OpenFOAM vs MSC Actran

OpenFOAM8.4Visit MAMSC Actran8.3Visit

Higher score OpenFOAM #7 in Simulation & CAE Software 8.4/10 Free plan Free plan Visit OpenFOAM

vs

MA MSC Actran #8 in Simulation & CAE Software 8.3/10 Pricing on request Visit Hexagon

• OpenFOAM fits best

  CFD teams needing open-source solvers

• MSC Actran fits best

  Acoustic and vibro-acoustic analysis teams

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	OpenFOAM 8.4/10 Visit ↗	MAMSC Actran 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.4	8.3
Ranking	#7 in Simulation & CAE Software	#8 in Simulation & CAE Software
Best for	CFD teams needing open-source solvers	Acoustic and vibro-acoustic analysis teams
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free plan	Pricing on request
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Self-hosted, Desktop	Self-hosted
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, Linux
Support	Community, Docs	Tickets, Community, Docs
Integrations	4 integrations	1 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Specs
Simulation types	Not checked yet	Acoustic, vibro-acoustic, aero-acoustic
Solver types	Not checked yet	Radiosity
Cloud access	Not checked yet	Desktop
Supported platforms	Not checked yet	Windows, Linux
CAD file formats	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Deployment options	Not checked yet	On-premises
Our review
Pros	Includes turbulence, multiphase-flow and fluid-flow solvers Provides native mesh generation and parallel MPI workflows Exports results in VTK, EnSight and other formats	Models turbulent-flow noise and its interaction with vibrating structures Supports duct propagation with shear and swirl flow effects Works with Nastran structural models and modal bases
Cons	Its verified scope centers on fluid simulation Cases are configured through text-based dictionaries Support is through community resources and documentation	Specialized scope may not suit broader simulation needs Requires an on-premises installation on Windows or Linux Pricing requires contacting sales
Our verdict	For engineering, scientific research and education, OpenFOAM is a freely available, open-source computational fluid dynamics toolbox. It is suited to teams that need CFD solvers and want access to source code to configure or extend… Read the review →	MSC Actran is Hexagon’s licensed software suite for acoustic, vibro-acoustic and aero-acoustic modeling. It is aimed at engineering teams analyzing sound, vibration-related acoustics and noise prediction, with applications described for… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• OpenFOAM — where it wins

  • Includes turbulence, multiphase-flow and fluid-flow solvers
  • Provides native mesh generation and parallel MPI workflows
  • Exports results in VTK, EnSight and other formats

  Where it doesn't

  • Its verified scope centers on fluid simulation
  • Cases are configured through text-based dictionaries
  • Support is through community resources and documentation

• MSC Actran — where it wins

  • Models turbulent-flow noise and its interaction with vibrating structures
  • Supports duct propagation with shear and swirl flow effects
  • Works with Nastran structural models and modal bases

  Where it doesn't

  • Specialized scope may not suit broader simulation needs
  • Requires an on-premises installation on Windows or Linux
  • Pricing requires contacting sales

• OpenFOAM8.4/10 · Free plan

  A free, extensible CFD toolbox for teams working with fluid-flow simulation.

  Visit OpenFOAMFull verdict →
• MAMSC Actran8.3/10 · Pricing on request

  A focused desktop suite for acoustic, vibro-acoustic and aero-acoustic engineering.

  Visit HexagonFull verdict →