Capsim Business Simulations vs ExtendSim

Capsim Business Simulations gives learners a company to operate through linked decisions in marketing, finance, operations, and R&D. Each simulation round represents a year: participants choose actions, receive market responses and results, and carry decisions into later rounds. CapsimCore, CapsimGlobal, CapsimOps, and Capstone target different course levels and subjects. Courses can run solo or in teams, online, in person, or in hybrid formats, scaling from seminars to more than 1,000 learners. Instructors can change market conditions and difficulty, select practice or competition modes, and add case modules. Scoring includes star ratings and weighted Success Measures; CapsimCore and Capstone also provide a Balanced Scorecard. Browser delivery requires no installation and integrates with Canvas, Blackboard, and other major learning systems through single sign-on and gradebook sync. Comp-XM and CapsimInbox-XM provide individual assessments. Pricing is on request.

ExtendSim is process simulation software for decision-makers assessing improvement opportunities and system configurations. It supports customizable modeling logic, hierarchical subsystems, interactive user interfaces and exploration of design options. Features include reusable custom blocks, model hierarchies, simulation animation, 35 built-in distributions and statistical analysis tools. Data exchange options include Excel, ODBC and ADO databases, FTP and text files; Scenario Manager can export results to JMP or Minitab. ExtendSim Pro adds discrete-rate and reliability block diagramming capabilities to DE, while DE adds message-based discrete-event architecture to CP. It is a Windows application, with web also listed as a platform. Standard licenses require 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11; ARM configurations are not officially supported. Mac use requires installing Windows with an emulator such as Parallels or Boot Camp. The trial lasts 30 days from first launch and is limited to the downloader; it disables Multicore Analysis, watermarks models and cannot run on virtual machines. Individual license options are one-time purchases, with first-year Maintenance & Support included; CP costs $995, paid once, DE $3,495, paid once and Pro $4,995, paid once.