LibrePCB vs SOLIDWORKS
LibrePCB
librepcb.orgSOLIDWORKS
solidworks.comSide by side
| Figure | LibrePCB | SOLIDWORKS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $4/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 4 |
| Spec score · Electrical Design Software | 8.7 (#3) | 8.3 (#6) |
| Audience | The maker describes it as suitable for makers, students and professionals, from beginners to experts. | SOLIDWORKS says its markets include industrial, medical, scientific, consumer, educational, technology and transportation organizations. |
| Founded | 2013 | 1993 |
| Offline use | The software can be used fully offline; the homepage describes its online account as unnecessary. | SOLIDWORKS Design can be used without an internet connection |
| Support | User help is provided through the forum, Matrix, issue tracker and community; paid support and feature development are available on request. | Online purchases include technical support and access to getting-started resources covering installation, onboarding and tutorials. |
| What it does | LibrePCB is a free, cross-platform electronic design automation suite for drawing schematics and designing printed circuit boards. | Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS Corp. offers 3D software tools for creating, simulating, publishing and managing product data. |
Plans
SOLIDWORKS
- SOLIDWORKS Design Standard with Cloud Services$2,820 a year
- SOLIDWORKS Design Professional with Cloud Services$3,456 a year
- SOLIDWORKS Design Premium with Cloud Services$4,716 a year
- SOLIDWORKS for Makers$48 a year
In their own words
LibrePCB
LibrePCB is free, open-source electronic design automation software for drawing schematics and designing printed circuit boards. It runs as a desktop application on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and works fully offline without an online account. The schematic editor supports multi-page designs, live electrical rule checking, and automatic forward annotation to the board editor. Board tools include design-rule checking, a live 3D viewer, and multi-layer layouts with blind and buried vias. EAGLE projects and DXF files can be imported, while output jobs include Gerber, Excellon, CSV BOM, STEP, PDF, and SVG. An integrated library manager handles official libraries; users may also use their own. Projects and libraries use human-readable canonical text files, and projects carry their needed library items and settings. Users can order boards through LibrePCB Fab or export production data. GPLv3 licensing covers the source.
SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS provides 3D software for creating, simulating, publishing, and managing product data. SOLIDWORKS Design supports parts, assemblies, drawings, sheet-metal, and framing workflows; the portfolio also includes simulation tools for evaluating performance, efficiency, and durability. The installed Design application can work offline. With Cloud Services, it connects to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform for collaboration and data management, including sharing and marking up designs and managing revisions. Browser-based xDesign tools provide modeling without a local installation. Standard with Cloud Services costs $2,820 a year for a single machine-locked device, excluding local taxes. Professional costs $3,456 a year and Premium costs $4,716 a year, each for a single user and excluding local taxes. A Makers plan costs $48 a year for personal, non-commercial use, and Design Standard is free for students. The listed platforms include macOS, web, and Windows, though client SOLIDWORKS products list Windows 10 and Windows 11 64-bit support; eDrawings for Mac lists supported macOS releases. Online purchases include support, and orders can be canceled and refunded within 15 days.