Altium Develop vs AutoCAD LT

AutoCAD

SketchUp

DraftSight

Civil 3D

TurboCad

PaleBlue

Compare Altium Develop and AutoCAD LT based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

PaleBlue is a cloud-based solution which helps businesses of all sizes manage training processes and streamline workflows using augmented, virtual reality and 3D simulations, enabling users to import 3D models from multiple computer-aided design (CAD) sources to automatically optimize designs.

DraftSight is a 2D CAD drafting and 3D design software for architects, designers, engineers, and builders. The platform allows users to create construction documents, scale drawings, and generate technical illustrations faster. 


Civil 3D is an on-premise engineering CAD software designed to help businesses with surface modeling, construction documentation, and plan production. Managers can create triangulated irregular network (TIN) surfaces, display point cloud data, and create dynamic surfaces.

Altium Develop is a collaborative environment that unifies every stage of electronic product creation, seamlessly connecting requirements, design, supply chain, and manufacturing to streamline workflows, enhance visibility, and accelerate innovation.

2D Drawing

3D Imaging

Access Controls/Permissions

Bills of Material

CAD Tools

Change Management

Collaboration Tools

Compliance Management

Configuration Management

Content Library

Customizable Fields

Data Capture and Transfer

Data Import/Export

Data Visualization

Design Analysis

Design Management

Document Generation

Document Management

Electrical

File Management

Manufacturing Design Data

Mechanical

Mechatronics

Process Control

Project Management

Project Templates

Version Control

Altium Develop

Web-based

Windows

Chief Engineer

Nothing is as unstable and poorly implemented in my opinion as Altium. The fact that they charge so much for it just adds to the insult.

Design engineer 

One of the best tool which is available for the easy of use and good customer support.

PCB Librarian

I work as a librarian and this program is one of my favorite. It's easy to use and the 3d feature is very nice.

Student

I really like the ability to make files of the PCB to send online PCB manufacturing service. Altium supports 3D view and we can clearly see how to fit PCB on my CAD design.

Emmbedded hardware engineer

Simulation tools are really good and natural to use. Altium also have a big community and lots of online resources to solve all issues that you could have.

engineer

The worst thing about Altium Designer software is its high cost compared to some other similar products in the market.

I think it is the best software package available for PCB design. Highly recommend if it's within budget.

I enjoy the ease of use of the features, especially in the drawing schematics.

All the features i need is integrated in the same software which make my work easier. Easy to do nice looking designs.

The routing tools and placement during layout are very, very good.

Electrical Engineer

They're not the first company to have this problem.

Electronic Engineering Undergraduate

As an Electronics Engineering undergraduate, overall design experience with Altium Designer is great. I have used this software to develop many PCBs throughout my academic carrer.

Sr. PCB Design Engineer

Easy to manage licensing. Great tool to work anywhere.

Development Engineering Manager

The suite of products that you can buy beyond the standard schematic capture, layout, and routing, creates ala carte options that nickel and dime you to an annoying degree.

Field Applications Engineer

I would recommend it for both simple designs and also more complex multi layered board designs, it handles everything well and is also very easy to use.

Principal engineer

Ease of use and it’s very intuitive for the comers.

Research assistant

Great PCB designing tool with lot of features.

Easy integration with desktop application and online viewer.

Altium Develop screenshot: 3D View Editor in Altium Develop transforms the standard 2D PCB workspace into a fully interactive, three‑dimensional design environment. Users can toggle between 2D and 3D modes, then zoom, pan, and rotate the board freely.

Altium Develop screenshot: Project History in Altium Develop provides a browser-based, visually chronological timeline of a project's key events such as: creation, commits, releases, clones, and MCAD exchanges offering version control transparency directly within workspace.

Altium Develop screenshot: From schematic capture to PCB layout, routing, and assembly preparation, every step flows seamlessly in one platform. Smart placement and routing features make complex designs faster, easier, and more reliable.

Altium Develop screenshot: BOM Portal is a cloud-native, procurement-focused tool within Altium Develop that transforms traditional Excel-like Bill of Materials (BOM) workflows by integrating live supply chain, compliance, and pricing data.

Altium Develop screenshot: Workspace Projects provide a cloud-native, version-controlled hub within Altium Develop that simplifies electronic project management with centralized storage, collaboration, and built-in Git-based version control.

Altium Develop screenshot: The Requirements Portal is a cloud-native, AI‑enhanced requirements engineering platform within Altium Develop that streamlines the definition, breakdown, and management of technical requirements.

Freelancers

Large Enterprises

Mid Size Business

Small Business

AutoCAD is a design and drafting platform which supports automated design tasks and offers features such as 2D drafting, drawing and annotation, 3D modeling and visualization, and more.

SketchUp is a design and collaboration solution that helps businesses streamline AEC and interior design workflows. Its intuitive 3D modeler allows users to visualize projects, while its 2D documentation and AR/VR viewing applications keep stakeholders aligned throughout the design-build process.

TurboCad is an engineering CAD software designed to help businesses create and manage drawings for mechanical, civil, and construction projects. The solution enables managers to visualize plans and communicate them to others so that projects can be completed on time and within budget.

AutoCAD LT 2D drafting software helps you create, edit and share your 2D drawings. It is specifically designed for small design teams working in the construction, architecture, engineering and manufacturing industries.

Annotations

Design Modeling

Drafting

Reporting/Analytics

Scheduling

AutoCAD LT

Review For Autocad LT

Very Good Features Like Layer Management And Property Manager, File Recovery. This Software is Very Good For Engineering Companies.

Intern 

The downside of the product is that it lags after a lot of hatches and annotations are added to it.

AutoCAD Architectural Drafter/Designer

The only downside that I can think of is that the software crashes every now and then, which can be aggravating when you are working on a tight deadline.

Architectural Designer

It's an excellent piece of software which essentially strips down the standard Autocad version by removing a few features like 3D modelling.

It's a weapon of choice for anyone working in the architectural and design fields. It offers a host of excellent tools that allow you to crate accurate drawings for architectural purposes.

Project Manager

The ease of use and ability to customize working menus and toolbars.

Education and Communications Manager

Easy to integrate in manufacturing applications. The printing options available are better than competition.

Mechanical engineering

I ise it when i need only 2d drawings, it is the best in its class.

Interior Designer

Great for Interior Designers, Architects, Engineers and builders.

Designer

Considering the price, the software is a great tool for many designers.

Draftsman

The ease of commands and customization layout.

The software provides single-user licensing, so it may be difficult to use as a business organization.

Researcher's 

With the wide range of APIs, the solution has to offer and the ability to integrate with other third-party applications.

Applications Engineer

This has been a huge cost saving item for our company. For years we were battling with users opening AutoCAD just to view a CAD drawing (read only) for a few minutes, then closing it.

Altium Develop vs AutoCAD LT Comparison (2026)

Altium Develop

AutoCAD LT

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives