Is there free Allen-Bradley PLC software?

Yes, for two cases. Rockwell lists Connected Components Workbench Standard Edition as a free download, and it is for Micro800 controllers. Studio 5000 Logix Designer has no free edition, and we found no free trial of it on Rockwell's pages. For MicroLogix 1000 and 1100 only, Rockwell's Knowledgebase says RSLogix Micro Starter Lite is a free download. There is no free RSLogix 500 for SLC 500 or other MicroLogix models. Checked 10 November 2026.

Is RSLogix 5000 the same as Studio 5000?

Yes, under a new name. Rockwell's version 21 release notes say that release re-branded RSLogix 5000 as the Logix Designer application inside Studio 5000. Versions before 21 are RSLogix 5000. Version 21 and later are Studio 5000 Logix Designer.

What software programs a MicroLogix 1400?

RSLogix 500 or RSLogix Micro. Rockwell describes RSLogix 500 as the programming environment for the SLC and MicroLogix platforms, and its RSLogix Micro product profile lists the MicroLogix 1400 among the supported processors. Studio 5000 Logix Designer is for Logix controllers, and Connected Components Workbench is for Micro800 controllers.

How much does Allen-Bradley PLC software cost?

Rockwell Automation does not publish a list price for Studio 5000 Logix Designer. The price depends on the edition, the add-ons, and whether you buy a subscription or a perpetual license with support. Rockwell's commerce pages for RSLogix 500 and Connected Components Workbench also showed no price without sign-in when we checked. To get a real number, ask an authorized Rockwell distributor for a quote.

Can I test an Allen-Bradley program without a PLC?

Rockwell sells two emulators for Logix controllers: Studio 5000 Logix Emulate and FactoryTalk Logix Echo. Both are paid add-ons to Studio 5000, and Rockwell offers a 30-day trial of Logix Echo. For Micro800, the free Connected Components Workbench Standard Edition includes a demo version of the Micro800 Simulator.

Can I learn Allen-Bradley programming without the software?

Yes, for the ladder logic itself. Our browser simulator uses Allen-Bradley instruction names such as XIC, XIO, OTE, TON and CTU and runs your rungs against simulated machines. The first 6 Allen-Bradley lessons and 32 practice scenarios are free. It is not Rockwell software. It does not run Studio 5000, does not open or export .ACD or .RSS files, and does not emulate controller firmware.

PLC Simulator

Allen-Bradley software

Allen-Bradley PLC software: which one do you need?

The controller family decides the software. ControlLogix and CompactLogix use Studio 5000 Logix Designer. Micro800 uses Connected Components Workbench, and its Standard Edition is free. SLC 500 and MicroLogix use RSLogix 500. Rockwell does not publish a list price for Studio 5000, and you can practice Allen-Bradley-style ladder logic in a browser without any license.

Last checked 10 November 2026 against Rockwell's own pages. Independent guide, not affiliated with Rockwell Automation.

Run your first PLC program — no signup Practice Allen-Bradley ladder free

The short answer

ControlLogix and CompactLogix: Studio 5000 Logix Designer. Before version 21 the same product was called RSLogix 5000.
Micro800: Connected Components Workbench (CCW). The Standard Edition is a free download from Rockwell.
SLC 500 and MicroLogix: RSLogix 500. MicroLogix controllers can also be programmed with RSLogix Micro.
Testing without a controller: Studio 5000 Logix Emulate or FactoryTalk Logix Echo, both paid add-ons for Logix controllers.
Cost: Rockwell does not publish a list price for Studio 5000 Logix Designer. Quotes come from distributors or Rockwell's commerce portal.
Free practice: you can learn Allen-Bradley-style ladder logic in a browser before you pay for anything.

Not sure which family you have? Our Allen-Bradley PLC guide explains the controller families and how to tell them apart.

Allen-Bradley software by controller family

Taken from Rockwell's download center, commerce portal and release notes. The full source list is at the bottom of this page.

