Compare Altium CircuitMaker and Altium Develop 
Featured Products
At a Glance
Market Segments
Small-Business (68.2% of reviews)
Small-Business (58.3% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
Free
Starting at $995.00 Per Year
Altium CircuitMaker
Star Rating
(110)4.3 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (68.2% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
Free
Free Trial is available
Learn more about Altium CircuitMakerAltium Develop
Star Rating
(987)4.5 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (58.3% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
Starting at $995.00 Per Year
Free Trial is available
Learn more about Altium DevelopSummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- G2 reviewers report that Altium Develop excels in providing a unified design environment, allowing users to seamlessly transition from schematic capture to PCB layout. This integration is particularly praised for its real-time collaboration and version control features, which enhance team efficiency during the design process.
- Users say that Altium CircuitMaker stands out for its intuitive interface and ease of setup, making it a great choice for beginners or those in educational settings. Reviewers appreciate how straightforward the software is, with one user noting it helped them discover their passion for hardware and embedded systems.
- According to verified reviews, Altium Develop has a higher overall satisfaction score, reflecting its robust capabilities and support. Users highlight the extensive built-in libraries and modules that streamline project development, allowing for faster and more organized workflows.
- Reviewers mention that while Altium CircuitMaker is free and accessible, it may not meet the advanced needs of professional users as effectively as Altium Develop. Users have noted that CircuitMaker is ideal for small businesses and hobbyists, but larger teams may benefit more from the comprehensive features of Altium Develop.
- G2 reviewers highlight the quality of support for Altium Develop, with many users appreciating the responsive assistance they receive. In contrast, CircuitMaker users have reported mixed experiences with support, indicating that while the software is user-friendly, additional help may be needed for more complex issues.
- Users say that Altium CircuitMaker's powerful layout design tools are a significant advantage, especially for those just starting out. However, Altium Develop's advanced PCB layout editing and schematic capabilities are often cited as superior, with users noting the enhanced precision and control it offers for professional-grade projects.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Altium CircuitMaker
CircuitMaker
Free
CircuitMaker is the best free-to-use schematic and PCB design tool for the Open Source Hardware community.
- Unlimited Access and Free to Use
- Comprehensive Component Library
- Sharing and Collaboration Made Easy with Altium 365
Altium Develop
Altium Develop Pricing
Starting at $995.00
Per Year
The annual Workspace subscription activates the shared Altium Develop workspace and provides access for both Authors and Collaborators, making it the essential starting point for using the platform. The subscription is priced at $995 per year. Altium Designer Authors are supported with up to five concurrent Author seats, which correspond to the number of paid licenses; each seat covers one Author at a time and can be shared across the team. Author seats are priced at $995 per Author per year. Collaborators, who cannot edit within Altium Designer but can fully participate in requirements, reviews, BOMs, comments, and task management, are included at no additional cost.
- Unified Workspace & Collaboration: A secure, cloud-based platform (Altium 365) that hosts all design data, including schematics, PCB layouts, MCAD models, and BOMs, allowing for real-time co-creation between electrical, mechanical, and software teams.
- Component & Library Management: Transformation of file-based libraries into managed, traceable components, supporting, audit checks, and, part request workflows.
- Advanced PCB Design Tools: Access to Altium Designer for high-density interconnect (HDI) design, rigid-flex design, and 3D-MID (Three-Dimensional Molded Interconnect Devices).
Free Trial
Altium CircuitMaker
Free Trial is available
Altium Develop
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
8.5
93
8.9
812
Ease of Use
8.2
95
8.1
830
Ease of Setup
8.9
34
8.3
367
Ease of Admin
8.1
8
8.3
137
Quality of Support
7.7
74
8.3
730
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
8.1
7
8.5
131
Product Direction (% positive)
7.8
97
8.9
794
Features by Category
Design
Not enough data
8.5
75
Not enough data
8.3
72
Not enough data
8.6
73
Not enough data
8.2
71
Edit
Not enough data
8.0
71
Not enough data
8.1
65
Not enough data
8.8
69
Not enough data
8.0
63
Collaboration
Not enough data
8.7
67
Not enough data
8.5
68
Not enough data
8.2
64
Metadata
Not enough data
8.3
38
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Data Management
Not enough data
8.5
42
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Generative AI
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Design
8.8
84
9.1
680
8.8
83
9.2
675
Tools
7.5
68
7.6
630
8.6
84
8.9
662
Library
7.6
82
8.3
675
Platform
8.5
80
9.1
663
8.5
80
9.2
665
Customization
Feature Not Available
Feature Not Available
Feature Not Available
7.8
580
Tools - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)
Not enough data
8.2
19
Not enough data
8.0
18
Not enough data
8.6
16
Not enough data
8.3
17
Not enough data
7.7
17
File Options - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)
Not enough data
8.3
17
Not enough data
8.2
17
Not enough data
8.0
17
Not enough data
8.5
17
Not enough data
9.2
16
Customization - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
7.2
15
Not enough data
7.4
16
Not enough data
7.6
16
Environment - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)
Not enough data
8.2
16
Not enough data
8.2
15
Not enough data
8.2
16
Not enough data
8.8
16
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Altium CircuitMaker and Altium Develop are categorized as PCB Design
Unique Categories
Altium CircuitMaker has no unique categories
Altium Develop is categorized as General-Purpose CAD, Product Data Management (PDM), and Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Altium CircuitMaker
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Altium Develop
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing
27.3%
Consumer Electronics
14.5%
Higher Education
5.5%
Aviation & Aerospace
4.5%
Computer Hardware
4.5%
Other
43.6%
Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing
22.1%
Automotive
10.8%
Consumer Electronics
10.2%
Aviation & Aerospace
6.4%
Medical Devices
6.3%
Other
44.1%
Discussions
What does Altium software do?
1 Comment
AJ
Hi there, Altium makes software for PCB designers and engineers to create printed circuit boards (PCBs). Altium's flagship product is Altium Designer,...Read more
What does Altium software do?
1 Comment
Official Response from Altium 365
Comment deleted by user.Read more
Is Altium CircuitMaker good?
1 Comment
PJ
It's the best solution out there for small hobbyist or designers. I've seen other and they do not come close to Altium CMRead more
Who uses Altium?
3 Comments
Official Response from Altium Develop
Altium Designer is used mainly by those who create and work with printed circuit boards or PCBs. All electrical products, computers, toasters, remotes, and...Read more
Is Altium Designer free?
3 Comments
RO
No, Altium Designer is not free but there is a free viewer that can be downloaded. Read more
What is Altium Designer used for?
3 Comments
DR
Altium Desinger is a complete PCB (Printed Circuit Board) design software package, which includes Schematic Capture, PCB Layout, Libraries, Manufacturing...Read more
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