List of finite element

software packages

This is a list of software packages that

implement the finite element method for
solving partial differential equations.
 Software Features Developer Version Released License Pric

Multiplatform
open source
application for
University of
the solution of 2014-03-
Agros2D West 3.2 GNU GPL Free
physical 03
Bohemia
problems based
on the Hermes
library

It is an Open
Source FEA
project. The
solver uses a
partially
compatible
Guido
ABAQUS file 2018-04-
CalculiX Dhondt, 2.14 GNU GPL Free
format. The 27
Klaus Wittig
pre/post-
processor
generates input
data for many
FEA and CFD
applications

General purpose
finite element
DIANA FEA Proprietary
package utilised 2016-11-
DIANA FEA BV, The 10.1 commercial Paid
by civil, structural 14
Netherlands software
and geotechnical
engineers.

deal.II Comprehensive Wolfgang 9.0 2018-05- LGPL Free

set of tools for Bangerth, 12
finite element Timo
codes, scaling Heister,
from laptops to Guido
clusters with Kanschat,
 10,000+ cores. Matthias
Written in C++. Maier et al.

GPL
Distributed and
DUNE Version 2
Unified Numerics 2016-02-
DUNE Developer 2.4.1 with Run- Free
Environment, 29
team Time
written in C++
Exception

Open source
multiphysical
simulation
software
developed by
Finnish Ministry 2016-03-
Elmer CSC 8.2 GPL Free
of Education's 15
CSC, written
primarily in
Fortran (written in
Fortran90, C and
C++)

University of
Utah (MRL),
Finite Elements April,
FEBio Columbia 2.7 Custom Free
for Biomechanics 2018
University
(MBL)

Software
package
developed by
American and LGPL (Core)
European &
FEniCS 2015-07-
FEniCS Project researchers with 1.6.0 GPL/LGPL Free
Team 29
the goal to enable (Non-
automated Core)[1]
solution of
differential
equations
FEATool MATLAB FEM Precise 1.10 2019-05- Proprietary Free for pe
Multiphysics and PDE Simulation 17 EULA use[2]
multiphysics
simulation
toolbox

FreeFEM is a free
and open-source
parallel FEA
software for
multiphysics
simulations. The Sorbonne
problems are University[4]
defined in terms and 2019-06-
FreeFEM[3] 4.2.1 LGPL Free
of their Jacques- 06
variational Louis Lions
formulation and Laboratory[5]
can be easily
implemented
using FreeFEM
language. Written
in C++.

GOMA GOMA is an Sandia 6.1 Aug 28, GPL Free

open-source, National 2015 Version 2
parallel, and Laboratories,
scalable University of
multiphysics New Mexico
software package
for modeling and
simulation of
real-life physical
processes, with a
basis in
computational
fluid dynamics for
problems with
 evolving
geometry.

A generic finite
element library
written in C++
with interfaces
for Python,
Yves Renard,
Matlab and
GetFEM++ Julien 5.0 2015-07 LGPL Free
Scilab. It focuses
Pommier
on modeling of
contact
mechanics and
discontinuities
(e.g. cracks).

Modular C/C++
library for rapid
development of
Hermes hp-FEM 2014-03-
space- and 3.0 LGPL Free
Project group 01
space-time
adaptive hp-FEM
solvers

General purpose 12.1.0

Wolfram
Mathematica[6] computation (March 18, Regularly Proprietary
Research
software. 2020) [±][7]

MATLAB Toolbox
MATLAB for solving
Partial structural, Proprietary
3.3 2019-09-
Differential thermal, MathWorks commercial
(R2019b) 11
Equation electromagnetics, software
Toolbox and other general
PDEs
MFEM MFEM is a free, MFEM team 4.1 2020-03- BSD Free
lightweight, 10
scalable C++
library for finite
element methods
that features
arbitrary high-
order finite
element meshes
and spaces,
support for a
wide variety of
discretizations,
and emphasis on
usability,
generality, and
high-performance
computing
efficiency.

