AnyLogic is the best discrete event simulation software for most teams because it combines discrete event, agent-based and system dynamics modeling in one platform, and its free Personal Learning Edition lets new users learn before they buy. Only two tools show a public starting price: JaamSim costs $0 as free open source software, and ExtendSim DE costs $3,495 one time for an individual license, so budget the rest as quote only. Simul8 is the strongest pick for process teams that want plan choice without a sales call first, with Project, Business and Twin plans, while FlexSim leads for 3D factory and warehouse layout work.
Discrete event simulation treats a system as a sequence of events at set points in time, so it suits queues, production lines, call centers, ports and hospitals. Six of the eight hide commercial prices behind a quote, while two publish a number you can plan around. Pick by the modeling method you need and the license model you can live with, not by the longest feature list.
On this page
Best discrete event simulation software: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AnyLogic | Multimethod modeling for complex operations | quote only | Yes | Visit |
| 2 | Simul8 | Process improvement teams that want clear plan tiers | quote only | Free trial | Visit |
| 3 | ExtendSim | Discrete event modeling on a one-time license | $3,495 one-time | Free trial | Visit |
| 4 | Simio | Process digital twins for operations teams | quote only | Free trial (30 days) | Visit |
| 5 | FlexSim | 3D factory, warehouse and healthcare modeling | quote only | Free trial | Visit |
| 6 | Arena | Flowchart modeling for manufacturing and service processes | quote only | Free trial | Visit |
| 7 | JaamSim | Free discrete event simulation for learners and small teams | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 8 | ProModel | Discrete event simulation with predictive analytics | quote only | No | Visit |
The 8 best best discrete event simulation software tools, in detail
AnyLogic
Best for: Multimethod modeling for complex operations
AnyLogic is the only tool in this list that treats discrete event, agent-based and system dynamics modeling as equal methods inside one environment. That matters when a model starts as a queue and later needs people, vehicles or feedback loops. The downloads page lists three editions: Personal Learning Edition, University Researcher, and Professional for business use.
- The free edition is useful for learning, but its limits are concrete.
- The official edition table caps a model at 10 agent types, 200 embedded agents or blocks in one agent, 200 system dynamics variables in one agent, and
- Professional removes those caps and adds standalone application builds.
- The purchase page is a quote form for Lite, Pro and Enterprise tiers, and it shows no list price.
Pros
- Free Personal Learning Edition for learning and evaluation
- discrete event, agent-based and system dynamics modeling in one platform
- Professional edition builds standalone applications
Cons
- Personal Learning Edition limits models to 10 agent types and animated runs to 5 model-time hours
- commercial prices are not published, so buyers must request a quote
Simul8
Best for: Process improvement teams that want clear plan tiers
Simul8 organizes its offer into three plans that map to how far a team wants to take simulation. Project suits individuals and teams getting started, with desktop and cloud runs and data connections through Excel and Google Sheets. Business is marked most popular and adds sharing across the organization, version control, audit logs, and imports from Visio, BPMN and Minitab Workspace.
- Twin is the digital twin tier, with live data connections through SQL, MySQL, PostgreSQL and Minitab Connect, full API access, machine learning for ro
- Decision Cloud is a web runtime that lets stakeholders use a model without installing software.
- On price, the official pricing page opened on 2026-11-12 lists every plan feature and still shows no price, and payment runs through the Minitab Licen
- Choose Simul8 when process teams need a plan ladder they can explain to a manager.
Pros
- Three named plans, Project, Business and Twin
- Business adds version control and audit logs
- Twin adds live database connections, full API access and parallel processing
Cons
- Official pricing page shows plan names and features but no prices
- OptQuest optimization is an extra that requires contacting the team
ExtendSim
Best for: Discrete event modeling on a one-time license
ExtendSim is the clearest buy in this list for teams that want a number before they talk to sales. Its official price list, effective July 2024 and opened on 2026-11-12, lists ExtendSim CP at $995, ExtendSim DE at $3,495 and ExtendSim Pro at $4,995 for individual Model Developer Edition licenses. DE adds message-based discrete event architecture to CP, Pro adds discrete rate modeling and reliability block diagramming, and Analysis RunTime for pre-built models costs $495.
- The license type changes the price more than the edition does.
- A floating DE license, priced per concurrent user, costs $6,119, and a node-locked DE license costs $6,990, against $3,495 for an individual license t
- Maintenance and support costs $699 per year for DE, $899 for Pro and $199 for CP, with the first year included in the purchase price.
- Floating licenses usually suit 3 or more part-time users, while full-time users need individual licenses.
