Editions
What's in each edition
realvirtual is one browser platform in two editions. The open-source Community edition is the core; the Commercial edition adds the authoring tools and the specialised simulation kernels on top of it. The public demo runs everything from both, with nothing to install.
The three columns
- Community (AGPL)
- The open-source core, published under AGPL-3.0. Build it, host it and deliver it yourself.
- Commercial
- Everything in Community plus authoring tools and simulation kernels, under a commercial licence, as source or as a hosted delivery.
- Public demo
- Every feature of both editions in your browser. Free to use, also commercially, but provided as is: no source code, no support, no warranty.
Feature by feature
One table per area. Each row links to its documentation and, where there is a ready-made example, straight into the demo. The industrial interfaces of realvirtual CONNECT are not split by edition: every tier speaks every protocol, and their table shows the limits instead.
- Included
- the feature is part of this edition
- Not included
- not part of this edition
- Beta
- works, but features and workflows may still change
Generated from the feature catalog the product itself is built from.
| Feature | Community (AGPL) | Commercial | Public demo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3D viewer and HMI (GLB with rv_extras, panels, overlays, camera views, PDF links, machine information)Opens realvirtual GLB models in the browser and adds operator panels, overlays, camera views and documents linked to machine parts.Docs: 3D viewer and HMI (GLB with rv_extras, panels, overlays, camera views, PDF links, machine information)Try it: 3D viewer and HMI (GLB with rv_extras, panels, overlays, camera views, PDF links, machine information) in the public demo (se abre en una pestaña nueva) | Included | Included | Included |
| WebXR (VR/AR in the browser)Shows the twin in VR and AR on browsers and devices that support WebXR. | Included | Included | Included |
| Cinematic rendering and video recordingRenders path-traced frames and records videos of the running twin.Docs: Cinematic rendering and video recording | Not included | Included | Included |
| Virtual camera displaysShows the live image of a camera placed in the scene on a display in the twin. | Not included | Included | Included |
| Guided maintenance (the machine follows the steps)Animates the machine through a step-by-step maintenance guide: doors open, housings turn transparent, coolant sprays, parts unscrew, and every step can be replayed backwards. | Not included | Included | Included |
| Feature | Community (AGPL) | Commercial | Public demo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transport simulation (drives, sensors, conveyors, sources/sinks, grippers, LogicSteps)Simulates material flow in the browser at a fixed time step with drives, sensors, conveyors, sources, sinks, grippers and LogicStep sequences.Docs: Transport simulation (drives, sensors, conveyors, sources/sinks, grippers, LogicSteps) | Included | Included | Included |
| Collision detectionChecks bodies with different collision roles against each other while the simulation runs.Docs: Collision detection | Included | Included | Included |
| Smooth drive motionMoves drives along jerk-limited motion profiles. | Not included | Included | Included |
| PhysicsBetaSimulates parts with rigid-body physics.Docs: Physics | Not included | Included | Included |
| Discrete event simulationBetaRuns event-driven material flow simulations and experiments much faster than real time.Docs: Discrete event simulationTry it: Discrete event simulation in the public demo (se abre en una pestaña nueva) | Not included | Included | Included |
| Machining simulationBetaSimulates material removal on a workpiece.Docs: Machining simulation | Not included | Included | Included |
| Virtual PLC (Structured Text in the browser)BetaPrograms and runs Structured Text PLC logic directly in the browser.Docs: Virtual PLC (Structured Text in the browser)Try it: Virtual PLC (Structured Text in the browser) in the public demo (se abre en una pestaña nueva) | Not included | Included | Included |
| Feature | Community (AGPL) | Commercial | Public demo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layout plannerBetaAssembles factory layouts in the browser from library parts connected by snap points.Docs: Layout plannerTry it: Layout planner in the public demo (se abre en una pestaña nueva) | Included | Included | Included |
| Asset and kinematics editorGroups parts, assigns materials, creates drives and saves the result as a GLB in the browser.Docs: Asset and kinematics editor | Not included | Included | Included |
| CAD import (STEP, JT, USD, FBX, Onshape, Unity Asset Manager)Imports CAD data from common formats and sources into the editor.Docs: CAD import (STEP, JT, USD, FBX, Onshape, Unity Asset Manager) | Not included | Included | Included |
