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Ranking

Best PLC Programming Software in 2026

PLC programming software writes and loads control logic into controllers, and each tool follows a standard, a runtime and a license model. This ranking compares IEC 61131-3 and IEC 61499 tools across commercial and open-source options. It weighs standards coverage and hardware reach first, then licensing and platform support.

6 products ranked Updated October 2026 How we rank

The ranking

  1. CODESYS Development System92.5
  2. TwinCAT 390.0
  3. Beremiz82.0
  1. 1

    CODESYS Development System

    All five IEC 61131-3 editors and object-oriented programming in one Windows development system, with a runtime set up on each target device. Full licenses use a hardware dongle.

    Best for Multi-vendor IEC 61131-3 controller projects

    WindowsFree plan, paid upgrades

    92.5of 100
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  2. 2

    TwinCAT 3

    PC-based real-time control with IEC 61131-3 plus C/C++ and MATLAB, and free core PLC engineering. Runtime licenses are priced by control performance, and the tool runs on Windows.

    Best for PC-based control with a free engineering tier

    WindowsFree plan, paid upgrades

    90.0of 100
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  3. 3

    Beremiz

    Open IEC 61131-3 editors that compile to C and then native code, targeting any processor. Windows and Linux builds are published, and the install details live in the repository.

    Best for Open IEC 61131-3 work on any processor

    WindowsLinuxFree and open sourceOpen source

    82.0of 100
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  4. 4

    OpenPLC Editor

    Open-source IDE for the OpenPLC Runtime, with builds for Windows, macOS and Linux on x64 and ARM64. The runtime repository was archived in April 2026, and the editor's language support is not stated.

    Best for Open-source PLC programming on three desktops

    WindowsmacOSLinuxFree and open sourceOpen source

    81.0of 100
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  5. 5

    LOGO! Soft Comfort

    Logic programming, web visualization and simulation for LOGO! modules on Windows, macOS and Linux. It targets LOGO! controllers only and is licensed per workstation, with a free demo for offline engineering.

    Best for Compact LOGO! logic module projects

    WindowsmacOSLinuxPaid

    77.5of 100
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  6. 6

    Eclipse 4diac IDE

    Open-source IEC 61499 IDE for distributed function-block control, under EPL-2.0. It targets IEC 61499 rather than IEC 61131-3 PLC languages, so classic PLC projects need another tool.

    Best for Distributed IEC 61499 function-block control

    WindowsLinuxmacOSFree and open sourceOpen source

    75.0of 100
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At a glance

ProductScorePricePlatformsLanguagesRuntime targetSimulation
CODESYS Development System92.5Free plan, paid upgradesWindowsFBD, LD, IL, ST, SFCAny device with a CODESYS runtimeNot stated on the site
TwinCAT 390.0Free plan, paid upgradesWindowsIEC 61131-3, C/C++, MATLABAny PC-based systemNot stated on the site
Beremiz82.0Free and open sourceWindowsLinuxLD, FBD, SFC, IL, STAny processor, Linux PC or microcontrollerNot stated on the site
OpenPLC Editor81.0Free and open sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxNot stated on the siteOpenPLC RuntimeNot stated on the site
LOGO! Soft Comfort77.5PaidWindowsmacOSLinuxLogic programming; languages not namedLOGO! logic modulesBuilt-in simulation
Eclipse 4diac IDE75.0Free and open sourceWindowsLinuxmacOSIEC 61499 function block networksIEC 61499 devices, FORTE runtimeNot stated on the site

How to choose PLC programming software

Standard
IEC 61131-3 editors (LD, FBD, SFC, IL, ST) suit PLC work. IEC 61499 suits distributed function-block control.
Target hardware
CODESYS and Beremiz target many devices, TwinCAT 3 targets PC-based control, and LOGO! Soft Comfort targets LOGO! modules only.
License
TwinCAT 3 and CODESYS have free engineering tiers with paid runtimes or dongles. LOGO! Soft Comfort licenses per workstation.
Operating system
TwinCAT 3 and CODESYS run on Windows. Beremiz, OpenPLC Editor, LOGO! Soft Comfort and 4diac also run on Linux.

What the scores weigh

  • IEC 61131-3 and standards coverage
  • Target hardware range
  • Engineering tools and simulation
  • Licensing and runtime costs
  • Platform support and openness

Scores are editorial, from 0 to 100, and use these criteria. Full method · Disclosure

About PLC programming software

PLC programming tools differ on the standard they follow, the hardware they target and whether they need a license. The IEC 61131-3 editors come from commercial vendors and open projects, while IEC 61499 is a function-block standard for distributed control. CODESYS ranks first for its full set of IEC 61131-3 editors and wide runtime reach, with TwinCAT 3 second for PC-based control.

Licensing is mixed. CODESYS and TwinCAT 3 both offer a free engineering tier, while LOGO! Soft Comfort is licensed per workstation. Beremiz and OpenPLC Editor are free software under GPL licenses, and Eclipse 4diac is free under EPL-2.0. TwinCAT runtimes and full CODESYS licenses need license keys or dongles, which should be checked before a project starts.

LOGO! Soft Comfort is narrower, since it fits only LOGO! controllers. The open-source tools cover the IEC standards but depend on the user's own hardware and deployment work.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free PLC programming software?
CODESYS has a free-marked engineering version, and TwinCAT 3 engineering is free with basic functions. Beremiz and OpenPLC Editor are free and open source, and Beremiz covers all five IEC 61131-3 languages.
Which PLC software runs on Linux?
Beremiz, OpenPLC Editor, LOGO! Soft Comfort and Eclipse 4diac run on Linux. TwinCAT 3 and CODESYS Development System are Windows-based on their product pages.
Does LOGO! Soft Comfort work with other PLCs?
No. Soft Comfort is the engineering tool for LOGO! logic modules, and it supports current and previous LOGO! generations. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is IEC 61499 the same as PLC programming?
No. IEC 61499 uses function-block networks for distributed control, while PLC programming usually follows the IEC 61131-3 languages. Eclipse 4diac is the open-source IDE for IEC 61499.