The paper presents a coarse-grained (CG) model for lipid and surfactant systems, designed to balance computational efficiency with accuracy and versatility. The model uses short-range potentials and a reduced number of degrees of freedom, allowing simulations of micrometer length scales and millisecond time scales. The CG model is kept simple, with only a few coarse-grained atom types and discrete interaction levels. Despite its simplicity, the model reproduces the densities of liquid alkanes from decane to eicosane within 5% and mutual solubilities of alkanes in water within 0.5 kT. For dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), the CG model spontaneously forms bilayers with structural properties matching experimental data, including area per headgroup, phosphate–phosphate distance, bending modulus, and lateral diffusion coefficient. The model also accurately predicts the permeation rate of water across the bilayer and the formation of a crystalline phase below 283 K. The CG approach is applicable to other phospholipids and nonlamellar phases, such as inverted hexagonal and micellar phases, demonstrating its broad applicability and accuracy in simulating lipid systems.The paper presents a coarse-grained (CG) model for lipid and surfactant systems, designed to balance computational efficiency with accuracy and versatility. The model uses short-range potentials and a reduced number of degrees of freedom, allowing simulations of micrometer length scales and millisecond time scales. The CG model is kept simple, with only a few coarse-grained atom types and discrete interaction levels. Despite its simplicity, the model reproduces the densities of liquid alkanes from decane to eicosane within 5% and mutual solubilities of alkanes in water within 0.5 kT. For dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), the CG model spontaneously forms bilayers with structural properties matching experimental data, including area per headgroup, phosphate–phosphate distance, bending modulus, and lateral diffusion coefficient. The model also accurately predicts the permeation rate of water across the bilayer and the formation of a crystalline phase below 283 K. The CG approach is applicable to other phospholipids and nonlamellar phases, such as inverted hexagonal and micellar phases, demonstrating its broad applicability and accuracy in simulating lipid systems.