# Altium Develop vs OrCAD PCB Designer Comparison
---
## AI Generated Summary
- **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 enhanced by features like real-time collaboration and version control, which users find invaluable for team projects.
- **Users say** that OrCAD PCB Designer is particularly user-friendly, making it accessible for those new to PCB design. Reviewers appreciate its intuitive interface and the ease with which they can navigate options, which helps them complete tasks without needing extensive guidance.
- **According to verified reviews** , Altium Develop's extensive library and built-in modules significantly speed up project development. Users highlight that the platform helps them build projects faster and with less confusion, streamlining the entire process from planning to final documentation.
- **Reviewers mention** that while OrCAD PCB Designer offers solid features for schematic editing and PCB layout, it sometimes struggles to meet specific workflow needs, with some users noting configuration challenges that can hinder efficiency.
- **G2 reviewers highlight** that Altium Develop's collaborative features, such as the Altium 365 web portal, make it easy to share and manage designs. This capability is particularly beneficial for teams, as it ensures everyone is working with the most up-to-date versions of their projects.
- **Users express concern** about the limited recent feedback for OrCAD PCB Designer, which may indicate a lack of ongoing support or updates. In contrast, Altium Develop has received a significant number of recent reviews, suggesting a more active user community and continuous improvement of the software.



| | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.5 out of 5 | 4.1 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 1,038 | 15 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (59.0% of reviews) | Small-Business (46.2% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | Starting at $1,990.00 Per Year | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Altium Develop

Pros:
- Ease of Use (272 reviews)
- Features (218 reviews)

Cons:
- Learning Curve (93 reviews)
- Expensive (91 reviews)

### OrCAD PCB Designer

**Not enough data**

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 8.9 (853 reviews) | 7.6 (9 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 8.1 (871 reviews) | 8.0 (9 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.3 (409 reviews) | Not enough data | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 8.3 (138 reviews) | Not enough data | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.2 (762 reviews) | 7.1 (8 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.5 (132 reviews) | Not enough data | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 8.8 (829 reviews) | 6.1 (9 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Altium Develop

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: Altium Develop Pricing

Price: Starting at $1,990.00 Per Year

Description: Altium Develop offers subscription-based pricing starting at $1,990 per year per workspace, which includes one ECAD Design Author seat and a shared collaboration workspace for projects, libraries, and design data. Additional ECAD Design Author seats can be added for $995 per user per year, with support for up to four additional authors per workspace. The platform also includes unlimited free collaborator access for review, commenting, task management, and BOM visibility at no extra cost. This pricing model is designed to help teams scale design capacity through a per-seat subscription while enabling broad cross-functional collaboration without increasing overall costs.

Key Features:
- Unified Workspace & Collaboration: Cloud-based platform (Altium 365) for PCB design, schematics, MCAD models, and BOMs with real-time collaboration across teams
- Component & Library Management: Centralized component libraries with traceability, lifecycle management, and part request workflows
- Advanced PCB Design: Support for high-speed PCB design, HDI, rigid-flex, and 3D-MID using Altium Designer

[Learn more about Altium Develop](https://www.g2.com/products/altium-develop/reviews)

#### Free Trial

Yes

### OrCAD PCB Designer

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### General-Purpose CAD

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Altium Develop** | 8.4/10 | 85 |
| **OrCAD PCB Designer** | N/A | N/A |

#### Design

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Drawing** | 8.5 (77 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Modeling** | 8.3 (74 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Visualize ** | 8.6 (76 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Rendering** | 8.3 (72 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Edit

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **File Import ** | 8.1 (74 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Push/Pull** | 8.1 (67 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Views** | 8.9 (70 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Grips ** | 8.0 (65 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Collaboration

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Annotate** | 8.7 (68 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Documentation ** | 8.5 (70 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Data Extract** | 8.2 (65 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Product Data Management (PDM)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Altium Develop** | 8.5/10 | 50 |
| **OrCAD PCB Designer** | N/A | N/A |

