LabVIEW
7.3#3 in electrical design softwareFree planFree planWebLinuxmacOSWindows
VisitLabVIEW vs ProfiCAD
What both publish
| Fact | LabVIEW | ProfiCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1976 | 1997 |
| Free edition limit | The Community Edition is free for personal, non-commercial, non-industrial use and cannot be used for teaching or research at a degree-granting institution. | The Home edition permits up to three pages; its commercial use is limited to opening, viewing, and printing third-party documents. |
| Operating systems | NI lists Windows and Linux support for LabVIEW editions, and says the Community Edition is the only macOS edition available starting with LabVIEW 2025 Q3. | The desktop program is for Windows; the maker says it can run on Mac using Parallels software. |
| Purpose | LabVIEW is a graphical programming environment for developing automated test and measurement systems. | ProfiCAD creates electrical and electronic diagrams, schematics, control circuit diagrams, and other technical diagrams such as pneumatic and hydraulic diagrams. |
| Support | A single-seat purchase includes an NI software service agreement with technical support, version downloads, and LabVIEW Core 1 on-demand, with perpetual-license benefits included for the first year. | Users can get technical support through the site chatbot, email, FAQ, and user manual; the maker says questions are answered by the developer. |
LabVIEW plans
- LabVIEW Community EditionFree
- LabVIEW Base subscription—
- LabVIEW Base perpetual—
- LabVIEW Full subscription—
- LabVIEW Professional perpetual—
- LabVIEW Professional subscription—
ProfiCAD plans
- 30-day trialFree
- Home licenseFree
- School License$277, paid once
- Single User License$277, paid once
- Site License$827, paid once
Pick LabVIEW if…
LabVIEW suits engineers building automated test and measurement applications, especially when they need instrument connectivity, analysis and a control interface. The Community Edition is limited to personal, non-commercial, non-industrial use.
Pick ProfiCAD if…
ProfiCAD is aimed at electrical engineers, electricians, panel builders, technicians, schools, hobbyists, and small or medium teams. It suits users making technical diagrams rather than PCB layouts, 3D models, or complex CAD work.