| Tool | Cost | Learning Curve | Private Projects | Output Files | Professional Use Allowed? | |------|------|---------------|------------------|--------------|---------------------------| | Altium Designer (paid) | $3k–$9k/year | Steep | Yes | Full (Gerber, ODB++, IPC) | Yes | | CircuitMaker | Free | Steep | No | Limited (Gerbers via web) | No | | KiCad | Free | Moderate | Yes | Full | Yes (commercial) | | EasyEDA | Free | Easy | Yes (with limits) | Full | Yes | | Fusion 360/Eagle | Free (limited) | Moderate | Yes | Full (with free tier limits) | No (free tier) |
KiCad is the real winner for most people searching for "free Altium." It has no project limits, no forced public sharing, and produces professional Gerbers. The learning curve is similar to Altium.
KiCad has matured dramatically over the last five years, largely thanks to contributions from CERN (the particle physics lab) and Google.
Sites like Hackaday.io and GitHub host thousands of open-source hardware projects designed in Altium. Download the source files (many are .PrjPcb), examine the layouts, and submit a bug fix or a simple redesign. This builds your portfolio.
| Product | Cost | What It Is | Limitations | |--------|------|------------|--------------| | Altium 365 Viewer | Free | Web-based PCB viewer | View only. No editing, no schematic capture, no routing. | | Altium Designer Trial | Free for 15–30 days | Full version of Altium Designer | Time-limited. No commercial use. Watermarked outputs? (Check terms). | | CircuitMaker | Free | Community-based PCB design tool | Limited layer count (2 signal layers, 2 plane layers). No private projects (all are public). No professional output files (Gerbers via Community only). | | Altium Student License | Free for students | Full Altium Designer | Requires academic email. For learning only. No commercial use. |
The search for Altium Designer free software is a journey of trade-offs.
Remember: "Free" software only saves you money if it doesn't waste your time. Altium Designer is a professional tool with a learning curve. If you cannot get a legitimate free student license, invest your time in KiCad or CircuitMaker rather than hunting for illegal cracks. Happy designing altium designer free software
Altium Designer itself is premium professional software, but you can access its features for free through specific programs or by using its community-focused alternative, CircuitMaker
. Below are the primary ways to use Altium-based technology for free and how to "create a piece" (a component or project) once you have access. Ways to Get Altium Software for Free Altium CircuitMaker (Fully Free)
: This is a free, community-driven version of Altium Designer. It uses the same engine but requires projects to be stored in the cloud. Most projects are public, though the CircuitMaker 2.0 version allows for up to 5 private projects. Student Licenses
: Students can apply for a free six-month renewable license through the Altium Education program Free Trial : You can sign up for a 15-day free trial
of the full Altium Designer suite to test professional features like advanced routing and 3D visualization. How to Create a Component ("Create a Piece")
, "creating a piece" typically refers to making a new library component. Here is the workflow to create a new component from scratch: Open the Components Panel : Navigate to the Components panel and right-click to select Create Component Define the Component | Tool | Cost | Learning Curve |
: Choose the component type (e.g., resistor, IC) in the dialog box. This opens the Component Editor Enter Part Data
: Type in the manufacturer part number. Altium can often automatically pull the Description Parameters (symbol and footprint) directly from the Octopart database Verify Models : Ensure the Schematic Symbol (the electrical representation) and the PCB Footprint
(the physical landing pattern) are correctly attached under the Save to Server/Library Save to Server (if using Altium 365) or
to your local library to make the part available for your schematic. How to Create a New PCB Project
If your goal is to create a "piece" of hardware (a complete board), follow these steps: KB: Apply/renew student license - Altium
Students can apply for a free Altium Designer online curriculum and student license via the Altium Education program. KiCad has matured dramatically over the last five
Altium offers a standard 30-day free trial of the full commercial software. This is not a "lite" version; it is the full $9,000 tool.
Verdict: Perfect for evaluating the software before a big purchase or for a one-month freelance project. It is not a long-term solution.
This is Altium's true permanently free software solution. CircuitMaker is a separate product built on the Altium Designer engine. It is designed for hobbyists, makers, and open-source hardware developers.
Verdict: This is the best true "free forever" option, provided you are willing to share your intellectual property with the world.
Searching "Altium Designer free software" eventually leads you to dark corners of the internet offering cracked versions (usually v14, v16, or v18). Do not do this.