Mesh Oriented
MoFEM University of 2017-11-
hp-FE code, 0.6.8 LGPL Free
JosePH Glasgow 16
written in C++

Object Oriented Idaho

MOOSE FE framework, National regularly LGPL Free
written in C++ Laboratory

Object Oriented
Finite EleMent 2016-02- GPL
OOFEM Bořek Patzák 2.4 Free
solver, written in 15 Version 2
C++

Open System for

Earthquake Non
OpenSees Free
Engineering Commercial
Simulation

SESAM (FEM) Software suite for DNV GL regularly Proprietary,

structural and SaaS
 hydrodynamic
analysis of ships
and offshore
structures

Multiphysics
Range Finite Element Tomáš 2018-04-
3.0 GPL Free
Software Analysis Šoltys 30
Software

Freeware finite
element package;
The present
version
Z88Aurora V4
offers, in addition
to static strength
analysis modules
such as non-
Z88 V15, 2017-07-
linear strength GNU GPL,
Z88/Z88Aurora Frank Rieg Z88Aurora 17, 2017- Free
calculations Custom
V4 04-24
(large
displacements),
simulations with
non-linear
materials, natural
frequency, static
thermal analysis
and a contact
module.

Advanced
Franco-USA
Proprietary
software from
Abaqus Abaqus Inc. 2019 2019-12 commercial
SIMULIA, owned
software
by Dassault
Systemes

CONSELF CAE simulation CONSELF 2.9 2015-10 SaaS Freemium

 from your SRL
browser

Parametric 3D
modeler with a
FEM workbench
12
allowing it to use FreeCAD
FreeCAD 0.18 March LGPL 2 Free
external solvers Team
2019
like CalculiX, Z88,
Elmer, and
OpenFoam

Finite element
software for
structural, fluid,
heat transfer,
electromagnetic,
and multiphysics Proprietary
ADINA problems, Adina R&D commercial
including fluid- software
structure
interaction and
thermo-
mechanical
coupling

BIM software for

FEM structural
Proprietary
Advance analysis,
GRAITEC 2014 2013-09 commercial
Design including
software
international
design eurocodes

Finite Element Proprietary

Autodesk
software of Autodesk commercial
Simulation
Autodesk software

ANSYS US-based and - Ansys Inc. 19.2 2018-09- Proprietary Free stude
developed full 18 commercial version ava
software
 CAE software up to 32,00
package nodes/elem

COMSOL
Multiphysics
Finite Element
COMSOL COMSOL 2019-11- Proprietary
Analysis 5.5
Multiphysics Inc. 14 EULA
Software
(formerly
FEMLAB)

Dassault
Proprietary
Part of Systèmes
CosmosWorks commercial
SolidWorks SolidWorks
software
Corp.

Tor 2015-12- Proprietary

Quickfield 6.1
Cooperative 22 EULA

LSTC -
Best known for Livermore Proprietary
LS-DYNA explicit dynamics Software R8.0 2015-03 commercial
/ crash analysis Technology software
Corporation

Originally
developed for
MSC
NASA, now
NASTRAN,
available Proprietary
Nastran Siemens 2014 2014
commercially EULA
PLM NX
from several
Nastran[9]
software
companies

Proprietary Free stude

3D finite element Dlubal
RFEM 5.06 2016-02 commercial license
analysis software Software
software available[10

German 100% Free comm

SimScale
SimScale web-based CAE 14 2013-07 SaaS version
GmbH
platform available[11
VisualFEA Finite element Intuition 5.11 2016-01 Proprietary Free educa
software for Software software version
structural, available[12
geotechnical,
heat transfer and
seepage analysis

Finite element
software for the
analysis of
JCMwave 2017-01- Proprietary
JCMsuite electromagnetic 3.6.1
GmbH 27 EULA
waves, elasticity
and heat
conduction

2D and 3D finite
element analysis
Proprietary
software for Education
JMAG JSOL 18.1 2019-06 commercial
electromagnetic available
software
field, thermal,
structural

Finite element
analysis software
Proprietary Student ve
based on p-FEM
StressCheck ESRD, Inc. 10.4 2018-04 commercial available (l
with a focus on
software to 15k DOF
solid mechanics
applications

