Free PCB software

Using Arduino General Electronics
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Mods - feel free to move this elsewhere, I couldn't see a more appropriate category.

I've used Eagle v 5.x for years, never saw a strong reason to move forward for what I was doing. though creating components got tedious at times. I'm looking to generate another suite of boards this fall, and it's time I moved on. So I looked at the current Eagle 'freeware' from Autodesk, who absorbed Eagle, and I'm unhappy with the limitations. 2 layers, 80x100 mm, etc. - both a tad less than I'd like, as I want to make more complex boards, and also likely bigger. I'm also wary of their 2025-2026 sunset, where we'll have to become part of the 'borg' - smells like a trap to me.

So, I'm looking at KiCAD, but also open to other suggestions. Does anyone have suggestions for a freeware circuit design/PCB layout package they're happy with, that does more than two layers, has a modern library suite(i.e. something with devices produced in the last decade), and generally doesn't feel like something 'off the ark'?
TIA, everyone.

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I use KiCad and I like it.
EasyEDA is a little simpler and may be comparable to the old Eagle version

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There is Altium Circuit Studio and Circuit Maker but my opinion is you're better off with KiCad.

Circuit Studio is no longer supported and the component vault has become corrupted.

Circuit Maker is web/cloud based. It can be slow and you can't save anything in your local HD. Everything has to be saved on their cloud.

I'm an old Eagle user so I use Eagle for small, simple boards and KiCad for larger boards.

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Definitely KiCad. It's not a pro grade software, but a great alternative even for Allegro for me.

1 Like
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Thanks so far, everyone.
Additional question - is importing existing Eagle work an option with KiCAD? Any caveats/limitations? I'm expecting "no", but if "yes", I can move my existing work, which is a minor consideration. Frankly, if I were to want more of those units already produced, I'd likely do a round of improvements for each, but starting from scratch for each of 10-12 would be...unfortunate. Even if schematics were importable, it would be a step forward.

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I settled on DesignSpark. I tried KiCad and I got frustrated trying to make a custom part by modifying an existing part... When I thought I was done, there were more steps, and I decided to try something else...

It wasn't "easy" in DesignSpark but I got it done.

I don't know about importing/converting Eagle files.

The free version has some limitations but nothing that limits what I'm doing. There are no "artificial limits" on board size or number of layers, etc. The paid versions just have more "features". The paid versions are subscriptions... I'd rather own software if I have to pay for it.

...I'm NOT trying to "push" DesignSpark and I have VERY limited experience with the alternatives. But I've successfully made a couple of boards (fabricated by Seeed Studio/Fusion).

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I have used the Eagle import on KiCad and it did a reasonable job. There was some cleanup to be done afterwards but I don't recall it being onerous.

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I understand your frustration there, but once you've done it once, created the library for your custom footprints and for you custom symbols the issue dissolves (oh yeah you need to activate it)
More disturbing i found that with a newer version some of the editing functions changed, and you keep having the issue that some part of the suite is written by different people as the other, so the use of shortcut keys is not consistent, still for an Open-Source project it is really not bad and in my top 10 of open source software (Nr1 is still 'stockfish')

I saw an import function in the schematic editor, but i doubt that all associated footprints would be correctly included, and for sure they would all need checking regardless. I don't think i would even try to import an existing PCB file unless i intend to leave it almost un-altered. (except silk or something) But who knows, maybe i am being suspicious.

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