Altium Designer vs LibrePCB

Struggling to choose between Altium Designer and LibrePCB? 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, LibrePCB is a Development product tagged with pcb, eda, schematic-capture, routing.

Its standout features include Schematic editor, PCB editor, Library manager, Design rule checks, 3D visualization, Export to PDF/PNG/SVG, Import Eagle/KiCad projects, Undo/Redo, Multi-language support, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Cross-platform (Windows/Mac/Linux), Intuitive user interface, Active development and community support, Powerful editing tools, No size/layer limits.

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


LibrePCB

LibrePCB

LibrePCB is an open source electronics design automation application for printed circuit boards. It allows schematic capture and PCB layout/routing with an intuitive user interface.

Categories:
pcb eda schematic-capture routing

LibrePCB Features

  1. Schematic editor
  2. PCB editor
  3. Library manager
  4. Design rule checks
  5. 3D visualization
  6. Export to PDF/PNG/SVG
  7. Import Eagle/KiCad projects
  8. Undo/Redo
  9. Multi-language support

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Cross-platform (Windows/Mac/Linux)

Intuitive user interface

Active development and community support

Powerful editing tools

No size/layer limits

Cons

Limited library compared to proprietary options

Steep learning curve for beginners

Lacks some advanced/niche features

May have bugs due to rapid development