# SolidWorks Premium Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is SolidWorks Premium the right Engineering CAD solution for you? Explore 757 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/93121/SolidWorks-Premium/reviews --- SolidWorks Premium 4.6 (757) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/93121/SolidWorks-Premium/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated December 15th, 2025 # Reviews of SolidWorks Premium Ease of use 4.3 Customer Service 4.2 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews Advanced 3D modeling capabilities 96% positive reviews out of 181 Most reviewers describe 3D design features as robust, enabling detailed modeling, simulation, and visualization for various industries. Chris I CTO, 2 - 10 employees. "Powerful design capabilities: Robust tools for 3D modeling, simulation, and rendering." Persistent bugs and unclear errors 80% negative reviews out of 64 Most reviewers indicate frequent bugs and confusing error messages make troubleshooting and resolving issues time-consuming. Intuitive and customizable interface 96% positive reviews out of 131 Most users report the user interface is intuitive, easy to learn, and highly customizable for efficient modeling. Caleb T Mechanical Engineer, 5,001 - 10,000 employees. "It also has one of the most straightforward UIs of any CAD software." High hardware and resource demands 71% negative reviews out of 63 Most users comment computer requirements are demanding, needing powerful hardware for smooth operation, especially with complex projects. Comprehensive mechanical engineering toolkit 97% positive reviews out of 71 Most reviewers find mechanical design tools versatile, supporting efficient modeling, simulation, and rapid prototyping for engineers. Frequent and unpredictable crashes 89% negative reviews out of 55 Most users report crashes occur regularly, often causing data loss and workflow interruptions, especially with large assemblies. ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 757 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Kishore E. Mechanical engineer Defense & Space Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Best cad tool for designers" March 19, 2025 4.0 As mechanical engineer i made products to defence sector, by using i can made faster 3d models and production drawings within the one software and so its reduces the time and also money Pros The best thing i like about the software is its simplicity like even beginners can learn easily and a connection between sketch and drafting and finally its Tool box Cons The downside of this software is its sadddenly crashes sometimes ,so all the work we have done before crashing will be lost. Switched from [AutoCAD](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/) For Faster designing of 3d models and simulation Review Source AA Amine A. Senior Mechanical Engineer Consumer Goods Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Solidworks" January 28, 2025 5.0 Overall it's still correct because it fullfill my daily needs Pros It centralize a lot of tools for multiples tasks Cons The 3D experience is terrible i've paid like for 2 years it's plugging with solidworks it has 0 efficiency only cloud problems Alternatives considered [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.capterra.com/p/178416/Fusion-360/) Reason for choosing SolidWorks Premium I do use both actually because each one of them has pros and cons Review Source CI Chris I. CTO Medical Devices Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great software, but price is a tough pill to swallow" May 28, 2025 3.0 We’ve really enjoyed using the software – it’s a powerful tool with all the features you could need for engineering design. The software itself is great and delivers on performance for most of our needs. But with the way pricing has been shifting, it’s making me question if it’s worth the investment for our company in the long term. If the cost was more competitive, I’d be all in, but right now, we have to consider alternatives. Pros Powerful design capabilities: Robust tools for 3D modeling, simulation, and rendering. Great for complex engineering designs, especially if you have the right computer specs. User-friendly interface: easy to pick up. Layout makes finding tools and features quick and easy. Solid integration: Works well enough with other CAD/CAM tools, so can drop into existing workflow without much disruption. Cons Expensive: The cost is simply very high compared to alternatives like Fusion 360. Recent changes to their subscription model make it feel even more expensive and less customer-friendly on price. Subscription model changes: switch in how they offer plans compared to a few years ago has made me rethink each year if we can stick with it for the long run, especially for smaller team/company. Learning curve: Interface is good, but still a learning curve to fully get the most out of all the features. Alternatives considered [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.capterra.com/p/178416/Fusion-360/) Reason for choosing SolidWorks Premium Seemed more industry standard at the time, although Fusion's growth and Solidworks increased price burden makes me have to reconsider this in the near future. Review Source Steven P. CEO Internet Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great product if you're working with a SolidWorks Reseller (3DXperience)" March 6, 2026 5.0 Very good experience overall. SolidWorks Premium offers powerful tools, stability, and efficiency for professional design work Pros Access to the Simulation in assembly is a must for our products. I liked the 3DExperience cloud PDM fonctionnalities that are now available in my package Cons Without an integrator like (\[sensitive content hidden\]) it is hard to navigate in 3DExperience platform by your own. I strongly recommand to contact a VAR to help you during the installation Review Source hS harsha S. Mechanical engineer Medical Devices Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Solidworks Review" December 18, 2024 5.0 