⚠️ : Always deactivate your license before uninstalling PSIM, reinstalling Windows, or changing your hardware. Go to Options >> Deactivate to release the license properly.
| Tool | Best For | Speed | Control Design | Cost (Student) | Key Limitation | |------|----------|-------|----------------|----------------|----------------| | | Power electronics & motor drives | ⚡ Fast | ✅ Good (with Simulink co-sim) | Free | No SimCoder | | LTspice | Analog & mixed-signal circuits | 🐢 Slower | ❌ Basic | Free | Slow for power switches | | MATLAB/Simulink | Complex control systems | 🐢 Slower | ✅ Best-in-class | Free (basic) | Expensive full version | | PLECS | Power electronics | ⚡ Fast | ✅ Excellent | Limited demo | Very expensive |
Open PSIM for the first time. The program will prompt you for a license. Select the option to activate using the license file or activation key sent to your student email. Browse to the file location, upload it, and click activate. Getting Started with Your First Simulation
If you are a beginner or intermediate student taking introductory power electronics courses, the Psim Student Version is the best free tool available. Its speed and accuracy for SMPS circuits are unmatched by free alternatives. The 30-node limit is annoying but not crippling for 80% of university assignments. Download Psim Student Version
This report details the process for acquiring the PSIM Student Version software. PSIM is an industry-standard simulation and design software for power electronics, motor drives, and dynamic systems. While the full "Professional" version is a paid commercial product, Powersim Inc. offers a free "Student" version to support educational initiatives. This report outlines the download procedure, licensing terms, feature limitations, and system requirements to ensure a smooth user experience.
What you are trying to simulate (e.g., Buck converter, Inverter, Solar MPPT)?
PSIM is a simulation software developed by Powersim Technologies, a leading provider of power electronics and electrical engineering software solutions. PSIM offers a range of products, including PSIM, PSIM-Simplorer, and PSIM-HVDC, each catering to specific needs and applications. The software is widely used in industries such as power electronics, renewable energy, aerospace, and automotive, as well as in academic institutions. ⚠️ : Always deactivate your license before uninstalling
Automate schematic creation, batch simulations, and post-processing using PSIM's Python API, ideal for research and design optimization workflows.
Check your institutional email’s spam or junk folder. Some university firewalls block external automated emails; if this happens, contact your university IT department to whitelist Altair domains.
: PSIM is widely praised for being one of the fastest solvers specifically focused on power electronics , such as switching circuits, inverters, and motor drives. The program will prompt you for a license
PSIM uses a highly optimized algorithm that simulates power circuits significantly faster than traditional SPICE-based software.
: Once verified, they download the installer. It’s a small file, but it contains specialized modules for motor drives, digital control, and renewable energy. The First Run
Unzip the downloaded package, run setup.exe , and follow the on-screen instructions. When prompted, select the "Softkey version" license type.
PSIM's unique solving algorithm is not SPICE-based, allowing it to simulate high-frequency switching circuits (1 kHz to 100+ MHz) with excellent convergence characteristics—meaning fewer simulation crashes and more reliable results.
PSIM is known as one of the fastest and most user-friendly power electronics simulators on the market, trusted by both academics and industry professionals.