Altium Designer vs CircuitMaker

Struggling to choose between Altium Designer and CircuitMaker? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Altium Designer is a Development solution with tags like pcb-design, schematic-capture, layout, manufacturing.

It boasts features such as PCB Layout and Routing, 3D PCB Visualization, FPGA Design, MCAD Co-Design, BOM Generation and Supply Chain Management, Simulation and Signal Integrity Analysis, Version Control and Design Data Management and pros including Powerful routing and layout tools, Intuitive 3D visualization, Tight integration between schematic and PCB, Support for complex designs like high-speed or RF, Extensive component libraries.

On the other hand, CircuitMaker is a Development product tagged with pcb-design, schematic-capture, electronics, cad.

Its standout features include PCB layout and routing, Real-time design rule checking, 3D PCB viewing and export, Component library with over 7000 parts, Import Altium and Eagle designs, Multi-layer boards up to 16 layers, Autorouting, Mixed-mode SPICE simulation, Version control and project collaboration, and it shines with pros like Free to use with no restrictions, Easy to learn and use, Powerful features for a free tool, Large component library, Can open Altium and Eagle files, Good for hobbyists and professionals.

Feature	Altium Designer	CircuitMaker
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Development

Product Overview

Altium Designer

Description: Altium Designer is professional printed circuit board (PCB) design software used for schematic capture, PCB layout, and file output for manufacturing. It helps engineers design and prototype complex electronic hardware products.

CircuitMaker

Description: CircuitMaker is a free PCB design and schematic software for electronics engineers. It features advanced routing tools, real-time design rules checking, and a component library with over 7000 parts.

Key Features Comparison

Altium Designer Features

• PCB Layout and Routing
• 3D PCB Visualization
• FPGA Design
• MCAD Co-Design
• BOM Generation and Supply Chain Management
• Simulation and Signal Integrity Analysis
• Version Control and Design Data Management

CircuitMaker Features

• PCB layout and routing
• Real-time design rule checking
• 3D PCB viewing and export
• Component library with over 7000 parts
• Import Altium and Eagle designs
• Multi-layer boards up to 16 layers
• Autorouting
• Mixed-mode SPICE simulation
• Version control and project collaboration

Pros & Cons Analysis

Altium Designer

Pros

• Powerful routing and layout tools
• Intuitive 3D visualization
• Tight integration between schematic and PCB
• Support for complex designs like high-speed or RF
• Extensive component libraries

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Expensive licensing model
• Limited free version capabilities
• Resource intensive

CircuitMaker

Pros

• Free to use with no restrictions
• Easy to learn and use
• Powerful features for a free tool
• Large component library
• Can open Altium and Eagle files
• Good for hobbyists and professionals

Cons

• Limited to 2 signal layers in free version
• No manufacturing outputs in free version
• Lacks some advanced features of paid tools
• Component library not as comprehensive as Altium
• Only available on Windows, not Mac or Linux

Pricing Comparison

Altium Designer

• Subscription-Based
• Custom Pricing

CircuitMaker

• Free
• Subscription-Based