Side by side
LabVIEW vs LibrePCB
Both stand on electrical design software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Choose LabVIEW for engineering work that combines automated testing, instrument connectivity, and graphical programming. The free Community Edition is limited to personal, non-commercial, non-industrial use, and deploying applications requires a perpetual license for every target computer.
Visit LabVIEWLibrePCB brings schematic and board design tools together in a free desktop application, with offline use and project portability. Its download requirements vary by operating system, and developer support is paid; community help is available for free.
Visit LibrePCBThe facts
| LabVIEW | LibrePCB | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Web, Windows | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 7 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | ni.com | librepcb.org |
| On electrical design software | #4 of 41 | #1 of 41 |
LabVIEW: what it does well
- Connects with instruments from any vendor.
- Offers more than 7,000 instrument drivers.
- Supports dataflow programming and parallel execution.
- Includes engineering analysis and a native test control interface.
- Integrates code from Python, C/C++, .NET, and MATLAB.
What to know first
- The free Community Edition excludes commercial and industrial use.
- Community Edition cannot be used for teaching or research at degree-granting institutions.
- Each target computer running a developed application needs a perpetual deployment license.
LibrePCB: what it does well
- Works fully offline without an online account.
- Multi-page schematics with live electrical rule checking.
- Board editor includes a live 3D viewer.
- Projects include their relevant libraries and settings.
What to know first
- Windows binaries require 64-bit Windows 10 or later.
- macOS binaries require macOS 10.14 or later.
- Developer support is not free.
Alternatives to LabVIEW Alternatives to LibrePCB The whole list