QElectroTech

QElectroTech is a free desktop application for building complex industrial electrical diagrams and related technical schematics. It suits engineers, electricians, maintenance teams and educators who need structured drawings across operating systems, rather than simulation or calculation. Its broad symbol library, custom-element editor and export options make it a strong no-license-cost choice for documentation-heavy work.

Overview

QElectroTech has been developed as free software since the project’s first experiments in 2006 and is distributed under the GNU/GPL. Its main job is electrical mapping, including power-electronics diagrams, but the same workspace can represent plumbing, geothermal, air-conditioning, hydraulics, pneumatics, home automation, PID and photovoltaic systems. That breadth is useful for teams documenting several kinds of installations without buying separate diagram tools.

The application runs offline on Linux, macOS and Windows. A project made on one supported desktop system can be opened and edited on another without conversion or platform restrictions, which is practical when a project moves between office and field computers.

Key features

Symbols and drawing workflow

The symbol collection contains more than 8,000 entries, covering electrical, logic, pneumatic, hydraulic and fluid work. Drag-and-drop placement keeps common components close to the canvas, while conductors connect aligned elements automatically. Linked elements can show cross-references that update automatically, reducing manual coordination in larger schematics.

Custom elements and outputs

An embedded editor lets you create symbols or other elements and save them in a personal user collection. That matters when a company uses proprietary components or a recurring internal standard. Projects can be printed or saved as PDF, and drawings can be exported as SVG, PNG, JPG or BMP for documentation, presentations and image-based workflows.

Element data can be exported to CSV, then edited in a spreadsheet to build a parts list or bill of materials. The download page also provides a Python terminal-block-generator plugin and utilities that convert DXF files into QElectroTech element files. DXF support helps with exchange, but the application does not provide native DWG support.

Scope and boundaries

QElectroTech is a diagramming tool, not an engineering calculator. It does not perform simulation or calculations, so users who need electrical analysis or validated system behavior will need a separate application. Its desktop focus and lack of native DWG support also make it less suitable for teams whose primary exchange format is DWG-based CAD.

Pricing

Free — free. The plan has zero licensing fees and is released under GNU/GPL terms. There are no seat charges or paid tiers described, making it suitable for individuals, classrooms and organizations that want to deploy the same desktop tool broadly without subscription commitments. The trade-off is that this is a diagram editor rather than a full CAD, simulation or calculation suite, so specialist capabilities must come from other software.

Platforms

QElectroTech is available for Linux, macOS and Windows desktop computers. Offline operation supports work without an internet connection, and files can move between those three systems without conversion or restrictions.

Who it's for

Choose QElectroTech for industrial electrical mapping, power-electronics documentation and mixed technical schematics where a large symbol catalog, reusable custom elements, automatic connections and cross-references save drafting time. It is also a sensible fit for maintenance and installation teams that need PDFs, images or spreadsheet-based parts lists from the same project.

Look elsewhere if your workflow depends on native DWG files, 3D or general-purpose CAD production, or built-in simulation and calculations. QElectroTech records and communicates a design; it does not validate the engineering behind it.

Pros and cons

• Pros: No licensing fees under GNU/GPL; more than 8,000 symbols; automatic conductor connections and updating cross-references; user-created symbol collections; PDF, SVG, PNG, JPG and BMP export; CSV parts-list data; Linux, macOS and Windows compatibility; offline use.
• Cons: No native DWG support; no simulation or calculations; desktop-only workflow; specialized plugins and DXF conversion tools may require additional setup.

Alternatives

For a wider drafting category, compare 2D CAD Software; for tools focused specifically on schematics, see Electrical Design Software.

• RoomSketcher is the better choice for floor plans and 2D/3D room visualization across mobile, web and desktop, with a freemium credit model.
• CMS IntelliCAD fits users who need DWG, DXF and DWF viewing or paid IntelliCAD editions rather than a dedicated electrical diagram editor.
• LiberoDraft offers free browser-based 2D CAD with locally saved drawings.
• LibreCAD is free open-source 2D CAD for general drafting on Linux, macOS and Windows.
• ProfiCAD is a freemium electrical-CAD option with a 30-day full-feature trial.
• TinyCAD is a free, open-source project supplied as-is.
• OpenPlan3D is an MIT-licensed open-source editor for iOS and the web.
• Draft it is a Windows drafting tool with an indefinitely usable free edition and paid upgrades.

Verdict

QElectroTech is an excellent fit for anyone who needs detailed electrical and technical diagrams without licensing costs, especially when cross-platform desktop files, custom symbols and parts-list exports matter. Choose another tool when native DWG exchange, CAD modeling, simulation or calculations are central to the job.