Side by side

OpenFOAM vs OpenSim

Both stand on physics simulation software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

OpenFOAM

Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1

OpenFOAM brings simulation, mesh and post-processing tools together in a free toolbox, with ParaView support and several deployment platforms. Support and code customisation are separate services with limited annual hours.

Visit OpenFOAM

OpenSim

Free plan APILinuxMac+1

OpenSim offers modeling, simulation and analysis tools with scripting options across several languages. Check the GUI platform limitation and plugin compatibility requirements before choosing it.

Visit OpenSim

The facts

	OpenFOAM	OpenSim
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows	API, Linux, Mac, Windows
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Free or on request
Plans published	1	1
Maker	OpenFOAM	Not published
Website	openfoam.com	opensim.stanford.edu
On physics simulation software	#1 of 89	#2 of 89

OpenFOAM: what it does well

Free and open source under the GNU General Public Licence.
Includes mesh generation, solvers and post-processing tools.
Supports ParaView visualization and VTK workflows.
Available for Linux, macOS, Windows and self-hosted use.
v2606 adds GPU offloading as a compile-time option.

What to know first

Support queries require a prior support package.
Support package service hours are limited per year.
GPU work remains on a separate development track.

OpenSim: what it does well

Includes tools for four types of movement analysis.
API supports Matlab, Python, Java and C++.
Can read marker and force data in C3D files.
Documentation, tutorials and a discussion forum are available.

What to know first

No public Linux GUI distribution.
Plugins must match the OpenSim version and platform.
Download requires a SimTK account.

Alternatives to OpenFOAM Alternatives to OpenSim The whole list