Every European structural engineering software tool reviewed
Tiefenbach, Germany
Founded 1987
Sold through the Dlubal webshop; 90-day free full trial; prices not captured
Demo on request
Best for: Structural engineers designing buildings, bridges and steel or timber structures to codes
Dlubal builds the structural analysis family around RFEM 6, which models plates, walls, shells, beams and solids, and RSTAB 9, which handles frames and trusses. RWIND 3 adds a digital wind tunnel that computes wind loads on surfaces for any building geometry, and RSECTION covers cross-sections. The 90-day full trial is the longest in this category, long enough to run a complete project.
Dlubal Software GmbH is registered in Regensburg and was founded in 1987 by Georg Dlubal. The company calls itself family-owned and says it has more than 350 employees at 11 locations and over 130,000 users. A gRPC API opens the programs to Python and C#, and Dlubal CALC is an AI workspace sold in credit plans. Prices were not readable, and a US subsidiary exists.
What Dlubal does well
- Design checks to many national standards
- 90-day full trial version
- Integrated wind simulation (RWIND 3)
- Python and C# API
- Family-owned, registered in Germany
Where Dlubal falls short
- Civil and structural focus only
- Prices not visible without the webshop
- Windows desktop product
- US subsidiary exists, check contract entity
Standout feature. Dlubal is the only tool here that bundles a wind simulation program with the structural solver.
Hasselt, Belgium
Founded 1974
Webshop with editions and subscription options, prices not shown on the pages we read
Demo on request
Best for: Engineering offices that need a Belgian vendor with local support and many national design codes
SCIA Engineer is a multi-material analysis and design program made by SCIA nv in Hasselt, Belgium. The product page covers modelling, analysis and optimisation, and reports are built from company templates that refresh in one click. The vendor lists 20 national standards and says the software is localised in 13 languages.
SCIA says it has built structural software since 1974 and names more than 8,000 users and a team of over 120 people. A customer quote on its site describes moving a model into Tekla Structures and back. Terms follow Belgian law with the court of Hasselt. The webshop goes through Digital River GmbH, prices are not displayed, and a 30-day trial is advertised.
What SCIA Engineer does well
- Belgian company with address and court named in the terms
- 20 national standards stated by SCIA
- 30-day free trial advertised
- Model exchange with Tekla Structures mentioned by a customer
- Editions and subscriptions in a webshop
Where SCIA Engineer falls short
- Prices not shown on the pages we read
- Data location not stated
- Webshop runs through Digital River GmbH as reseller
- Privacy policy lists US tracking services
Standout feature. SCIA Engineer names 20 national standards, more than any other tool in this category.
Malmö, Sweden
Not shown on the pages we read; free trial and student licence offered
Demo on request
Best for: Eurocode-based design offices that want a BIM-connected finite element tool from a Nordic vendor
FEM-Design is the finite element program of StruSoft AB in Malmö, Sweden, used for concrete, steel, timber, composite, masonry and foundation structures. Analyses range from static and stability to plastic, seismic, footfall and time history, and a dedicated module designs road, railway and pedestrian bridges. StruSoft states that every calculation follows Eurocode, with some national annexes.
StruSoft says it has more than 40 years of experience, 2,000 clients and 20,000 users in over 40 countries. The terms give a Swedish VAT number, apply Swedish law and name the courts of Malmö. Interfaces include IFC, SAF, Revit, Archicad, Tekla, Allplan and IDEA StatiCa, with Grasshopper, Dynamo and C# access. Unlimited support is said to be included, and no price is shown.
What FEM-Design does well
- Swedish company with VAT number and address in the terms
- Concrete, steel, timber, masonry and foundation design in one tool
- Bridge design module
- Interfaces for IFC, SAF, Revit and Tekla
- Unlimited support stated as included
Where FEM-Design falls short
- Eurocode focus with limited national annexes
- No price on the pages we read
- Data location not stated
- Windows platform detail not given
Standout feature. FEM-Design pairs a bridge module with named IFC, SAF, Revit, Archicad, Tekla and Allplan interfaces and support included in the price.
