Free Transportation and Pavement Software — SUMO, MATSim and the Rest
SUMO, MATSim and more — free tools for traffic simulation at junction and city scale and for pavement design, used in research, and where local rules apply.
Guides and Articles
Where to Actually Find Free Engineering Software — 19 Sources and How to Check a Licence
The government repositories and curated directories this guide is built from — 19 sources of free engineering software — and four questions to check a licence.
Free Revit Alternatives and Open BIM — What Is Actually Possible, and What Is Not
No free program replaces Revit one-to-one, but there is a full open BIM path around IFC — Bonsai, FreeCAD, Blender and as-built capture. What works, what not.
Free Robotics Software — ROS, Gazebo, MuJoCo and Where to Start
In robotics open source is the standard, not the alternative: ROS, four simulators, SLAM and all around them — in the order you build a robot system.
Free Building Energy Software — EnergyPlus, THERM, Radiance and the Rest
EnergyPlus, THERM, Radiance and more — the engines under commercial tools are free. A workflow for loads, thermal bridges, daylight and ventilation.
Free MATLAB Alternatives — Octave, Python, Scilab and When Each One Is Right
Octave to run existing MATLAB code, Python for new code, Scilab/Xcos for Simulink and Maxima for symbolics — and what each free alternative cannot do.
Free Electronics and PCB Software — Alternatives to Altium, OrCAD and the Simulators
KiCad, LTspice, Ngspice, Verilator and more — free electronics and PCB software covering board design, analog simulation and digital verification.
Free Hydrology and Drainage Software — HEC-RAS, SWMM, EPANET and the Rest
HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, SWMM, EPANET and more — in water engineering the free tools are the professional standard. A full chain from rainfall to water level.
Free CFD Software — Real Alternatives to ANSYS Fluent and STAR-CCM+
OpenFOAM, SU2, Code_Saturne and more — free CFD solvers at ANSYS Fluent and STAR-CCM+ quality, and what you actually buy with a commercial licence.
Free GIS Software — What Really Replaces ArcGIS, and What Does Not
QGIS, GRASS, WebODM and more — free GIS software that really replaces ArcGIS in engineering work, and the three places where it still falls short.
Student Licences for Engineering Software — What You Really Get, and the Traps
A student licence gives the full software, but it is time-limited, non-commercial and needs proof of eligibility. And a third catch: cloud files are public.
Free Structural Analysis Software for Students — What Is Actually Worth Installing
Free structural analysis software in three layers — frame solvers, finite elements with a GUI and research tools — and how to pick the right one.