#### Metadata

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Repository** | 8.5 (42 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Taxonomy** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **Types** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 

#### Data Management

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Version Control** | 8.5 (48 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Alignment** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **Workflows** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **Lifecycle** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 

#### Generative AI

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **AI Text Summarization** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **AI Image-to-Text** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 

### PCB Design

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Altium Develop** | 8.6/10 | 757 |
| **OrCAD PCB Designer** | 7.5/10 | 11 |

#### Design

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **PCB layout editing** | 9.1 (705 reviews) | 7.6 (9 reviews) | 
| **Schematic editor** | 9.2 (692 reviews) | 8.3 (9 reviews) | 

#### Tools

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **3D modeling tools** | 7.6 (639 reviews) | 5.2 (8 reviews) | 
| **Component placement** | 8.9 (672 reviews) | 7.0 (9 reviews) | 

#### Library

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Component libraries** | 8.3 (696 reviews) | 7.8 (9 reviews) | 

#### Platform

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Board size** | 9.1 (668 reviews) | 8.0 (9 reviews) | 
| **Layers** | 9.2 (675 reviews) | 8.3 (9 reviews) | 

#### Customization

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Custom commands** | Feature Not Available | 7.6 (7 reviews) | 
| **Custom interface** | 7.8 (593 reviews) | 8.1 (8 reviews) | 

### Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Altium Develop** | 8.2/10 | 27 |
| **OrCAD PCB Designer** | N/A | N/A |

#### Tools - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **3D/solid modeling Tools** | 8.5 (22 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Rendering Tools** | 8.3 (21 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Drawing Tools** | 8.9 (20 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Editing Tools** | 8.7 (21 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Text Editing Tools** | 8.0 (19 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### File Options - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Export Files** | 8.7 (22 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Import Files** | 8.3 (21 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **File Interoperability** | 8.2 (19 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Backwards compatibility** | 8.6 (19 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **File size** | 9.3 (18 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Customization - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Custom Commands** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Scripts** | 7.5 (17 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Menus** | 7.6 (18 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Interface** | 7.8 (18 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Environment - Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Hardware support** | 8.5 (19 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Task-based interfaces** | 8.3 (17 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Manage Multiple Profiles** | 8.3 (18 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Command Clarity** | 8.6 (19 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Requirements Management

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Altium Develop** | 7.6/10 | 36 |
| **OrCAD PCB Designer** | N/A | N/A |

#### Requirements Authoring and Structure - Requirements Management

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Structured Requirements Authoring** | 7.2 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Hierarchical Requirements Organization** | 7.5 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Compliance and Governance - Requirement Management

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Regulated Industry Standards Support** | 7.2 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Administration

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Requirements Listing** | 8.9 (32 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Centralized Information** | 8.5 (31 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Traceability** | 8.2 (31 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Collaboration and Review - Requirements Management

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Review and Approval Workflows** | 7.5 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Role-Based Access Control** | 8.1 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Communication

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Stakeholder Communication** | 6.7 (31 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Internal Communication Enablement** | 7.3 (30 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Role-Based Access Co - Requirements Management

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Baselining** | 8.1 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Procedural

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Automated Creation & Testing** | 5.9 (25 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Traceability - Requirements Management

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Bidirectional Traceability** | 7.2 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Impact Analysis** | 7.2 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Traceability Matrix Generation** | 7.2 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### AI Traceability - Requirements Management

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Suspect Link Detection** | 7.5 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Integration - Requirements Management

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **ALM and Project Management Tool Integration** | 7.2 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Change Management and Version Control - Requirements Management

| Feature | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Complete Audit Trail** | 8.1 (6 reviews) | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories
**Shared Categories (1):** [PCB Design Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/pcb-design)

**Unique to Altium Develop (4):** [General-Purpose CAD Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/general-purpose-cad), [Product Data Management (PDM) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/product-data-management-pdm), [Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/mechanical-computer-aided-design-mcad), [Requirements Management Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/requirements-management)