Brno, Czech Republic
Annual subscription €1,750 to €4,990; perpetual licence €3,490 to €9,990; monthly and quarterly options; regional discounts may apply (as stated on its pricing page)
Demo on request
Best for: Engineers and fabricators who need detailed steel connection checks next to a frame analysis program
IDEA StatiCa is a set of design applications for steel connections and concrete members: Connection, Member, Detail, Beam, RCS and Checkbot. The free Viewer is a cloud application where a detailer opens a connection file and reads dimensions, materials, bolts and welds. It does not analyse a whole building, so it works next to a frame program.
IDEA StatiCa s.r.o. is entered in the Commercial Register of the Regional Court in Brno, according to the Viewer terms, and a subsidiary in Dortmund publishes a German imprint. Prices are public: €1,750 to €4,990 for an annual subscription and €3,490 to €9,990 for a perpetual licence, plus monthly and quarterly options. A 14-day trial and a free 12-month educational licence exist, and the educational version is watermarked.
What IDEA StatiCa does well
- Czech company with register entry named in the Viewer terms
- Public euro price ranges
- Free Viewer for sharing connection files
- Free 12-month educational licence
- 14-day trial
Where IDEA StatiCa falls short
- Not a full structural frame analysis program
- Price ranges not split per application on the page read
- Data location not stated
- Educational licence is watermarked and limited
Standout feature. IDEA StatiCa is the only tool here whose output can be opened by a third party in a free viewer.
Merelbeke, Belgium
Webshop, VAT excluded: Diamonds 2D Starter from €144 a month, 3D Plus from €463 a month, 3D Full from €685 a month; monthly or yearly
Demo on request
Best for: Small and mid-size engineering offices that want published monthly prices and Belgian support
BuildSoft Diamonds is finite element software for steel, concrete and timber, sold by BuildSoft in Merelbeke, Belgium. For steel it checks strength and stability of halls, roofs, trusses and frames. Concrete work covers slabs, foundations, rafts, walls and 3D buildings with crack widths, and timber work covers trusses and beam grids with creep.
The webshop prices exclude VAT: Diamonds 2D Starter from €144 a month, 3D Plus from €463 and 3D Full from €685, monthly or yearly. PowerConnect for steel connections starts at €100 a month. A 30-day trial needs no credit card, and Eurocode plus AISC and ACI are listed. The terms give a Belgian company number, and the privacy policy names Freshdesk and Google Analytics.
What BuildSoft Diamonds does well
- Belgian company number and address in the terms
- Public monthly prices in euros
- 30-day trial without credit card
- Eurocode plus AISC/ACI support stated
- Steel, concrete and timber in one program
Where BuildSoft Diamonds falls short
- Prices exclude VAT and 3D plans cost more
- Privacy policy names US services such as Freshdesk and Google Analytics
- Data location not stated
- Fewer analysis types listed than STAAD.Pro
Standout feature. BuildSoft Diamonds is the only tool here that combines monthly euro prices with a trial that needs no card.
Nuremberg, Germany
Not shown on the pages we read; free trial offered
Demo on request
Best for: Engineering offices working on bridges, infrastructure and large buildings with BIM workflows
SOFiSTiK is a software suite from SOFiSTiK AG in Nuremberg for finite element analysis, design and detailing, with a focus on bridges and infrastructure. Its FEM packages come at three levels, called 3D FEM professional, premium and ultimate, and the navigation separates bridge design, building design and a Rhinoceros interface.
SOFiSTiK AG gives a register number at Amtsgericht Nuremberg and says more than 5,000 customers use its solutions, naming the Bosporus Bridge and the Leverkusen Bridge. The 2027 highlights describe analysis and design inside Autodesk Revit, and SOFiCAD covers drafting. A free trial and an educational version are listed. Prices are absent, and a North America region page exists.
What SOFiSTiK does well
- German AG with register number in the imprint
- Bridge and building design in one suite
- Revit and Rhino interfaces
- Three FEM package levels
- Free trial and educational version
Where SOFiSTiK falls short
- No prices on the pages we read
- Package limits not explained in the pages read
- Broad range may be more than small offices need
- Data location not stated
Standout feature. SOFiSTiK is the only tool here that cites two named bridges as reference projects on its own site.
