Top 10 Best Optical Simulation Software of 2026

Zemax OpticStudio is the industry-leading optical design and analysis software, enabling engineers to model, optimize, and tolerance complex optical systems using sequential and non-sequential ray tracing. It supports a wide range of applications from simple lenses to advanced freeform optics, illumination systems, and stray light analysis. With powerful optimization algorithms and integration with CAD and manufacturing tools, it accelerates the design process for high-performance optics.

Code V from Synopsys is an industry-standard optical design software renowned for sequential ray tracing, optimization, and analysis of imaging and non-imaging optical systems. It excels in modeling complex lens designs, performing tolerancing, stray light analysis, and diffraction evaluations for high-precision applications. Used extensively in aerospace, defense, semiconductors, and consumer optics, it supports the entire design-to-manufacture workflow with robust integration capabilities.

Ansys Lumerical is a leading suite of photonic simulation tools for designing and analyzing nanophotonic devices, waveguides, photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and fiber optics. It provides industry-standard solvers like 3D FDTD, FEM, EME, and RCWA for accurate modeling of light-matter interactions across UV to IR wavelengths. Seamlessly integrated into the Ansys ecosystem, it enables multiphysics simulations combining photonics with heat, stress, charge transport, and more, accelerating innovation in silicon photonics, quantum devices, and metasurfaces.

COMSOL Multiphysics is a powerful general-purpose simulation platform with specialized modules for optical simulations, including Wave Optics for electromagnetic wave propagation, Ray Optics for beam tracing, and Acoustics for opto-acoustic coupling. It enables detailed modeling of photonic devices, lasers, diffraction gratings, and nonlinear optics, with strong capabilities in finite element method (FEM) and beam envelope methods. The software stands out by integrating optical simulations seamlessly with multiphysics phenomena like heat transfer, mechanics, and fluid dynamics.

LightTools by Synopsys is a comprehensive 3D optical design and analysis software specialized in illumination systems, stray light analysis, and non-imaging optics. It employs advanced Monte Carlo ray tracing and optimization algorithms to model light propagation, predict system performance, and support tolerancing in complex optical setups. Widely used in industries like automotive lighting, aerospace, and displays, it bridges design concept to manufacturing with integrated CAD interoperability.

Ansys Speos is a comprehensive optical simulation software focused on illumination design, stray light analysis, and human vision effects for applications in automotive, aerospace, and consumer electronics. It employs advanced ray-tracing techniques to model light propagation, material interactions, and sensor performance with high accuracy. Seamlessly integrated into the Ansys Workbench ecosystem, Speos supports multidisciplinary workflows from early design to final validation.

FRED Optical Engineering Software, developed by Photon Engineering, is a powerful non-sequential ray tracing tool specialized for simulating complex optical systems, with strengths in stray light analysis, illumination design, and radiometry. It enables detailed 3D modeling of optics, including surfaces, volumes, and scattering phenomena using advanced BRDF models. FRED supports both geometric and physical optics propagation, making it ideal for applications in aerospace, defense, and medical devices where stray light control is critical.

TracePro, developed by Lambda Research Corporation, is a powerful optical simulation software focused on non-sequential ray tracing for stray light analysis, illumination design, and complex optical systems. It excels in modeling realistic optical phenomena such as surface and bulk scattering, fluorescence, and polarization using Monte Carlo methods. Widely adopted in aerospace, defense, automotive, and medical industries, it integrates with CAD tools for seamless design workflows and supports optimization for performance enhancement.

RSoft Photonic Device Tools, now part of Synopsys, is a mature suite of simulation software for designing and analyzing photonic integrated circuits and devices. It provides advanced solvers like FullWAVE (FDTD), RSoft KLayout (BPM), BandSOLVE (eigenmode), and LaserMOD for passive components such as waveguides, gratings, and couplers, as well as active devices including lasers, modulators, and amplifiers. Widely used in industry for optimizing performance metrics like loss, bandwidth, and gain before fabrication.

VirtualLab Fusion by LightTrans is a powerful optical simulation platform that combines geometric ray tracing with rigorous physical optics modeling for fast and accurate analysis of complex optical systems. It excels in simulating diffraction, interference, polarization, and beam propagation, making it ideal for designing diffractive optics, laser beam shapers, and imaging systems with aberrations. The software's modular architecture allows users to build custom setups using an extensive library of pre-defined components and data import capabilities.