This article presents a comparison of one‐, two‐, and three‐dimensional models for domain wall motion coercivity. The effect of wall bending in two‐dimensional models as compared to one‐dimensional models and the additional effect of wall flexing in three‐dimensional models is studied. The models are implemented numerically and calculations are carried out for soft magnetic materials. A discussion of how parameters must be chosen in lower dimensional models to obtain the correct magnitude of coercivity is included. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.