This paper presents an investigation on the ability of two alternative FE-based numerical methods to simulate the in-plane strength and collapse of brick masonry shear walls. The methods considered consist of a meso-model, in which the mortar-unit interface properties are modeled indirectly through the adoption of an appropriate model for the mortar joints, and a simplified micro-model with sliding interface elements to represent the joints. The performance of both methods is analyzed by the simulation of an experimental campaign on 1:4 scale masonry shear walls with different pre-compression applied levels. The numerical testing is adopted as a procedure to evaluate failure envelopes in a wide range of possible structural in-plane responses. The FE analyses tools proposed are intended to reproduce the failure mechanisms that may occur for different combinations of vertical and horizontal forces, such as sliding, diagonal cracking and crushing. The comparison has allowed the appraisal of the capacity of the numerical models considered to simulate the strength of shear walls for these different failure conditions