SOLIDWORKS Trial and Free Student Edition: How to Get It

SOLIDWORKS is one of the most widely used 3D CAD programs in mechanical engineering and product design. There is no free download of the commercial version, but there are two official ways to try it without buying a seat.

Option 1: the online trial

The SOLIDWORKS online trial runs in your browser, with no installation required. You sign in with a 3DEXPERIENCE ID and can:

• test-drive SOLIDWORKS with pre-loaded exercise files,
• upload your own SOLIDWORKS files to the trial environment,
• see what is new in the latest version.

This is a quick way to evaluate the software, but it is not a downloadable trial installer.

Option 2: free for students

SOLIDWORKS’ student page now offers SOLIDWORKS Design Standard for Students free, with 3D CAD and local storage, for Windows PCs only (installation required). Two paid student packages are also listed at $60 USD a year in the USA: Design Premium for Students, which adds simulation, rendering and CAM, and the browser-based SOLIDWORKS xDesign for Students. Students also get learning content and certification opportunities.

Buying SOLIDWORKS

Commercial licenses are sold through SOLIDWORKS and its resellers, with several licensing options. Ask a reseller for pricing in your country.

Platform

The SOLIDWORKS desktop application runs on Windows PCs. Mac users need a Windows environment or a browser-based product.

If you need a free CAD option for personal projects, Solid Edge Community Edition is free for non-commercial use, and OpenSCAD is open source. For Autodesk’s equivalent, see Inventor.