Pros
- ExtendSim DE costs $3,495 one time for an individual license
- CP adds a relational database, optimizer and scenario manager
- first year of maintenance and support is included in the purchase price
Cons
- Floating DE license costs $6,119, well above the $3,495 individual price
- maintenance and support renews at $699 per year for DE after the included first year
Simio
Best for: Process digital twins for operations teams
Simio pitches simulation as a living digital twin, not a one-off study. Its homepage describes Process Digital Twins that keep a two-way connection with physical processes, so a model can stay current and support daily decisions. The platform is built on discrete event simulation, with object-oriented modeling, data-generated model building, and scheduling beside simulation.
- Editions run Personal, Design, Team, Enterprise and Portal, with an Academic Edition for students and faculty.
- Listed features include neural network agents, ONNX model import, and 3D visualization with GIS and VR views.
- A 30-day free trial is offered.
- The trade-off is cost clarity: Simio publishes no commercial price, so a team cannot size the license from the website alone.
Pros
- Five editions, Personal, Design, Team, Enterprise and Portal, plus an Academic Edition
- data-driven models that generate objects from data
- machine learning support through ONNX models and 3D, GIS and VR views
Cons
- No published commercial price, so budgeting starts with a sales conversation
- a live digital twin needs real data connections, which adds integration work before the model pays off
FlexSim
Best for: 3D factory, warehouse and healthcare modeling
FlexSim is the 3D-first pick in this list. Autodesk describes it as a tool to model production, logistics and supply chain processes, then visualize, analyze and optimize them, with typical users in industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, quality assurance and health systems engineering. Models are built by dragging predefined 3D objects into a scene, so the layout itself becomes part of the deliverable.
- The family includes the general purpose product and FlexSim HC for healthcare, with interoperability with AutoCAD, Inventor and Revit and 2D and 3D CA
- FlexSim was acquired by Autodesk in 2023, and its site now presents it as Autodesk FlexSim with a free trial offer.
- The buying motion is consultative: FlexSim customizes a package of software, training and model-building support, and publishes no list price.
- Choose FlexSim when the 3D layout matters as much as the numbers in the model.
Pros
- 3D modeling built for production, logistics and supply chain processes
- FlexSim HC edition for healthcare systems
- interoperability with AutoCAD, Inventor and Revit
Cons
- No published price, with packages customized to the buyer
- now sold as Autodesk FlexSim, so buying and support run through Autodesk channels
Arena
Best for: Flowchart modeling for manufacturing and service processes
Arena, from Rockwell Automation, is the flowchart tool of discrete event simulation. Models are built from flowchart modules with a library of statistical distributions, route and path logic, and animation, and the official site says the method needs no customized code or programming. That design is why Arena stays on shortlists: teams that already think in flowcharts can build a model without learning a programming language or a new modeling method.
- Arena also carries the widest teaching footprint here: its homepage states it is taught in more business schools than the next 4 competing products co
- The limit is price: Rockwell publishes no list price for commercial licenses.
- Choose Arena when the team already models in flowcharts or hires from programs that teach it.
Pros
- Flowchart modeling with pre-built modules and no custom code needed
- taught in more business schools than the next 4 competing products combined
- 2D and 3D animation for results
Cons
- No published commercial price
- flowchart-first design means agent-based and system dynamics work is secondary to discrete event modeling
JaamSim
Best for: Free discrete event simulation for learners and small teams
JaamSim is the only fully free tool in this list, and its free status is not a trial or a capped starter tier. It is free open source software under the Apache 2.0 license, and its maker states that, unlike the free or student versions of other simulation software, JaamSim has no limit on model size or functionality. That makes it the honest starting point for a learner, a student, or a small team that needs real modeling without a license negotiation.
- The free base includes a drag-and-drop interface, interactive 3D graphics, and object libraries for probability distributions, resources, process flow
- The homepage comparison shows the trade-off: transportation, material flow, maps, vehicle movement and bulk terminal libraries are part of JaamSim Pro
- Choose JaamSim when the budget is zero and the model is a general process or queue.
Pros
- Free open source software under the Apache 2.0 license
- no limit on model size or functionality in the free version
- drag-and-drop interface with 3D graphics and built-in probability distributions
Cons
- Transportation and material flow object libraries are in the commercial JaamSim Pro extension, not the free base
- Java-based desktop tool with no cloud runtime like the commercial cloud options in this list
ProModel
Best for: Discrete event simulation with predictive analytics
ProModel is a long-standing discrete event simulation tool for planning, designing and improving manufacturing, logistics and other operational systems. Its current home is the BigBear.ai Modeling and Simulation Suite, and the product page presents ProModel as simulation-based predictive analytics software, with optimization and scenario testing alongside the core discrete event engine. The suite is broader than one modeling tool: ProModel.ai is a cloud option that connects data to create an always-updated digital twin, FutureFlow Rx applies the engine to hospital patient flow and bed capacity, Shipyard AI targets multi-project shipyard programs, and Process Simulator covers dynamic process modeling.