I've been using solidworks for almost 5 years medical devices ....it's the best in market & never faced any serious issues that couldn't be resolved Pros Able to Navigate Large Assemblies smoothly and better Cons There is still lot of Lag using PDM within the Tab Switched from [AutoCAD](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/) Better features & user friendly Domain Of solidworks Review Source Caleb T. Mechanical Engineer Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "A User-Friendly CAD Solution That Delivers" August 5, 2025 5.0 Overall, I am very pleased with SolidWorks. In my experience, it is the easiest to learn and use daily out of any of the CAD software. Pros I like the ease of use and the intuitive feature set. It is a very user-friendly program and super easy to learn. It also has one of the most straightforward UIs of any CAD software. The learning curve for even advanced features is relatively small. Cons There are times when the entire program freezes. If you let it sit for a few minutes, it sorts itself out usually, but I wish it had some indicator that it is still functioning. In the task manager, it always shows up as "not responding". I also wish it did a little better job with importing and feature recognition. It will not import Creo files. Review Source CD Craig D. Mechanical Design Engineer Machinery Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Still the benchmark of CAD" February 12, 2026 4.0 It is the benchmark for all CAD systems, for all its quirks and the cost, SolidWorks remains the software all CAD systems compare themselves to. Pros 3d Design is excellent. I like how more and more companies are integrating their products into the features of SolidWorks. The part to drawing integration is excellent. Cons It is very expensive in comparison to other products. SolidWorks crashes very often. I've lost a good amount of work due to this. We get a huge number of notifications telling me we have the wrong graphics card Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Project Engineer, Team Lead Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great product! Price is a bit crippling!" April 2, 2026 5.0 This is a very intuitive software that allows for suppressing components within the assembly FEA that you want to exclude from analysis, change remote loadings, and much more! Pros The Simulation for FEA is invaluable for analyzing the strength of assemblies. Solidworks express gets left in the dust when you can analyze entire assemblies Cons This is a very expensive add on. Our company has only 1-2 licenses with this premium feature because of the costs Review Source Cody C. Executive Director of Operations Aviation & Aerospace Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SolidWorks is a Must for the Precision Machining Industry" August 4, 2025 5.0 My overall experience with SolidWorks has been great, it's easy enough to use for jr. engineers to learn, and advanced enough for senior engineers to leverage creating blueprints very quickly and efficiently. Pros SolidWorks Premium is THE best software for creating manufacturing/process blue-prints efficiently and it is also a great tool to extract GD&T and PMI data from a 3D model. Cons I had to purchase Mastercam in addition to SolidWorks for CNC programming capabilities, I wish SolidWorks would implement CNC programming software, such as Mastercam, so it's an all-in-one package for creating blueprints and programming CNC vertical mills. Review Source PP Parth P. Development Engineer Mechanical or Industrial Engineering Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Powerful tool at a cost" September 10, 2025 5.0 Pros I was introduced to SolidWorks when I was a bachelor student. I learned a subject "Engineering design" in 2D. After a year, when I was introduced to SolidWorks, I was amazed with it. I learned it by myself, did projects as a student. And during my first job, I dealt with the designing. Since I got to use Premium version, I learned motion analysis. With this function I made my models and ideas a reality. We started using it to identify the mechanical movements and possible errors at an early phase. Cons The premium version is expensive for an individual or even for academics and small companies. Since it is not accessible to everyone, it takes time to learn the advanced features. Review Source BH Brian H. Design Engineer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Career Using Solidworks" October 1, 2019 4.0 Overall, Solidworks has become a trusty tool for me. I'm able to get my point across clearer with a 3D drawing with detailed views to the customer instead of working on a physical model. I suggest taking classes if you're very new to the world of 3D modeling but if you have an understanding of it, a quick set of Youtube tutorials can get you on track easily. I recommend this product to anyone who has a creative mind and wants to make objects digitally with hopes to transfer it into a physical model. Pros Solidworks is good for taking things you've drawn and giving precise dimensions to make it as accurate to the object you're trying to create or recreate as possible. You're able to transfer these drawings to machines that can cut and print what you've done after. Since this software is so popular among design/engineer firms, thousands of tutorials and helpful guides can be found on the internet to help with anything you are trying to produce, along with many forums with knowledgeable people that are willing to help. It has many modes that can simulate object properties if you assign a material to it and will give you a close representation of what you'd expect in the real world. Cons Solidworks has trouble with organic shapes. If you are doing something that requires a bulbous shape you might need to look elsewhere like 3DS Max or Maya. It also has trouble with the spline command, which requires a bit more finesse when controlling it. Switched from [Inventor](https://www.capterra.com/p/236745/Inventor/) I made the switch at the time because Solidworks had more to offer. Inventor