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MATLAB vs PyTorch

MATLAB logo

MATLAB

Software

Programming and numeric computing platform

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PyTorch logo

PyTorch

Software

Deep learning framework with dynamic computation graphs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PyTorch has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: MATLAB a standard individual licence is $940 a year, and it is annual rather than perpetual; PyTorch dynamic computation graph can be less efficient for production inference than static graphs
  • They diverge on capability: MATLAB covers Matrix computations, PyTorch covers Dynamic computation graphs.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MATLAB and PyTorch actually diverge.

Attributes where MATLAB and PyTorch differ
AttributeMATLABPyTorch
Starting price$99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsLinux, Mac, WindowsLinux, Windows, macOS
Founded19842016

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 MATLAB

  • Matrix computations
  • Data visualization
  • Machine learning
  • Deep learning
  • Signal processing
  • Simulink
  • Python
  • C/C++

Only in PyTorch

  • Dynamic computation graphs
  • Automatic differentiation
  • GPU acceleration
  • Distributed training
  • TorchScript
  • TorchVision
  • TorchText
  • TorchAudio

Both cover

  • Linux support
  • Mac support
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

MATLAB

  • Numerical computing, simulation and algorithm developmentnot PyTorch
  • Engineering and scientific modelling with Simulinknot PyTorch

PyTorch

  • Machine learningnot MATLAB
  • Data analysisnot MATLAB
  • Model trainingnot MATLAB
  • Predictive analyticsnot MATLAB

Where each one falls short

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

MATLAB

  • A standard individual licence is $940 a year, and it is annual rather than perpetual
  • Add on toolboxes are bought separately through the web store rather than being included
  • No price is displayed for the academic, student, home or startup licences, each of which requires a quote
  • Eligibility rather than price separates most tiers, so a commercial user has one option

PyTorch

  • Dynamic computation graph can be less efficient for production inference than static graphs
  • Requires more manual code for distributed training compared to some alternatives
  • Documentation focused heavily on research use cases rather than production deployment

Pricing, plan by plan

MATLAB

$99/month
  • Home$149/perpetual
    • Personal use
    • Core MATLAB
  • Standard$2350/perpetual
    • Commercial use
    • Full features

PyTorch

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PyTorch review.

Which should you pick?

Choose MATLAB if

  • You need matrix computations.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want data visualization.
MATLAB review

Choose PyTorch if

  • You need dynamic computation graphs.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want automatic differentiation.
PyTorch review

Questions people ask

Is MATLAB or PyTorch better?
Neither clearly leads. MATLAB starts at $99/month and PyTorch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MATLAB or PyTorch?
PyTorch has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for MATLAB and Free for PyTorch.
Does MATLAB or PyTorch run on more platforms?
MATLAB runs on Linux, Mac, Windows. PyTorch runs on Linux, Windows, macOS.
Can I use PyTorch for free?
Yes. PyTorch has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MATLAB starts at $99/month.
What is MATLAB best used for?
MATLAB is most often used for numerical computing, simulation and algorithm development, engineering and scientific modelling with simulink. Of those, numerical computing, simulation and algorithm development and engineering and scientific modelling with simulink are not what PyTorch is typically brought in for.
What can MATLAB do that PyTorch cannot?
MATLAB covers Matrix computations, Data visualization, Machine learning, Deep learning. PyTorch covers Dynamic computation graphs, Automatic differentiation, GPU acceleration, Distributed training. Both handle Linux support, Mac support, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PyTorch: Is PyTorch free and open source?

Yes. PyTorch is an open source machine learning framework that is completely free to use. It was originally created and open-sourced by Facebook (now Meta) in 2016.

Source
PyTorch: What platforms does PyTorch support?

PyTorch supports Linux, Windows, and macOS. It provides strong GPU acceleration through CUDA and other backends for high-performance computing.

Source
PyTorch: Can I use PyTorch for production deployments?

Yes. PyTorch provides graph-based execution, distributed training, mobile deployment, and quantization features to support production deployments.

Source
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