COMSOL Multiphysics vs Step

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.

Step is a free Linux desktop application for exploring physical systems through interactive simulations. Users can change body and force properties while a simulation runs. Supported models include two-dimensional classical mechanics, molecular dynamics, sound waves, and deformable bodies, with particles, damped springs, gravitational and Coulomb forces, rigid bodies, and collision handling. Step calculates unit conversions, expressions, error propagation, and solver error estimates. Explicit and implicit solvers reach 8th order, with optional adaptive timesteps; most require GSL. Graph, meter, and tracer tools visualize results, while a controller changes properties using keyboard shortcuts. Tutorials, example experiments, object information, and an integrated Wikipedia browser provide learning material. More examples can be downloaded through KNewStuff. Expression calculations such as unit conversion require libqalculate. Step is GPL-2.0+ software, and its StepCore library can be used separately. The listed release is Step 26.08.2, released 2026-10-08.