The best WPT coil simulation software in 2026.
Eight tools that engineers use to design wireless power coils, compared on the criteria that matter: solver, materials, cost, platform and how fast you get inductance and coupling. No single tool wins every job.
Last reviewed: October 2026
How we chose and judged these tools
Every tool here can compute the self-inductance and mutual inductance of a coil pair, which is the core of inductive wireless power design. They differ in how they get there. Seven of them mesh the geometry and solve Maxwell's equations numerically with finite element or finite integration methods. AirInduct Sim, which we build, integrates the Biot–Savart law and the Neumann formula in closed form instead, which is much faster but only valid for air-core coils.
We judged each tool on six criteria that decide whether it suits a WPT coil project:
- Solver and dimensionality. A 2D axisymmetric solver handles coaxial coils; lateral misalignment needs 3D.
- Materials. Ferrite, shield plates and loss in nearby metal need FEM. This is the line between exploration and sign-off.
- Platform and install. A desktop suite needs a workstation and a licence; a browser tool runs anywhere.
- Cost and free options. From fully free (FEMM) to quote-based commercial suites.
- Time to first result. Seconds favour sweeps and optimisation; hours favour fewer, deeper studies.
- WPT outputs. Whether L, M and the coupling coefficient k come out directly or need post-processing.
Eight WPT coil simulators at a glance
Swipe sideways on a phone. AirInduct Sim is highlighted because it is our product — read its limits as carefully as its strengths.
| Criterion | AirInduct Sim | Ansys Maxwell | COMSOL (AC/DC) | CENOS (Siemens) | FEMM | SimScale | JMAG-Designer | CST Studio Suite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solver method | Closed-form Biot–Savart + Neumann mutual inductance, no mesh | FEM with adaptive meshing | FEM | FEM inside a guided wireless charging app | FEM | FEM, solved in the cloud | FEM | FIT and FEM; dedicated low-frequency solvers |
| 2D / 3D | 3D fields | 2D, axisymmetric and 3D | 2D, axisymmetric and 3D | 3D | 2D planar and axisymmetric only | 3D | 2D and 3D | 3D |
| Install / platform | Browser, plus iOS and Android apps | Desktop, Windows and Linux | Desktop, Windows, macOS and Linux | Desktop, Windows | Desktop, Windows (Wine on Linux) | Browser (cloud) | Desktop, Windows and Linux | Desktop install |
| Licence model | Free plan + Pro subscription | Commercial, quote-based | Commercial, quote-based | Commercial via Siemens (Altair Units), quote-based | Free, Aladdin Free Public Licence | Subscription plans; electromagnetics is an add-on | Commercial, quote-based | Commercial, quote-based |
| Free option | Free plan: Helmholtz topology, 3 simulations a month | Electronics Desktop Student, with mesh limits | No free edition; academic licences via institutions | Free trial | Entirely free | Community plan, limited electromagnetics | 30-day trial | Learning Edition for students and educators |
| Ferrite & shielding | Not modelled — air-core only | Yes | Yes | Yes, with stray losses | Yes, in 2D | Yes, including core loss | Yes | Yes |
| Time to first result | Seconds from a preset | Minutes to hours | Minutes to hours | Minutes, with a guided setup | Minutes for a 2D model | Minutes to hours, including meshing | Minutes to hours | Minutes to hours |
| WPT outputs (L, M, k) | L, M and k on every run | Inductance matrix; you derive k | Inductance matrix; you derive k | Self- and mutual inductance, coupling, Q factor | L and M from circuit flux linkage, coaxial only | Inductance matrix | Inductance and coupling | Inductance from low-frequency solvers |
| Best for | Fast air-core coil exploration | Sign-off with real materials | Coupled multiphysics studies | Guided Qi and EV charging studies | Free axisymmetric checks, teaching | Browser FEM without a workstation | Motors, transformers, power devices | High-frequency and EMC alongside coils |
Competitor details are taken from public vendor pages and documentation, last reviewed October 2026. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify them. AirInduct is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of these vendors.
When to use each tool
One honest recommendation per tool. Each card opens our detailed comparison with AirInduct Sim.
AirInduct Sim
Use it first, to choose turns, radius and spacing for an air-core coil pair and see coupling versus gap and offset in seconds. Do not use it for ferrite, shields or loss.
Sign-offAnsys Maxwell
The low-frequency FEM reference. Use it when ferrite, shield plates and loss decide the design, or when a lab expects Maxwell results.
