Arm Keil MDK vs IAR Embedded Workbench
Arm Keil MDK
keil.arm.com
IAR Embedded Workbench
iar.comSide by side
| Figure | Arm Keil MDK | IAR Embedded Workbench |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $99/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 8 | 2 |
| Spec score · IDE Software | 9.4 (#1) | 8.5 (#10) |
| Spec score · Embedded Systems Toolchains | 9.5 (#1) | 8.5 (#4) |
| Spec score · Embedded Development IDEs | 9.5 (#1) | 8.4 (#3) |
| Spec score · C++ IDEs | 9.5 (#1) | 8.3 (#6) |
| Company headquarters | Arm lists its global headquarters at 110 Fulbourn Road, Cambridge, UK, CB1 9NJ. | IAR lists its headquarters in Uppsala, Sweden. |
| Compiler | The package includes Arm Compiler for Embedded with assembler, linker and optimized runtime libraries. | Its optimizing IAR C/C++ Compiler targets small code size and low power consumption. |
| Debugging | The VS Code integration supports pyOCD with ST-Link, CMSIS-DAP and ULINK, plus J-Link Server. | The C-SPY debugger provides real-time trace, code coverage, function profiling, and RTOS awareness. |
| Documentation | Arm provides getting-started, user, licensing, installation, CMSIS-Toolbox and CI/CD guides plus videos and forums. | IAR’s documentation portal covers most releases after June 30, 2025, while older product documentation is supplied in installed software. |
| Functional safety | Professional includes FuSa compiler and runtime components aimed at ISO 26262, IEC 61508 and IEC 62304 projects. | IAR says Embedded Workbench is TÜV SÜD certified to meet multiple functional safety standards, with new platform releases undergoing certification. |
| Purpose | Keil MDK simplifies embedded software development for Cortex-M and Ethos-U processors through CLI, IDE, or continuous integration workflows. | IAR Embedded Workbench is an embedded development toolchain with an optimized compiler, debugger, and analysis tools. |
| Support | Keil MDK support offers support cases, a community forum, documentation, and learning videos. | IAR provides customer portal access to technical support, technical articles, and customer support, plus self-service online training through IAR Academy. |
| Supported operating systems | MDK v6 supports Linux, macOS and Windows hosts, with some feature differences by operating system. | The IDE runs natively on Linux and Windows. |
| System requirements | Minimum requirements are a 1 GHz 64-bit x86 or AArch64 CPU, 1 GB RAM and 2 GB free disk; recommended is 2 GHz, 4 GB RAM and 5 GB disk. | The referenced Arm release requires a 64-bit Pentium-compatible Windows 7, 10 or 11 PC, at least 4 GB RAM and 10 GB free disk space. |
| What it does | Keil MDK is Arm’s toolchain for creating, building and debugging software for Cortex-M and Ethos-U microcontrollers and processors. | IAR Embedded Workbench combines an IDE, optimizing C/C++ compiler, assembler, linker, libraries, project manager and C-SPY debugger for embedded software development. |
Plans
Arm Keil MDK
- EssentialPriced on request
- ProfessionalPriced on request
- ProfessionalPriced on request
- CommunityFree
- Keil MDK v6 Essential82.39 CHF a month
- Keil MDK v6 Essential$99 a month
- Keil MDK v6 Professional165.60 CHF a month
- Keil MDK v6 Professional$199 a month
IAR Embedded Workbench
- IAR Embedded Workbench evaluationFree
- IAR Platform subscriptionPriced on request
In their own words
Arm Keil MDK
Arm Keil MDK is a toolchain for embedded software targeting Cortex-M and Ethos-U processors. MDK v6 supports command-line, IDE, and continuous-integration workflows across major operating systems. It includes Keil Studio extensions for Visual Studio Code, Keil μVision, Arm Compiler for Embedded, and Arm Fixed Virtual Platform models. Software packs add device and board support, middleware, components, code templates, and example projects independently of the toolchain. Keil Studio supports CMSIS workflows with an integrated debugger and extensions for creating, building, and testing embedded applications. Listed integrations include CMSIS-FreeRTOS, Keil RTX5, MDK-Middleware, IoT clients, CMSIS-DAP, ULink, and third-party debug adapters. Community is for non-commercial use. The listed MDK v6 Essential plan costs $99 a month per license; Professional costs $199 a month per license and adds Arm Virtual Hardware, functional-safety compiler tools, and legacy tools including Arm Compiler 5. Keil μVision is available only for Windows hosts.
IAR Embedded Workbench
IAR Embedded Workbench is an embedded development toolchain with an IDE, optimizing compiler, linker, assembler, and debugger. It supports over 20 architectures, including Arm, RISC-V, 8051, MSP430, AVR, and several Renesas families. The C-SPY debugger provides real-time trace, code coverage, function profiling, and RTOS awareness. IAR C-STAT offers static analysis; IAR C-RUN detects runtime errors and is available for Arm and RX. The toolchain works with VS Code and Eclipse, supports CMake builds, and can integrate with CI/CD pipelines. Supported debug probes include I-jet, I-jet Trace, J-Link, PE Micro, and ST-LINK. Built-in plugins provide RTOS awareness for systems including PX5 RTOS and Zephyr RTOS. The IDE runs natively on Linux and Windows. A 14-day evaluation is available for non-commercial use, but excludes runtime library source code, C-STAT, and MISRA C support and includes limited technical support. Paid subscription pricing is available by request; the subscription combines named-user licenses and build capacity for automated builds and CI/CD.