Free license solver overview

A reference page for open-source and included free solvers in personal licenses, plus commercial solvers included with academic GAMSPy licenses.

Solver access by free license type

Personal licenses include open-source and other included free solvers. Academic GAMSPy licenses include all solvers from the free personal license, plus additional commercial solvers without size limitations.


Personal GAMS and GAMSPy

Personal licenses are intended for individual, non-commercial use and include open-source and other included free solvers available in the GAMS system.

For the current authoritative model-type and platform matrix, use the GAMS Solver Manuals.

Academic GAMSPy

Academic GAMSPy licenses are available to eligible academic users and include all solvers from the free personal license plus a no-size-limit academic solver set for academic, non-commercial work.

You can read more about the options for academic users on the GAMS Academic Program page.

Open-source and included free solvers in personal licenses

Solver Typical model types Documentation
CBC LP, MIP CBC documentation
HiGHS LP, MIP, RMIP HiGHS documentation
IPOPT NLP, CNS, DNLP, QCP, RMINLP IPOPT documentation
MILES MCP MILES documentation
NLPEC MPEC, RMPEC NLPEC documentation
RESHOP EMP RESHOP documentation
SCIP MIP, MINLP, QCP, MIQCP and related mixed-integer model types SCIP documentation
SHOT MINLP, MIQCP SHOT documentation
SoPlex LP SoPlex documentation

Solver capabilities and license coverage can change between GAMS releases. Check the solver/model type matrix before making solver commitments for a specific model.

Included tools and modeling frameworks

Personal licenses also include access to selected GAMS tools and frameworks that are not solver engines themselves, but are useful for model deployment, reformulation, diagnostics, or workflow automation.

Component What it is for More information
GAMS MIRO Build interactive applications around GAMS and GAMSPy models for data input, scenario runs, and result analysis. GAMS MIRO
Kestrel Submit models from a local GAMS system to remote NEOS solvers when that workflow is appropriate. Kestrel documentation
CONVERT Export scalar model instances for diagnostics, support, benchmarking, or exchange with other systems. CONVERT documentation
Examiner Inspect generated model instances and solution points to help diagnose model structure and solution quality. Examiner documentation
GUSS Run many closely related model instances efficiently from one base model structure. GUSS documentation
EMP and JAMS Model extended mathematical programs and reformulate them into solver-ready model instances. EMP documentation and JAMS documentation

Additional solvers included with academic GAMSPy licenses

Eligible academic users receive a free academic GAMSPy license that includes the open-source solvers above plus the additional solvers below, with no size limitations for academic use.


Solver Typical model types Documentation
CONOPT NLP, CNS, DNLP and related continuous nonlinear models CONOPT documentation
COPT LP, MIP, QCP and related model types COPT documentation
CPLEX LP, MIP, QCP, MIQCP and related model types CPLEX documentation
DICOPT MINLP DICOPT documentation
GUROBI-Link GAMS link for using Gurobi through supported model types GUROBI documentation
IPOPTH NLP and related continuous nonlinear models IPOPTH documentation
MOSEK LP, MIP, conic, QCP and mixed-integer conic models MOSEK documentation
MPSGE Computable general equilibrium models MPSGE documentation
PATH MCP and related complementarity models PATH documentation
PATHNLP NLP and MCP-related nonlinear models PATHNLP documentation
SBB MINLP SBB documentation
XPRESS LP, MIP, QCP, MIQCP, MINLP and related model types XPRESS documentation

Important license distinction

The expanded no-size-limit solver package applies to academic GAMSPy licenses only. Free academic GAMS licenses follow the personal-license style terms and limits. For commercial testing outside academia, request an evaluation license through sales@gams.com or the contact form.