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CAD · head to head

Bentley MicroStation vs SolveSpace

Bentley MicroStation logo

Bentley MicroStation

CAD

CAD and modelling platform for infrastructure design, and the file format the rest of Bentley runs on

From
$2284/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SolveSpace

CAD

Open source parametric CAD with a constraint solver in a few megabytes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SolveSpace has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bentley MicroStation bentley licensing has a history of usage-based true-ups, where running the software beyond your entitlement is permitted at the time and invoiced later, so finance teams get bills nobody in the design office authorised.; SolveSpace the in-house geometry kernel fails on complex boolean operations and fillets, and the failure is sometimes silent bad geometry rather than an error message, so models must be checked before export or manufacture.
  • They diverge on capability: Bentley MicroStation covers DGN modelling, SolveSpace covers Constraint solver.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bentley MicroStation and SolveSpace actually diverge.

Attributes where Bentley MicroStation and SolveSpace differ
AttributeBentley MicroStationSolveSpace
Starting price$2284/yearFree
Pricing modelPer user per yearOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWindows, macOS, Linux

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

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 Bentley MicroStation

  • DGN modelling
  • DWG editing
  • Reality modelling
  • Parametric components
  • Drawing composition
  • Visualisation
  • MDL and .NET APIs
  • iTwin publishing

Only in SolveSpace

  • Constraint solver
  • Solid modelling
  • Assemblies
  • Export formats
  • Cross-platform
  • Small footprint

What people use each for

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

Bentley MicroStation

  • A civil consultancy bidding on state DOT or national highways work that mandates DGN deliverables and issues a MicroStation workspacenot SolveSpace
  • A rail or utility owner-operator maintaining decades of legacy DGN drawings that would lose data in a DWG round tripnot SolveSpace
  • An engineering firm standardising on OpenRoads or OpenBuildings, which require the MicroStation platform underneathnot SolveSpace
  • A survey or asset team draping design geometry over point clouds and reality meshes for existing-conditions worknot SolveSpace

SolveSpace

  • Designing 3D printed parts on a machine that cannot run mainstream CADnot Bentley MicroStation
  • Teaching constraint-based parametric modelling without buying licences for a classroomnot Bentley MicroStation
  • Checking that a mechanical linkage moves as intended before cutting metalnot Bentley MicroStation
  • Producing dimensionally accurate STEP or STL output from a small open source toolchainnot Bentley MicroStation

Where each one falls short

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

Bentley MicroStation

  • Bentley licensing has a history of usage-based true-ups, where running the software beyond your entitlement is permitted at the time and invoiced later, so finance teams get bills nobody in the design office authorised.
  • It is Windows only, with no macOS or Linux build and no browser client, which rules it out for studios that have standardised on Mac hardware.
  • The user base is far smaller than AutoCAD's, so hiring a MicroStation operator is harder and slower in most markets and contract staff command a premium.
  • Value depends almost entirely on whether your clients mandate DGN; outside infrastructure and government work you are paying several times the price of mainstream CAD for a format nobody asks you for.
  • Agency workspaces, seed files and configuration variables make deployment a specialist job, and a firm working for several agencies ends up maintaining multiple incompatible configurations.

SolveSpace

  • The in-house geometry kernel fails on complex boolean operations and fillets, and the failure is sometimes silent bad geometry rather than an error message, so models must be checked before export or manufacture.
  • There is no proper drawing and dimensioning workflow, so manufacturing documentation has to be produced in another application.
  • Development is volunteer-led and intermittent; long gaps between releases are normal and there is no support contract available at any price.
  • Assembly-level import of external CAD is very limited, so it does not fit a supply chain that exchanges native or assembly-level models with suppliers.
  • The interface follows its own conventions rather than mainstream CAD ones, so existing SolidWorks or Fusion users spend time unlearning habits for a tool with a lower ceiling.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bentley MicroStation

$2284/year
  • Virtuoso Subscription$2284/year
    • Single-user MicroStation licence
    • Bentley Keys redeemable for training, mentoring or consulting
    • Bought through Bentley's eStore with a card
  • Practitioner or Enterprise licence$undefined/year
    • Term or perpetual licence sold direct by Bentley
    • Perpetual purchase requires an ongoing SELECT maintenance subscription
    • Volume and enterprise agreements with pooled licence usage

SolveSpace

Free
  • SolveSpaceFree
    • Full application under the GPL
    • No seat limit
    • Windows, macOS and Linux builds

Which should you pick?

Choose Bentley MicroStation if

  • You need dgn modelling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want dwg editing.
Bentley MicroStation review

Choose SolveSpace if

  • You need constraint solver.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want solid modelling.
SolveSpace review

Questions people ask

Is Bentley MicroStation or SolveSpace better?
Neither clearly leads. Bentley MicroStation starts at $2284/year and SolveSpace at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bentley MicroStation or SolveSpace?
SolveSpace has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $2284/year for Bentley MicroStation and Free for SolveSpace.
Does Bentley MicroStation or SolveSpace run on more platforms?
Bentley MicroStation runs on Windows. SolveSpace runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use SolveSpace for free?
Yes. SolveSpace has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Bentley MicroStation starts at $2284/year.
What is Bentley MicroStation best used for?
Bentley MicroStation is most often used for a civil consultancy bidding on state dot or national highways work that mandates dgn deliverables and issues a microstation workspace, a rail or utility owner-operator maintaining decades of legacy dgn drawings that would lose data in a dwg round trip, an engineering firm standardising on openroads or openbuildings, which require the microstation platform underneath, a survey or asset team draping design geometry over point clouds and reality meshes for existing-conditions work. Of those, a civil consultancy bidding on state dot or national highways work that mandates dgn deliverables and issues a microstation workspace and a rail or utility owner-operator maintaining decades of legacy dgn drawings that would lose data in a dwg round trip are not what SolveSpace is typically brought in for.
What can Bentley MicroStation do that SolveSpace cannot?
Bentley MicroStation covers DGN modelling, DWG editing, Reality modelling, Parametric components. SolveSpace covers Constraint solver, Solid modelling, Assemblies, Export formats.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bentley MicroStation: Can MicroStation open and save DWG files?

Yes, it edits DWG natively rather than importing it. Fidelity is good but not perfect on complex dynamic blocks and some annotation styles, so a DWG-mandated deliverable is still safer produced in AutoCAD.

SolveSpace: Is it really free for commercial work?

Yes. It is released under the GPL with no licence fee and no seat limit. Support is community only.

Bentley MicroStation: Is there still a perpetual licence?

Yes, Bentley still sells perpetual licences alongside term and Virtuoso subscriptions, but a perpetual licence needs an annual SELECT subscription to receive updates and support, so it is not a one-off cost.

SolveSpace: Can it replace Fusion 360 or SolidWorks?

No. It handles parts and simple assemblies well. Complex geometry, drawings and supply chain interoperability are outside its range.

Bentley MicroStation: Do I need MicroStation if I have OpenRoads Designer?

No. The Open products include the MicroStation platform, so buying both separately is duplicate spend.

SolveSpace: What hardware does it need?

Very little. It runs on old laptops and small Linux machines where mainstream CAD will not start.

Bentley MicroStation: What is a Bentley Key?

A prepaid token bundled with a Virtuoso subscription that you redeem for training, mentoring or consulting hours. Unused keys are a real cost if nobody in the team books the sessions.

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