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.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Altium Designer

Altium Designer

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.

Categories:
pcb-design schematic-capture layout manufacturing

Altium Designer Features

  1. PCB Layout and Routing
  2. 3D PCB Visualization
  3. FPGA Design
  4. MCAD Co-Design
  5. BOM Generation and Supply Chain Management
  6. Simulation and Signal Integrity Analysis
  7. Version Control and Design Data Management

Pricing

  • Subscription-Based
  • Custom Pricing

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

CircuitMaker

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.

Categories:
pcb-design schematic-capture electronics cad

CircuitMaker Features

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

Pricing

  • Free
  • Subscription-Based

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