# Altium Develop vs SolidWorks PCB 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 highlighted by users who appreciate the real-time collaboration and version control features, making teamwork more efficient.
- **Users say** that SolidWorks PCB offers a versatile experience, particularly for those already familiar with SolidWorks. Reviewers mention its capability for real-time simulations and the ease of modifying designs, which is beneficial for complex projects, especially in industries like oil and gas.
- **According to verified reviews** , Altium Develop has a significantly higher overall satisfaction rating, indicating that users feel more positively about their experience. This is reflected in the robust number of recent reviews, showcasing consistent user engagement and feedback.
- **Reviewers mention** that SolidWorks PCB is particularly advantageous for small businesses, with a high percentage of its user base coming from this segment. Users appreciate its ability to handle intricate designs without overwhelming complexity, making it a good fit for smaller teams.
- **G2 reviewers highlight** that while SolidWorks PCB has a strong support quality score, Altium Develop's support features are also well-regarded, though slightly less so. Users of Altium appreciate the collaborative tools, such as the Altium 365 web portal, which enhances project sharing and keeps designs up to date.
- **Users report** that Altium Develop's extensive built-in libraries and modules significantly speed up project development, allowing teams to build projects faster and with less confusion. This is a notable advantage for users looking to streamline their workflow and reduce delays in project completion.



| | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.5 out of 5 | 3.8 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 1,001 | 14 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (58.2% of reviews) | Small-Business (92.9% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | Starting at $1,990.00 Per Year | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Altium Develop

Pros:
- Ease of Use (269 reviews)
- Features (217 reviews)

Cons:
- Learning Curve (93 reviews)
- Expensive (88 reviews)

### SolidWorks PCB

**Not enough data**

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 8.9 (820 reviews) | 8.9 (9 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 8.1 (838 reviews) | 8.7 (9 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.3 (376 reviews) | Not enough data | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 8.3 (137 reviews) | Not enough data | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.3 (734 reviews) | 9.3 (9 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.5 (131 reviews) | Not enough data | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 8.9 (801 reviews) | 7.1 (8 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

### SolidWorks PCB

#### 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 | 82 |
| **SolidWorks PCB** | N/A | N/A |

#### Design

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Drawing** | 8.5 (75 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Modeling** | 8.3 (72 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Visualize ** | 8.6 (73 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Rendering** | 8.2 (71 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Edit

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **File Import ** | 8.0 (71 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Push/Pull** | 8.1 (65 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Views** | 8.8 (69 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Grips ** | 8.0 (63 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Collaboration

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Annotate** | 8.7 (67 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Documentation ** | 8.5 (68 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Data Extract** | 8.2 (64 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Product Data Management (PDM)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Altium Develop** | 8.5/10 | 43 |
| **SolidWorks PCB** | N/A | N/A |

#### Metadata

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Repository** | 8.4 (39 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Taxonomy** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **Types** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 

#### Data Management

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Version Control** | 8.5 (42 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 | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **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** | 8.7/10 | 728 |
| **SolidWorks PCB** | N/A | N/A |

#### Design

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **PCB layout editing** | 9.1 (686 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Schematic editor** | 9.2 (679 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Tools

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **3D modeling tools** | 7.6 (632 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Component placement** | 8.9 (664 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Library

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Component libraries** | 8.3 (679 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Platform

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Board size** | 9.1 (663 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Layers** | 9.2 (666 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Customization

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Custom commands** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **Custom interface** | 7.8 (584 reviews) | Not enough data | 

### Mechanical Computer-aided Design (MCAD)

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Altium Develop** | 8.0/10 | 23 |
| **SolidWorks PCB** | N/A | N/A |

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

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **3D/solid modeling Tools** | 8.3 (20 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Rendering Tools** | 8.1 (19 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Drawing Tools** | 8.7 (17 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Editing Tools** | 8.4 (18 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Text Editing Tools** | 7.7 (17 reviews) | Not enough data | 

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

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Export Files** | 8.4 (18 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Import Files** | 8.2 (17 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **File Interoperability** | 8.0 (17 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Backwards compatibility** | 8.5 (17 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **File size** | 9.2 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 

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

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Custom Commands** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Scripts** | 7.2 (15 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Menus** | 7.4 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Custom Interface** | 7.6 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 

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

| Feature | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Hardware support** | 8.3 (17 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Task-based interfaces** | 8.2 (15 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Manage Multiple Profiles** | 8.2 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Command Clarity** | 8.8 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 

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

**Unique to Altium Develop (3):** [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)



---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Altium Develop | SolidWorks PCB | 
|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 58.2% | 92.9% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 29.6% | 7.1% | 
| **Enterprise** | 12.2% | 0% | 

### By Industry

#### Altium Develop

- **Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing:** 22.1%
- **Automotive:** 10.9%
- **Consumer Electronics:** 10.2%
- **Medical Devices:** 6.3%
- **Aviation & Aerospace:** 6.3%
- **Industrial Automation:** 4.1%
- **Research:** 3.4%
- **Higher Education:** 3.2%
- **Computer Hardware:** 3.0%
- **Design:** 2.5%
- **Other:** 28.0%

#### SolidWorks PCB

- **Mechanical or Industrial Engineering:** 14.3%
- **Packaging and Containers:** 7.1%
- **Oil & Energy:** 7.1%
- **Higher Education:** 7.1%
- **Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing:** 7.1%
- **Design:** 7.1%
- **Consumer Electronics:** 7.1%
- **Computer Software:** 7.1%
- **Aviation & Aerospace:** 7.1%
- **Automotive:** 7.1%
- **Other:** 21.4%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Altium Develop

- [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (519 reviews)
- [AutoCAD](https://www.g2.com/products/autocad/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (1934 reviews)
- [Onshape](https://www.g2.com/products/onshape/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (695 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 (605 reviews)
- [Designcenter NX](https://www.g2.com/products/designcenter-nx/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (576 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 (1324 reviews)
- [Autodesk EAGLE](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-eagle/reviews) — 4.0/5 stars (77 reviews)
- [KiCad EDA](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (68 reviews)

### Alternatives to SolidWorks PCB

- [Autodesk EAGLE](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-eagle/reviews) — 4.0/5 stars (77 reviews)
- [KiCad EDA](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (68 reviews)
- [OrCAD Capture](https://www.g2.com/products/orcad-capture/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (34 reviews)
- [Autodesk Fusion](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (519 reviews)
- [DipTrace](https://www.g2.com/products/diptrace/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (45 reviews)
- [Onshape](https://www.g2.com/products/onshape/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (695 reviews)
- [Altium CircuitMaker](https://www.g2.com/products/altium-circuitmaker/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (110 reviews)
- [EasyEDA](https://www.g2.com/products/easyeda/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (20 reviews)
- [NI Multisim](https://www.g2.com/products/ni-multisim/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (42 reviews)
- [ExpressPCB Plus](https://www.g2.com/products/expresspcb-plus/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (29 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"

### SolidWorks PCB

No discussions available for this product.

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