Best Engineering Software with a Free Trial

Compare the Top Engineering Software with a Free Trial as of May 2025

What is Engineering Software with a Free Trial?

Engineering software is software used by engineers to design, analyze and manufacture various products. It includes a wide range of applications such as CAD/CAE software, analysis tools, optimization tools, and programming tools. Engineering software can be used for a variety of tasks such as designing mechanical parts, analyzing structural stability, simulating system performance, and optimizing product designs. These applications enable engineers to optimize their designs for cost reduction and increased efficiency. Compare and read user reviews of the best Engineering software with a Free Trial currently available using the table below. This list is updated regularly.

  • 1
    ActCAD Software

    ActCAD Software

    Jytra Technology Solutions

    ActCAD is a native dwg/dxf cad software suitable for professional 2D drafting and 3D modeling projects. ActCAD is trusted by over 30000 users in over 103 countries for more than 10 years. The interface, commands, icons, dialogs, shortcuts etc. are very much similar to other popular cad software tools available in market. Flexible license types available even for single license. There is no learning for existing cad users while saving 80% of the costs. ActCAD offers free email technical support without any limitations. ActCAD can be fully customized and programs can be developed using our free API toolkit. It supports popular programming languages like , lisp dcl, .net, C++ etc. Apart from all regular commands, ActCAD offers many productive tools like pdf to cad converter, Block libraries, Image to Cad converter, handling point sets between Cad and Excel and many more. ActCAD is suitable for any high end professional projects in the domains of Architecture, Civil, Mechanical,Automotive
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    Starting Price: $249.00/one-time/user
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  • 2
    Lucidchart

    Lucidchart

    Lucid Software

    Lucidchart is an advanced diagramming tool designed to help businesses and teams optimize their processes, systems, and workflows with intelligent, data-driven diagrams. The platform combines powerful AI features, such as AI-generated diagrams, data linking, and real-time collaboration, to make visualizing complex systems and architectures faster and more efficient. Lucidchart supports multiple use cases, including process maps, flowcharts, technical diagrams, organizational charts, and systems planning. Its seamless integrations with popular apps like Jira, Confluence, Slack, and Teams allow for enhanced collaboration, enabling teams to align on priorities and act on insights quickly. Lucidchart is the perfect tool for anyone looking to create professional diagrams in less time, while fostering better decision-making and innovation.
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    Starting Price: $7.95/month/user
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  • 3
    OrCAD X

    OrCAD X

    Cadence Design Systems

    OrCAD® X is a unified PCB design software platform that offers significant improvements in ease of use, performance, automation, data management, and collaboration. Our cloud-enabled product suite contains applications for schematic, simulation, and PCB layout. OrCAD X Capture is one of the most widely used schematic design solutions for the creation and documentation of electrical circuits. PSpice® is our virtual SPICE simulation environment integrated within Capture that allows you to prototype your designs using the industry-leading, native analog, mixed-signal, and advanced analysis engines to deliver a complete circuit simulation and verification solution. Our two PCB layout environments, OrCAD X PCB Editor and OrCAD X Presto, allow designers to easily collaborate between ECAD/MCAD teams and build better PCBs faster. OrCAD X Presto is a new user-friendly option offering a simpler interface for quick-turn PCB design.
    Starting Price: $107 USD/month
  • 4
    MATLAB

