Compare software

Fritzing vs CircuitMaker: catalog facts
Fritzing	CircuitMaker
Screenshots
Best for: Document electronics projects with breadboard, schematic and PCB views	Best for: Hobbyists and makers designing circuit boards for free
Paid Official compiled downloads require payment. The source is available under GPL-3.0.	Free Free to use, including for commercial designs.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows
Helps turn wiring layouts into project documentation Includes a PCB design workflow	Built on Altium Designer technology Up to 16 signal and 16 plane layers with no board size limit Commercial use allowed Large community library backed by Octopart
Official compiled downloads are paid even though the application source is open.	Only five private projects; others are shared with the community Proprietary, unlike KiCad
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Not open source
License: GPL-3.0	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Fritzing fritzing.org github.com/fritzing/fritzing-app Catalog checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for CircuitMaker altium.com/circuitmaker Catalog checked September 24, 2026

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

Screenshots