OpenFOAM
Simulation (FEA & CFD)Free, open-source computational fluid dynamics toolbox
- Stars
- ★ 2.3k
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Updated
- Commercial OK
Alternative to ANSYS
Free alternatives to ANSYS
Last updated · 5 options
Quick answer: OpenFOAM has the most stars on its repository of the 5 options here (★ 2.3k), followed by Gmsh (★ 125). Stars show popularity, not fit, so check formats, platforms and licence for your own work.
Leading commercial simulation suite for structural, fluid and electromagnetic analysis. Here are 5 free options, most-starred first.
Gmsh
Simulation (FEA & CFD)3D finite-element mesh generator with a built-in CAD engine
- Stars
- ★ 125
- Licence
- GPL-2.0+
- Updated
- Commercial OK
Alternative to ANSYS
C
code_aster
Simulation (FEA & CFD)Structural and thermomechanical FEA solver developed by EDF
- Stars
- ★ 32
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Updated
- Commercial OK
C
CalculiX
Simulation (FEA & CFD)Free three-dimensional structural finite-element program
- Licence
- GPL-2.0
- Status
- Open source
- Commercial OK
SALOME
Simulation (FEA & CFD)Open-source platform for simulation pre- and post-processing
- Licence
- LGPL-2.1
- Updated
- Commercial OK
Alternative to ANSYS
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Format and fit filters only use details we found in each project's own documentation. A tool that isn't shown may still support it.
FAQ
Is there a free alternative to ANSYS?
Yes. CADAlts lists 5 options: OpenFOAM, Gmsh, code_aster, CalculiX and SALOME.
Which ANSYS alternatives are open source?
OpenFOAM (GPL-3.0), Gmsh (GPL-2.0+), code_aster (GPL-3.0), CalculiX (GPL-2.0) and SALOME (LGPL-2.1).
Which ANSYS alternatives run on a Mac?
Gmsh. The others listed here aren't listed for macOS.
Related categories: Simulation (FEA & CFD)
Check file compatibility before switching. Free tools import STEP, DXF and other neutral formats well, but native SolidWorks, Altium or Revit files, drawing standards and PDM workflows may not carry over cleanly.