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LibrePCB vs Proteus Design Suite: catalog facts
LibrePCB	Proteus Design Suite
Best for: Hobbyists and students designing circuit boards with free software	Best for: Embedded engineers and students who want to simulate firmware and circuits before building a board
Free Free and open source with no paid tier.	Paid Commercial software sold by Labcenter Electronics.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows
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	Simulates microcontroller firmware together with the circuit Schematic capture and PCB layout in one suite All 4 strengths for Proteus Design Suite Simulates microcontroller firmware together with the circuit Schematic capture and PCB layout in one suite IoT Builder for Arduino and Raspberry Pi projects Actively developed, with version 9.2 recently released
Smaller ecosystem of ready-made parts than long-established EDA tools No circuit simulation built in	Commercial licence required Pricing is not listed on the homepage
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Not open source
License not stated	License not stated
No account 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 LibrePCB librepcb.org Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Proteus Design Suite labcenter.com Catalog checked September 23, 2026

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