A study comparing a three-dimensional extension of the Bishop simplified method with other limit equilibrium solutions is presented. Very good correspondence is found in cases of rotational and symmetric sliding surfaces, such as ellipsoids. The Bishop method tends to be conservative when applied to nonrotational and asymmetric surfaces because it neglects internal strength. The error is, however, tolerably small for many commonly occurring slide geometries. Indices are proposed to identify cases for which the method should not be used. With its limitations defined, the Bishop simplified method offers a useful algorithm for three-dimensional limit equilibrium analysis.