: If you are a student at an accredited educational institution, you can apply for a free six-month student license . These licenses are renewable as long as you remain a student.
| Tool | Cost | Learning Curve | Private Projects | Output Files | Professional Use Allowed? | |------|------|---------------|------------------|--------------|---------------------------| | | $3k–$9k/year | Steep | Yes | Full (Gerber, ODB++, IPC) | Yes | | CircuitMaker | Free | Steep | No | Limited (Gerbers via web) | No | | KiCad | Free | Moderate | Yes | Full | Yes (commercial) | | EasyEDA | Free | Easy | Yes (with limits) | Full | Yes | | Fusion 360/Eagle | Free (limited) | Moderate | Yes | Full (with free tier limits) | No (free tier) | altium designer free software
Includes cross-probing, object search, and distance measurements. : If you are a student at an