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CAD · head to head

Carlson Software vs KiCad

Carlson Software logo

Carlson Software

CAD

Survey and civil design CAD sold as a perpetual licence with optional maintenance

From
$4450/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
KiCad logo

KiCad

CAD

Free open source schematic capture and PCB layout with no seat, board size or layer limits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only KiCad has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Carlson Software the perpetual licence is a larger upfront cost than a first-year subscription, which is harder to approve for a practice with tight cash flow even though it is cheaper over five years.; KiCad there is no vendor obligation behind the free software, so a blocking bug is escalated to a volunteer community unless you separately buy a contract from KiCad Services Corporation.
  • They diverge on capability: Carlson Software covers Survey data reduction, KiCad covers Schematic capture.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carlson Software and KiCad actually diverge.

Attributes where Carlson Software and KiCad differ
AttributeCarlson SoftwareKiCad
Starting price$4450/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWindows, macOS, Linux

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

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 Carlson Software

  • Survey data reduction
  • Civil design
  • Hydrology
  • GIS module
  • Earthwork takeoff
  • IntelliCAD engine included
  • AutoCAD compatibility
  • SurvCE field software

Only in KiCad

  • Schematic capture
  • PCB layout
  • No design limits
  • 3D viewer
  • Manufacturing output
  • Scripting

What people use each for

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

Carlson Software

  • A small surveying practice that wants to stop paying an annual Civil 3D subscription and own its CAD outrightnot KiCad
  • A firm running mixed instrument brands in the field that needs data collector software not tied to one manufacturernot KiCad
  • A civil consultancy doing road, site grading and stormwater design without needing an enterprise BIM environmentnot KiCad
  • A land development office that renews maintenance only in years when a release actually adds something it needsnot KiCad

KiCad

  • A hardware startup designing a multi-layer board without paying for an Altium seatnot Carlson Software
  • A university teaching PCB design where per-student licences are unaffordablenot Carlson Software
  • An open hardware project that needs design files anyone can open and modifynot Carlson Software
  • An engineer prototyping a board at home who needs commercial rights on the outputnot Carlson Software

Where each one falls short

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

Carlson Software

  • The perpetual licence is a larger upfront cost than a first-year subscription, which is harder to approve for a practice with tight cash flow even though it is cheaper over five years.
  • It is Windows only, so a practice on macOS has to run virtualisation, and there is no browser or mobile design client.
  • Carlson is a smaller ecosystem than Autodesk, so hiring staff who already know it is harder and training time is a real cost when a new surveyor joins.
  • Skipping maintenance saves money but leaves you on an old release, and when a client eventually sends a file from a much newer version the compatibility gap becomes your problem to solve.
  • Pricing is largely sold through resellers with figures varying by dealer and region, so the published $4,450 Civil Suite price is a reference point rather than a firm quote.

KiCad

  • There is no vendor obligation behind the free software, so a blocking bug is escalated to a volunteer community unless you separately buy a contract from KiCad Services Corporation.
  • High speed design support, including advanced constraint management, differential pair and impedance tooling, remains behind Altium and Cadence, which matters as soon as boards carry fast interfaces.
  • Rigid-flex and complex stack-up design is weak, so products with flex circuits usually need a commercial package.
  • Component library and part sourcing integrations are thinner than the commercial tools, so parts data and availability checking is manual work someone has to own.
  • Multi-engineer design data management is not provided; teams end up assembling Git workflows themselves, and merge handling on binary-adjacent design files is awkward.

Pricing, plan by plan

Carlson Software

$4450/one-time
  • Civil Suite$4450/one-time
    • Survey, Civil, Hydrology and GIS modules
    • Perpetual licence
    • IntelliCAD engine included
  • Individual modules$undefined/one-time
    • Survey, Civil, Hydrology, GIS or Takeoff purchased separately
    • Perpetual licence
    • Pricing varies by module and reseller
  • Annual maintenance$undefined/year
    • Approximately 10 per cent of purchase price
    • Optional, software continues running without it
    • Provides version updates and support

KiCad

Free
  • KiCadFree
    • Full suite under GPL
    • No board size, layer or component limits
    • Commercial use permitted
  • Commercial support$undefined/year
    • Support contracts sold separately by KiCad Services Corporation
    • Priority issue handling and consulting
    • Not included with the free software

Which should you pick?

Choose Carlson Software if

  • You need survey data reduction.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want civil design.
Carlson Software review

Choose KiCad if

  • You need schematic capture.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want pcb layout.
KiCad review

Questions people ask

Is Carlson Software or KiCad better?
Neither clearly leads. Carlson Software starts at $4450/one-time and KiCad at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carlson Software or KiCad?
KiCad has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4450/one-time for Carlson Software and Free for KiCad.
Does Carlson Software or KiCad run on more platforms?
Carlson Software runs on Windows. KiCad runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use KiCad for free?
Yes. KiCad has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Carlson Software starts at $4450/one-time.
What is Carlson Software best used for?
Carlson Software is most often used for a small surveying practice that wants to stop paying an annual civil 3d subscription and own its cad outright, a firm running mixed instrument brands in the field that needs data collector software not tied to one manufacturer, a civil consultancy doing road, site grading and stormwater design without needing an enterprise bim environment, a land development office that renews maintenance only in years when a release actually adds something it needs. Of those, a small surveying practice that wants to stop paying an annual civil 3d subscription and own its cad outright and a firm running mixed instrument brands in the field that needs data collector software not tied to one manufacturer are not what KiCad is typically brought in for.
What can Carlson Software do that KiCad cannot?
Carlson Software covers Survey data reduction, Civil design, Hydrology, GIS module. KiCad covers Schematic capture, PCB layout, No design limits, 3D viewer.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Carlson Software: Is Carlson a perpetual licence?

Yes. You buy it once and it keeps running. Annual maintenance at roughly ten per cent is optional and only affects updates and support.

KiCad: Is KiCad really free for commercial work?

Yes. It is GPL licensed with no restriction on commercial use, board size, layer count or component count.

Carlson Software: Do I need AutoCAD as well?

No. An IntelliCAD engine is included. You can alternatively run Carlson on top of AutoCAD if your practice already licenses it.

KiCad: Can I buy support?

Yes, but not from the project. KiCad Services Corporation sells commercial support contracts separately; CERN moved to exactly that arrangement after ending its donation programme.

Carlson Software: Does Carlson field software work with other brands of instrument?

Yes. SurvCE supports total stations and GNSS receivers from several manufacturers, which is one of the main reasons firms choose it.

KiCad: How is development funded?

Through donations and sponsors administered via The Linux Foundation, plus contributed engineering time.

Carlson Software: What does the Civil Suite include?

Survey, Civil, Hydrology and GIS, listed at $4,450.

KiCad: Is it good enough to replace Altium?

For most low and medium speed boards yes. For high speed, rigid-flex and heavily constrained designs, the commercial tools still hold a clear lead.

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