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Manufacturing · head to head

GENESIS Version 11 vs SolidWorks

GENESIS Version 11 logo

GENESIS Version 11

Manufacturing

Iconics SCADA and visualisation under Mitsubishi Electric, now sold with unlimited tag licensing

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SolidWorks logo

SolidWorks

Manufacturing

Parametric desktop 3D CAD from Dassault Systemes, now sold as named-user subscription on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform

From
$2820/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GENESIS Version 11 the name has changed twice, from GENESIS64 to GENESIS Version 11 with an Iconics-to-Mitsubishi ownership shift, so documentation, forum answers and integrator experience are split across three product identities.; SolidWorks the desktop application is Windows only, so Mac and Linux users need a virtual machine, a Windows workstation or the separate cloud xDesign product at 2,580 USD a year.
  • They diverge on capability: GENESIS Version 11 covers Unlimited tag licensing, SolidWorks covers 3D solid modeling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GENESIS Version 11 and SolidWorks actually diverge.

Attributes where GENESIS Version 11 and SolidWorks differ
AttributeGENESIS Version 11SolidWorks
Starting priceOn request$2820/year
Pricing modelquotePer user per year
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWindows
FoundedUnknown1993

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Manufacturing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in GENESIS Version 11

  • Unlimited tag licensing
  • GraphWorX
  • Hyper Historian
  • AnalytiX
  • Web and mobile clients
  • BACnet and building protocols
  • Alarm and notification
  • Energy AnalytiX

Only in SolidWorks

  • 3D solid modeling
  • Assembly design
  • Technical drawings
  • Simulation
  • Rendering
  • PDM systems
  • ERP systems
  • CAM software

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

GENESIS Version 11

  • A university or hospital estate adding buildings every year that no longer wants a licence negotiation for each expansionnot SolidWorks
  • A data centre operator needing power and cooling status overlaid on a 3D floor model rather than a line diagramnot SolidWorks
  • A water utility wanting pump station status on a GIS map alongside historised flow and pressure datanot SolidWorks
  • A Mitsubishi Electric factory automation site wanting supervisory visualisation from the same vendor as the controllersnot SolidWorks

SolidWorks

  • Product designnot GENESIS Version 11
  • Engineering analysisnot GENESIS Version 11
  • Manufacturing documentationnot GENESIS Version 11
  • Prototypingnot GENESIS Version 11
  • Quality controlnot GENESIS Version 11

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

GENESIS Version 11

  • The name has changed twice, from GENESIS64 to GENESIS Version 11 with an Iconics-to-Mitsubishi ownership shift, so documentation, forum answers and integrator experience are split across three product identities.
  • Unlimited licensing sets a high floor: a small site with a few hundred points pays for capacity it cannot use, and tag-priced competitors remain cheaper below a few thousand points.
  • It is a Windows and Microsoft-stack product, depending on SQL Server and Windows services, so Linux-first or containerised deployment strategies do not apply to it.
  • Mitsubishi Electric now owns it outright, and roadmap priorities follow that group’s factory automation strategy rather than the independent building-automation direction Iconics previously set.
  • The 3D and GIS visualisation that distinguishes it takes real modelling effort to populate, and estates that skip that work end up with an expensive licence driving conventional 2D screens.

SolidWorks

  • The desktop application is Windows only, so Mac and Linux users need a virtual machine, a Windows workstation or the separate cloud xDesign product at 2,580 USD a year.
  • Perpetual licences are no longer sold through the vendor online store and come only through resellers, and a perpetual licence still needs a paid annual service contract to get upgrades and support, so buying once and paying nothing again is not really on offer.
  • Named-user subscription is per person rather than floating, so an organisation where several engineers each use CAD occasionally pays full seats for part-time use unless it negotiates otherwise.
  • History-based parametric modelling breaks noisily: a change high in the feature tree can cascade rebuild errors through an assembly, which is a real productivity cost compared with direct modelling tools.
  • Large assemblies stress single-threaded desktop performance, and teams routinely resort to configurations, simplified representations and expensive workstations rather than the software scaling on its own.
  • The Maker licence watermarks its files so they can only be opened on other Maker licences, which means hobby work cannot be carried into a commercial seat later without exporting to neutral formats and losing the feature history.

