Introducing G2.ai, the future of software buying.Try now

Compare CATIA and SOLIDWORKS

Save
    Log in to your account
    to save comparisons,
    products and more.
At a Glance
CATIA
CATIA
Star Rating
(248)4.2 out of 5
Market Segments
Enterprise (49.8% of reviews)
Information
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about CATIA
SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS
Star Rating
(603)4.4 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (43.4% of reviews)
Information
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about SOLIDWORKS
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
  • Users report that CATIA excels in CAD-CAM compatibility with a score of 8.8, making it a preferred choice for enterprises that require seamless integration between design and manufacturing processes. In contrast, SOLIDWORKS, while strong, has a slightly lower score in this area, indicating it may not be as robust for complex CAD-CAM workflows.
  • Reviewers mention that CATIA's drawing and modeling tools are top-notch, both scoring 9.4, which is particularly beneficial for users needing detailed and precise designs. SOLIDWORKS also performs well in these areas but scores slightly lower, suggesting that CATIA may offer more advanced features for professional-grade projects.
  • G2 users highlight that SOLIDWORKS has a superior ease of use rating of 8.6 compared to CATIA's 7.3. This makes SOLIDWORKS a more accessible option for small businesses and new users who may not have extensive CAD experience.
  • Users on G2 report that CATIA's data quality and validation features score 8.7 and 8.7 respectively, which are crucial for industries where precision is paramount. SOLIDWORKS, while still competent, does not match these scores, indicating that CATIA may provide a more reliable environment for critical projects.
  • Reviewers mention that SOLIDWORKS shines in its support quality, scoring 8.1, which is higher than CATIA's 7.7. This suggests that users may find more responsive and helpful support when using SOLIDWORKS, an important factor for teams that rely on timely assistance.
  • Users say that CATIA's advanced rendering tools, scoring 8.0, are particularly beneficial for industries that require high-quality visualizations, such as automotive and aerospace. SOLIDWORKS, while effective, has a lower rendering tools score of 7.4, indicating that CATIA may be the better choice for users focused on visual presentation.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
CATIA
No pricing available
SOLIDWORKS
No pricing available
Free Trial
CATIA
No trial information available
SOLIDWORKS
No trial information available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
8.7
212
8.8
501
Ease of Use
7.3
215
8.6
505
Ease of Setup
7.8
16
8.0
77
Ease of Admin
7.8
10
7.9
46
Quality of Support
7.7
188
8.1
442
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
7.8
12
8.3
46
Product Direction (% positive)
8.1
211
8.6
498
Features by Category
Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM)Hide 9 FeaturesShow 9 Features
Not enough data
8.6
48
CAD to CAM
Not enough data
9.1
38
Not enough data
8.9
38
Not enough data
8.9
38
CNC Programming
Not enough data
8.7
34
Not enough data
8.6
34
Not enough data
8.4
33
Machining
Not enough data
8.6
35
Not enough data
8.7
35
Not enough data
8.8
35
Not enough data
8.7
92
Design
Not enough data
9.4
89
Not enough data
9.4
89
Not enough data
9.3
86
Not enough data
8.0
86
Edit
Not enough data
8.4
84
Not enough data
8.2
77
Not enough data
9.3
84
Not enough data
8.2
72
Collaboration
Not enough data
8.5
82
Not enough data
9.0
82
Not enough data
8.4
77
Not enough data
8.8
28
Library
Not enough data
8.8
24
Not enough data
8.3
24
Not enough data
8.2
25
Not enough data
8.4
20
CAD
Not enough data
8.9
21
Not enough data
9.4
26
Not enough data
9.0
26
Integration
Not enough data
8.4
23
Not enough data
9.5
24
Not enough data
8.5
21
Not enough data
8.8
27
Data
Not enough data
9.1
23
Not enough data
8.5
22
Not enough data
8.1
22
Not enough data
8.8
22
Not enough data
8.0
20
Not enough data
8.5
21
Logistics
Not enough data
9.0
23
Not enough data
7.9
59
File Support
Not enough data
8.7
55
Not enough data
8.5
41
Not enough data
8.4
46
File Editing
Not enough data
7.5
49
Not enough data
8.6
53
Software Integrations
Not enough data
7.5
43
Not enough data
8.8
52
Software Type
Not enough data
7.6
42
Not enough data
8.5
47
Generative AI
Not enough data
6.8
14
Not enough data
6.7
14
Not enough data
9.0
42
File Options
Not enough data
8.8
38
Not enough data
9.1
37
Not enough data
9.1
37
Not enough data
9.3
38
Not enough data
8.2
30
Not enough data
8.1
36
Tools
Not enough data
9.5
37
Not enough data
9.0
35
Not enough data
9.1
37
Design
Not enough data
9.4
37
Not enough data
7.9
14
Design
Not enough data
7.7
11
Not enough data
7.7
11
Tools
Not enough data
9.2
12
Not enough data
8.8
12
Library
Not enough data
8.1
12
Platform
Not enough data
8.5
12
Not enough data
7.9
11
Customization
Not enough data
7.6
11
Not enough data
8.2
11
Not enough data
8.0
54
Design
Not enough data
9.2
53
Not enough data
8.9
53
Not enough data
8.7
53
Not enough data
7.4
53
Tools
Not enough data
7.9
47
Not enough data
7.9
48
Not enough data
7.3
41
Work
Not enough data
7.3
35
Not enough data
7.6
36
Not enough data
8.1
42
Not enough data
7.9
38
Not enough data
8.4
41
Environment
Not enough data
8.3
47
Not enough data
8.3
45
Not enough data
8.2
42
Not enough data
8.6
46
Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)Hide 18 FeaturesShow 18 Features
Not enough data
8.6
13
Tools - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)
Not enough data
9.3
12
Not enough data
7.9
12
Not enough data
9.4
12
Not enough data
8.8
12
Not enough data
7.6
12
File Options - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)
Not enough data
8.2
12
Not enough data
8.2
12
Not enough data
7.6
12
Not enough data
8.1
12
Not enough data
7.5
12
Customization - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)
Not enough data
8.2
11
Not enough data
8.2
11
Not enough data
7.7
11
Not enough data
8.3
11
Environment - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)
Not enough data
8.2
12
Not enough data
8.3
11
Not enough data
8.0
11
Not enough data
8.5
11
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
CATIA
CATIA
SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS
CATIA and SOLIDWORKS are categorized as Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD) and Simulation & CAE
Unique Categories
CATIA
CATIA has no unique categories
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
CATIA
CATIA
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
21.0%
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
29.2%
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
49.8%
SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
43.4%
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
34.4%
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
22.2%
Reviewers' Industry
CATIA
CATIA
Automotive
25.8%
Aviation & Aerospace
21.9%
Mechanical or Industrial Engineering
14.2%
Design
9.4%
Airlines/Aviation
4.7%
Other
24.0%
SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS
Mechanical or Industrial Engineering
22.6%
Design
12.1%
Automotive
6.5%
Medical Devices
5.9%
Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing
5.9%
Other
47.0%
Most Helpful Reviews
CATIA
CATIA
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Subhair S.
SS
Subhair S.
Verified User in Machinery

