Navisworks vs. SOLIDWORKS

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Navisworks
Score 9.5 out of 10
N/A
Autodesk's Navisworks is a 3D model and construction project review and coordination software allowing the user to combine design and construction data into a single model, and identify and resolve clash and interference problems before construction.
$135
per month per user
SOLIDWORKS
Score 8.3 out of 10
N/A
Dassault Systemes offers SOLIDWORKS, a computer-aided design (CAD) system for education and manufacturing supporting 2D or 3D design, electrical design, simulations, and product development with collaboration tools.
$1,295
per year
Pricing
NavisworksSOLIDWORKS
Editions & Modules
Navisworks Simulate - Monthly
$135
per month per user
Navisworks Manage - Monthly
$335
per month per user
Navisworks Simulate - Yearly
$1,080
per year per user
Navisworks Manage - Yearly
$2,670
per year per user
Navisworks Simulate - 3 Year
$3,240
3 years per user
Navisworks Manage - 3 Year
$8,010
3 year per user
Solidworks Annual Subscription
1,295
per year
Solidworks Standard
3,996
per standalone license
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
NavisworksSOLIDWORKS
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
NavisworksSOLIDWORKS
Features
NavisworksSOLIDWORKS
Computer-Aided Design Software
Comparison of Computer-Aided Design Software features of Product A and Product B
Navisworks
-
Ratings
SOLIDWORKS
7.6
Ratings
7% above category average
3D Modeling00 Ratings9.20 Ratings
2D Drafting00 Ratings7.70 Ratings
Rendering and Visualization00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Parametric Design00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Collaboration and Sharing00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Compatibility with other software and formats00 Ratings9.20 Ratings
Assembly Design00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Simulation and Analysis00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Documentation and Annotation00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Customization and Extensions00 Ratings7.70 Ratings
Best Alternatives
NavisworksSOLIDWORKS
Small Businesses
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Enterprises
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
NavisworksSOLIDWORKS
Likelihood to Recommend
10.0
(0 ratings)
9.2
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
10.0
(0 ratings)
8.5
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
7.4
(0 ratings)
5.2
(0 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
NavisworksSOLIDWORKS
Likelihood to Recommend
Navisworks is a key tool if doing any 3D model coordination with other trades. It will allow you to view your model content with others to know for certain that your design is accurate and can be assembled. Navisworks also comes with a lot of additional tools to make this process easy.
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As a mechanical engineer, it is one of the best tools to just start modeling and engineering with. The UI tools are intuitive and engineering analysis such Mold Analysis, FEA, are great! Other 3D CAD modeling tools have a longer learning curve to master. All in all, if you're not planning to design an entire airplane with large assembly files, then Solidworks is your tool!
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Pros
  • Model Viewing, the navigation tools are really easy to use for walking through the model, especially if viewpoints are set up for key locations.
  • The take-offs work really well and can be very quick and easy if the model was built right.
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  • The collaborative work environment is a cool and useful feature where groups of people can work on the same model at the same time, and SOLIDWORKS ensures that you don't overwrite each other's work.
  • The ease and amount of customization options are very useful for creating a personalized and intuitive user interface, whether SOLIDWORKS is your native CAD package or not.
  • It is very easy to quickly edit a model you have already created. The software allows sketch and feature editing without having to take the time to actually enter the sketch/feature environment.
  • The use of configurations and configurations-specific dimensions in the same sketch is very useful for creating different forms of the same part
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Cons
  • A link to BIM 360 Model Coordination is a serious shortcoming. It used to be easy to link to models loaded to BIM 360 Glue for more in depth clash detection.
  • I would have liked the ability to export a simulation created in Navisworks to 3DS Max for a more immersive animation with decent material mapping and better animation tools.
  • I would like to be able to view/create BIM 306 Docs/Field issues directly in Navisworks. In the current workflow we have to use other file formats to work within BIM 360. It would be more productive to be able to navigate the model through Navisworks and to create viewpoints and issues from within Navisworks.
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  • To date, the baked in surfacing tools lack power compared to dedicated surfacing software.
  • In a similar vein, the core modeling kernel is not owned by SOLIDWORKS themselves and so there exists limitations with regards to implementing certain modeling/math.
  • SOLIDWORKS is playing catchup to other online vendors of CAD (notable OnShape); instead of being the once leader, they are being forced to compare themselves. This, however, may work to their advantage and in turn allow them to produce a better on-line CAD tool.
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Likelihood to Renew
No answers on this topic
We have absolutely no reasons to not keep with SolidWorks for the foreseeable future.
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Usability
Users are very happy with it and hear no complains from them
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I have been using SOLIDWORKS for around 12 years as of writing this review, so have learned where most things are and how they work. When first starting out it was quite daunting, but the interface is well laid out with like functions near each other which made finding new functions relatively easy.
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Support Rating
Autodesk gives several options for customer service on their products but they are a very large company it can be difficult to get prompt responses from them. Since that has been the case for me, we have additional support coverage through our 3rd party distributor. This gives us a better first response support team before we have to involve the Autodesk support team
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We have an unusual arrangement. We don’t pay for support, but we’re partnered with a VAR for second-tier support.
I work with other users if I have questions but when we’ve had to ask the VAR, they always have answers. It appears that all of the VARs have access to a support platform from DS SOLIDWORKS that helps them answer most questions.
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Alternatives Considered
Navisworks is a master tool if we want to do any 3D model coordination with any trade of a building. It allows us to view our model content with all elements to visualize and understand for certain where our design stands in terms of accuracy and how all things can be assembled on site. Navisworks also comes with a lot of additional tools to make BIM process easy.
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Onshape is a direct competitor. It has great entry level pricing and it is easy to access with no installation required. Being a web based app there is sometime some lag being based in NZ. Management also have concerns over where the data is stored on the cloud. With SW we can control where it is stored
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Return on Investment
  • Our company spends a lot of time upfront coordinating projects, and the results in the field have shown that with substantial rework savings.
  • At times it is challenging to get subcontractors to buy-in to the coordination, so it is written into their contract.
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  • Hard to answer directly. Given our customer's needs, we absolutely have to have SW to open their file types.
  • Given the relatively limited use we need at our company, it would be useful to have a cheaper option that was more stripped down but still had some capabilities. Something in-between SW and eDrawings, for example. SW is very capable and expensive, eDrawings is free and super limited. Would be nice to have a middle option.
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ScreenShots