Key Takeaways:

How Much Does SOLIDWORKS Cost?

SOLIDWORKS is paid software, and the price depends on the license and package. Current U.S. pricing listed by SOLIDWORKS is:

Professional SOLIDWORKS

Design Standard: $2,820/year
Design Professional: $3,456/year
Design Premium: $4,716/year

Prices are U.S. prices for a single user, before local taxes.

For Students & Makers

SOLIDWORKS for Makers: $48/year for personal, non-commercial use.
Student licenses: Pricing depends on the educational program/institution.

Key Takeaway

Professional → $2,820–$4,716/year
Makers → $48/year
Student → Educational pricing
Free trial → Available

How Much Does SOLIDWORKS Cost?

The cost of SOLIDWORKS depends on the edition, licensing method, country, and whether you are a commercial user, student, or hobbyist.

According to the current official SOLIDWORKS pricing, the main SOLIDWORKS Design packages are available as quarterly or yearly subscriptions.

SOLIDWORKS Design Pricing

Version	Quarterly	Yearly
SOLIDWORKS Design Standard	$846	$2,820/year
SOLIDWORKS Design Professional	$1,038	$3,456/year
SOLIDWORKS Design Premium	$1,416	$4,716/year

These are US prices for a single user, excluding local taxes. SOLIDWORKS notes that pricing can differ by country and that the local price is shown during purchase.

SOLIDWORKS Student & Educator Licensing: Official discounted academic software packages for enrolled students.

1. SOLIDWORKS Design Standard

$2,820/year or $846/quarter in the US.

Standard provides the core capabilities needed for professional mechanical CAD, including:

3D part modeling
Assembly modeling
2D drawings
Sheet-metal design
Weldments
Manufacturing documentation
Additive manufacturing
NC programming
Cloud collaboration
Technical support

Best For

Students → Mechanical designers → General CAD users → Engineers

2. SOLIDWORKS Design Professional

$3,456/year or $1,038/quarter in the US.

Professional includes everything in Standard plus features such as:

CAD component libraries
Photorealistic rendering
Tolerance stack-up analysis
Automatic cost estimation
CAD standards checking

Best For

Professional product designers and mechanical engineers who need additional design-analysis and documentation tools.

3. SOLIDWORKS Design Premium

$4,716/year or $1,416/quarter in the US.

Premium includes Professional features plus:

Electrical cable and harness routing
Pipe and tube routing
Linear static analysis
Time-based motion analysis
Advanced surface flattening

Best For

Advanced mechanical design, simulation, machinery, and complex product development.

Is There a Perpetual SOLIDWORKS License?

Yes. SOLIDWORKS currently lists perpetual licensing with subscription services as an option available through a reseller. The online Design subscriptions, meanwhile, are term-based.

So businesses may have options including:

Quarterly subscription
Yearly subscription
Perpetual license through a reseller
Device-based licensing
Single-user licensing

The exact commercial price of a perpetual license depends on the reseller and configuration.

Which SOLIDWORKS Version Should You Choose?

User	Recommended
Student	Student/Academic version
Hobbyist	SOLIDWORKS for Makers
Basic professional CAD	Design Standard
Product designer	Design Professional
Advanced mechanical engineer	Design Premium
Large engineering company	Contact SOLIDWORKS reseller