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Provides advanced product design, collaboration, and PCB design tools required by large teams or professionals designing complex devices, yet easy to use for new designers.
OrCAD is a legacy program that has proven itself for a broad range of designs, making it a preferred tool for experienced designers and older companies. Learn More
A modern PCB design software ideal for mid-sized startups and companies. It's favored by experienced engineers familiar with the Cadence suite.
Schematic sheet limits
Unlimited
999
Unlimited
Hierarchical schematic capture with integrated analog mixed-signal simulation
Built-in SPICE simulator with model library and migration support for LTSpice/PSpice
Board size limits
100 in. by 100 in.
40 in. by 30 in.
21.0 in. by 21.0 in.
Signal and plane layer limits
32 signal + 16 plane + unlimited mechanical
200 layers total, license level limits the size of your board workspace and layer count
Unlimited
Rules-driven design for modern PCB (HDI, Rigid-flex, and Multiboard)
Advanced interactive routing features with built-in signal integrity tools
High speed design and rigid-flex design features included in standard license
Variant management tools for complex projects
Realistic layer stacks and a modern field solver for accurate impedances
Parts placement and routing in 3D
Photo-realistic 3D viewer with real-time clearance checking
Visual DC power distribution analysis in the PCB layoutVisual DC power distribution analysis in the PCB layout
Requires additional Power Analyzer license
Requires additional Cadence product (Sigrity OprimizePI)
Built-in BOM management with real-time supply chain
Unified libraries with symbols, footprints, simulation models, and distributor links
Access to models, parameters, and lifecycle data for millions of components
Requires additional Cadence product
Management of lifecycles, in-design validation, templates, and where-used for libraries
Advanced component data from IHS Markit®
Library health dashboard to monitor validity, quality, and risk issues
Built-in fabrication and assembly drawing generation tools
Intuitive interface for manufacturing output creation
Quickly generate ECOs, reports, and documentation
Customizable document templates for drawings
Centralized management for manufacturing packages and communications
Captures CIS Option, or OrCAD X Professional Cloud Features
Share and view Gerbers, ODB++ files, and assembly steps in a browser
Support for multi-board systems and assemblies
Multi-board 3D product viewer from any web browser
Multi-board mechanical integration for SOLIDWORKS® 2020, 2021, and 2022
Built-in harness design tools
View and share renders of design files on any device with a web browser
Version control, templates, and component libraries stored in cloud
Built-in task management and commenting for design files and BOMs
Requires additional Cadence product (their EDM suite)
Managed design reuse for schematics, layer stacks, and design templates
Project history for every change made to a design
Requires additional Cadence product (their EDM suite)
Integration with MCAD applications including SOLIDWORKS®, PTC Creo® Parametric™, Autodesk Inventor®, Autodesk® Fusion 360™, and Siemens NX
Advanced integration with SOLIDWORKS® for MCAD component placement, copper geometry, enclosure exchange, and multi-board/rigid-flex sync
PLM integration with Arena® PLM, PTC Windchill, Aras PLM, Oracle Agile PLM, and Teamcenter®
Unknown
Multiple importer utilities to convert files from other ECAD platforms
Configurable lifecycle management for design data and components
Requires additional Cadence product (their EDM suite)
Managed workflows for part requests, design reviews, project creation/release, and lifecycle approvals
Requires additional Cadence product (their EDM suite)
User, role, and group management with support for Single Sign-On (SSO)
Change notifications and change conflict prevention for design documents
Requires additional Cadence product (their EDM suite)
Centralized control over design environments, document templates, and output files for every team member
Requires additional Cadence product (their EDM suite)
Current version
Monthly releases since Nov 2021 (active since 2000, formerly Protel 1985-2000)
Last Release October 2020
(active since 1985)
Cadence OrCAD X Professional 23.1-2023-S001
Backwards compatible with files from all previous releases
On-demand training courses, knowledge base, and community forums
Live chat and support tickets
Support tickets only, no live chat
Dedicated customer success manager check-ins and onboarding
Windows 10 and newer
MacOS 10.15 and newer
Linux
*64 bit version requires libc.so.6 with subversion GLIBC_2.14 or higher
Existing design data can be imported from a number of other PCB design applications, including OrCAD. As long as OrCAD users have their original project files available, they can convert these into Altium Designer’s file format. Learn more about migrating from OrCAD to Altium Designer.
Altium offers a wide array of licensing and subscription options for various needs. We offer Perpetual and Term-based licensing as well as Standard, Pro, and Enterprise subscriptions. Learn more about our licensing options here and explore our subscription levels to choose a plan that works for you.
Perpetual licenses are truly perpetual, there are no recurring costs. Term-based licenses renew at the current renewal rate. If you choose a term-based license, or wish to add a maintenance subscription, there are ongoing costs. Learn more about Altium Designer licensing options.
Altium Designer does not require any specialized add-ons. In fact, the program includes many free plugins that expand the capabilities of Altium Designer beyond PCB design. The add-ons in Altium Designer are available for free. Some features, such as the integration with IHS Markit for real-time component data, are made available through Altium 365 and require a Pro license.