The MATLAB free trial lasts 30 days and MathWorks says it includes MATLAB, Simulink and 80+ products. You can trial products on all supported platforms, and if you need longer, MathWorks says to contact its sales team to request an extension. For light use with no time limit, MATLAB Online (basic) is free for 20 hours a month.
Most people only know about the 30-day trial. The free basic version of MATLAB Online is the more useful discovery for anyone who just needs to run some code now and then, because it doesn't run out after a month.
Three ways to use MATLAB without paying
| Option | Time limit | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-day trial | 30 days | MATLAB, Simulink and 80+ products | Evaluating MATLAB for a project or purchase |
| MATLAB Online (basic) | 20 hours per calendar month, ongoing | 10 commonly used products, 5 GB MATLAB Drive | Light work and running code others share |
| Your organisation's license | As long as your license allows | Whatever your license covers | Students, staff and researchers |
What the 30-day trial includes
MathWorks' trials page says the trial includes MATLAB, Simulink and 80+ products, and its FAQ says the trial period is 30 days. You can trial products on all supported platform and operating system combinations, so the trial isn't restricted to one computer type.
Getting more than 30 days
There's no self-service extension button. MathWorks' downloads FAQ says that to request an extension of your trial, you contact Sales. If you're evaluating MATLAB for a business purchase, ask early, while you can still show what you've been testing.
MATLAB Online (basic): the free option that doesn't expire
MathWorks describes the basic version of MATLAB Online as giving 20 hours a month of free use and access to 10 commonly used products. It says this is useful if you want to do light work or run basic MATLAB code and Simulink models shared by others. Anyone without access to the full MATLAB Online defaults to the basic version.
| MATLAB Online (basic) | MATLAB Online (full, through a license) | |
|---|---|---|
| Products | 10 commonly used products | All products on your license |
| Hours per month | 20 hours per calendar month | Unlimited |
| MATLAB Drive storage | 5 GB | 20 GB |
One limit to know: MathWorks says there's no basic version of desktop MATLAB to download. The free basic option only exists as part of MATLAB Online, in your browser.
Students and teachers: check this first
If you're at a university, college or research institute, you may already have MATLAB. MathWorks says students, faculty and researchers most likely have access to MATLAB Online through their organisation's license, linked by using your organisation email in your MathWorks account. For teachers, MathWorks' FAQ says to check whether your school has a Campus-Wide License; if it doesn't, both you and your students can get a 30-day trial, as long as you as the instructor have a MathWorks license on Software Maintenance Service.
How to make the 30 days count
- Check whether your organisation already gives you access before starting a trial.
- Create a MathWorks account and start the trial on the platform you'll use.
- List the toolboxes you need and test those first, since the trial covers 80+ products.
- Run your real data or models, not just tutorials.
- Ask MathWorks sales about an extension before day 30 if your evaluation needs longer.
Is MATLAB the right tool?
MATLAB is built for engineers, scientists and analysts, and it's priced that way. If you mainly need numerical computing or data analysis and don't need Simulink or specialist toolboxes, compare open source options first. My roundup of MATLAB alternatives covers the main ones.
Desktop or online during the trial?
MathWorks' trials page lists the 30-day trial as desktop and online, with unlimited use for 30 days. MATLAB Online (basic), by contrast, is online only and limited to 20 hours a month with select products. So if you want to test MATLAB on your own machine with your own toolboxes, the 30-day trial is the only free way to do it.
| 30-day trial | MATLAB Online (basic) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Desktop and online | Online only |
| Usage | Unlimited for 30 days | Up to 20 hours a month |
| Products | MATLAB, Simulink and 80+ products | 10 commonly used products |
| After it ends | Buy a license or request an extension | Carries on every month |
If you're using MATLAB mainly to analyse business data rather than for engineering, it's worth comparing lighter options too. My roundup of AI tools for data analysis covers tools many small teams find easier to start with.
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Full MATLAB Online through your organisation
MathWorks says you can access the full version of MATLAB Online with many license types that are current on Software Maintenance Service. The full version gives unlimited hours, all the products on your license and 20 GB of MATLAB Drive storage, and it can connect to Microsoft OneDrive. To link to your organisation's license, you need to use your organisation email address in your MathWorks account. Some of those license types are also eligible for support by email and phone.
My advice
Before you start the trial, check two things: whether your employer or university already gives you MATLAB, and whether 20 free hours a month of MATLAB Online (basic) would cover what you need. If neither works, start the 30-day trial when you have a real project ready, and contact MathWorks sales early if you'll need more time to finish your evaluation.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the MATLAB free trial?
30 days. MathWorks says the trial period is 30 days.
What's included in the MATLAB trial?
MathWorks says the trial includes MATLAB, Simulink and 80+ products.
Can I extend my MATLAB trial?
MathWorks says to contact Sales to request an extension of your trial.
Is there a free version of MATLAB?
MATLAB Online (basic) gives 20 hours a month of free use and access to 10 commonly used products. MathWorks says there's no basic version of the desktop app.
Can students get a MATLAB free trial?
Yes. MathWorks says that if a school doesn't have a Campus-Wide License, both instructors and students can get a 30-day trial, provided the instructor has a MathWorks license on Software Maintenance Service.
Is MATLAB Online (basic) available on the desktop?
No. MathWorks says the basic version is only available as part of MATLAB Online, not as a desktop download.
