# KiCad (open-source CAD and 3D modelling app)

> KiCad is a free, open-source CAD and 3D modelling app for Windows, macOS and Linux. KiCad is an electronics design suite for drawing schematics and laying out printed circuit boards (PCBs), with a 3D viewer. It has 3,014 GitHub stars and is released under the GPL-3.0 license, and people use it instead of Altium Designer and Autodesk Eagle.

KiCad is a free electronics design automation (EDA) suite for Windows, macOS and Linux. It covers schematic capture, PCB layout with a push-and-shove router, a 3D board viewer and Gerber export for manufacturing. The GitHub repository mirrors the development branch hosted on GitLab.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | https://github.com/KiCad/kicad-source-mirror |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows |
| Interface | desktop GUI |
| GitHub stars | 3,014 |
| License | GPL-3.0 (open source) |
| Replaces | Altium Designer, Autodesk Eagle |
| Language | C++ |
| Website | https://www.kicad.org |
| Official | yes (published by the project behind the app) |
| Category | CAD & 3D modelling |
| Latest release | 10.0.6 (Aug 29, 2026) |
| Last commit | Oct 8, 2026 |

## Install

Download a build for your system from the project's releases (https://github.com/KiCad/kicad-source-mirror/releases) or website, or build it from source by following the README.

## Similar desktop apps

- [FreeCAD](https://appsgit.com/desktop-apps/freecad): Official source code of FreeCAD, a free and opensource multiplatform 3D parametric modeler. (34,016 stars, LGPL-2.1, official)
- [Blender](https://appsgit.com/desktop-apps/blender): Blender is the free and open source 3D creation suite. (20,749 stars, GPL-2.0-or-later, official)
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- [OpenSCAD](https://appsgit.com/desktop-apps/openscad): OpenSCAD - The Programmers Solid 3D CAD Modeller. (10,385 stars, GPL-2.0, official)
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Canonical page: https://appsgit.com/desktop-apps/kicad
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