Budapest, Hungary
Not shown on the pages we read; trial and education versions free after registration
Demo on request
Best for: Design offices in Central Europe that want a Hungarian vendor and a short learning curve
AxisVM is a 3D finite element program from Inter-CAD Kft. in Budapest, used for buildings, industrial and geotechnical structures. Version 27 pairs a faster solver with new design capabilities and AI-assisted tools, and the vendor calls it the first implementation of the second-generation Eurocodes. Design modules for reinforced concrete, steel, timber and masonry are optional.
Inter-CAD says AxisVM has served civil engineers since 1991 and counts more than 8,000 users and 100,000 projects. Seismic work includes modal response spectrum, pushover and time-history analysis to Eurocode, NTC or SIA. Trial and education versions are free after registration. The imprint names Tárhely.eu in Budapest as website host, and Google Analytics appears in the privacy information.
What AxisVM does well
- Hungarian company with registration number and address in the imprint
- Website hosting named in Budapest
- Seismic and dynamic analysis named
- Free trial and education versions
- Auto-updating reports
Where AxisVM falls short
- No prices on the pages we read
- Design modules sold as options
- Software data location not stated
- Standards named are European
Standout feature. AxisVM is the only tool here that names SIA alongside Eurocode and NTC for seismic analysis.
Munich, Germany
Professional (26 solutions) and Ultimate (58 solutions) from €244 a month; Geotechnics Professional from €215 a month and Geotechnics Ultimate from €244 a month
Demo on request
Best for: Engineers who calculate individual components such as beams, columns, slabs and foundations
Frilo is calculation software for individual building components, sold by ALLPLAN GmbH in Munich. Each module checks one element: roof, load transfer, continuous beam, plate, column, framework, foundation, foundation pit wall or soil mechanics. A whole 3D structure is not what it is built for.
The imprint gives a register number at Amtsgericht Munich, and the home page speaks of more than 40 years in structural software. Professional holds 26 solutions and Ultimate 58, both from €244 a month, while Geotechnics Professional starts at €215. A free trial is offered. The shop page was blocked when we tried it, and the pages do not say whether prices include VAT.
What Frilo does well
- Publicly listed monthly prices in euros
- German company with register number in the imprint
- Geotechnics editions
- More than 40 years stated
- Free trial offered
Where Frilo falls short
- Component-based, not a whole-structure 3D model
- VAT status of prices not shown on the page read
- Shop page blocked when we tried to open it
- Data location not stated
Standout feature. Frilo is the only tool here sold as a menu of 26 or 58 element-level solutions.
Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
Quotation on request via the pricing and information request form
Demo on request
Best for: Bridge and infrastructure engineers who need nonlinear analysis and UK-based support
LUSAS is the trading name of Finite Element Analysis Ltd in Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom, and its range has editions for bridges, civil and structural work, tanks, composites and academic use. Solver options reach nonlinear, dynamic, thermal and geotechnical analysis, with rail track and bridge design options on top.
The company says it has served infrastructure clients for more than 40 years, lists regional offices in Korea and China, and publishes a UK VAT number. Support comes from the distributor for your region and is free with a current maintenance agreement. Prices come only through the request form. The United Kingdom is outside the EEA but under an adequacy decision.
What LUSAS does well
- UK company named with address and VAT number
- Dedicated bridge and civil editions
- Nonlinear, dynamic and thermal options
- Free support with maintenance agreement
- More than 40 years stated
Where LUSAS falls short
- No published prices
- Support goes through local distributors
- Data location not stated
- Leans toward bridge and specialist work
Standout feature. LUSAS is the only tool here with a separate edition for tanks.
Carrickfergus, United Kingdom
Not shown on the pages we read; PowerPad stated at less than a third of the full version price
Demo on request
Best for: UK and Irish engineers designing to British Standards and Eurocodes who want a modular purchase
MasterSeries is a modular suite from Civil & Structural Computer Services Ltd in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland. The Building Design Suite targets medium and large multi-material buildings, with MasterFrame for analysis and design modules for steel, concrete, composite and timber. A Masonry product handles wall panels and columns to British Standard and Eurocodes.
