SOLIDWORKS vs Inventor

by Gralio Feb 10, 2025

SOLIDWORKS and Inventor are both powerful 3D CAD software options catering to mid-sized businesses. SOLIDWORKS stands out with its user-friendliness and focus on manufacturing, while Inventor excels in design automation and integration with the Autodesk ecosystem. The best choice depends on specific business needs and priorities, such as ease of use versus advanced automation capabilities.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 1233 reviews and 60 websites, saving 7 hours, 21 minutes of reading.

SOLIDWORKS

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Inventor

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About

SOLIDWORKS is a popular computer-aided design (CAD) software primarily used by engineers and designers. It offers a range of tools for 3D modeling, design validation, and product data management. SOLIDWORKS is known for its user-friendliness and caters to various industries, with a strong focus on manufacturing. It helps businesses design better products faster by streamlining the design process and improving collaboration.

Inventor is a 3D design software for professionals who need to create, simulate, and document mechanical designs. It's used across various industries by engineers and designers to build a digital prototype before physical production. Inventor helps reduce development costs and speed up time to market by letting you test form, fit, and function virtually. It offers powerful tools for 3D modeling, including standard 2D drawings, and can be integrated with existing design data.

Summary

Main difference

SOLIDWORKS is known for its user-friendly interface and strong focus on the manufacturing industry, making it ideal for businesses prioritizing ease of use and specialized manufacturing tools. Inventor, while also user-friendly, excels in design automation and integration with other Autodesk products, making it better suited for businesses needing advanced automation and a comprehensive design ecosystem.

Relative strengths of SOLIDWORKS (compared to Inventor)

SOLIDWORKS is easier to learn for basic 3D modeling and 2D drawing.
SOLIDWORKS has a larger and more active user community, providing readily available resources and support.
SOLIDWORKS offers a wider range of industry-specific add-ons and plugins, catering to diverse design needs.

Relative weaknesses of SOLIDWORKS (compared to Inventor)

Inventor offers better design automation capabilities with iLogic, which can streamline repetitive design tasks.
Inventor integrates seamlessly with other Autodesk products, creating a more unified design environment.
Inventor performs better with large assemblies, reducing performance issues and crashes.

Who should use SOLIDWORKS VS. Inventor

SOLIDWORKS is user-friendly CAD software ideal for engineers and designers, especially in manufacturing. It excels at 3D modeling, 2D drawing, and product data management. Users praise its intuitive interface and extensive features, but some find the cost high and experience performance issues with large assemblies.

Autodesk Inventor is a robust 3D design software praised for its user-friendly interface and powerful design automation capabilities. It's a valuable tool for engineers and designers looking to create, simulate, and document mechanical designs, especially for those working with solid modeling and part variations. While some users find the file management and advanced features complex, many appreciate the seamless integration with other Autodesk products and excellent customer support. It's particularly well-suited for product development teams seeking to reduce development costs and accelerate time to market.

Best fit for small, medium, and large businesses seeking robust 3D design software.
Ideal for manufacturing, healthcare, education, and more. Not suitable for banking or legal.

Best fit for small, medium, and large businesses seeking 3D mechanical design solutions.
Ideal for Manufacturing, with applications in various sectors like Healthcare, Retail, and Consumer Goods.

SOLIDWORKS and Inventor features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Drafting

Supported

SOLIDWORKS supports creating 2D drawings from 3D models, including section views and annotations.

Supported

Inventor can create 2D technical drawings directly from 3D models.
3D Solid Modeling

Supported

SOLIDWORKS supports 3D solid modeling with features like extrusions, cuts, and revolves.

Supported

Inventor supports creating solid models with extrusions, cuts, and revolves.
Design Sharing

Supported

SOLIDWORKS supports design sharing with various stakeholders via the Share and Markup feature.

Supported

Inventor supports design sharing with various stakeholders through features like Shared Views and neutral file formats.
Machining Simulation

Supported

SOLIDWORKS CAM supports machining simulations, including toolpath verification, collision checks, and final part previews.

Partially supported

Inventor CAM supports toolpath simulation, but full machine simulation with collision detection is unclear.
Dimensioning

Supported

SOLIDWORKS supports automatic and manual dimensioning tools for 2D drawings.

Supported

Inventor supports both automatic and manual 2D dimensioning tools.
2D Sketching

Supported

SOLIDWORKS allows creating 2D sketches for defining part geometry.

Supported

Inventor supports 2D sketching for defining part geometry.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

-0.78

Strongly negative sentiment

-0.75

Strongly negative sentiment
Customer Service

+0.6

Rather positive sentiment

No data
Ease of Use

+0.68

Rather positive sentiment

+0.67

Rather positive sentiment
Reliability and Performance

-0.54

Rather negative sentiment

+0.26

Neutral sentiment
Ease of Implementation

+0.17

Neutral sentiment

+0.43

Rather positive sentiment
Scalability

-0.54

Rather negative sentiment

-0.5

Rather negative sentiment

SOLIDWORKS and Inventor Pricing

No data

User sentiment

Strongly negative

-0.78

We couldn't find a pricing page for SOLIDWORKS.