Am using CATIA for the past three years. The best thing about CATIA is it has the best surface modeling tools, and we can model complex geometries more easily.FEA tools are used to analyze the designed part and give accurate results; with that data, we can...

Most Helpful Critical Review
Aaron J.
AJ
Aaron J.
Verified User in Industrial Automation

Powerful program but simple tasks in other programs are no longer simple in Catia. There are so many good features in other programs like Solidworks (who is also owned by the same company as Catia and costs significantly less). I have used other CAD...

SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Yevgen G.
YG
Yevgen G.
Verified User in Higher Education

1. User friendly interface including - clear structure; - intuitively proper location of tools; - good help system; - customizable toolboxes. 2. Comprehensive functionality including - open platform with hundreds of add-ins; - add-ins present CAD,...

Most Helpful Critical Review
Steve F.
SF
Steve F.
Verified User in Mechanical or Industrial Engineering

I have been using CAD systems since 1985 when they were still 2D wireframe programs. I have been an engineer for over 20 years. I have used every CAD system there is...AutoCAD, Inventor, Cadkey, KeyCreator, MasterCam, IDEAS, Anvil, Catia, SurfCam and...

Alternatives
CATIA
CATIA Alternatives
Onshape
Onshape
Add Onshape
Autodesk Fusion
Autodesk Fusion
Add Autodesk Fusion
Inventor
Inventor
Add Inventor
Solid Edge
Solid Edge
Add Solid Edge
SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS Alternatives
Autodesk Fusion
Autodesk Fusion
Add Autodesk Fusion
Onshape
Onshape
Add Onshape
Solid Edge
Solid Edge
Add Solid Edge
Inventor
Inventor
Add Inventor
Discussions
CATIA
CATIA Discussions
If CATIA provide solution for fluid dynamics problem it will be good
1 comment
Venkatesh G.
VG
Catia has computational fluid dynamic (CFD) You have to add in floEFD into your catia. It can be added from version 5 or above. Similarly you can also...Read more
What is Catia software used for?
1 comment
Abhinav R.
AR
CATIA software is commonly used for: 1. Plastic and Metal parts design. 2. Wire harness design. 3. Drafting and Drawing 4. Mould and Die design. 5....Read more
What is inside Catia software?
1 comment
Giorgio A.
GA
CAD 3D models from product industry and engineeringRead more
SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS Discussions
What is SOLIDWORKS used for?
3 comments
Yagnik P.
YP
SOLIDWORKS IS USED FOR MULTIPLE WORK LIKE 2D & 3D CAD MODELING, ASSEMBLY MODELING, SHWWET METAL MODELING, SURFACE MODELING, RENDERING, SIMULATION, 3D...Read more
To stop or cancel an ongoing command, use the 'abort' or 'terminate' command.
2 comments
Gaurav P.
GP
The sentence does not contain any translatable content as it is an imperative instruction.Read more
best use o this software
2 comments
Onkar S.
OS
Making 2D sketches and extruding them to make 3d sketches.Read more