    MATLAB

    The MathWorks

    MATLAB® combines a desktop environment tuned for iterative analysis and design processes with a programming language that expresses matrix and array mathematics directly. It includes the Live Editor for creating scripts that combine code, output, and formatted text in an executable notebook. MATLAB toolboxes are professionally developed, rigorously tested, and fully documented. MATLAB apps let you see how different algorithms work with your data. Iterate until you’ve got the results you want, then automatically generate a MATLAB program to reproduce or automate your work. Scale your analyses to run on clusters, GPUs, and clouds with only minor code changes. There’s no need to rewrite your code or learn big data programming and out-of-memory techniques. Automatically convert MATLAB algorithms to C/C++, HDL, and CUDA code to run on your embedded processor or FPGA/ASIC. MATLAB works with Simulink to support Model-Based Design.
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    Altium 365
    Design, share and manufacture, all in the same space without the need to install or configure anything at all. Connect to the platform directly from Altium Designer, without changing the way you design electronics. Altium 365 does not require additional licenses, and it is included in your subscription plan. Bring higher-quality products to market faster than your competitors, thanks to transparency in reviews and design sharing. Share, in real time and without having to leave your design space, the status of projects with team members, manufacturers, and even clients, who can review and comment on your designs. Anyone with Internet access can view, search, contrast and comment on your projects from a browser and without the need to purchase additional Altium Designer licenses. Make mechanical and electronic collaboration challenges a competitive advantage by working seamlessly across domains, without losing sight of purpose or time.
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    BricsCAD

    BricsCAD

    Bricsys

    BricsCAD the first all-in-one CAD design solution in .dwg that answers all your needs; 2D drafting, 3D modeling, mechanical design, and BIM. The BricsCAD® family of products brings a cost-effective, multi-platform CAD solution to Windows, macOS, and Linux. BricsCAD is available as a permanent/perpetual license, for networked or stand-alone computers. You can also add All-In Maintenance for ease of keeping up-to-date. • BricsCAD® is available on a rental (a.k.a. “Subscription”) plan if you wish. • Familiarity for other CAD users and full LISP support can help reduce a new BricsCAD® users’ learning curve to a day or less. • Advanced multi-threading takes advantage of today’s high-performance processor chips • Innovative machine learning tools increase drawing accuracy while saving time • The small install footprint and high performance of BricsCAD® point to our constant focus on quality and modern software design.
    Starting Price: $330/user/year
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    nanoCAD

    nanoCAD

    Nanosoft

    nanoCAD is a modern computer-aided design (CAD) platform that provides designers with powerful capabilities in 2D drafting and 3D modeling. nanoCAD can be used on its own as a cost-effective DWG-editor, or customized with essential modules: Construction, Mechanica, Raster, Topoplan and 3D Solid Modeling. 2D drawings and 3D solid models with 2D and 3D parametric constraints, and dynamic UCS for effortless sketching on 3D faces. Documentation drawings link to 3D models. Fully DWG compatible.
    Starting Price: $180.00/year/user
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    Solid Edge

    Solid Edge

    Siemens

    Solid Edge is a portfolio of affordable, easy to deploy, maintain, and use software tools that advance all aspects of the product development process – mechanical and electrical design, simulation, manufacturing, technical documentation, data management, and cloud-based collaboration. Developed on Siemens industry leading technologies, Solid Edge provides the most innovative and comprehensive approach to product development for the mainstream market.
    Starting Price: $75/month/user
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    MicroStation

    MicroStation

    Bentley Systems

    You need CAD software that can handle the scale of data demanded by infrastructure projects. Use MicroStation to generate efficient 2D and 3D drawings for any size data set. Global transportation agencies, AEC firms, and other owner-operators require DGN for their infrastructure projects. Eliminate time wasted and errors created when converting your designs from DWG. Infrastructure project lifecycles are long. You can rely on MicroStation to natively utilize data needed to deliver your projects, no matter when it was created, even if it was in the 90s. MicroStation is easy to use and master through a configurable environment with in-app learning, video tutorials, and extensive support that allows you to become an expert in no time. MicroStation is used by engineers, architects, GIS professionals, constructors, and owner-operators to design, model, visualize, document, map, and sustain infrastructure projects.
    Starting Price: $250 per month
  • 10
    GeoHECRAS

    GeoHECRAS

    CivilGEO, Inc.