- That breadth suits organizations that want one vendor across plants, hospitals and shipyards.
- The limit is transparency: no price and no free plan are published on the product page.
- Choose ProModel when predictive analytics and optimization matter alongside simulation.
Pros
- Discrete event simulation with optimization and predictive analytics in one suite
- ProModel.ai cloud option builds an always-updated digital twin
- same suite covers healthcare patient flow and shipyard planning
Cons
- No published price and no free plan listed
- product now sits inside the BigBear.ai Modeling and Simulation Suite, so buying runs through that suite rather than a standalone store
How we chose
We qualified tools that model systems as discrete events, with a real product page and a real vendor behind it, and we checked each official pricing page on 2026-11-12. Prices and plan limits in this article come from those official vendor pages and documents opened on that date. We did not test any tool hands-on. Six vendors publish no commercial price, so we wrote quote only for them rather than repeating third-party estimates. ExtendSim and JaamSim are the exceptions because ExtendSim publishes a price list and JaamSim is free open source software.
Which tool fits your budget and team size
| Situation | Pick | Number to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Budget is $0 | JaamSim | $0, Apache 2.0 open source, no model size limit |
| One-time license under $4,000 | ExtendSim DE | $3,495 one time, individual license, $699 per year maintenance after year 1 |
| Need the full ExtendSim range | ExtendSim Pro | $4,995 one time, individual license, $899 per year maintenance after year 1 |
| Learning before buying | AnyLogic PLE or JaamSim | AnyLogic PLE caps models at 10 agent types and 5 model-time hours per animated run |
| Process team, plan tiers | Simul8 | Project, Business and Twin plans, Twin adds live SQL data and full API access |
| 3D factory or warehouse layout | FlexSim | 3D modeling with AutoCAD, Inventor and Revit interoperability |
| Hiring from taught programs | Arena | Taught in more business schools than the next 4 products combined, over 100,000 students per year |
| Enterprise digital twin | Simio or ProModel | Simio offers a 30-day free trial; ProModel.ai adds a cloud digital twin, both quote only |
Frequently asked questions
Which discrete event simulation software is best for most teams?
AnyLogic is the best pick for most teams because it covers discrete event, agent-based and system dynamics modeling in one platform, so a model can grow past queues without a tool switch. Simul8 suits process teams that want clear plan tiers, and FlexSim suits teams where 3D factory layout is the main deliverable.
Is there a free discrete event simulation software?
Yes. JaamSim is free open source software under the Apache 2.0 license, costs $0, and has no limit on model size or functionality. AnyLogic also offers a free Personal Learning Edition, but it caps models at 10 agent types and animated runs at 5 model-time hours, so it suits learning rather than commercial work.
How much does discrete event simulation software cost?
It ranges from $0 for JaamSim to quote only for most commercial tools. ExtendSim DE costs $3,495 one time for an individual license, with $699 per year maintenance after the included first year, and ExtendSim Pro costs $4,995 one time. The other six tools publish no commercial price, so buyers must request a quote.
Which tool is best for manufacturing and warehouse layout?
FlexSim is the best pick for manufacturing and warehouse layout because it is built around 3D modeling, with a standard object library and interoperability with AutoCAD, Inventor and Revit. Arena suits teams that model in flowcharts and hire analysts trained on it, since it is taught in more business schools than the next 4 competing products combined.
What is the difference between discrete event simulation and a digital twin?
Discrete event simulation models a system as events at set points in time, usually for a one-off study or a design decision. A digital twin, as Simio and ProModel.ai describe it, keeps the model connected to live data so it stays current and supports daily decisions. A twin needs data integration work, while a one-off simulation does not.
Sources
- https://www.anylogic.com
- https://www.anylogic.com/purchase/
- https://www.simul8.com
- https://www.simul8.com/software/pricing
- https://www.extendsim.com
- https://extendsim.com/images/downloads/forms/pricing/ExtendSim2024-PriceList.pdf
- https://www.simio.com
- https://www.flexsim.com
- https://www.arenasimulation.com
- https://jaamsim.com
- https://www.promodel.com/products/promodel/
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.