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DipTrace vs Altium Designer: catalog facts
DipTrace	Altium Designer
Best for: Electronics engineers designing circuit boards on a perpetual license	Best for: Professional PCB design suite covering schematics, layout, and simulation
Paid Perpetual licenses, with a trial version available to download.	Paid Commercial license; no free tier.
Windows	Windows
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	Covers the full workflow from schematic and simulation to layout and manufacturing files Widely used in professional electronics teams, so training and library resources are plentiful
Commercial software beyond the trial Only a Windows installer is shown on the site	Expensive commercial licensing aimed at professional teams, not hobbyists Windows-only, with a steep learning curve for newcomers to PCB design
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
Offline features available	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for DipTrace diptrace.com Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Altium Designer altium.com/altium-designer Catalog checked September 22, 2026

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