Top 5 Quantum Computing Software Of 2024

Let’s get back to the movie.

Cris Johnson, Nicolas Cage’s character in Next, was truly special. Especially when compared to other action movie heroes, who must imagine a range of scenarios and possible outcomes within seconds to make their choices. #ToughLife

Even with the help of modern, high-powered computers, calculating the outcome of various scenarios would be tough. Sure, in real life, businesses aren’t subject to such timelines but if you want to lead in a competitive market, you have got to be fast – really fast.

Enter quantum computing! This technology makes it possible to solve problems and optimize complex processes by analyzing and processing vast amounts of data quickly. All this is powered by – drum roll – Quantum Computing Software!

Quantum Computing Software helps create, build and test quantum algorithms by using quantum circuits. These software solutions also include emulators and simulators, which can imitate quantum behavior on classical computers. The idea is to test, experiment, evaluate, verify and debug various quantum programs.

Last year, we had a look at the top 5 Quantum Computing Software of 2023. Now, let’s check out the top 5 Quantum Computing Software of 2024. Ready?
 

Top 5 Quantum Computing Software Of 2024

Businesses use Quantum Computing Software to develop and test quantum algorithms before making actual decisions. This is done by leveraging the platform’s simulators and emulators, leveraging various classical programming languages that the software offers.

So, let’s get into the list of the top 5 Quantum Computing Software for 2024 - in random order.
 

Strawberry Fields by Xanadu	Qiskit by IBM	Cirq by Google
D-Wave Ocean	Strangeworks

 

Tool 1: Strawberry Fields

Founded in 2016, Xanadu has a workforce of over 170 employees and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. The company possesses a team of high-performing quantum experts and builders and partnerships with industry leaders such as AWS, BMW, IBM, NVIDIA, Zapata, Microsoft, Google, MIT and Harvard. Seems like a popular kid in the town!
 
New on our list this year, Xanadu’s Strawberry Fields brings a cross-platform full-stack Python library to construct, simulate and execute programs using photonic quantum computers. The platform allows you to design and execute quantum algorithms directly on the platform’s next-generation quantum hardware, bringing you access to high-performance programmable quantum computers. The platform also comprises built-in applications, bringing high-level functions to simulate, compile and solve problems like graph and network optimization, machine learning and other complex challenges.

Ahead of this, Strawberry Fields also offers you a suite of world-class, high-performance simulators and compilers, powerful machine-learning capabilities with TensorFlow support and the ability to explore different photonic architectures. Furthermore, Xanadu brings you PennyLane, a cross-platform software library to program quantum computers with quantum differentiable programming and quantum machine learning.

Feature Ratings:

Ease Of Use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Value For Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Startup Friendly: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Enterprise Friendly: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Customer Support: ⭐⭐⭐
 

Tool 2: Qiskit by IBM

Initially founded in 1911 as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR), IBM was renamed in 1924. Today, the company has its headquarters in Armonk, New York, USA, operating in over 170 countries with more than 300,000 employees globally. In 2023, it was even recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Companies for 2023 by TIME. That is quite impressive!
 
IBM returns to our list this year with Qiskit, an open-source, Python-based Quantum Computing Software that’s been downloaded over 6 million times and is supported by more than 500 contributors. The platform enables you to work with quantum computers at the level of pulses, circuits and algorithms, with use cases across finance, chemistry, optimization and machine learning. Furthermore, it comes with in-depth tutorials that can teach you the fundamentals of quantum computing, the basics of Qiskit and even advanced topics in quantum information and applications.

The advanced features? IBM’s Qiskit gives you access to IBM's fleet of utility-scale quantum systems, allowing you to build, re-write, test and run your quantum applications on highly advanced quantum systems. Ahead of this, it also allows you to connect to the hardware of numerous third-party providers.