needed a bit more calculations on my end in order for me to create my vision, but Solidworks simplified a lot of features and allowed for snaps to be done on planes that were on multiple angles. I believe Inventor fixed this issue and made it more user friendly but I'm entrenched in Solidworks and it hasn't given me any reason to switch yet. Plus the market really shows that companies are looking for Solidworks. Review Source SG Shan G. CTO Mechanical or Industrial Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "One of the best products design tools for simulation " April 10, 2025 4.0 Fast and accurate simulations, especially on mechanical and materials areas. Pros All levels of simulations including mechanical, materials and performance. Cons The physical simulation part needs some improvement. Also it lacks AI upgrade. Review Source RB Ryan B. Manager Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Design Abilities" January 15, 2025 4.0 Pros I like the features and the ability to navigate through all of the tree managers. Cons SOLIDWORKS has a learning curve and the features are not all intuitive but once you learn it is a very powerful tool. Review Source NK Nicholas K. Chief Research Officer Research Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Industry standard" October 17, 2024 4.0 Overall I have a positive experience with solidworks Pros Very capable software. The industry standard, so it makes it easy to collaborate with others. Cons Very closed ecosystem, so it makes getting support difficult. Also the lack of compatibility with older versions can make it difficult to collaborate to institutions that canot afford the latest model year. Review Source Raheem A. Production Manager Industrial Automation Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SolidWorks promotes a collaborative design environment, allowing designers to work seamlessly with t" June 22, 2023 5.0 SolidWorks Premium impresses users with its powerful and versatile design capabilities. The software offers a wide range of tools for 3D modeling, assembly design, sheet metal design, and more. Users appreciate the ability to create complex designs with precision and efficiency, thanks to advanced features like parametric modeling, surface modeling, and direct editing. Pros SolidWorks Premium excels in its integrated simulation and analysis capabilities. With features like structural analysis, motion simulation, and flow simulation, users can evaluate and validate their designs with confidence. The ability to perform simulations within the same software environment saves time and enhances the design iteration process Cons One aspect that i have found challenging is the complexity of features in SolidWorks Premium. With its vast array of advanced design tools and functionalities, the software can be overwhelming for beginners or those transitioning from simpler CAD software. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Jr. Supervisor Industrial Automation Used the software for: 2+ years ### "SolidWorks Premium: " August 7, 2021 5.0 Pros One of the best feature I frequently used in SolidWorks Premium was the so called Hole Wizard. It conserves a lot of time and energy compared to a typical CAD software. The software is user-friendly since most of the time it only requires a user to draw 2D blueprints and can be extruded in its simplest form. Thus, SolidWorks Premium can be easily integrated and converted to other 3D CAD software and vice versa. Cons When having a complex machine design assembled, obviously it tends to hang up and system clash. There is a need to have a good PC graphic cards to sustain it. Nonetheless, if the necessary requirement were met then there will be no other problem. Review Source DT Dan T. Lead Estimator Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The Best 3D Design Software for Engineers" May 26, 2022 5.0 Overall, Solidworks is a wonderful all around program shared by many fields. It's easy to send prints to a machine shop or just send a prototype to a 3D printer. Pros I like that I can use a plethora of programs all in one. I can do electrical, mechanical, aerodynamic & hydraulic designs & calculations all in one program. It has a wonderful sheet metal feature to get you prints sent over to your machine shop in no time. The versatility & adaptation is very impressive. In terms of material selection for stress analysis, its incomparable to start and easily modifiable if you have custom alloys. Cons As much as I love working in Solidworks, it is a little difficult when you're working on a project and it suddenly crashes. Most of our workstations have ECC ram to stabilize the program a little bit, but it still suffers from instability equaly. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer QA Engineer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Very user friendly easy to learn design tool" December 5, 2022 5.0 I am very satisfied with the design experience with the software. Pros The tool is very user friendly any new user can learn it with in days. It provides so many features to design parametric models. Cons some times we need a non-parametric approach. it would be very good to have a simple addon to create a non-parametric design. In times of concept development Review Source Milind M. Review For Autocad LT Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Review For Soliworks Premium." April 22, 2023 4.0 My overall experience with this software is very nice as this software is very friendly user, handy and value for money. Pros Very Friendly User Software.After 3D Model has been done we can create file for 3D Printing.Very useful software for Analysis and Development.Very Useful for Structure Design.Very Useful for Small Scale Industries.Value For Money. Cons If we compared this software to other softwares like catia, Unigrafics it has some limitations for Analysis part.Rendering quality compared to other softwares is moderate. Review Source Subhair S. Senior Mechanical Design Engineer Machinery Used the software for: 2+ years ### "User Friendly Interface