PTC Mathcad vs. SOLIDWORKS

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
PTC Mathcad
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
PTC Mathcad Prime is a digital engineering notebook enabling engineers, mathematicians, and scientists to solve, analyze, document, and share their calculations. It helps users to solve problems accurately the first time numerically and/or symbolically, and then reuse important intellectual property with templates to save time on the next project.
$735
per year
SOLIDWORKS
Score 8.4 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
PTC MathcadSOLIDWORKS
Editions & Modules
Mathcad Prime 10 License
$735
per year
Solidworks Annual Subscription
1,295
per year
Solidworks Standard
3,996
per standalone license
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
PTC MathcadSOLIDWORKS
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
PTC MathcadSOLIDWORKS
Features
PTC MathcadSOLIDWORKS
Computer-Aided Design Software
Comparison of Computer-Aided Design Software features of Product A and Product B
PTC Mathcad
-
Ratings
SOLIDWORKS
7.7
Ratings
8% above category average
3D Modeling00 Ratings9.30 Ratings
2D Drafting00 Ratings7.80 Ratings
Rendering and Visualization00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Parametric Design00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Collaboration and Sharing00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Compatibility with other software and formats00 Ratings9.30 Ratings
Assembly Design00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Simulation and Analysis00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Documentation and Annotation00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Customization and Extensions00 Ratings7.80 Ratings
Best Alternatives
PTC MathcadSOLIDWORKS
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 9.0 out of 10
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.0 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
PTC MathcadSOLIDWORKS
Likelihood to Recommend
9.1
(0 ratings)
9.2
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
6.0
(0 ratings)
8.5
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(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
PTC MathcadSOLIDWORKS
Likelihood to Recommend
It is definitely a must have for every design engineer. The formulas can be written in the expanded format which facilitates the process. The measurement unit feature is very useful and helps prevent errors in formulas. Mathcad is now equipped with a decent spell checker which is also very helpful.
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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
  • MathCad has a relatively easy to learn and easy to use programming language.
  • It is easy to deploy and manage seats of MathCad.
  • Documentation and support are reasonably strong.
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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 limited number of file formats for export, especially those that support visual graphics in vector format
  • Interfaces for mathematics and equations with MathType and LaTeX / MikTex / Tex
  • Limited functionality for visualization of data in a 3D format
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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
Higher-order math, despite symbolics, become tedious and variable nomenclature isn't as forgiving as other programs. Due to it's sheet-like nature, the greater the complexity the more bothersome the screen usage becomes. But it's a trade-off between a sketchpad-like interface or lines and lines of code. Pick your poison but MathCad was our choice.
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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
No answers on this topic
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
I have not found an alternative that is as useful as [PTC Mathcad]. In fact it is exactly what I've been looking for for some time.
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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
  • Mathcad has allowed us to take legacy hand written calculations and document them in an electronic format. Now we can quickly run different design scenarios using the legacy calculations. It allows us to quickly vet new design options.
  • Sharing new design concepts is quicker and easier within our various design groups.
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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