MultiphysicsCOMSOL Multiphysics
Use it when the coil is one part of a coupled problem — heating, structural or circuit — and you want to write your own equations.
Guided WPTCENOS (Siemens)
A desktop app built around wireless charging, with Qi and Qi2 templates. Good for engineers who want FEM results without learning a general FEM suite.
Free 2DFEMM
Free and fast for coaxial coils and inductors. Use it when an axisymmetric model really captures the geometry; it cannot model lateral offset.
Cloud FEMSimScale
Browser-based FEM with magnetostatic, time-harmonic and transient analysis types. Useful for teams without workstations who still need materials.
MachinesJMAG-Designer
Built for motors and actuators, with strong transformer and circuit-coupled workflows. A natural fit if your team already designs electric machines in it.
High frequencyCST Studio Suite
Strongest at antennas, EMC and full-wave work, with low-frequency solvers too. Pick it when the charger also has an NFC antenna or EMC question.
The criteria, explained
Air-core or not? This is the first question. Implant links, many IoT and research coils, Helmholtz test fixtures and early concept work are air-core, and a closed-form solver such as AirInduct Sim gives the same inductance as a converged FEM model in a fraction of the time. Production phone chargers and EV pads add ferrite and shielding, and only FEM tools can model those. See how the AirInduct Sim solver is validated.
Do you need 3D? FEMM, and the 2D modes of Maxwell and COMSOL, are fast and accurate for coaxial coils. As soon as you study lateral offset, tilt or square pads, you need 3D. Our FEMM vs COMSOL comparison covers when 2D is enough.
Who owns the tool now? The market has consolidated. Ansys has been part of Synopsys since July 2025, and CENOS wireless charging is now also sold by Siemens as Wireless Charging by CENOS, through the Altair Units partner programme. Licences and support routes may change with ownership, so check before you commit.
Sweeps and AI. Fast solves matter when you sweep gap and offset or run an optimizer. AirInduct Sim includes parameter sweeps, a genetic optimizer, an AI Copilot that runs the real solver and an MCP server for agents. Ansys added Engineering Copilot in 2025 R2, and COMSOL has had a Chatbot window since version 6.3. AirInduct Sim is free to start: the free plan covers the Helmholtz topology with 3 simulations a month, and AirInduct Pro unlocks every topology, the AI Copilot and unlimited runs (see pricing).
For the two big commercial suites side by side, read COMSOL vs Ansys Maxwell, or browse every alternative and comparison.
Which should I use?
The best WPT simulation software depends on the stage: use AirInduct Sim to explore air-core coil designs fast, then a finite element tool to sign off the design with real materials. For concept work, research coils, implant links and Helmholtz fixtures, AirInduct Sim returns inductance, mutual inductance and coupling in seconds in a browser, which makes sweeps and optimisation practical. For production chargers with ferrite and shielding, choose Ansys Maxwell if you need the industry reference, COMSOL if the coil sits inside a wider multiphysics problem, CENOS if you want a guided wireless charging workflow, or JMAG if your team already designs machines in it. FEMM is the best free option when an axisymmetric model is enough. SimScale suits teams who need FEM without workstations, and CST Studio Suite suits chargers that also raise antenna or EMC questions. Most teams end up using two tools, not one.
Compare with other tools
See all 20 AirInduct Sim alternatives and comparisons →Start with the fastest step: M and k in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free software for wireless power coil simulation?
For 2D axisymmetric coils, FEMM is free and capable. For 3D air-core coil pairs with offset, AirInduct Sim is free to start: the free plan covers the Helmholtz topology with 3 simulations a month.
Which tool do EV wireless charging teams use for final design?
Production EV pads rely on ferrite and aluminium shielding, so teams sign off in finite element tools such as Ansys Maxwell, COMSOL, JMAG or CENOS. A fast air-core tool is used earlier to narrow the design space.
Do I need finite element analysis to calculate coupling coefficient k?
Not for air-core coils. The Neumann integral gives mutual inductance exactly for the filament geometry, and k follows from M and the two self-inductances. FEM becomes necessary once magnetic materials or nearby metal enter the field.
Which WPT simulation software runs in a browser?
AirInduct Sim and SimScale both run in a browser. AirInduct Sim solves closed-form in seconds for air-core coils; SimScale runs FEM in the cloud with materials, on paid plans with an electromagnetics add-on.