Feature Ratings:

Ease Of Use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Value For Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Startup Friendly: ⭐⭐⭐
Enterprise Friendly: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Customer Support: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

Tool 3: Cirq by Google

Undoubtedly one of the most well-known names in the world, Google was founded in 1998. Today, the company has offices worldwide, while its headquarters sits in Mountain View, USA. Google and its parent company, Alphabet Inc., own 200+ companies, which include acquired established businesses and startups. As of 2023, Google was the dominant search engine with a 92.82% market share! Sounds unbelievable, right? You can google it if you wish. Hehe!
 
Google is returning this year with Cirq, bringing you an open-source framework to program quantum computers. The platform offers you a Python software library to write, manipulate and optimize quantum circuits that can be run on quantum computers and quantum simulators. Cirq comes with a host of guides and tutorials to help you learn the basics of the platform or use Google’s Quantum Virtual Machine, which emulates a Google quantum computer. Additionally, it comes with textbook quantum algorithms to give you an idea of good patterns to follow in your own code!

Cira also comes with in-built simulators for wave functions and density matrices, which can handle noisy quantum channels using Monte Carlo or full-density matrix simulations. Furthermore, the platform offers you qsim, a state-of-the-art full wave function simulator written in C++. Alternatively, you can simulate using Cirq or QVM (Quantum Virtual Machine).

Feature Ratings:

Ease Of Use:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Value For Money:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Startup Friendly:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Enterprise Friendly:⭐⭐⭐
Customer Support:⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

Tool 4: D-Wave Ocean

Founded in 1999, D-Wave is a leader in the development and delivery of quantum computing systems, software and services while also being the world’s first commercial supplier of quantum computers. It has its headquarters in Burnaby, Canada, with another office in Palo Alto, USA. The company has over 180 employees and boasts customers such as Volkswagen, DENSO, Lockheed Martin and USC.
 
Featuring as a new entrant to our list this year, D-Wave Ocean brings a suite of open-source Python tools that can be accessed through D-Wave's Leap quantum cloud service via the D-Wave GitHub repository. The suite of tools consists of system software, high-level tools and applications powered by D-Wave's quantum computers. This also allows you to quickly build, experiment, test and leverage the power of D-Wave's Advantage quantum computers and quantum-classical hybrid solvers to solve complex problems.

Its exciting features help you ensure your quantum computing needs are met. For this, the platform delivers robust documentation, examples of actual code, demos, libraries, templates and a lot more to ensure you can build quantum systems efficiently.

Feature Ratings:

Ease Of Use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Value For Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Startup Friendly: ⭐⭐⭐
Enterprise Friendly: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Customer Support: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 

Tool 5: Strangeworks

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, Strangeworks has quickly become a force to reckon with in the quantum computing industry. Despite possessing a relatively small workforce, the company was named among the Best Place to Work by Quantum Workplace and Austin Business Journal. Its users include names like AWS, IBM, Azure, Deloitte, Johnson & Johnson, Rigetti and others.
 
Returning to our list this year, Strangeworks brings you powerful and capable Quantum Computing Software solutions. The platform lets you build bold ideas faster through its complete and easy-to-use quantum ecosystem, which offers quantum hardware and simulator access. It also offers you managed application marketplace access, standardized application interfaces and pay-for-what-you-use options.

Strangeworks, through its complete platform, brings you access to a host of resources, including the largest catalog of quantum and quantum-inspired solutions. Furthermore, it allows you to integrate quantum capabilities into your existing workflows and applications, measure results, visualize outputs and apply discovered data to your problems. Additionally, it helps you manage everything associated with the process, including controlling your quantum resources, spending, usage and teams.

Feature Ratings:

Ease Of Use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Value For Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Startup Friendly: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Enterprise Friendly: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Customer Support: ⭐⭐⭐
 

Winding It Up

Quantum Computing Software helps businesses develop and implement quantum algorithms to analyze, process, manipulate and optimize quantum information, as well as test, emulate, simulate and experiment before investing in quantum hardware time. You see, it helps you make decisions by simulating practices, so you don’t go wrong when you actually go quantum!

Each business will have its unique requirements and that is why you should pick a solution that suits your specific requirements. Happy quantum computing!