# Which PCB layout software should I use? **URL:** \ **Category:** PCB Design\ **Created:** [January 10, 2018, 12:15am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/which-pcb-layout-software-should-i-use/35150 "2018-01-10T00:15:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![8Volts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/278dde/32.png) [@8Volts](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/8Volts)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2018, 12:15am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/which-pcb-layout-software-should-i-use/35150/1 "2018-01-10T00:15:17Z")
Hello, I was thinking to try and do my own PCB layouts myself And then generate the gerber files so I can Give them to my PCB manufacturer. But I never used such a software and I would like to ask this forum which one I should use? It should allow me to design layouts from the smallest To the biggest pitch sized electronic components for example 0402 components up to normal sized ones and Chip pitches from 2.54mm to 0.5 mm. I also need a software that is simple and popular to use with Plenty of tutorials on YouTube and that can allow Me to design multi layered PCB with ground planes. A support line would be nice also. All suggestions are appreciated. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![8Volts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/278dde/32.png) [@8Volts](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/8Volts)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/which-pcb-layout-software-should-i-use/35150/2 "2018-01-10T16:03:03Z")
Anyone Anyone at aalll??? 😳 ---
**Author:** ![n1ist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@n1ist](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/n1ist)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/which-pcb-layout-software-should-i-use/35150/3 "2018-01-10T16:17:40Z")
I use KiCad; other popular ones are Eagle (though they have recently changed their licensing and have limitations), and Diptrace. I would stay away from ones that lock you into a specific vendor (ie. ExpressPCB). I haven’t used the free Eagle or Diptrace so I don’t know how well they work for multilayer. KiCad can handle up to 32 layers with planes or pours on any of them. /mike ---
**Author:** ![dschlic1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@dschlic1](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/dschlic1)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/which-pcb-layout-software-should-i-use/35150/4 "2018-01-10T19:29:02Z")
If you are running Linux, there is an excellent program called “PCB”. There is also a design suite called gEDA. ---
**Author:** ![languer](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/sparkfun/user_avatar/community.sparkfun.com/languer/32/2998_2.png) [@languer](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/languer)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2018, 1:32am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/which-pcb-layout-software-should-i-use/35150/5 "2018-01-12T01:32:01Z")
Sparkfun supports libraries for KiCad and Eagle, so if SFE is one of your preferred sources for components you may want to stick with one of those. Adafruit and Pololu favor those as well. ---
**Author:** ![InactiveUser001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/46a35a/32.png) [@InactiveUser001](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/InactiveUser001)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/which-pcb-layout-software-should-i-use/35150/6 "2018-01-18T19:44:26Z")
I’d go with Eagle given your requirements. Mainly because there is lots of help with it. ---
**Author:** ![Nikosant03](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/0ea827/32.png) [@Nikosant03](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/Nikosant03)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2018, 12:41pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/which-pcb-layout-software-should-i-use/35150/7 "2018-12-23T12:41:30Z")
I am using Eagle and I am really satisfied!! Another great option is Altium and KiCad. ---
**Author:** ![anon1991](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@anon1991](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/anon1991)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2024, 10:55am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/which-pcb-layout-software-should-i-use/35150/8 "2024-12-09T10:55:40Z")
I use pcb-rnd and sch-rnd. These are part of the Ringdove EDA suite. A lot of ex-gEDA users are migrating to Ringdove these days, now that gEDA is dead.