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DesignSpark PCB vs DipTrace: catalog facts
DesignSpark PCB	DipTrace
Best for: Hobbyists and engineers designing circuit boards on a budget	Best for: Electronics engineers designing circuit boards on a perpetual license
Free + paid options Free plan available, with paid Creator and Engineer plans that add advanced features.	Paid Perpetual licenses, with a trial version available to download.
Windows	Windows
Free plan without limits on layers, connections or schematic size Schematic capture and PCB layout in one program All 3 strengths for DesignSpark PCB Free plan without limits on layers, connections or schematic size Schematic capture and PCB layout in one program Interactive HTML BOM export and length-matching routing in higher plans	Real-time design rule checking with detailed constraints Push-and-shove routing that keeps traces attached when parts move All 4 strengths for DipTrace Real-time design rule checking with detailed constraints Push-and-shove routing that keeps traces attached when parts move Differential pair routing with length and phase rules Perpetual licensing instead of a subscription
Several newer features are limited to paid plans Not open source	Commercial software beyond the trial Only a Windows installer is shown on the site
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Not open source	Not open source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for DesignSpark PCB rs-online.com/designspark/pcb-software Catalog checked September 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for DipTrace diptrace.com Catalog checked September 23, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.