---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Altium Develop | OrCAD PCB Designer | 
|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 59.0% | 46.2% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 28.9% | 30.8% | 
| **Enterprise** | 12.1% | 23.1% | 

### By Industry

#### Altium Develop

- **Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing:** 21.8%
- **Automotive:** 10.8%
- **Consumer Electronics:** 10.0%
- **Medical Devices:** 6.6%
- **Aviation & Aerospace:** 6.2%
- **Industrial Automation:** 4.0%
- **Research:** 3.3%
- **Computer Hardware:** 3.1%
- **Higher Education:** 3.1%
- **Design:** 2.5%
- **Other:** 28.8%

#### OrCAD PCB Designer

- **Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing:** 30.8%
- **Manufacturing:** 7.7%
- **Semiconductors:** 7.7%
- **Research:** 7.7%
- **Mechanical or Industrial Engineering:** 7.7%
- **Industrial Automation:** 7.7%
- **Education Management:** 7.7%
- **Design:** 7.7%
- **Defense & Space:** 7.7%
- **Consumer Electronics:** 7.7%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Altium Develop

- [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (520 reviews)
- [AutoCAD](https://www.g2.com/products/autocad/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (1936 reviews)
- [Onshape](https://www.g2.com/products/onshape/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (711 reviews)
- [SOLIDWORKS](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (643 reviews)
- [Designcenter Solid Edge](https://www.g2.com/products/designcenter-solid-edge/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (613 reviews)
- [Designcenter](https://www.g2.com/products/designcenter/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (628 reviews)
- [Inventor](https://www.g2.com/products/inventor/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (440 reviews)
- [SketchUp](https://www.g2.com/products/sketchup/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1327 reviews)
- [ZWCAD](https://www.g2.com/products/zwcad/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (351 reviews)
- [Teamcenter](https://www.g2.com/products/teamcenter/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (1309 reviews)

### Alternatives to OrCAD PCB Designer

- [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (520 reviews)
- [SOLIDWORKS](https://www.g2.com/products/solidworks/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (643 reviews)
- [Onshape](https://www.g2.com/products/onshape/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (711 reviews)
- [KiCad EDA](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (69 reviews)
- [EasyEDA](https://www.g2.com/products/easyeda/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (20 reviews)
- [Allegro X PCB Designer](https://www.g2.com/products/allegro-x-pcb-designer/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (30 reviews)
- [Autodesk EAGLE](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-eagle/reviews) — 4.0/5 stars (77 reviews)
- [PADS Professional](https://www.g2.com/products/pads-professional/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (65 reviews)
- [Altium CircuitMaker](https://www.g2.com/products/altium-circuitmaker/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (110 reviews)
- [DipTrace](https://www.g2.com/products/diptrace/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (45 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Altium Develop

- Title: [Who uses Altium?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/who-uses-altium) — 3 comments *(includes official response)*
  > **Top comment:** "Altium Designer is used mainly by those who create and work with printed circuit boards or PCBs. All electrical products, computers, toasters, remotes, and..."
- Title: [Is Altium Designer free?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-altium-designer-free) — 3 comments
  > **Top comment:** "No, Altium Designer is not free but there is a free viewer that can be downloaded. "
- Title: [What is Altium Designer used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-altium-designer-used-for) — 3 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Altium Desinger is a complete PCB (Printed Circuit Board) design software package, which includes Schematic Capture, PCB Layout, Libraries, Manufacturing..."
- Title: [Is there a way to modelize in 3D the Pcb designs?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/36429-is-there-a-way-to-modelize-in-3d-the-pcb-designs) — 3 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "No or Yes, you can only place 3D bodies for components in PCB and get 3D view of your design. I think by placing components are your will. yes you can..."
- Title: [What is Altium 365 used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-altium-365-used-for) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Create circuit design & PCB Design"

### OrCAD PCB Designer

No discussions available for this product.

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/altium-develop-vs-orcad-pcb-designer)