CAD · head to head
KiCad vs ZBrush
KiCad
CAD
Free open source schematic capture and PCB layout with no seat, board size or layer limits
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only KiCad has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: 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.; ZBrush subscription model required; no perpetual licence option available
- They diverge on capability: KiCad covers Schematic capture, ZBrush covers Digital sculpting.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which KiCad and ZBrush actually diverge.
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 KiCad
- Schematic capture
- PCB layout
- No design limits
- 3D viewer
- Manufacturing output
- Scripting
Only in ZBrush
- Digital sculpting
- Dynamesh
- ZRemesher
- PolyPaint
- Live Boolean
- Sculptris Pro
- UV Master
- High polygon handling
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
KiCad
- A hardware startup designing a multi-layer board without paying for an Altium seatnot ZBrush
- A university teaching PCB design where per-student licences are unaffordablenot ZBrush
- An open hardware project that needs design files anyone can open and modifynot ZBrush
- An engineer prototyping a board at home who needs commercial rights on the outputnot ZBrush
ZBrush
- Digital character and creature sculptingnot KiCad
- High-polygon organic form designnot KiCad
- Texture painting and PolyPaint worknot KiCad
- Game asset creation and 3D modellingnot KiCad
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
ZBrush
- Subscription model required; no perpetual licence option available
- iPad version requires separate subscription to ZBrush for iPad
Pricing, plan by plan
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
ZBrush
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the ZBrush review.
Which should you pick?
Choose KiCad if
- You need schematic capture.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
- You also want pcb layout.
Choose ZBrush if
- You need digital sculpting.
- You work on Windows, macOS, iPadOS.
- You also want dynamesh.
Questions people ask
- Is KiCad or ZBrush better?
- Neither clearly leads. KiCad starts at Free and ZBrush at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, KiCad or ZBrush?
- KiCad has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for KiCad and On request for ZBrush.
- Does KiCad or ZBrush run on more platforms?
- KiCad runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. ZBrush runs on Windows, macOS, iPadOS.
- Can I use KiCad for free?
- Yes. KiCad has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ZBrush starts at On request.
- What is KiCad best used for?
- KiCad is most often used for a hardware startup designing a multi-layer board without paying for an altium seat, a university teaching pcb design where per-student licences are unaffordable, an open hardware project that needs design files anyone can open and modify, an engineer prototyping a board at home who needs commercial rights on the output. Of those, a hardware startup designing a multi-layer board without paying for an altium seat and a university teaching pcb design where per-student licences are unaffordable are not what ZBrush is typically brought in for.
- What can KiCad do that ZBrush cannot?
- KiCad covers Schematic capture, PCB layout, No design limits, 3D viewer. ZBrush covers Digital sculpting, Dynamesh, ZRemesher, PolyPaint.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
ZBrush: What is included in a ZBrush subscription?
Every ZBrush subscription includes ZBrush on desktop, iPad, and Windows on Arm devices with premium features, rendering with Redshift, ZBrush Classroom, and Cineversity training.
SourceKiCad: 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.
ZBrush: Is there a free trial available?
Yes. Download the Maxon App to start your 14-day free trial. Every trial includes ZBrush and the full Maxon One suite.
SourceKiCad: How is development funded?
Through donations and sponsors administered via The Linux Foundation, plus contributed engineering time.
ZBrush: Can I use ZBrush on multiple devices?
ZBrush licensing is dual platform, so you can run on desktop and iPad simultaneously or switch between them at any time.
SourceKiCad: 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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