PowerPad is the lite suite for small projects, said to cost less than a third of the full version. A 14-day trial and a free online demo are offered. The company claims more than 30 years of customers, and its privacy policy says data lives on servers it owns and operates. Prices are not shown, and the module list is long.
What MasterSeries does well
- UK company named with address in the privacy policy
- Data stated to be on company-owned servers
- Modular purchase and a lite PowerPad suite
- 14-day trial and free demo
- More than 30 years stated
Where MasterSeries falls short
- No prices on the pages we read
- Design codes named are mostly UK and Eurocode
- Many modules to choose between
- Platform detail not given
Standout feature. MasterSeries is the only tool here that states its data is held on servers the vendor itself owns.
Aachen, Germany
Not shown on the pages we read; offers are non-binding per the terms
Demo on request
Best for: Offices designing bridges, silos, tanks and industrial plants who read German
InfoCAD is the 3D finite element system of InfoGraph in Aachen, Germany. The InfoCAD 26 headline lists finite elements, prestressing, frames, dynamics and BIM, and the work areas are building and bridge construction, silo and container construction, and industrial and power plant construction.
InfoGraph is a GmbH registered at Amtsgericht Aachen, and its terms apply German law with Aachen as the place of jurisdiction. A 30-day test licence and a student licence are offered. The site is German first with an English toggle, no price appears, and the AI assistant in InfoCAD 26 relies on Chatbase Inc. as a processor under standard contractual clauses.
What InfoCAD does well
- German GmbH with register number and EUID in the imprint
- Prestressing and dynamics named
- Bridge, silo and plant work areas
- 30-day test licence
- Student educational licence
Where InfoCAD falls short
- No prices on the pages we read
- German-first site
- AI assistant uses a US-named processor (Chatbase Inc.)
- Data location not stated
Standout feature. InfoCAD is the only tool here that lists power plant construction as a work area.
London, United Kingdom
Founded 1976
Not shown on the pages we read
Demo on request
Best for: Engineers on parametric and BIM workflows who already know Arup tools
Oasys GSA is the structural analysis program of Oasys, the software division of Arup, in London. The vendor describes it as designing, modelling and verifying buildings, bridges and complex structures, and says geometry, loads, solver inputs and code checks stay visible and auditable. Links exist to Revit, Grasshopper and LS-DYNA, and a Rhino plug-in needs a GSA licence.
Oasys says it was set up in 1976 and gives an address at 8 Fitzroy Street. Offices are listed in London, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Copenhagen, and also in India and Canada. Licences are standalone, network or international network. The pages do not name the legal entity that signs contracts and show no price.
What Oasys GSA does well
- UK address named in the terms
- Links to Revit, Grasshopper and LS-DYNA
- Standalone and network licences
- Rhino plug-in
- Offices across the UK and Copenhagen
Where Oasys GSA falls short
- Legal entity not named on the pages read
- No prices shown
- Offices also in India and Canada
- Data location not stated
Standout feature. Oasys GSA is the only tool here made by the software division of an engineering firm, Arup.
Kaiserslautern, Germany
Not shown on the pages we read; the site mentions introductory offers
Demo on request
Best for: German-speaking engineers who want calculation, FEM and CAD from one vendor
mb WorkSuite is the structural suite of mb AEC Software GmbH in Kaiserslautern, Germany. BauStatik is a document-based calculation system with more than 200 modules for concrete, foundations, timber, steel, glass and masonry, MicroFe is the position-oriented finite element system, and ViCADo is 3D CAD.
The imprint gives a register number at Amtsgericht Kaiserslautern and two managing directors. A ProjektManager launches every application from one project and stores addresses, calculations, PDFs and plans. mb WorkSuite 2027 is announced, and an offers page mentions introductory prices without figures. The pages we read are German only.
What mb WorkSuite does well
- German GmbH with register number in the imprint
- BauStatik with more than 200 modules
- FEM and CAD in one suite
- Project management tool included
- mb WorkSuite 2027 announced
Where mb WorkSuite falls short
- No prices on the pages we read
- German-language site
- Suite oriented to German practice
- Data location not stated
Standout feature. mb WorkSuite is the only tool here that puts calculations, finite elements and CAD behind one project manager.