No data

User sentiment

Strongly negative

-0.75

See full Pricing page

SOLIDWORKS and Inventor review insights

1233 reviews analysed from and

Users love

User-friendly interface, easy to learn and use
Extensive features and customization options
Strong 3D modeling and 2D drawing capabilities
Wide range of add-ons and plugins for simulation, rendering, etc.
Large and active user community and readily available resources

User-friendly interface, easy for both beginners and experienced users.
Robust solid modeling software with part and assembly variations.
Excellent customer support.
Integrates well with other Autodesk products, especially Vault.
Powerful design automation capabilities, including iLogic.

Users dislike

Performance issues and crashes, especially with large assemblies
Steep learning curve for advanced features, such as surfacing
High cost and subscription model, prohibitive for some users
Difficulty with file compatibility between versions
Limited capabilities for certain tasks like mesh and curve modeling

Difficult file management; need to understand file structure to avoid errors.
Large assemblies can be challenging for users unfamiliar with assembly modeling.
Limited sheet metal generation and plastic component tools; requires additional licenses.
Steep learning curve, especially for advanced features like iLogic.
Unintuitive work planes can make assembly difficult.

SOLIDWORKS and Inventor Ratings

G2

4.4/5

(559)

G2

4.4/5

(435)
Capterra

4.5/5

(254)
Glassdoor

4.3/5

(4861)

Company health

Employee growth

No data

3% increase in the last year

Web traffic

No data

2% increase in the last quarter

Financing

No data

May 2020 - $0

How do SOLIDWORKS and Inventor compare for large assembly performance?

While both SOLIDWORKS and Inventor offer tools for managing large assemblies, user reviews suggest that SOLIDWORKS users frequently experience performance issues and crashes with large assemblies. Inventor users also report challenges with large assemblies, but Inventor's performance rating is slightly higher, suggesting potentially better stability. However, both programs require experience and specific workflows for optimal large assembly management.

Which product is easier to learn for a new CAD user, Inventor or SOLIDWORKS?

Both SOLIDWORKS and Inventor have user-friendly interfaces, but SOLIDWORKS is generally considered slightly easier to learn for new CAD users due to its more intuitive interface and extensive learning resources available. While both have a learning curve for advanced features, SOLIDWORKS's larger user community and readily available tutorials make it easier for beginners to find support and guidance.

What are the advantages of SOLIDWORKS?

SOLIDWORKS is known for its user-friendly interface, making it easier to learn and use, especially for 3D modeling and 2D drawing. It also boasts a wide range of add-ons and plugins, expanding its capabilities for tasks like simulation and rendering, and a large, active user community provides readily available resources and support.

What are the disadvantages of SOLIDWORKS?

SOLIDWORKS users report performance issues and crashes, especially when working with large assemblies. Some advanced features, like surfacing, have a steep learning curve. The software also uses a high-cost subscription model which can be prohibitive. Finally, users sometimes experience difficulties with file compatibility between different SOLIDWORKS versions, and some find its mesh and curve modeling capabilities to be limited.

Alternatives to SOLIDWORKS and Inventor

Solid Edge

Solid Edge is a suite of software designed to help businesses create and manage product designs. It offers tools for 3D modeling, simulating product performance, and managing the manufacturing process. Solid Edge aims to be user-friendly and affordable, making it suitable for mid-sized companies looking for a comprehensive product development solution.

AutoCAD

AutoCAD is a design and drafting software to create 2D and 3D models. It offers industry-specific tools for fields like architecture and manufacturing. AutoCAD stands out with its web and mobile apps, enabling work from anywhere. It promises increased productivity through specialized features and a familiar interface.

CATIA

CATIA is advanced 3D design software used by companies to create detailed models of products before they're built. It's particularly helpful for industries like aerospace and automotive that design complex products. CATIA allows teams to work together on designs, simulate how products will perform, and even experience their creations virtually.

SketchUp

SketchUp is a 3D modeling software that's easy to use, yet powerful enough for professionals in architecture, interior design, and construction. Visualize projects of any size, create detailed 2D drawings from your models, and share your vision with colleagues and clients through presentations and immersive visuals. SketchUp is known for its intuitive interface and is used by individuals and companies worldwide, from small design studios to large architectural firms.

ZWCAD

ZWCAD is a cost-effective computer-aided design (CAD) software for professionals in architecture, engineering, and manufacturing. It's known for its user-friendly design and compatibility with industry-standard file formats, making it a popular alternative to more expensive CAD software. ZWCAD offers a range of tools for 2D drafting, 3D modeling, and data management, helping businesses streamline their design processes from concept to production.

Ansys Discovery

Ansys Discovery is a 3D design software that helps engineers create better products faster and more affordably. It's unique because it combines real-time simulation with accurate engineering analysis and 3D modeling – all in one easy-to-use program. This lets you test multiple designs quickly and see how they'd perform in the real world, saving you time and money on physical prototypes. Whether you need to analyze a product's structural strength, heat transfer, or fluid flow, Ansys Discovery provides immediate feedback to improve your designs early in development.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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