Altium Designer vs PCB Artist

Struggling to choose between Altium Designer and PCB Artist? 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, PCB Artist is a Development product tagged with pcb-design, schematic-capture, autorouting, hobbyist, engineer.

Its standout features include Schematic capture, PCB layout tools, Auto-routing, Design rule checking, 3D visualization, Gerber file export, BOM generation, and it shines with pros like Easy to use interface, Powerful features for hobbyists, Affordable pricing, Good component library.

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:
Development Electronic Design Automation
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

PCB Artist

PCB Artist

PCB Artist is printed circuit board design software for hobbyists and engineers to layout and route circuit boards. It has schematic capture and PCB layout tools with auto-routing and design rule checking.

Categories:
Development Electronic Design Automation
pcb-design schematic-capture autorouting hobbyist engineer

PCB Artist Features

  1. Schematic capture
  2. PCB layout tools
  3. Auto-routing
  4. Design rule checking
  5. 3D visualization
  6. Gerber file export
  7. BOM generation

Pricing

  • Free limited version
  • One-time purchase
  • Subscription

Pros

Easy to use interface

Powerful features for hobbyists

Affordable pricing

Good component library

Cons

Limited features compared to professional tools

Lacks some advanced routing algorithms

Can be slow for complex boards

Limited file format support