From The Developers of the Microsoft Excel Solver

Use Genetic Algorithms Easily for Optimization in Excel: Evolutionary Solver Works with Existing Solver Models, Handles Any Excel Formula, Finds Global Solutions

If Microsoft Excel is a familiar or productive tool for you, then you've come to the right place for genetic algorithms, evolutionary algorithms, or other methods for global optimization!  Frontline Systems developed the Solver in Excel for Microsoft.  Our Premium Solver products are upward compatible from the standard Excel Solver -- your Solver models, and even your VBA code controlling the Solver, will work as-is.

You can use genetic algorithms for challenging problems that involve any Excel formulas or functions (even user-written functions).  With the same Premium Solver software, you can solve linear programming and nonlinear optimization models, and models with integer variables.  Define your optimization problem just once, in standard 'Excel Solver' form.  Then choose any of five built-in Solvers (including our Evolutionary Solver), or seven plug-in Solvers from a dropdown list, and click Solve.  That's all there is to it!

If you register on Solver.com (it's free), you can:

  • Download a free 15-day Trial Version of any of our Excel Solver or SDK Solver products
  • Download our Solver User Guides -- learn more about genetic algorithms and other methods, the standard Excel Solver, Premium Solver, and how to build better optimization models
  • Access "protected" Tech Support pages and downloadable example models

P. S.:  You don't have to be an expert in optimization or "operations research."  For more than a decade, thousands of users in Global 2000 companies have taken advantage of our advanced software and knowledgeable tech support to build and solve bigger and better models.

Premium Solver Platform

We offer Excel Solver upgrades for several types and sizes of optimization problems.  But our best-selling product is the Premium Solver Platform, in part because it can handle every type of problem up to certain size limits:

  • Linear programming and quadratic programming problems up to 8,000 variables
  • Conic and mixed-integer programming problems up to 2,000 variables
  • Smooth nonlinear and global optimization problems (with our LSGRG Solver) up to 1,000 variables
  • Non-smooth, global optimization problems (with our Evolutionary Solver) up to 1,000 variables

And you'll want the Premium Solver Platform even if your problem is larger than these limits, because it is the base or "platform" that all of our larger-scale Solver Engines "plug into."  If your problem grows in size, you can easily add one or more Solver Engines to the Premium Solver Platform at any time.The fastest way to learn more is to register for free, download and try out the Premium Solver Platform!  Or you can view more specific Premium Solver Platform Product Information.  For a quick summary, click here for our Excel Solver Product Comparison.  For pricing information, click on Excel Software and Support Prices.

Premium Solver

If the Premium Solver Platform is too much for your budget, and if you just need to solve a modest-size linear, mixed-integer, or smooth nonlinear model, you can use our Premium Solver Pro for less.  Premium Solver Pro includes our Simplex method Solver for linear programming, GRG Solver for nonlinear optimization, and Evolutionary Solver for non-smooth problems using genetic algorithms.

However, Premium Solver Prois not "expandable" to solve large-scale optimization problems.  All of our "plug-in" large-scale Solver Engines require the Premium Solver Platform, and the Polymorphic Spreadsheet Interpreter, available only in the Platform, plays a crucial role in the efficient solution of large-scale problems.

Click here for more specific Premium Solver Pro Product Information.  For a quick summary with problem size limits, click here for our Excel Solver Product Comparison.  To try out the Premium Solver, simply register and follow the link to download Excel products.

Solver Engines

If your problem is likely to exceed the size limits of the Premium Solver Platform for the type of optimization problem you want to solve, then you'll want to choose a Solver Engine that handles larger-scale problems of that specific type.  For more information, click on Optional Plug-In Solver Engines.  If you register on Solver.com, you can download and try out all seven of our Solver Engines!

Even if your problem fits within the size limits of the Premium Solver Platform, you may find that you can obtain much faster solutions with Optional Plug-In Solver Engines.  It makes sense to choose a Solver Engine that uses algorithms or methods most efficient for your type of problem, especially if the problem is larger size.

Solver Engines range in price, depending on their features, speed and capacity -- click on Excel Software and Support Prices for details.  For more information on Solver Engines for specific types of optimization problems, click on one of the links below:

Note:  Every Frontline Systems Solver Product will handle problems with integer variables.  If your problem involves many such variables, however, you may find much faster solutions using the Solver Engines found through the link "Integer and Constraint Programming Problems" above.

Register for Download and Support Benefits

Register now! -- it's simple and free -- so you can:

  • Download a free 15-day Trial Version of any of our Excel Solver or SDK Solver products
  • Download our Solver User Guides -- learn more about the standard Excel Solver, Premium Solver, Risk Solver for Monte Carlo simulation, and how to build better optimization models
  • Access "protected" Tech Support pages and downloadable example models

Just enter your name and email address, and optionally your company and phone, pick the closest "User Type," and click the Register for Download button.  You can download immediately after registering, or return later anytime -- just login with your email address -- when you're ready to try out our Excel Solver upgrades.