and best 3D modelling software for Mechanical Design Engineers " July 4, 2023 4.0 I have best user experience on using solidworks. It is one of the cheapest and best solid modelling software available in the market. We use solidworks for designing machineries, conveyors and fabrication drawings. Solidworks simulation tools help us to do stress analysis with that data we can easily able to design stress carrying members. Pros Am using solidworks for past 4 years. I like its user friendly interface and we can able to customize that based on our convenience. Solidworks Sheetmetal and part modeling has many tools for making complex shapes and models easily. Specifically It helps me to do tolerance stack up analysis to fix the precise tolerance for the parts. Cons Very few tools available for surface modelling compared to other software. Rendering process is too slow and rendered images are not up to the mark. Review Source TP Tania P. Student Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "From 3D design to manufacturing control, Solid Works has everything" May 28, 2022 5.0 I analyze mechanical properties of bones models, using differents concentrations of hydroxyapatite. For this reason, Solid Works Premiun helps me to create personalizated material libraries. Pros It's very easy to use and you can run mechanical analysis in a normal laptop or computer Cons You need a license that it's expensive for students Review Source DL David L. Mechatronic Mechanical or Industrial Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "simulation and modeling in SolidWorks" June 30, 2021 4.0 I have more than five years using the program to generate part plans starting from a 3D model as well as creating molds of them and it has helped me greatly in my projects, the commands once they get used to using it greatly simplify the work, its simulation of assemblies is very useful to understand how mechanics will move or work, I recommend it for the mechanical industry Pros It is a program with very similar functions to other drawing and modeling of elements and mechanical parts, so it does not represent a difficulty if you change from Autocad to this software, it is very versatile and presents several tools that are widely used in engineering, such as simulation of movable elements, simulation of CAM processes, it is very useful when making a copy of \`parts or models that will be printed in 3D Cons When using commands in the wrong way, the program can close, so if you did not record your progress during that time, it is usually lost, so you will have to start from scratch, it can present difficulties for beginners or people without experience in design programs. Review Source JA Jordan A. Mechanical Engineer Consumer Electronics Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Solid Product" December 20, 2022 5.0 Overall, it is a good professional tool for basic and some advanced modeling. If you need to do advanced simulation, there are other packages like Ansys that are much better. Pros The layout and ability to customize shortcut keys help with the speed and ease of use. Some of the basic motion simulations are helpful. Training materials are easy to find on the internet. There is a large community of users that actively post tips and tricks related to CAD modeling. Cons Working with large assemblies could be improved. The program/computer can be slow when trying to manipulate, open, or save large assembly files. Imported geometry, especially surface models, are difficult to work with. Cleaning models and fixing geometry errors takes a lot of time. Reason for choosing SolidWorks Premium The prevalence of Solidworks in the industry makes it easier to collaborate with suppliers and vendors. Good training and quick adoption. Review Source EB Edgar B. Design Engineering Research Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best 3d design software" July 7, 2023 5.0 Pros The Libraries are a very valuable resource for engineers and designers, providing a wide range of components that improve the efficiency and accuracy of the design process. Cons the learning curve, it take some time to learn to use well the software. but there are a big community and a lot of tutorials in the web. Switched from [Inventor](https://www.capterra.com/p/236745/Inventor/) solid work are much better. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer IS&D System Administrator Mechanical or Industrial Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Super great program" December 5, 2018 5.0 When we have to redesign a compressor because of a difference in parts sales at the time, Solidworks is there to allow us to make the necessary changes fairly quickly and easily. Our Engineers can take a ring that is slightly different than what we previously used, make the changes necessary to utilize this new ring, and have the plans up and going in short order to get this change in a compressor out and ready for machining and building. They are able to make adjustments to parts when we find we need to change something due to our testing. Everything is simpler because of the abilities of Solidworks. Pros The capabilities of this program are really high. You can create and model just about anything your heart desires. The ability to create things is really only limited to the user of the software. We use this daily as we design our Compressors. Little things here and there are easy to visualize and take advantage of, so much so that our machinists can make things super easily because of the abilities in Solidworks. Cons This software is rather expensive for an every day type of use. This is definitely a program for those that are willing to invest in their Engineering Department. The amount of RAM needed for good solid work with this is very high, and the video card requirements are even more strict. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Related categories [3D CAD](https://www.capterra.com/3d-cad-software/)[Engineering CAD](https://www.capterra.com/engineering-cad-software/) ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.