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Design · head to head

Cadence Allegro vs Lunacy

Cadence Allegro logo

Cadence Allegro

Design

High-speed PCB design and constraint-driven routing for complex boards

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lunacy logo

Lunacy

Design

Free design software that keeps your flow

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lunacy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cadence Allegro cadence publishes no prices; resellers quote Allegro X from roughly $5,700 per seat per year on lease or about $18,000 perpetual with support, so the entry cost is several times a mainstream PCB tool and budget approval usually needs a business case.; Lunacy desktop application only, not cloud-based like Figma, limiting accessibility across different computers
  • They diverge on capability: Cadence Allegro covers Constraint Manager, Lunacy covers Vector editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cadence Allegro and Lunacy actually diverge.

Attributes where Cadence Allegro and Lunacy differ
AttributeCadence AllegroLunacy
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, LinuxWindows, macOS, Linux
FoundedUnknown2016

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cadence Allegro

  • Constraint Manager
  • High-speed routing
  • Rigid-flex and embedded components
  • 3D canvas
  • Sigrity integration
  • Team design
  • Manufacturing output

Only in Lunacy

  • Vector editing
  • Auto layouts
  • Components
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Built-in photos & icons
  • AI background remover
  • AI upscaler
  • Sketch file support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cadence Allegro

  • Routing a DDR5 or high-speed SerDes board where length matching and impedance rules must be enforced during layout, not checked afterwardsnot Lunacy
  • A rigid-flex design with multiple stackups that a general-purpose PCB tool cannot represent correctlynot Lunacy
  • A team of PCB designers working concurrently on partitions of one large backplanenot Lunacy
  • An organisation that already runs Sigrity or Clarity analysis and wants the layout constraints and the simulation to share one rule setnot Lunacy

Lunacy

  • UI/UX designnot Cadence Allegro
  • Web designnot Cadence Allegro
  • Mobile app designnot Cadence Allegro
  • Icon designnot Cadence Allegro
  • Marketing graphicsnot Cadence Allegro

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cadence Allegro

  • Cadence publishes no prices; resellers quote Allegro X from roughly $5,700 per seat per year on lease or about $18,000 perpetual with support, so the entry cost is several times a mainstream PCB tool and budget approval usually needs a business case.
  • The learning curve is steep and the interface carries decades of accumulated convention, so a designer coming from another tool needs weeks to become productive and formal training is effectively mandatory.
  • Capability is split across product tiers and add-ons, so the feature you assumed was in Allegro may be an extra SKU, and the quoted configuration deserves a line-by-line check against your actual requirements.
  • Perpetual licences still carry annual maintenance to stay on current releases, and lapsing maintenance means paying to rejoin later, so the perpetual option is only cheaper over a long horizon.
  • Library and part data management is a project in its own right; teams that treat it as an afterthought end up with inconsistent footprints that surface as manufacturing defects rather than design errors.

Lunacy

  • Desktop application only, not cloud-based like Figma, limiting accessibility across different computers
  • Animation capabilities are basic, lacking timeline-based animation editing or spring physics available in modern design tools
  • Paid collaboration features, unlike Figma's free cloud-based team collaboration

Pricing, plan by plan

Cadence Allegro

On request
  • Allegro X PCB Designer$undefined/year
    • Constraint-driven layout and routing
    • High-speed and rigid-flex support
    • Sold as annual lease or perpetual licence
  • Allegro X Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Team design and concurrent editing
    • Integrated signal and power integrity
    • Data management and library control

Lunacy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Lunacy review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Cadence Allegro if

  • You need constraint manager.
  • You work on Windows, Linux.
  • You also want high-speed routing.
Cadence Allegro review

Choose Lunacy if

  • You need vector editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want auto layouts.
Lunacy review

Questions people ask

Is Cadence Allegro or Lunacy better?
Neither clearly leads. Cadence Allegro starts at On request and Lunacy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cadence Allegro or Lunacy?
Lunacy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cadence Allegro and Free for Lunacy.
Does Cadence Allegro or Lunacy run on more platforms?
Cadence Allegro runs on Windows, Linux. Lunacy runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Lunacy for free?
Yes. Lunacy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cadence Allegro starts at On request.
What is Cadence Allegro best used for?
Cadence Allegro is most often used for routing a ddr5 or high-speed serdes board where length matching and impedance rules must be enforced during layout, not checked afterwards, a rigid-flex design with multiple stackups that a general-purpose pcb tool cannot represent correctly, a team of pcb designers working concurrently on partitions of one large backplane, an organisation that already runs sigrity or clarity analysis and wants the layout constraints and the simulation to share one rule set. Of those, routing a ddr5 or high-speed serdes board where length matching and impedance rules must be enforced during layout, not checked afterwards and a rigid-flex design with multiple stackups that a general-purpose pcb tool cannot represent correctly are not what Lunacy is typically brought in for.
What can Cadence Allegro do that Lunacy cannot?
Cadence Allegro covers Constraint Manager, High-speed routing, Rigid-flex and embedded components, 3D canvas. Lunacy covers Vector editing, Auto layouts, Components, Real-time collaboration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cadence Allegro: Can I still buy a perpetual Allegro licence?

Yes. Cadence channel partners quote both annual lease and perpetual licences for Allegro X, with perpetual starting around $18,000 including support. OrCAD X is more commonly sold as lease only.

Lunacy: Is Lunacy free to use?

Yes. Lunacy is absolutely free for personal and commercial use. There is no subscription required or trial period limitation.

Source
Cadence Allegro: How does Allegro differ from OrCAD?

OrCAD X is schematic capture and mainstream PCB layout; Allegro X is the high-speed implementation environment with the full constraint manager. They share a database, so moving up does not mean redrawing.

Lunacy: Can Lunacy open and work with Sketch files?

Yes. Lunacy has smooth integration with Sketch files, allowing designers to import and collaborate on Sketch projects without requiring a Sketch subscription.

Source
Cadence Allegro: Is there a free or student version?

Cadence offers time-limited evaluation and academic programmes, but there is no free commercial tier.

Lunacy: Does Lunacy require internet connection to work?

No. Lunacy can work offline, allowing designers to work without an internet connection. It is a desktop application that runs locally on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Source
Cadence Allegro: Do I need Sigrity as well?

Only if you need signal or power integrity simulation. Allegro enforces constraints but does not simulate; Sigrity is a separate purchase.

Lunacy: What are Lunacy's hardware requirements?

Lunacy is not demanding on hardware and runs smoothly even on moderate laptops. It has minimal system requirements compared to resource-intensive design tools.

Source
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