Best Structural Analysis Software: 11 Options

Structural engineers live with a strange kind of pressure. The calculation that nobody notices is the one that worked, and the software you choose decides how quickly you get there and how confidently you can sign it off.

The eleven tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from free teaching programs to suites used on major bridges. Every description comes from the vendor's own site, read this week. If you're growing a practice, my guide to using AI for lead generation in construction covers the business side.

Structural analysis software at a glance

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free version, a free app or an open source edition. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Calcs.com	Engineering calculation platform	Checked, defensible calculations	Trial only
ENERCALC	Structural engineering calculation software	Everyday calcs for small firms	Trial only
LUSAS	Engineering analysis software	Bridges, civil and composites	Not stated
MASTAN2	Frame and truss analysis program	Teaching frame and truss analysis	Not stated
MIDAS	Structural, building and bridge software	Buildings and long-span bridges	Trial only
RFEM	FEA software with BIM integration	Steel, aluminium and concrete together	Trial only
RISA	Analysis and design software	Revit users linking models	Trial only
SAP2000	Structural analysis and design	General structures of any type	Trial only
SCIA Engineer	Structural analysis and design software	BIM workflows, federated or integrated	Trial only
SkyCiv	Cloud structural analysis and design	Model, solve and design in a browser	Not stated
Tekla Structural Designer	Building design and analysis from Trimble	Single-model design and analysis	Trial only

Eleven structural analysis tools to consider

Calcs.com

Best for: Structural engineers who want calculations made, checked and defended where the work happens, with a 14-day trial to start.

ENERCALC

Best for: Small structural firms that want the everyday calculations they do handled quickly and reliably, without fighting the software.

LUSAS

Best for: Bridge and civil engineers who want specialist finite element analysis for bridges, civil structures, composites and geotechnical work.

MASTAN2

Best for: Students and teachers who want first- or second-order elastic or inelastic analysis of two- or three-dimensional frames and trusses.

MIDAS

Best for: Building and bridge engineers who want structural analysis software used on everything from culverts to the longest suspension bridges.

RFEM

Best for: Engineers who want FEA for steel, aluminium and concrete structures in a single environment, with BIM integration from Dlubal.

RISA

Best for: Engineers who want analysis and design software with a RISA-Revit link for moving models between programs, plus a trial to start.

SAP2000

Best for: Structural engineers who want a long-established general analysis and design program built on the SAPFire analysis engine.

SCIA Engineer

Best for: Firms that want structural analysis with BIM workflows, from a federated to an integrated model, backed by a specialist team.

SkyCiv

Best for: Smaller practices that want to model, analyse, design and generate reports without juggling several software packages.

Tekla Structural Designer

Best for: Building engineers who want design and analysis combined in one model-based process for any structural material.

Calculation tool, building package or specialist suite?

Calculation tools handle everyday beams, columns and connections quickly, and they're ideal for small firms and residential work. Building packages model whole structures, combining analysis and design across floors and materials. Specialist suites handle bridges, nonlinear behaviour, composites and geotechnical problems in depth.

Many firms end up with two: a quick calculation tool for daily work and a full package for bigger jobs. That's often smarter than forcing one tool to do everything.

Trace results back to the building rules

GOV.UK says Approved Document A covers the loadings on a building and the construction of structural elements including the foundations, walls, floors, roofs and chimneys.

Whatever software you use in the UK, you'll want its output to trace back to the loading assumptions your building control body will check. Clear inputs and readable reports matter as much as the solver, because a checker can't approve what they can't follow.

Questions to ask before you commit

1. Which design codes and materials does it support for our region?
2. Does it link to our BIM or CAD tools?
3. How readable are the calculation reports for checkers and clients?
4. Can it handle the largest project we take on?
5. Does it run on our computers or in a browser?
6. What training does a new graduate need to use it safely?

Features that save time on every job

• Code checks. Members checked to the standard you work to.
• Readable reports. Checkers follow your logic quickly.
• BIM links. Models move between programs without redrawing.
• Load combinations. Generated automatically, not typed by hand.

Signs your spreadsheets are a risk

Calculation sheets only one person understands, formulas copied between projects and no record of which version was used are the usual warnings. Once those appear, dedicated software makes your work safer and easier to check.

Do you make structural engineering software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on choosing structural analysis software

Start with the codes and materials you design to most, then check reports. A package that gets the answer right but produces calculations nobody can follow will slow you down with every checker, and that's a daily drag you don't need.

Then think about your team. If juniors will use it, pick software that makes inputs clear and errors obvious, so mistakes don't slip through. When clients call with questions, my guide to AI for customer service in construction firms has ideas for handling them faster.

Frequently asked questions

What is structural analysis software?

It's software that calculates how a structure responds to loads, such as forces, moments and deflections, so engineers can design members and check safety.

Is there free structural analysis software?

None of the tools on this list named a free plan on the pages I read, though MASTAN2 is aimed at teaching and several offer trials.

What's the difference between structural analysis and FEA?

FEA is one method used inside structural analysis. Some tools here use it for complex structures, while calculation tools use simpler methods for everyday members.

Which structural analysis software do engineers use?

It varies by region and project type. Many firms use one package for buildings and a quicker tool for daily calculations.

Can I do structural analysis in the cloud?

Yes. SkyCiv runs in a browser and lets you model, analyse and design without installing software.

Does structural software check building regulations?

It applies the design codes you select, but in the UK you still need to show compliance with the Building Regulations, including Approved Document A.