Allen-Bradley controller families, the software that programs each, license status and free options
Controller family	Software	License and cost	Free option?
ControlLogix, CompactLogix, GuardLogix	Studio 5000 Logix Designer (called RSLogix 5000 before version 21)	Paid. Subscription or perpetual license. List price not published.	No free edition. We found no free trial on Rockwell's pages.
Micro800	Connected Components Workbench (CCW)	Standard Edition is free. Developer Edition is paid and needs activation.	Yes. Standard Edition is a free download with no activation.
SLC 500 and MicroLogix	RSLogix 500	Paid. Rockwell's commerce page shows no price without sign-in.	Not for SLC 500. For MicroLogix 1000 and 1100 only, RSLogix Micro Starter Lite is a free download.
MicroLogix only	RSLogix Micro	Licensed. Rockwell's download page asks for a serial number.	Yes, in part. RSLogix Micro Starter Lite is free and supports only MicroLogix 1000 and 1100.
No controller (emulation of Logix controllers)	Studio 5000 Logix Emulate or FactoryTalk Logix Echo	Paid add-ons to Studio 5000. Prices not published.	Logix Echo has a 30-day trial. No free edition of either.

Last checked 10 November 2026. Products and bundles change; confirm with Rockwell or a distributor before you order.

What each package is for

Studio 5000 Logix Designer: the programming software for Logix controllers, which include ControlLogix, CompactLogix and GuardLogix. Rockwell's version 21 release notes say that release re-branded RSLogix 5000 as the Logix Designer application inside Studio 5000. If a job posting or an old manual says RSLogix 5000, it means the same product line. Not every edition covers every controller: the Mini and Lite editions cover CompactLogix but not ControlLogix. See the Studio 5000 price and editions guide.
Connected Components Workbench (CCW): Rockwell's software for Micro800 control systems. The Standard Edition is free. The Developer Edition adds features, including the full Micro800 Simulator, and needs activation.
RSLogix 500: Rockwell describes it as the design and programming environment for the 1747 SLC and MicroLogix controller platforms. This is the software you need for an SLC 500 rack or a MicroLogix in an older panel.
RSLogix Micro: a package for MicroLogix controllers only. Rockwell's product profile lists the MicroLogix 1000, 1100, 1200, 1400 and 1500 as supported processors. It does not cover SLC 500. For one controller in detail, see our MicroLogix 1400 guide.
Studio 5000 Logix Emulate and FactoryTalk Logix Echo: emulators that run Logix code on a PC without a physical controller. They are add-ons, not replacements for Logix Designer. Logix Echo emulates the newer controllers: ControlLogix 5590, ControlLogix 5580, GuardLogix 5580, CompactLogix 5380 and Compact GuardLogix 5380.

What Allen-Bradley software costs

Rockwell Automation does not publish a list price for Studio 5000 Logix Designer. You buy it as a subscription or a perpetual license, and the price depends on the edition and add-ons. For a real number, ask an authorized Rockwell distributor for a quote.

The same goes for the other paid packages. When we checked, Rockwell's commerce pages for RSLogix 500 and Connected Components Workbench showed no price without sign-in. Rockwell publishes no price for Logix Emulate or Logix Echo either.

You will find dollar figures on forums and reseller sites. We could not confirm any of them on Rockwell's site or an authorized distributor's page, so we do not repeat them here.

For editions, subscription versus perpetual licensing and what each edition supports, see how much Studio 5000 costs.

What is actually free, and the limits

Connected Components Workbench Standard Edition: a free download from Rockwell's Product Compatibility and Download Center, with no activation. It includes a demo version of the Micro800 Simulator. The limit: it is for Micro800 controllers. ControlLogix, CompactLogix, SLC 500 and MicroLogix use the other packages in the table above.
Studio 5000 Logix Designer: no free edition. We found no free Logix Designer trial on Rockwell's pages. The release notes describe a seven-day grace period when an activation cannot be found, which is not a trial.
FactoryTalk Logix Echo: Rockwell offers a 30-day trial after you sign in. It is an emulator, so you still need Logix Designer to write the program.
RSLogix Micro Starter Lite: Rockwell's Knowledgebase says it is a free download and only supports MicroLogix 1000 and 1100 controllers. You need a free Rockwell account to follow the download steps. It does not program the MicroLogix 1200, 1400 or 1500, or any SLC 500. Our RSLogix 500 free guide has more background.
RSLinx Classic Lite: listed by Rockwell as a free download. It is communications software, not a programming package, so it does not replace any of the tools above.
Student licenses: we found no public Rockwell page offering one. Ask your school or employer, since many already hold licenses for their labs.