    GeoHECRAS is a river modeling software used to compute water surface profiles for steady and unsteady flow models, bridge and culvert roadway crossings, FEMA floodplain encroachments, stream restorations, inline reservoir structures, off-channel storage areas, and much more. GeoHECRAS offers: • Quickly Build 1D & 2D HEC-RAS Models • Automatic Assignment of Land Cover as Manning’s Roughness • Digital Terrain Cross Section Cutting • Automated Bridge & Culvert Sizing and Designing • Automated FEMA Floodplain Encroachments • LiDAR Elevation Terrain Processing • Automated Model Calibration • AutoCAD, MicroStation & ESRI ArcGIS Compatible • 100% Compatible with US Army Corps of Engineers HEC-RAS GeoHECRAS provides an easy-to-use, single graphical platform to rapidly create stunning HEC-RAS models and 3D visualizations from a variety of different data sources like AutoCAD, MicroStation, ArcGIS, Google Maps, and more.
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    ideCAD One AEC
    ideCAD One AEC is an Integrated multidisciplinary BIM Software for Architecture, Structural Engineering, and Detailing with Building Information Modeling (BIM). The Integrated Package provides Structural Engineers, Architects, and detailers with Integrated BIM, AEC, and CAD tools that support projects from early-stage design to construction. Create high-quality, high-performing Architectural and structural design with integrated design tools. Optimize projects with integrated Structural analysis, Steel design, Concrete design, Connection design, visualization, and simulation tools. Improve predictability in the field with integrated tools that maximize constructability and project coordination. Accelerate design processes and improve quality with integrated workflows for integrated design, modeling, multidiscipline coordination, and construction documentation.
    Starting Price: $3,800 per year
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    RFEM

    RFEM

    Dlubal Software

    The FEA program RFEM allows for quick and easy modeling, structural and dynamic calculation, as well as the design of models with member, plate, wall, folded plate, shell, and solid elements. Due to the modular software concept, you can connect the main program RFEM with the corresponding add‑ons in order to meet your individual requirements. The structural analysis program RFEM provides structural engineers with a 3D FEA program that meets all requirements in modern civil engineering. Efficient data input and intuitive handling facilitate the modeling of simple and complex structures. The structural analysis program RFEM is the basis of a modular software system. The basic program RFEM is used to define structures, materials, and loads for planar and spatial structural systems consisting of plates, walls, shells, and members. The program also allows you to create combined structures as well as model solid and contact elements.
    Starting Price: €697.50 rent 1 month
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    Onshape

    Onshape

    Onshape

    Onshape is a modern CAD and data management solution with features that include modern CAD, standard content libraries, multi-part modeling, and in-context editing. Onshape allows users to access the solution anywhere and anytime without downloads and installations. Onshape enables users to store and share CAD data in a secure cloud workspace. Onshape allows users to control and monitor access privileges of stored CAD files.
    Starting Price: $125.00/month/user
  • 14
    MatDeck

    MatDeck

    LabDeck

    MatDeck is a universal, technical software for Mathematics, Science, Engineering, Chemistry, Coding, Databases and many other uses. Our software offers a complete Python IDE; thousands of mathematical functions; a drag and drop GUI Designer and various visualization tools, all embedded within a cutting-edge, live document for an inexpensive and professional computing environment.
    Starting Price: Free
  • 15
    AHED (Advanced Heat Exchanger Design)
    HRS-AHED is a new software solution for the calculation of shell and tube heat exchangers featuring fluids and mixing assistant, sensible heat / condensation calculations, single pass and multi pass units, with or w/o baffles and many more features: fluid database, customizable geometries, project sharing, batch calculation, vibration analysis, reporting, and much more. To ensure the best calculation results, the we have conducted a thorough search through scientific literature to make sure the best and most recent methods for calculation in heat transfer engineering are used in our software. Many heat exchanger projects have been designed successfully with AHED, making it an industrially proven software solution.
    Starting Price: €50/3months/user
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    PlusSpec