Feature comparison
This is a wiki table generated by FEA-
compare project. Please, contribute
changes directly to the project instead of
editing the table below. The project also
provides an HTML version with the first
row and Feature column being fixed for
ease of table exploration.
 Feature code_aster COMSOL(R) GetFEM+

https://www.code-
website: https://www.comsol.com http://home.gna.or
aster.org

license: GPL Proprietary LGPL

Yes (Salome-
GUI: Yes No
Meca)

discussion forum,
Community: https://www.comsol.com/forum Mailing list
Bitbucket forge

user manual,
theory manual,
verification
manual, developer
User guides, reference manuals, API
manual (more User doc, tutorials,
Documentation: documentation, application libraries
than 25000 pages developer's guide
with solved examples, online tutorials
both in French
and English with
machine
translation)

Mesh

segments (1d),
triangles,
quadrilaterals Intervals (1D); triangles, quadrilaterals intervals, triangles,
mesh elements: (2d), tetrahedra, (2D and 3D boundaries); tetrahedra, quads, hexes, prism
pyramids, pyramids, prisms, hexahedra (3d) elements, easily ex
wedges,
hexahedra (3d)

mesh high-order Any? Second-order is the default for

Quadratic
mapping: most cases.

mesh Yes (Salome- Built-in Experimental in any

generation: Meca) + predefined shape
Extrusion.
 Yes, full adaptive mesh refinement (h-
refinement); no p-refinement but
several higher-order elements are
included. Mesh adaptation on the
mesh adaptive-
h-refinement whole or parts of the geometry, for Only h
refinement:
stationary, eigenvalue, and time-
dependent simulations and by
rebuilding the entire mesh or refining
chosen mesh elements.

mesh unv, gmsh, MED, STL, PLY, NASTRAN, 3MF, VRML

gmsh, GiD, Ansys
input\output: aster (import only), native format

limited features
Avoids inverted and degenerated
(double nodes,
mesh check: elements; various mesh quality ?
degenerated
measures
elements)

CAD files Yes (Salome-

STEP, IGES and many others . No
support: Meca)

Merge, copy, refine; convert; boundary

Yes (Salome- Extrude, rotate, tran
mesh operation: layers; extrude, revolve, sweep, loft for
Meca) refine
3D geometies

Parallel possibilities

Yes for parallel

automatic mesh calculations
Yes (METIS)
partitioning: (PTScotch,
ParMetis)

MPI: Yes Almost ideal for parameter sweep? For Yes

large scale simulations Comsol 4.2
 bench by Pepper has 19.2 speedup
on 24 core cluster (0.8 efficiency).

threads: Yes Supports multithreading

OpenMP: Yes Yes Yes

OpenCL: No No No

CUDA: No No No

Solver

0D/1D/2D/3D Any, possibility to m

Dimension: (dimensions may 0D, 1D, 2D, 3D (can coexist) couple problem of
coexist) dimension

Lagrange
Continuous and dis
elements
Lagrange, Hermite,
(isoparametric), Lagrange (order 1-7), Hermite (order 3-
Morley, Nedelec, Ra
mixed elements, 7), discontinuous Lagrange (order 0-7),
FE: Thomas, composit
structural bubble, Gauss point, serendipity,
(HCT, FVS), Hierarc
mechanics Nedelec
elements, Xfem, ea
elements (beam,
extensible.
plate)

Quadrature: depending on the

type of element
(Gauss, Newton-
Cotes, etc)
 Yes, BDF, Runge-Kutta (RK34, Cash-
Transient
Yes Karp 5, Dormand-Prince 5), and
problems:
generalized alpha time stepping

Incompressible Navier-Stokes, heat

transfer, convection-diffusion-reaction,
Yes (mechanics,
Predifined linear elasticity, electromagnetics,
thermics,
equations: pressure acoustics, Darcy’s law, and
acoustics)
support for custom PDE equations A
lot more via add-on modules.

Automated
Yes Yes
assembly:

Visualization: Paraview Built-in External or with the

(Salome-Meca) Scilab/Matlab/Pyth
 interface. Possibilit
perform complex s

Text and unstructured VTK-file for

data.BMP,PNG, GIF, TIFF, JPEG, glTF,
Windows clipboard, Microsoft
Output format: MED, ASCII vtk, gmsh, OpenDX
PowerPoint (for images). GIF, Flash,
AVI, WebM (for animatios). Touchstone
data (for networks).