| Robot inverse kinematicsBetaSolves the joint positions of a robot for a target pose. | Not included | Included | Included |
| Kinematic mechanisms (cranks, couplers, parallel kinematics)BetaSolves closed-loop mechanisms such as cranks, couplers and parallel kinematics.Docs: Kinematic mechanisms (cranks, couplers, parallel kinematics)Try it: Kinematic mechanisms (cranks, couplers, parallel kinematics) in the public demo (se abre en una pestaña nueva) | Not included | Included | Included |
| Feature | Community (AGPL) | Commercial | Public demo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signals and PLC connectivity (WebSocket, MQTT, ctrlX, REST; drag-and-drop signal linking)Connects the twin to live PLC signals over WebSocket, MQTT, ctrlX and REST, with drag-and-drop signal linking.Docs: Signals and PLC connectivity (WebSocket, MQTT, ctrlX, REST; drag-and-drop signal linking) | Included | Included | Included |
| Multiuser sessionsBetaLets several people work in one twin at the same time with avatars and shared views.Docs: Multiuser sessions | Included | Included | Included |
| Feature | Community (AGPL) | Commercial | Public demo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siemens (S7, PLCSIM Advanced)Couples S7-300/400/1200/1500 controllers over S7comm and PLCSIM Advanced instances through the native Siemens simulation API.Docs: Siemens (S7, PLCSIM Advanced) | Free tier: 20 signals | Unlimited* | Free tier: 20 signals |
| OPC UA, MQTT, Modbus TCP (client and server)Connects to any OPC UA server, to MQTT brokers (single values, Siemens process images, SEW MOVI-C JSON) and to Modbus TCP devices, or acts as a Modbus TCP server for a PLC or SCADA system.Docs: OPC UA, MQTT, Modbus TCP (client and server) | Free tier: 20 signals | Unlimited* | Free tier: 20 signals |
| Controllers (Beckhoff TwinCAT ADS, EtherNet/IP for Allen-Bradley and Omron, B&R PVI, Mitsubishi MELSEC, Keba, Festo AX / PLCnext, Bosch Rexroth ctrlX)Reads and writes controller variables by symbol, tag or address; most controllers can be browsed, so signals are selected rather than typed.Docs: Controllers (Beckhoff TwinCAT ADS, EtherNet/IP for Allen-Bradley and Omron, B&R PVI, Mitsubishi MELSEC, Keba, Festo AX / PLCnext, Bosch Rexroth ctrlX) | Free tier: 20 signals | Unlimited* | Free tier: 20 signals |
| Robots (FANUC, KUKA, ABB, Universal Robots, Denso, igus, RoboDK, Wandelbots NOVA)Couples robot controllers and their virtual controllers (RoboGuide, OfficeLite, iiQKA/RSI, RobotStudio, URSim, WinCaps VRC) for IOs and joint positions.Docs: Robots (FANUC, KUKA, ABB, Universal Robots, Denso, igus, RoboDK, Wandelbots NOVA) | Free tier: 20 signals | Unlimited* | Free tier: 20 signals |
| Simulation and custom couplings (SIMIT, WINMOD, shared memory, UDP telegrams, WebSocket Realtime)Couples simulation tools on the same PC through shared memory, exchanges fixed binary UDP telegrams, and links realvirtual for Unity or another CONNECT over WebSocket.Docs: Simulation and custom couplings (SIMIT, WINMOD, shared memory, UDP telegrams, WebSocket Realtime) | Free tier: 20 signals | Unlimited* | Free tier: 20 signals |
| CAD conversion (STEP, JT)Converts large STEP and JT files to GLB on the gateway, for the CAD import of the asset editor.Docs: CAD conversion (STEP, JT) | Not included (CAD import is part of the editor) | Unlimited* | Free tier: 25 MB STEP / 12 MB JT |
* with a realvirtual CONNECT licence (annual or lifetime) or a licensed realvirtual site. Every tier supports every protocol.
| Feature | Community (AGPL) | Commercial | Public demo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plugin system and MCP bridge for AI assistantsExtends the viewer with plugins and lets AI assistants inspect and operate the twin through MCP.Docs: Plugin system and MCP bridge for AI assistants | Included | Included | Included |
| USD live link to NVIDIA Isaac Sim (incl. Kit extension)Mirrors the running twin live into NVIDIA Isaac Sim through a Kit extension.Docs: USD live link to NVIDIA Isaac Sim (incl. Kit extension) | Included | Included | Included |
| USD exportExports the twin as USD including its realvirtual component data.Docs: USD export | Not included | Included | Included |
| Topic | Community (AGPL) | Commercial | Public demo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence | AGPL-3.0-only | Commercial licence | Free to use, provided as is |
| Support | Community forum (se abre en una pestaña nueva) | Personal support | None, no warranty |
| Get it | Source on GitHub (se abre en una pestaña nueva) | Prices and ordering | Open the demo (se abre en una pestaña nueva) |
Prices are not part of this comparison. They are published on the order page, all net. Prices and ordering →