Direct comparison · EN structural analysis · DACH market

FrameAI vs Dlubal RFEM —
EN structural analysis, honestly compared

FrameAI runs autonomous EN 1993-1-8 connection design, EN 1993-1-1 member buckling, EN 1992-1-1 RC checks, and DSTV NC1 fabrication export — browser-native. RFEM is the dominant FEA suite in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Here's the honest breakdown.

Try the free EN calculators → See pricing
30s
FrameAI: first calc
~4 mo
RFEM: avg learning curve
€4,750+
RFEM: main + essential add-ons

Feature comparison — EN structural analysis

Feature FrameAI Dlubal RFEM
EN 1993-1-1 steel member design Buckling, section class, utilisation ratio ✓ Yes — autonomous ✓ Yes — Steel Design add-on (€2,950)
EN 1993-1-8 connection design Endplate, fin plate, baseplate, T-stub, weld sizing ✓ Yes — full component method, built-in ✓ Yes — Steel Joints add-on (€2,650, CBFEM)
EN 1992-1-1 RC beam/column design Bending, shear, crack width ✓ Yes ✓ Yes — Concrete Design add-on (€2,950)
EN 1994-1-1 composite beams & columns b_eff, M_pl,Rd, shear studs ✓ Yes ✓ Yes (composite module)
EN 1998-1 seismic design Response spectra, q-factor, ductility class ✓ Seismic calcs + q-factor ✓ Modal Analysis (€1,350) + Response Spectrum (€1,550)
3D BIM model / full FEM solver Global frame, plates, shells, nonlinear ✗ Not a FEM solver ✓ Core product — mature 3D FEA
PDF drawing intake (AI extraction) Auto-extract member schedule + loads from any structural PDF ✓ GPT-4o vision ✗ Manual model authoring required
DSTV NC1 7th edition fabrication export CNC drill/saw NC1 files ✓ Built-in ✗ Not supported (requires Tekla or RF-JOINTS Steel DSTV legacy)
CBFEM connection analysis Component-Based FEM for complex joints ✓ Built-in (no separate module cost) ✓ Steel Joints add-on (€2,650) — industry standard
Dynamic analysis Modal, response spectrum, time-history, pushover Seismic response spectra (EN 1998-1) ✓ Full suite — Modal Analysis, Response Spectrum, Time History, Pushover
RWIND CFD wind simulation Digital wind tunnel, pressure distribution EN 1991-1-4 standard wind loads (auto site-location) ✓ RWIND 3 (€1,850 stand-alone or integrated)
National Annexes DE/AT/CH DIN, ÖNORM, SNF — all three DACH countries ✓ All three DACH NAs supported ✓ Full DIN/ÖNORM/SNF coverage
Pricing transparency Public price list vs quote-only ✓ Public — from $164/yr ✗ Quote-based only (published list prices, modules add up)
Setup time / learning curve ~30s — browser, no install Desktop app — avg ~4 months to proficiency

Honest assessment — where each tool wins

Where RFEM wins
Mature 3D FEA with 35+ years of DACH regulatory validation
  • Full 3D finite element solver: multi-storey frames, plates, shells, solids, nonlinear P-delta — complete structural analysis capability
  • RWIND CFD wind simulation for complex geometry — pressure coefficients from actual CFD, not code tables
  • Complete dynamic analysis suite: modal analysis, response spectrum (EN 1998), time-history, pushover — all in one model
  • Industry-standard BIM integration: bidirectional Revit, Tekla, IFC 2x3/4.0, SAF v2.x, Grasshopper scripting
  • 130,000 users, 13,000 companies — extensive third-party validation, community knowledge, accepted by all DACH building authorities
  • gRPC Python API for parametric automation — solar structures, modular buildings, batch model generation
Where FrameAI wins
EN 1993-1-8 connection depth, fabrication speed, and zero install
  • EN 1993-1-8 connection design depth: full component method with T-stub mode transitions, auto bolt-grade escalation, weld auto-sizing — no separate €2,650 Steel Joints module needed
  • DSTV NC1 7th edition built-in: fabrication NC1 files correct for CNC drill/saw lines — RFEM has no native path here (requires RF-JOINTS Steel DSTV legacy or Tekla integration)
  • Autonomous re-run on drawing change: upload structural PDF → get all EN 1993/1992/1998 checks → no manual re-entry
  • PDF drawing intake: GPT-4o extracts member schedule, connection specs, loads from any structural PDF — RFEM requires manual model building
  • Transparent public pricing from $164/yr — RFEM main + Steel Design + Steel Joints + Concrete = €13,000+ upfront before maintenance
  • All National Annexes (DE, AT, CH) included at no extra cost — no "add-on" for DACH NAs

Pricing comparison

Dlubal RFEM
RFEM — modules required
RFEM 6 main license €4,750
Steel Design add-on +€2,950
Steel Joints add-on (CBFEM) +€2,650
Concrete Design add-on +€2,950
Modal Analysis add-on +€1,350
Service Contract (annual) ~€800/yr
Typical small structural office bundle: €13,000+ upfront.
Desktop Windows install required. Annual maintenance ~€800+.
View RFEM pricing at dlubal.com →
FrameAI
Free → Structural → Enterprise Core
Free tier: 13 public calculators + 1 PDF/month.
Pro: 50 PDFs/month + full Eurocode reports + DXF + DSTV NC1 — from $164/yr.
Enterprise Core: all disciplines + API access — from $769/yr.
No install. No training. No procurement process.
See all plans →

RFEM pricing based on published Dlubal webshop prices as of June 2026 (dlubal.com/en/webshop/rfem-family). Actual pricing may vary. Service contract required for updates and support. FrameAI pricing is as listed on /pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Does FrameAI replace RFEM for structural analysis?
No, and we're direct about this. RFEM is a mature 3D finite element solver with complete structural analysis capability — multi-storey frames, plates, shells, nonlinear P-delta, and full dynamic/seismic suites. It has 35+ years of regulatory acceptance in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH), accepted by all DACH building authorities. FrameAI is a cloud-native calculation and PDF-intake layer: it takes structural PDFs, runs EN 1993-1-8 connection design (full component method with T-stub mode transitions), and exports DSTV NC1 for fabrication. Many DACH engineering firms use RFEM for global analysis and FrameAI for connection detail design and shop-drawing output.
Can FrameAI import an RFEM model?
Yes. Export your RFEM model to IFC 4 (File → Export → IFC) and upload to FrameAI for EN 1993-1-8 connection checks, DSTV NC1 fabrication export, and parametric shop drawings. FrameAI also accepts SAF v2.x for round-trip workflows. If you have a structural PDF drawing set, FrameAI's GPT-4o intake pipeline extracts members, connections, and loads automatically — no model re-authoring needed.
How does pricing compare — FrameAI vs RFEM?
FrameAI is transparent with public pricing: Free (13 calculators, 1 PDF/month), Pro from $164/yr (50 PDFs/month + full EN reports + DXF + DSTV NC1), Enterprise Core from $769/yr. Dlubal RFEM main license starts at €4,750, with Steel Design (€2,950), Steel Joints (€2,650), Concrete Design (€2,950), Modal Analysis (€1,350), and Service Contract (~€800/yr) as separate add-ons. A typical small structural office bundle — RFEM main + Steel Design + Steel Joints + Concrete — costs €13,000+ before annual maintenance. See /pricing for FrameAI public prices.

Try the free EN calculators — no credit card.

13 public calculators covering EN 1993-1-1, EN 1993-1-8, EN 1992-1-1, EN 1998-1. Results in the browser in 30 seconds.

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