No license yet?

Practice Allen-Bradley-style ladder logic in your browser

If you are learning, the hard part to get is not the ladder logic. It is the license, a Windows PC and a controller to download to. You can learn the logic without any of them.

Write rungs with Allen-Bradley instruction names: XIC, XIO, OTE, OTL, OTU, TON, TOF and CTU.
Run them against simulated machines and see whether the machine does what it should.
The first 6 of 12 Allen-Bradley lessons and 32 practice scenarios are free. No card needed.
Works on Windows, Mac and Chromebook, with nothing to install.

It is not Rockwell software. It does not run Studio 5000, does not open or export .ACD or .RSS files, and does not emulate controller firmware. You will still need Rockwell's software to program a real controller.

Open the Allen-Bradley simulator See the Allen-Bradley curriculum

Heading for Logix work? The Studio 5000 tutorial covers the skills Logix Designer users need.

Questions

Allen-Bradley PLC software: common questions.

It depends on the controller family. ControlLogix and CompactLogix use Studio 5000 Logix Designer. Micro800 controllers use Connected Components Workbench. SLC 500 and MicroLogix controllers use RSLogix 500, and MicroLogix controllers can also be programmed with RSLogix Micro. Read the catalog number on the controller first, because the family decides the software.

Sources

Rockwell pages we used, with the date we last opened each one.

Rockwell Automation, Logix Designer v21.00.03 release notes (Product Compatibility and Download Center)Version 21 is the first release that re-brands RSLogix 5000 as the Logix Designer application inside Studio 5000; seven-day activation grace period; ControlLogix, GuardLogix and CompactLogix controllers.Checked 10 November 2026.
Rockwell Automation, Connected Components Workbench downloads (Product Compatibility and Download Center)CCW Standard Edition is listed as free.Checked 10 November 2026.
Rockwell Automation, Connected Components Workbench product listing (commerce portal)CCW is for Micro800 control systems; Standard Edition needs no activation and includes a demo version of the Micro800 Simulator; Developer Edition needs activation and includes the full simulator; no price shown without sign-in.Checked 10 November 2026.
Rockwell Automation, RSLogix 500 product listing (commerce portal)RSLogix 500 is the programming environment for the 1747 SLC and MicroLogix controller platforms; no price shown without sign-in.Checked 10 November 2026.
Rockwell Automation, RSLogix 500, RSLogix Micro and RSLinx Classic Lite downloads (Product Compatibility and Download Center)RSLogix Micro creates, modifies and monitors programs for MicroLogix controllers and downloads by serial number; RSLinx Classic Lite is listed as a free download.Checked 10 November 2026.
Rockwell Automation, RSLogix Micro Software product profile, publication 9324M-PP001A-EN-P (September 2008)RSLogix Micro processor support: MicroLogix 1000, 1100, 1200, 1400 and 1500.Checked 10 November 2026.
Rockwell Automation Knowledgebase, "RSLogix Micro Starter Lite: Download Instructions" (article 63956)The article summary states that RSLogix Micro Starter Lite is a free download and only supports MicroLogix 1000 and 1100 controllers. The download steps need a Rockwell sign-in.Checked 10 November 2026.
Rockwell Automation, Studio 5000 Logix Emulate downloads (Product Compatibility and Download Center)Logix Emulate works with the Logix platforms such as ControlLogix.Checked 10 November 2026.
Rockwell Automation, FactoryTalk Logix Echo version 4.00.00 release notes (Product Compatibility and Download Center)Logix Echo emulates ControlLogix 5590 controllers as well as 5580 and 5380 controllers.Checked 10 November 2026.
Rockwell Automation, Studio 5000 Design Software Ordering Guide, publication 9324-QR001M-EN-P (October 2026)Logix Designer editions and which support ControlLogix; subscription and perpetual licensing; Logix Emulate and Logix Echo sold as add-ons; Logix Echo 30-day trial. Same facts as our Studio 5000 price page.Checked 25 October 2026.

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