    PlusSpec

    RubySketch

    PlusSpec is the most powerful, affordable and easy to learn 3D BIM/Virtual Design Construction & Estimating software for the Design & Construction Industry. From Design & Sales to Estimating & Procurement, PlusSpec offers one integrated solution created to help you become more efficient & profitable. PlusSpec has been made for people who are low on time, and we’ve included the support you need so you can quickly master the software. The only BIM software you can actually design with. Immerse your clients in 3D and sell your designs. Create professional 2D drawings. Manage client budgets. Develop stronger relationships with stakeholders. PlusSpec will allow you to do more than just quantify. Quote Fast. End Error and Oversight. Visualize Risk & Complexity. Transform the way you Communicate. Deliver more than just a Paper Quote. Whether you are Designing & Drafting, or Estimating & Building (or both), specifying products is a key part of the process.
    Starting Price: $990 per year
  • 17
    Strata Design 3D CX
    Design 3D CX gives you all the tools you need to complete professional 3D projects. Illustrators, product & package designers, display & interior designers – and other creative professionals – rely on Strata Design 3D CX to realize their vision. Easy to learn, hundreds of hours of video tutorials, and connections to Adobe® and other tools make getting up to speed – and integrating with your workflow – a breeze. Strata Design 3D eases the learning curve for 2D designers who are new to 3D. Quick start templates, libraries, predefined effects, backgrounds, environments and more allow designers to create complex scenes in minutes. With a user interface and tools that are familiar to today’s 2D designers, you invest your time learning 3D design concepts rather than a new design paradigm. For many, the thought of 3D modeling is a daunting task. Design 3D offers an extremely friendly modeling toolset and environment for manipulating your polygons, splines, and primitives into any 3D object.
    Starting Price: $595 one-time payment
  • 18
    Envision evCreator
    Envision evCreator is a powerful graphics application* combining 2D drawing and image editing with 3D model handling for creating technical illustrations, product visualizations, animations, charts, text and more. The evCreator handles the preparation of every visual asset you need to add to your instructional content - as well as the creation of end-to-end documents. Envision evCreator gives technical creatives the autonomy to work with 2D graphics, images and 3D CAD models in a single, intuitive application. No more switching between different apps for different uses, and no more delays caused by reliance on engineering teams for 3D model screenshots. 2D drawing, 3D CAD, and vector graphics in a single, easy to use application: - Image editing - 3D CAD visualization - Flow charts and process diagrams - Animation with text to speech - Smart annotation & dimension tools - Charts, tables, symbols - Export to JPG, PNG, PDF, MP4, and more
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    h2x Engineering

    h2x Engineering

    h2x Engineering

    h2x Engineering offers a user-friendly software solution to the traditional manual, tedious, and time-consuming design and calculation engineering tasks. Set up your project, add your required equipment, review the results, and export to PDF, AutoCAD, Revit, and more.
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    Altair SimSolid
    By performing structural analyses on fully featured CAD assemblies within minutes, SimSolid is the game-changing simulation technology for designers, engineers, and analysts. It eliminates geometry preparation and meshing: the two most time-consuming, expertise-extensive and error-prone tasks performed in a conventional structural simulation. Multiple design scenarios can be simulated quickly under real-life conditions. Early CAD models, in any common format, can be used. SimSolid tolerance of imprecise geometry means that, unlike CAD-embedded simulation tools, there is no need to simplify complex geometries before analyzing designs. SimSolid supports all typical connections (bolt/nut, bonded, welds, rivets, sliding) and analysis of linear static, modal, thermal properties, along with more complex coupled, nonlinear, transient dynamic effects.
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    IronCAD

    IronCAD

    IronCAD

    IronCAD significantly reduces manufacturing barriers and increases engineering productivity with intuitive 3D and 2D solutions for rapid design and seamless collaboration enterprise-wide. Create design iterations, proposals, and production drawings in less time and simply design faster than any other CAD system available today. What makes us different? IronCAD lets you design intuitively in the way you interact in the world, in 3D. With this easier and faster design approach over traditional CAD software, it’s a fundamentally better way to design. IronCAD gives you the speed to invent the future, with time left to watch it unfold. Skip repetitive steps so you can get to market faster, ahead of your competitors, and with far more return on your investment.
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