none, anymore. All the time I have available for modelling is consumed by updates, crashes, and having the 3D Creater Home opened for no apparent reason. ### 11. My experience with SOLIDWORKS **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** PAVAN G. | Draftsperson, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** October 28, 2024 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** SOLIDWORKS offers intuitive 3D modeling, parametric design, and simulation tools, making product design and prototyping faster and more efficient. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** SOLIDWORKS is costly, has a steep learning curve, limited OS compatibility, and can lag with large assemblies, affecting efficiency. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** I Use SOLIDWORKS for product design, prototyping, and testing. It is enhancing efficiency, reducing errors, and accelerating time-to-market for engineering and manufacturing projects. ### 12. My Experience with SOLIDWORKS **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** DHARMENDRA K. | Sr. Web Developer, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** December 24, 2024 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** The user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate. SOLIDWORKS offers a wide range of tools for 3D modeling **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** SOLIDWORKS is expensive. The software demands high-performance hardware to run smoothly **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS offers powerful 3D CAD tools that simplify the creation of complex designs ### 13. Powerful Tool for Design and Prototyping **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Manufacturing | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** September 25, 2024 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** The parametric design capabilities are fantastic, allowing for quick modifications and iterations. Its extensive library of components also speeds up the design process. **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Sometimes the software can be resource-intensive, leading to slower performance on less powerful machines. Additionally, the learning curve can be steep for new users. **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** SOLIDWORKS helps streamline the design process by allowing for quick iterations and detailed simulations, which reduces errors and saves time. It enhances collaboration among team members and improves overall project efficiency. ### 14. Best CAD and CAE software **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Anshaj M. | Firmware Trainee, Logistics and Supply Chain, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 10, 2023 **What do you like best about SOLIDWORKS?** Solidworks provide end to end solution for CAD designing for individual part or assembly 1. It consists of 3D viewing angle which works easily for any GPU 2. We can simulate different parameters and we can fix the material for a particular assembly or part. 3. We can record for the simulation and make it over 3D ground **What do you dislike about SOLIDWORKS?** Solidworks have complex license management which initially takes up a lot of time to install, sometime it gets stuck while operating in a heavy mesh operations **What problems is SOLIDWORKS solving and how is that benefiting you?** Solidworks is giving us the best solution to design any part or assembly, it gets interesting when we start working on the CAE simulation where Static structural and transient state dynamic simulations are worth working on . ## SOLIDWORKS Discussions - [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 - [What are features in Solidworks?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-are-features-in-solidworks) - 1 comment - [View SOLIDWORKS pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1931247&qs=pros-and-cons§ion=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-08-14+18%3A59%3A19+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=dda46ced-d56b-4ef8-8aa0-20b5c935405f&secure%5Btoken%5D=25046ade7868c692ae3c0115d9cc85d2f36adcc0aab83f33ef3b5f6538749d80&format=llm_user) ## SOLIDWORKS Integrations - [Ansys Mechanical](https://www.g2.com/products/ansys-mechanical/reviews) - [BIMDeX](https://www.g2.com/products/bimdex/reviews) - [CATIA](https://www.g2.com/products/catia/reviews) - [Designcenter Solid Edge](https://www.g2.com/products/designcenter-solid-edge/reviews) - [ENOVIA](https://www.g2.com/products/enovia/reviews) - [SolidCAM](https://www.g2.com/products/solidcam/reviews) - [SolidWorks CAM](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks-cam/reviews) - [SolidWorks Simulation](https://www.g2.com/products/dassault-systemes-solidworks-simulation/reviews) - [SOLIDWORKS Visualize](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks-visualize/reviews) - [Teamcenter](https://www.g2.com/products/teamcenter/reviews) - [Total ETO](https://www.g2.com/products/total-eto/reviews) - [Windchill Navigate](https://www.g2.com/products/windchill-navigate/reviews) ## 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 (510 reviews) - [Onshape](https://www.g2.com/products/onshape/reviews) - 4.7/5.0 (712 reviews) - [Designcenter Solid Edge](https://www.g2.com/products/designcenter-solid-edge/reviews) - 4.3/5.0 (624 reviews)