ETAP vs ProfiCAD
ETAP
etap.comProfiCAD
proficad.comSide by side
| Figure | ETAP | ProfiCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 5 |
| Spec score · Electrical Design Software | 8.7 (#2) | 8.1 (#10) |
| Founded | 1986 | 1997 |
| Purpose | ETAP provides software and hardware solutions for electrical systems across design, engineering, operations, and maintenance. | ProfiCAD creates electrical and electronic diagrams, schematics, control circuit diagrams, and other technical diagrams such as pneumatic and hydraulic diagrams. |
| Support | Power Simulator subscriptions include dedicated priority support, according to ETAP. | Users can get technical support through the site chatbot, email, FAQ, and user manual; the maker says questions are answered by the developer. |
Plans
ETAP
- ETAP Power Simulator GrowPriced on request
- ETAP Power Simulator LaunchPriced on request
ProfiCAD
- 30-day trialFree
- Home licenseFree
- School License$277, paid once
- Single User License$277, paid once
- Site License$827, paid once
In their own words
ETAP
ETAP provides software and hardware for electrical systems across design, engineering, operations, and maintenance. Its modular energy management platform centers on a unified electrical digital twin for power system design, analysis, operations, and automation. ETAP 2026 includes analysis for renewable integration, feeder hosting capacity, Volt-VAR optimization, battery energy storage, and grid-code studies. Power Simulator is designed to predict system behavior, optimize grid performance, and run offline or real-time predictive simulations. DataX exchanges information across GIS, BIM, CAD, and legacy tools, with interfaces for products including Revit, AutoCAD, Excel, AVEVA, and ArcGIS. NetPM supports multi-user model creation, concurrent studies, change management, and role-based access. Grid Intelligence lists Modbus TCP, BACnet/IP, and REST protocols and integrations with systems such as SCADA, GIS, and OMS. ETAP serves utilities, infrastructure, industries, and buildings. Design and analysis products list supported 64-bit Windows systems; etapAPP is available for iOS, Windows, and Android tablets. Pricing is by customized quote, with a free 30-day demo and no free plan.
ProfiCAD
ProfiCAD is desktop software for creating electrical and electronic diagrams, schematics, control circuits, and technical diagrams such as pneumatic and hydraulic drawings. It can produce bills of materials, wire lists, terminal lists, and cable lists. The program includes more than 2,000 symbols and an editor for custom symbols. Drawing features include automatic symbol numbering and insertion, symbol search, and cross-references between wires and component symbols. Users can adapt or create ISO 7200 title blocks. The desktop program is for Windows; the maker says it can run on Mac using Parallels. ProfiCAD Viewer lets Android users view drawings, but it does not display cross-references. Drawings can be transferred to the viewer through cloud storage or email. ProfiCAD works offline, and drawings stay on the user's computer. It is not intended for PCB layout, 3D modeling, complex CAD, or full DWG/DXF editing. The free Home edition permits up to three pages, with commercial use limited to opening, viewing, and printing third-party documents. A full-feature trial lasts 30 days without a credit card; paid licenses start at $277, excluding tax.