Top 5 Free PCB Design Tools for Students and Makers

Professional EDA (Electronic Design Automation) software can cost thousands of dollars per year — but you don't need to spend a rupee to design great PCBs. These five tools are completely free, actively maintained and genuinely capable of producing manufacture-ready Gerber files.

1. KiCad 8 — Best Overall

KiCad is the gold standard of open-source EDA. Version 8 (released 2024) brought a dramatically improved router, better 3D models and a vastly expanded component library. It runs offline on Windows, macOS and Linux — no account required, no export restrictions.

• Best for: any serious project; the tool professionals reach for when they leave paid software
• Library: 50 000+ symbols and footprints, community-maintained
• Learning curve: moderate — the interactive router is excellent once you know the shortcuts
• Gerber export: excellent; follows the PCB LAB guidelines out of the box

KiCad is the tool we recommend at PCB LAB. Every article in this blog uses KiCad screenshots for layout examples.

2. EasyEDA — Best for Beginners

EasyEDA is a browser-based tool — nothing to install, open it and start designing. Its tight integration with LCSC (the component supplier) means you can pick a real part from a searchable catalogue and the symbol, footprint and even 3D model are pulled in automatically.

• Best for: beginners and quick prototypes, especially when ordering via JLCPCB
• Library: millions of parts directly from LCSC stock
• Learning curve: very low — a usable design in under an hour
• Limitation: designs are stored in the cloud; offline use is limited

3. Fritzing — Best for Visual Learners

Fritzing lets you design on a virtual breadboard before moving to a PCB layout. It is beloved by Arduino beginners and educators because it mirrors physical prototyping. The PCB editor is limited compared to KiCad, but for simple single-layer shields and breakout boards it gets the job done.

• Best for: absolute beginners; Arduino / Raspberry Pi shields
• Learning curve: very low
• Limitation: limited auto-router; not suited for complex multi-layer designs

4. LibrePCB — Modern and Clean

LibrePCB is a newer open-source EDA tool built with a clean, modern interface and a strict separation between schematic symbols and footprint models. Its library management is particularly well thought-out. It is less mature than KiCad but growing quickly.

• Best for: users who find KiCad overwhelming but want a capable offline tool
• Learning curve: low to moderate
• Limitation: smaller community and fewer third-party libraries than KiCad

5. CircuitMaker — Altium-Powered, Free for Public Designs

CircuitMaker is built on the same engine as Altium Designer (the industry-leading commercial tool) and is free for community use. Designs are public by default, which is fine for open-source projects. If you ever need to migrate to professional Altium, the workflow is nearly identical.

• Best for: students who want Altium-like experience without the cost
• Learning curve: moderate (Altium conventions)
• Limitation: designs must be public; Windows only; requires account

Which Tool Should You Pick?

If you are just starting out: use EasyEDA for your first couple of designs to learn the concepts, then switch to KiCad as soon as you are ready. KiCad will serve you all the way from student projects to professional work, and every file format it produces is accepted by PCB LAB.