CometCAD vs PADS PCB Design

Struggling to choose between CometCAD and PADS PCB Design? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

CometCAD is a Development solution with tags like 2d-cad, drafting, design, architectural-drawings, mechanical-drawings, floor-plans, electrical-diagrams.

It boasts features such as 2D drafting and design, Create architectural drawings, Create mechanical drawings, Create floor plans, Create electrical diagrams, Lightweight and easy to use and pros including Free and open source, Available on Windows, Linux and Mac, Good for simple 2D CAD tasks, Easy to use interface.

On the other hand, PADS PCB Design is a Development product tagged with schematic-capture, pcb-layout, component-libraries, design-rule-checking, manufacturing-output.

Its standout features include Schematic capture, PCB layout and routing, Design rule checking, 3D modeling and visualization, Component library with over 500,000 parts, Imports netlists from various EDA tools, Generates manufacturing and assembly files, and it shines with pros like Powerful design features and capabilities, Extensive component libraries, Easy to learn and use, Great for complex, high-speed designs, Seamless ECAD/MCAD collaboration, Good technical support.

Feature	CometCAD	PADS PCB Design
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Development

Product Overview

CometCAD

Description: CometCAD is a free, open-source 2D CAD program for Windows, Linux and Mac. It has basic 2D drafting and design features for architectural drawings, mechanical drawings, floor plans, electrical diagrams and more. It's lightweight and easy to use for simple 2D CAD tasks.

PADS PCB Design

Description: PADS PCB Design is printed circuit board (PCB) design software used for schematic capture and PCB layout. It offers extensive component libraries, design rule checking, and supports various output formats for manufacturing.

Key Features Comparison

CometCAD Features

• 2D drafting and design
• Create architectural drawings
• Create mechanical drawings
• Create floor plans
• Create electrical diagrams
• Lightweight and easy to use

PADS PCB Design Features

• Schematic capture
• PCB layout and routing
• Design rule checking
• 3D modeling and visualization
• Component library with over 500,000 parts
• Imports netlists from various EDA tools
• Generates manufacturing and assembly files

Pros & Cons Analysis

CometCAD

Pros

• Free and open source
• Available on Windows, Linux and Mac
• Good for simple 2D CAD tasks
• Easy to use interface

Cons

• Limited features compared to paid CAD software
• No 3D modeling capabilities
• Lacks advanced tools for complex projects
• Basic documentation and support resources

PADS PCB Design

Pros

• Powerful design features and capabilities
• Extensive component libraries
• Easy to learn and use
• Great for complex, high-speed designs
• Seamless ECAD/MCAD collaboration
• Good technical support

Cons

• Expensive licensing model
• Steep learning curve for advanced features
• Limited customization options
• Frequent updates can introduce bugs
• Weak simulation features compared to other tools

Pricing Comparison

CometCAD

• Free
• Open Source

PADS PCB Design

• Subscription
• Perpetual License