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Manufacturing · head to head

MachineMetrics vs SolidWorks

MachineMetrics logo

MachineMetrics

Manufacturing

Collect, monitor, analyze and drive action with machine data

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: MachineMetrics no specific pricing published; vendor uses volume-based subscription model requiring sales contact; 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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MachineMetrics and SolidWorks actually diverge.

Attributes where MachineMetrics and SolidWorks differ
AttributeMachineMetricsSolidWorks
Starting priceOn request$2820/year
Pricing modelquotePer user per year
PlatformsWebWindows
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 MachineMetrics

Nothing recorded that SolidWorks does not also cover.

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.

MachineMetrics

  • Tracking real-time machine performance and outputnot SolidWorks
  • Identifying and analyzing production downtime causesnot SolidWorks
  • Detecting equipment issues before failures happennot SolidWorks
  • Managing job scheduling with drag-and-drop toolsnot SolidWorks
  • Syncing shop floor data to ERP automaticallynot SolidWorks

SolidWorks

  • Product designnot MachineMetrics
  • Engineering analysisnot MachineMetrics
  • Manufacturing documentationnot MachineMetrics
  • Prototypingnot MachineMetrics
  • Quality controlnot MachineMetrics

Where each one falls short

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

MachineMetrics

  • No specific pricing published; vendor uses volume-based subscription model requiring sales contact
  • Costs scale with number of connected machines; exact rates not disclosed publicly
  • Customers must book demo or request quote to receive pricing

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

MachineMetrics

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the MachineMetrics review.

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 MachineMetrics if

Nothing in the data separates MachineMetrics from SolidWorks on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

MachineMetrics review

Choose SolidWorks if

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

Questions people ask

Is MachineMetrics or SolidWorks better?
Neither clearly leads. MachineMetrics 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, MachineMetrics or SolidWorks?
MachineMetrics starts at On request and SolidWorks at $2820/year.
Does MachineMetrics or SolidWorks run on more platforms?
MachineMetrics runs on Web. SolidWorks runs on Windows.
What is MachineMetrics best used for?
MachineMetrics is most often used for tracking real-time machine performance and output, identifying and analyzing production downtime causes, detecting equipment issues before failures happen, managing job scheduling with drag-and-drop tools. Of those, tracking real-time machine performance and output and identifying and analyzing production downtime causes are not what SolidWorks is typically brought in for.
What can MachineMetrics do that SolidWorks cannot?
SolidWorks covers 3D solid modeling, Assembly design, Technical drawings, Simulation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MachineMetrics: How much does MachineMetrics cost?

MachineMetrics does not publish specific pricing rates on its website. The company uses a volume-based subscription model where the more machines you connect, the less it costs per machine. Exact pricing requires contacting the company for a custom quote or booking a demo.

Source
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.

MachineMetrics: What are MachineMetrics' pricing tiers?

MachineMetrics offers three tiers: Core Platform for entry-level machine connectivity, Intelligent MES for mid-tier with ERP integration, and Enterprise for multi-site support with business intelligence. Exact pricing is based on machine count and requires a quote.

Source
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.

MachineMetrics: What support is included with MachineMetrics plans?

All MachineMetrics plans include customer support with unlimited remote assistance and training, regardless of tier selection.

Source
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.

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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