Is Altium Designer Free or Paid?
Key Takeaways:
- Altium Designer is a commercial software with different pricing options. It is not free to use.
- The cost of Altium Designer varies depending on the version and features required.
- Altium offers a free trial and educational licenses for students and educators.
- Open-source alternatives to Altium Designer are available, such as KiCad and gEDA.
Introduction
Altium Designer is a widely used electronic design automation (EDA) software for creating printed circuit boards (PCBs) and designing electronic circuits. Its advanced features and capabilities make it a popular choice for professional engineers and hobbyists alike. However, one common question arises for potential users: is Altium Designer free or paid software?
Is Altium Designer Free or Paid?
Unlike many open-source software options in the EDA market, Altium Designer is a commercial software that requires a license for use. The cost of Altium Designer varies depending on the version and features included. Altium offers several different versions of its software, each tailored to specific needs and budgets.
Pricing
The latest version of Altium Designer, Altium Designer 23, has three main pricing tiers:
- Standard: This is the basic version of Altium Designer, suitable for individual users and small teams. It starts at $1,099.00 USD.
- Professional: The Professional tier offers more advanced features and is recommended for larger teams and companies. It starts at $3,099.00 USD.
- Enterprise: This is the top-tier version of Altium Designer, designed for large organizations and teams with complex design requirements. It starts at $7,099.00 USD.
Altium also offers additional modules and upgrades to enhance the capabilities of its software, which come with additional costs.
Free Trial and Educational Licenses
While Altium Designer is not free to use for commercial purposes, Altium does offer a free 30-day trial version that allows users to fully explore the software’s features and functionality before committing to a purchase. Additionally, Altium provides free educational licenses to students and educators for academic use.
Open-Source Alternatives
For those who prefer open-source software options, several alternatives to Altium Designer are available, including KiCad and gEDA. These open-source EDA tools are free to use and offer a range of features for PCB design and circuit simulation. However, they may not offer the same level of functionality and features as commercial software like Altium Designer.
Conclusion
Altium Designer is a paid software with different pricing options depending on the version and features required. While it is not a free software, Altium offers a free trial and educational licenses for students and educators. Open-source alternatives to Altium Designer are also available, such as KiCad and gEDA, but these may not offer the same level of functionality.