--- title: KiCad EDA Reviews meta\_title: 'KiCad EDA Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta\_description: Filter 69 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how KiCad EDA works for a business like yours. aggregate\_rating: rating\_value: 4.5 review\_count: 69 scale: '5' date\_modified: '2026-08-07' parent\_category: name: CAD url: https://www.g2.com/categories/cad --- ### KiCad EDA Pros and Cons: Top 5 Advantages and Disadvantages #### Quick AI Summary Based on G2 Reviews Generated from real user reviews Users find KiCad EDA to be **very easy to use** , making it great for launching prototypes and small pilot runs. [(2 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1881918&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users value the **extensive library management** in KiCad EDA, facilitating quick prototyping and efficient updates. [(2 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1881696&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users value the **cross-platform compatibility** of KiCad EDA, allowing seamless use across different operating systems. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1881627&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users value the **fast updates and extensive library support** provided by KiCad EDA for their projects. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1881884&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users find KiCad EDA to be a **very easy tool to learn** , making it ideal for beginners in prototyping. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2485690&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users face **cloud issues** with KiCad EDA, noting limitations for larger projects and lack of cloud synchronization. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2485116&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users struggle with **inefficient autorouting** methods in KiCad EDA, encountering numerous small bugs that hinder usability. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1881723&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users face challenges with **library management** when sharing designs among different stakeholders, leading to potential confusion and errors. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2056838&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users express concerns about **limited customization** for larger projects, impacting overall usability and flexibility. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2485131&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users find the **limited features** of KiCad EDA restrict their design capabilities compared to higher-end software. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1986832&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) ### 5 Pros or Advantages of KiCad EDA ##### 1. Ease of Use Users find KiCad EDA to be **very easy to use** , making it great for launching prototypes and small pilot runs. [ See 2 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1881918&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Pere M.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Pere M.") PM Pere M. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 4.5/5 "Easy to use for prototyping" What do you like about KiCad EDA? VEry easy to launch a prototype or a small pilot run BN Bhanu Prakash N. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 4.5/5 "Design for Free" What do you like about KiCad EDA? easy to use,Free of cost ,Basic understanding,Cross-Platform Support, File Format Transparency, Powerful Design Tools. ##### 2. Library Management Users value the **extensive library management** in KiCad EDA, facilitating quick prototyping and efficient updates. [ See 2 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1881696&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Pere M.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Pere M.") PM Pere M. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 4.5/5 "Easy to use for prototyping" What do you like about KiCad EDA? VEry easy to launch a prototype or a small pilot run ![Manish M.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Manish M.") MM Manish M. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 5.0/5 "Best Open Souce EDA" What do you like about KiCad EDA? Fast Updates and vast number of libraries and support ##### 3. Cross-Platform Compatibility Users value the **cross-platform compatibility** of KiCad EDA, allowing seamless use across different operating systems. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1881627&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews BN Bhanu Prakash N. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 4.5/5 "Design for Free" What do you like about KiCad EDA? easy to use,Free of cost ,Basic understanding,Cross-Platform Support, File Format Transparency, Powerful Design Tools. ##### 4. Customer Support Users value the **fast updates and extensive library support** provided by KiCad EDA for their projects. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1881884&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Manish M.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Manish M.") MM Manish M. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 5.0/5 "Best Open Souce EDA" What do you like about KiCad EDA? Fast Updates and vast number of libraries and support ##### 5. Ease of Learning Users find KiCad EDA to be a **very easy tool to learn** , making it ideal for beginners in prototyping. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2485690&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Abhishek K.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Abhishek K.") AK Abhishek K. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 5.0/5 "A Great Tool for Beginners—Easy to Learn and Prototype Anything" What do you like about KiCad EDA? For beginners this is a god tool. You can design any type prototype, And also very easy to learn ### 5 Cons or Disadvantages of KiCad EDA ##### 1. Cloud Issues Users face **cloud issues** with KiCad EDA, noting limitations for larger projects and lack of cloud synchronization. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2485116&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Abhishek K.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Abhishek K.") AK Abhishek K. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 5.0/5 "A Great Tool for Beginners—Easy to Learn and Prototype Anything" What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? Not for bigger project also no cloud sync. ##### 2. Inefficient Autorouting Users struggle with **inefficient autorouting** methods in KiCad EDA, encountering numerous small bugs that hinder usability. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1881723&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Manish M.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Manish M.") MM Manish M. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 5.0/5 "Best Open Souce EDA" What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? No Auto Routing methods. Many small bugs. ##### 3. Library Management Users face challenges with **library management** when sharing designs among different stakeholders, leading to potential confusion and errors. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2056838&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Pere M.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Pere M.") PM Pere M. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 4.5/5 "Easy to use for prototyping" What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? Library management when a design is shared among differnt stakeholders ##### 4. Limited Customization Users express concerns about **limited customization** for larger projects, impacting overall usability and flexibility. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2485131&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Abhishek K.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Abhishek K.") AK Abhishek K. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 5.0/5 "A Great Tool for Beginners—Easy to Learn and Prototype Anything" What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? Not for bigger project also no cloud sync. ##### 5. Limited Features Users find the **limited features** of KiCad EDA restrict their design capabilities compared to higher-end software. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1986832&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews BN Bhanu Prakash N. Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 4.5/5 "Design for Free" What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? Lacks Advanced Features of High-End Tools,Less Integrated Manufacturing Support,Limited Commercial Support. ## Top-Rated Alternatives [ ![Altium Develop](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/9ece538c466a3522832215687c2d4b84/altium-develop.svg "Altium Develop") Altium Develop 4.5/5(1,050) ](https://www.g2.com/products/altium-develop/reviews) [ ![Autodesk Fusion](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/28ab5b3990e257fc5851e9730734a9cc/autodesk-fusion.svg "Autodesk Fusion") Autodesk Fusion 4.5/5(520) ](https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-fusion/reviews) [ ![Altium CircuitMaker](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/d171cd21beec7d9bf74fdf46f6b30627/altium-circuitmaker.svg "Altium CircuitMaker") Altium CircuitMaker 4.3/5(110) ](https://www.g2.com/products/altium-circuitmaker/reviews) [ View All Alternatives ](https://www.g2.com/products/kicad-eda/competitors/alternatives) ![Benjamin S.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Benjamin S.") BS Benjamin S. Electrical Engineer Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 1/18/2021 "Hobby and small professional applications both apply" 4.5/5 What do you like best about KiCad EDA? I really like how flexible it is to create symbols in KiCAD, and how easy it is to link existing footprint libraries to it. Creating various ICs and Op-Amps is easy and doesn't take that long. I also like how it's very low level. It doesn't need to look too great to be useful (whereas Altium spends a decent amount of efforts on its looks). The fact that this is a free piece of software is crazy to me still, considering you can make a 4 layer PCB for industry settings with it and the documentation would all be useable. I really recommend using this for quick projects, especially in the maker space. I see a lot of protoboards that could easily be made with a piece of software like this. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? I've had issues with the footprint editor in the past, so I try to avoid it when possible. Filling out groundplanes can definitely be frustrating, and it's also sort of annoying to modify the via/trace sizes to really custom settings (not that it's a good practice to be doing so). Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering KiCad EDA: I'd recommend watching a few DIY videos to start out to get a basic idea, and go through a demo project to start. After that, start with basic transistor circuits and consider using a modeling piece of software (something else free like LTSpice). Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is KiCad EDA solving and how is that benefiting you? I have used KiCAD to do some basic Relay/button application work in the industry. I've also used it to create some basic laser drivers and DC to DC conversion. I also like using it for personal projects that benefit from having a PCB (purchasing the PCB and designing sometimes saves me a lot of time). Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Joshua B.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Joshua B.") JB Joshua B. Graduate Electronic Design and Development Engineer Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 1/17/2021 "Very Easy to use, easy to get to grips with even with no prior PCB/schematic development experience" 4.5/5 What do you like best about KiCad EDA? The generic library that comes with KICAD, a great starting point for simple projects. Gerber Exporting is really nice and simple, sometimes simple is best and this is definitely a case of that. Kicad was the first PCB and Schematic capture that I used and I'm still using it and recommending it to those who have never before mocked up PCBs. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? Treating symbols and footprints separate rather than creating parts, leads to spending time generating netlists and assigning parts. In fairness creating parts does have it's downfalls as again you have to spend time to do that but it depends on the PCB software as well as personal taste. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is KiCad EDA solving and how is that benefiting you? Mainly used it for personal use as well as mocking up prototypes quickly. Saves time being able to quickly turn around aboard and start testing rather than trying to breakout SMD components via a breadboard. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite IA Ioannis A. Electronic Design Engineer Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 1/14/2021 "Three words: easy, free, efficient." 5/5 What do you like best about KiCad EDA? KiCad is excellent for beginners as well as professionals, because it is very easy to use, cross platform, and free for everyone. Unlike trial software or freeware, it provides all the main tools and functionality you would expect, even for advance projects. One of the features I like best is that it can instantly animate your PCB in 3D, and you can easily import libraries or create your own. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? KiCad is great, but still has some room for improvements. Currently it does not have autorouting built-in, so you need third-party software for this. A few other features could be improved, but otherwise works perfectly for me. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is KiCad EDA solving and how is that benefiting you? I use KiCad both for work and for personal use, due to its versatility, efficiency and ease of use. Initially I chose this software for work because after trying different other applications KiCad was the easiest to use. Starting as a beginner it helped me learn fast which in turn accelerated my performance. Also I work in a small company, so it was necessary to find something affordable. In addition I am a strong supporter of Free and Open Source software, and at home I only use Linux, so KiCad's cross platform compatibility was ideal. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More 1/22/2021 Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Verified User in Consumer Electronics](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Consumer Electronics") UC Verified User in Consumer Electronics Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 1/11/2021 "Good software. Could use more tips for beginners of electronic design." 