COMSOL Multiphysics vs OrCAD X
COMSOL Multiphysics
comsol.comOrCAD X
cadence.comSide by side
| Figure | COMSOL Multiphysics | OrCAD X |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 3 |
| Spec score · Simulation Software | 8.8 (#3) | 7.4 (#9) |
| Spec score · CFD software | 8.7 (#1) | 7.3 (#5) |
| Founded | 1986 | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden | San Jose, California, USA |
| Purpose | COMSOL Multiphysics simulates designs, devices, and processes across engineering, manufacturing, and scientific research. | OrCAD X is an AI-enabled electronic design automation platform for schematic capture, PCB layout, and simulation, aimed at small to medium-sized businesses designing medium-complexity boards. |
| Support | To contact support, users must sign in with a COMSOL Access account; license options include technical support during the term or the first 12 months of a perpetual license. | Premium support offers major and minor product updates, OnCloud access, and phone and case-based technical support; community forums and online training are also available. |
Plans
COMSOL Multiphysics
- Perpetual license (commercial or academic; license type chosen by quotation)Priced on request
- Term license (commercial or academic; license type chosen by quotation)Priced on request
OrCAD X
- OrCAD X ProfessionalPrice not published
- OrCAD X Professional PlusPrice not published
- OrCAD X StandardPrice not published
In their own words
COMSOL Multiphysics
COMSOL Multiphysics is desktop software for simulating designs, devices, and processes in engineering, manufacturing, and scientific research. It supports single-physics and fully coupled multiphysics models, including user-defined physics descriptions and equations. Model Builder covers work from geometry and CAD through physics modeling, meshing, studies, optimization, solving, and visualization. Supported fields include electromagnetics, structural mechanics, acoustics, fluid flow, heat transfer, and chemical reactions.
Model Manager provides version control, storage, search, collaboration, permissions, and support for local or remote server databases. Application Builder lets experts create custom simulation interfaces for collaborators and customers; deploying those applications requires COMSOL Server or COMSOL Compiler. Interfacing products include LiveLink for MATLAB, Simulink, and Excel, as well as CAD links or import tools. The software supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, with offline access, authoring tools, 3D visuals, and data export. It is paid, with pricing on request, and a free trial is available. Customers contact COMSOL to evaluate requirements and choose a license; a sales representative responds within one business day.
OrCAD X
OrCAD X is an AI-enabled electronic design automation platform for small and medium-sized businesses making medium-complexity boards. It combines schematic capture, PCB layout and circuit simulation across web and Windows deployments. Layout tools include interactive and automatic routing, design-rule checks, constraint-driven tools, 3D viewing and design-for-manufacturing checks. Integrated PSpice handles analog and mixed-signal simulation with Monte Carlo, worst-case and sensitivity analyses. Capture connects to Ultra Librarian, SamacSys and SnapMagic for symbols and footprints. ECAD/MCAD collaboration supports SOLIDWORKS, CATIA, Siemens NX, Autodesk Fusion and PTC Creo. Professional and Professional Plus add Live BOM information on lifecycle, availability, inventory, lead time, alternatives and pricing. Standard, Professional and Professional Plus are yearly single-user licenses with region-dependent pricing. The commercial Professional Plus trial lasts 30 days, requires no payment details and provides unrestricted access to that tier.