Altium Designer vs. KiCad

Comparison of Altium Designer and KiCad
Real cost
	Altium Designer The professional standard for complex boards, with the strongest routing. It is very expensive and runs only on Windows. Swap this Tool Use Google Chrome instead	KiCad A complete, free and open-source tool for schematics and boards, with no size limits. It takes time to learn. Swap this Tool Use Google Chrome instead
Price	3700 € per year	0 €
Payment	Subscription	Free
Trial	15-day trial	No trial
Free Tier	No free tier	No free tier
Open Source	No	Yes
Features and limits
Main Features	Schematic and board layout in one app Advanced routing for fast signals 3D check against the enclosure Part data from suppliers Team review and version history	Schematic editor and board layout 3D view of the board Large part and footprint libraries Circuit simulation No limit on board size or layers
Limits	Runs only on Windows Very high price	Takes time to learn Fewer tools for teams than paid rivals
Compatibility and trust
Supported Operating Systems	Windows	WindowsmacOS
Verified on	3 Sep 2026	15 Oct 2026
Where to buy
Vendor	Go to vendor’s site: Altium Designer (opens in a new tab) Subscription; the price depends on the plan. Approximate list price in euros, check the vendor.	Go to vendor’s site: KiCad (opens in a new tab) Free, open source.

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