What is DipTrace?

DipTrace is professional electronic design automation software for schematic capture and printed circuit board layout, developed by Novarm Ltd and in continuous development since 2004. More than 30,000 engineers in over 50 countries use it, including teams at companies working in aerospace, defense, medical device, automotive, and industrial electronics.

For organizations evaluating EDA tools, the licensing model is the main structural difference from most alternatives. DipTrace is sold under a perpetual license: purchased once, owned permanently, with no subscription, no annual maintenance fee, and no loss of access when a term expires. Five editions range from $75 to $995 per seat depending on pin count and layer requirements, and volume, network, academic, and non-profit pricing is available. Technical support is included for every user at no extra cost, including those on the free edition.

The software runs entirely offline on Windows, macOS, and Linux, with no cloud dependency and no design data leaving the workstation — a requirement for many defense and medical customers.

Functionally, DipTrace covers the complete design flow in a single environment: hierarchical schematic capture with electrical rule check and SPICE simulation, board layout with interactive push-and-shove editing, shape-based autorouting, differential pair and length-matched high-speed routing, real-time design rule checking, 3D preview with STEP export, and manufacturing output in Gerber X2, ODB++, IPC-2581, and NC Drill.

Version 5.3 introduced a native XML project format that works identically to the binary format, allowing designs to be managed in version control systems alongside firmware and mechanical files. Component sourcing integrates Mouser pricing data and SnapEDA libraries.

Migration paths exist from Altium, KiCad, Eagle, OrCAD, EasyEDA Pro, Pulsonix, and PADS.

Pricing

Price Starts At:
$75 per license
Price Overview:
Perpetual license, no subscription. Five editions: Starter $75, Lite $145, Standard $395, Extended $695, Full $995 per seat. Free edition available up to 300 pins. Volume, network, academic, and non-profit pricing available. Technical support included for all users.
Free Version:
Free Version available.
Free Trial Offered?:
Yes

Integrations

No integrations listed.
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Screenshots and Video

Play Video Schematic Capture — hierarchical design with integrated SPICE simulation PCB Layout — interactive push-and-shove routing with real-time DRC 3D View — board preview with STEP export to mechanical CAD Pattern Editor — footprint creation with IPC-7351 pattern generator Component Editor — schematic symbols and multi-part components with pin management

Company Facts

Company Name:
Novarm Ltd
Date Founded:
2004
Company Website:
diptrace.com
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Product Details

Deployment
Windows
Mac
Linux
Training Options
Documentation Hub
Online Training
Video Library
Support
Standard Support
Web-Based Support

Product Details

Target Company Sizes
Individual
1-10
11-50
51-200
201-500
501-1000
1001-5000
5001-10000
10001+
Target Organization Types
Mid Size Business
Small Business
Enterprise
Freelance
Nonprofit
Government
Startup
Supported Languages
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Czech
Dutch
English
French
German
Italian
Lithuanian
Portuguese
Romanian
Spanish
Turkish
Ukrainian

DipTrace Categories and Features

PCB Design Software

3D Visualization
Autorouting
Collaboration Tools
Component Library
Design Rule Check
Differential Pair Routing
Schematic Editor

Electronic Design Automation (EDA) Software

DipTrace Customer Reviews

Write a Review
  • Reviewer Name: David B.
    Position: Consulting Engineer (retired)
    Has used product for: 2+ Years
    Uses the product: Weekly
    Org Size (# of Employees): 1 - 25
    Feature Set
    Layout
    Ease Of Use
    Cost
    Customer Service
    Would you Recommend to Others?
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

    Simple unhindered Schematic through PCB CAD

    Date: Oct 30 2025
    Summary

    I’ve used DipTrace for over 15 years. Some of that time on a daily basis, these days on an ad-hoc basis.
    Still sitting in front of the software, the schematic capture to pcb layout, 3D preview and production of manufacturing files comes to me as second nature.

    Positive

    Easy to learn
    Intuitive interface
    Core functions covered
    Schematic capture
    PCB layout
    Component design
    Footprint design
    All within one suite, common look and feel. Good performance
    Import of various design formats including Eagle and Kincaid
    Cost effective, scalable buy once licensing options

    Negative

    Simulation is a secondary function, one I have never been prepared for make the investment of time in as it is a link to a third party solution
    Push-pull routing always seems to be on its way, but doesn’t ever seem to appear
    Pad design seems to also be a work in progress.

    Read More...
    Official DipTrace Response
    Date: Jun 16 2026
    Thank you, David — 15 years of weekly use means a lot to us. DipTrace 5.3 Beta (June 1, 2026) addresses the routing con directly: interactive push-and-shove editing is now available. Move traces, vias, components and shapes — DRC enforced automatically, traces walk around obstacles. https://diptrace.com/downloads/diptrial_beta64.exe
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