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KiCad vs LibrePCB: catalog facts
KiCad	LibrePCB
Best for: Designing a circuit board end to end without a commercial licence	Best for: Hobbyists and students designing circuit boards with free software
Free Free and open source under the GPL 3.0. Donations are handled through the Linux Foundation.	Free Free and open source with no paid tier.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Schematic capture, PCB layout, 3D viewer and Gerber export in one suite No limits on board size, layer count or exports All 4 strengths for KiCad Schematic capture, PCB layout, 3D viewer and Gerber export in one suite No limits on board size, layer count or exports Large bundled symbol and footprint libraries, plus a plugin manager Windows, macOS, Linux AppImage and Flathub builds	No cost, restrictions or online account Human-readable file format suited to Git All 4 strengths for LibrePCB No cost, restrictions or online account Human-readable file format suited to Git Structured library concept for symbols and footprints Runs on Windows, Linux and macOS
A real learning curve; the workflow is unlike a drawing program Simulation is basic next to dedicated SPICE packages All 3 limitations for KiCad A real learning curve; the workflow is unlike a drawing program Simulation is basic next to dedicated SPICE packages Library management trips up most newcomers at least once	Smaller ecosystem of ready-made parts than long-established EDA tools No circuit simulation built in
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-3.0	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for KiCad kicad.org kicad.org/download Catalog checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for LibrePCB librepcb.org Catalog checked September 23, 2026

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