3.5/5 What do you like best about KiCad EDA? The schematic designer is easy to use and has plenty of features. I really appreciate that there is a schematic hierarchy, which gives me the chance to organise my schematic in a way I want. Adding in, or creating new components is generally easy as well. 3D viewer was very useful - I did not see that in other free PCB designer software that I tried using the in past. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? The PCB designer seems a bit complicated at first and takes bit of time to get used to. Would be very nice to have a verified tutorial to show something being designed with plenty of examples. It takes some time to get used to the way KiCad works - things like shortcut keys could be very helpful. Please add a dark mode - I had to change the colours myself, but would be great of the software had it by default. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering KiCad EDA: If you are looking to start designing PCBs on a budget, then KiCAD is the best to use. I have found it easier than other free softwares. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is KiCad EDA solving and how is that benefiting you? Most of the work I did with KiCAD was for my own personal projects and self-knowledge. I am considering using KiCad for developing my own product as well. I tried several free PCB CAD software, but found KiCad to be the easiest to use of the lot. It's a lot simpler, even though it does take a while to get used to. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Vipin v.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Vipin v.") VV Vipin v. Embedded Engineer Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 1/18/2021 Business partner of the seller or seller's competitor, not included in G2 scores. "Best Easiest designing tool ever" 4.5/5 What do you like best about KiCad EDA? I like the features and tools which are very handy and easily usable, best thing I like most is 3D view which gives me a real experience. lot's of my kicad designed PCB are available in USA, UK, India and many more countries Now I received my professional PCB Designer tag. Thankyou Whole KiCAD Family Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? There should be Footprint size adjustable facility for logos and images. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering KiCad EDA: add multiple features like footprint size adjustable Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is KiCad EDA solving and how is that benefiting you? I have designed professional PCB for my company. I have launched many products in market. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More 1/20/2021 Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Saddam G.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Saddam G.") SG Saddam G. Electrical Engineer Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 1/14/2021 "I am an electronics engineer and I use kicad for PCB layout designing. It is very easy to use." 5/5 What do you like best about KiCad EDA? Kicad components library is very good and advanced. Most of the components are available. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? Some of the options are keyboard control i. e. to open properties of a components. It should be mouse control. Some time during schematic designing component pins don't connect with trace. I have reinstalled it 2,3 times but same issue. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is KiCad EDA solving and how is that benefiting you? I design circuits schematic and PCB layout. The benefit of kicad is that it has most of the components in its libarary. I don't need to design symbols and footprints. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Verified User in Research](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Research") UR Verified User in Research Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 1/29/2021 "Easy to learn and use for beginners" 4.5/5 What do you like best about KiCad EDA? The GUI is really simple and it helps the beginners to learn easily. i myself started off with KiCAD without any knowledge of PCB design but i could finish my design within 2 weeks. So kudos for the GUI team. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? Importing some more format files would help. Changine coordinate origin and designing could be improved. It is quite difficult. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering KiCad EDA: Best for beginners and faster and easier to navigate and learn by yourself Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is KiCad EDA solving and how is that benefiting you? I design all the boards using KiCAD. The option of 3D viewer is really nice. In our organisation we switched to KICAd just for this feature. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Pratik P.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Pratik P.") PP Pratik P. Founding Director Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 1/15/2021 "Best in open source" 4.5/5 What do you like best about KiCad EDA? Wide variety of component selection. Its very helpful. 3d viewer is most amazing. It allows to reduce Developement time. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? Libraries needs update, user interface could use an overhaul. Auto routing algorithms should be updated. Transition from circuit to pcb could made easier. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering KiCad EDA: Go for it without thinking, little bit of training is needed but in long run its wonderful. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is KiCad EDA solving and how is that benefiting you? Being open source it allows to reduce development costs. So that vendors could experiment with their desings all they want Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Sámuel K.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Sámuel K.") SK Sámuel K. Embedded Software Engineer Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 1/14/2021 "I have been working with KICAD for 2 years." 5/5 What do you like best about KiCad EDA? I love hot keys and simple user interface Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? Sometimes gets SLOW when generating PCB. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering KiCad EDA: Much better EDA than other free products. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is KiCad EDA solving and how is that benefiting you? I am using it for my hobby projects. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Verified User in Design](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Design") UD Verified User in Design Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 1/20/2021 "I been using KiCad almost daily in the last two years. Its a great and easy tool." 5/5 What do you like best about KiCad EDA? I like KiCad because it's free and there a ton of tutorials on the internet that can help you start your journey in a couple of hours. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about KiCad EDA? I would like it to be more industry-oriented other than it is targeted toward less experienced personals. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is KiCad EDA solving and how is that benefiting you? In all businesses, time is money and KiCad EDA saves a lot of time, at least for me. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. 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