Pricing, plan by plan

GENESIS Version 11

On request
  • GENESIS Version 11$undefined/year
    • Unlimited tags, users and connected devices within a licence
    • Licensed by product module rather than by point count
    • Sold and configured through Mitsubishi Electric and Iconics system integrators

SolidWorks

$2820/year
  • 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Standard$2820/year
    • 235 USD per month billed annually, or 846 USD per quarter
    • Per named user, excluding local tax
    • Part and assembly modelling and 2D drawings
  • 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Professional$3456/year
    • 288 USD per month billed annually, or 1,038 USD per quarter
    • Everything in Standard
    • Intelligent CAD libraries of standard fasteners
  • 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Premium$4716/year
    • 393 USD per month billed annually, or 1,416 USD per quarter
    • Everything in Professional
    • Linear static analysis for parts and assemblies
  • SOLIDWORKS xDesign$2580/year
    • 810 USD per quarter
    • Browser-based cloud modelling, no local install
    • Runs on Mac, Chromebook and tablets as well as Windows

Which should you pick?

Choose GENESIS Version 11 if

  • You need unlimited tag licensing.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want graphworx.
GENESIS Version 11 review

Choose SolidWorks if

  • You need 3d solid modeling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want assembly design.
SolidWorks review

Questions people ask

Is GENESIS Version 11 or SolidWorks better?
Neither clearly leads. GENESIS Version 11 starts at On request and SolidWorks at $2820/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GENESIS Version 11 or SolidWorks?
GENESIS Version 11 starts at On request and SolidWorks at $2820/year.
Does GENESIS Version 11 or SolidWorks run on more platforms?
GENESIS Version 11 runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. SolidWorks runs on Windows.
What is GENESIS Version 11 best used for?
GENESIS Version 11 is most often used for a university or hospital estate adding buildings every year that no longer wants a licence negotiation for each expansion, a data centre operator needing power and cooling status overlaid on a 3d floor model rather than a line diagram, a water utility wanting pump station status on a gis map alongside historised flow and pressure data, a mitsubishi electric factory automation site wanting supervisory visualisation from the same vendor as the controllers. Of those, a university or hospital estate adding buildings every year that no longer wants a licence negotiation for each expansion and a data centre operator needing power and cooling status overlaid on a 3d floor model rather than a line diagram are not what SolidWorks is typically brought in for.
What can GENESIS Version 11 do that SolidWorks cannot?
GENESIS Version 11 covers Unlimited tag licensing, GraphWorX, Hyper Historian, AnalytiX. SolidWorks covers 3D solid modeling, Assembly design, Technical drawings, Simulation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GENESIS Version 11: Is GENESIS64 discontinued?

It has been superseded. GENESIS Version 11 is the current release and the name GENESIS64 is retired.

SolidWorks: Can you still buy a SOLIDWORKS perpetual licence?

Not from the vendor online store, which sells only term subscriptions. Perpetual licences remain available through resellers, but they still require a paid annual subscription service contract for upgrades and support.

GENESIS Version 11: Does version 11 really have no tag limits?

Yes, tag, user and device counting was removed in version 11. Licensing is by module instead.

SolidWorks: How much does SOLIDWORKS cost per year?

The 3DS store lists Standard at 2,820 USD, Professional at 3,456 USD and Premium at 4,716 USD per named user per year, excluding local tax. Quarterly terms are 846, 1,038 and 1,416 USD.

GENESIS Version 11: Who owns Iconics now?

Mitsubishi Electric, which took full ownership. Iconics continues to operate under its own name from Massachusetts.

SolidWorks: What is the difference between desktop SOLIDWORKS and the 3DEXPERIENCE cloud tiers?

The desktop application still does the modelling and installs locally on Windows. The 3DEXPERIENCE platform adds cloud storage, versioning, mark-up and shared review around it. SOLIDWORKS xDesign is the separate browser-native modeller at 2,580 USD a year, and it runs on Mac and Chromebook.

GENESIS Version 11: Can it act as a building management system on its own?

It is the supervisory and analytics layer. It reads BACnet and building controllers but does not replace field-level plant controllers.

SolidWorks: Is there a cheap version for hobbyists?

Yes. 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for Makers is 48 USD a year or 15 USD a month, limited to personal use with project sales under 2,000 USD a year, and its files are watermarked for Maker licences only.

SolidWorks: Does SOLIDWORKS run on a Mac?

Not natively. Use the browser-based xDesign, or run the desktop application in a Windows virtual machine.

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