Yes for Soil-

Boundary Structure
Yes No
elements solver: Interaction
(Miss3D)

Yes including differ

Use multiple
Yes dimensions and ta
meshes:
account of any tran

Linear algebra

BLAS/LAPACK,
MUMPS (and MUMPS, PARDISO, SPOOLES; ARPACK,
Used libs: SuperLU, MUMPS,
SCALAPACK), BLAS, BLIS, Intel MKL, LAPACK
PETSc

GMRES, FGMRES, BiCGStab, conjugate

GMRES, CG, GCR, gradients, TFQMR, or any
Iterative matrix
CR, FGMRES (via precoditioner. Algebraic and geometric All Krylov
solvers:
PETSc) multigrid. Domain decomponsition
(Schwarz, Schur)

ILU, Jacobi, Direct preconditioner, Krylov, SOR,

Simple Precision SSOR, SORU, SOR line, SOR gauge, SOR
Preconditioners: Basic ones (ILU, ILU
Preconditioner vector, Jacobi, incomplete and
(via MUMPS) hierarchical LU, SAI, SCGS, Vanka, AMS

Matrix-free

matrix-free: No Yes No
matrix-free save No No
memory:

matrix-free
No No
speed-up:

Used language

Native
Fortran 90, Python Primarily C++ and Java C++
language:

Bindings to Full API for Java and Matlab (the latter

Python Python, Scilab or M
language: via add-on product)

Other

linear
quasistatics,
linear thermics,
non-linear
quasistatics, non- Model bricks: Lapla
linear dynamics, and nonlinear elast
Yes, many predefined physics and
Predefined eigen problem for Helmholtz, plasticit
multiphysics interfaces in COMSOL
equations: mechanics, linear and K.L. plates, bou
Multiphysics and its add-ons.
dynamics on conditions includin
physical basis with friction.
and modal basis,
harmonic
analysis, spectral
analysis

thermo-hydro-
mechanical
problem for
porous media,
Coupled
coupling with
nonlinear Yes Yes
Code_Saturne
problems:
CFD software for
Fluid-Structure
Interaction via
SALOME platform
Binary: Yes for Salome- Windows, Linux, macOS Linux (Debian/Ubu
Meca (Linux)

Analyse des
Structures et
Thermo-
fullname: mécanique pour
des Études et des
Recherches
(ASTER)

More than 3500

verification
testcases
covering all https://www.comsol.com/legal/quality-
Testing:
features and policy
providing easy
starting points for
beginners

Full API for Java and, through add-on

scripting:
product, Matlab

automatic
Yes
differentiation:

Yes, full custom and predefined

multiphysics: multiphysics couplings between all
kinds of physics

With the Optimization Module add-on:

Optimization Coorinate search, Nelder-Mead, Monte
Solvers: Carlo, BOBYQA, COBYLA, SNOPT,
MMA, Levenberg-Marquardt
Symbolic Yes
derivation of the
tangent system
for nonlinear
problems:

Support for
fictitious
Yes
domain
methods:

Wilkinson Prize:

References
1. "FEniCS Project" . Retrieved
2017-06-21.
2. "FEATool Multiphysics - Product
Information" . Retrieved 2018-06-12.
3. "FreeFem++" . freefem.org. Retrieved
2018-11-30.
4. "Sorbonne Université | Lettres,
Médecine, Sciences" . www.sorbonne-
universite.fr. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
5. Curie, UPMC - Université Pierre et
Marie. "Jacques-Louis Lions
Laboratory (LJLL) - UMR 7598 -
SCIENCE" . sciences.sorbonne-
universite.fr. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
. Mathematica Documentation
7. "Mathematica Quick Revision
History" . Retrieved 2019-04-16.
. "Student Products - Free Simulation
Software" . Ansys.com. Retrieved
2017-05-28.
 9. "NX Nastran: Siemens PLM
Software" .
Plm.automation.siemens.com.
Retrieved 2017-05-28.
10. "Free Student License | Dlubal
Software" . Dlubal.com. Retrieved
2017-05-28.
11. "Plans & Pricing - SimScale Simulation
Platform" . Simscale.com. Retrieved
2017-05-28.
12. "Browsing VisualFEA (Finite Element
Analysis) by Title" .
Ecommons.cornell.edu. 2016-03-01.
Retrieved 2017-05-28.
Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=List_of_finite_element_software_packages&ol
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Last edited 10 days ago by Jarble

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