QElectroTech
Free, open-source editor for electrical, industrial and control-panel schematics.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Windows, macOS, Linux
Is QElectroTech free?
Yes, free and open source
- License:
- GPL 2.0
Checked on QElectroTech's site Oct 29, 2026
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All 5
Altium DesignerPaid
KiCadOpen source
EasyEDAFree
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 5
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About QElectroTech
QElectroTech, often shortened to QET, is a free desktop app for drawing electrical diagrams, aimed at industrial wiring, control panels and building installations rather than circuit boards. You build multi-page projects from a library of symbols, which the project says now holds over 8,000 elements, connect them with conductors, and add cross-references, title blocks and terminal strips. The same tools work for related diagrams such as plumbing, pneumatics, hydraulics, HVAC and photovoltaic layouts. An element editor lets you draw your own symbols, and community tools add DXF import, terminal-block generation and element translation. Projects export to PDF and DXF for sharing with contractors who use other CAD software. QElectroTech is open source under the GNU GPL and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, including as a Flatpak, AppImage and in many distribution repositories. It is a good fit for electricians, students and small automation firms who want an alternative to expensive commercial electrical CAD suites, though it lacks their simulation and advanced reporting tools.
Best for: Electricians, students and small firms drawing industrial wiring and control-panel schematics.
Pros and cons
What works
- Free and open source, on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Large built-in symbol library plus an editor for custom elements
- Handles multi-page projects with cross-references and terminal blocks
Why people leave
- No circuit simulation or PCB layout
- Interface and documentation are less polished than commercial electrical CAD
- Some useful tools, like DXF conversion, are separate community utilities
QElectroTech vs Altium Designer, KiCad and EasyEDA
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | QElectroTech | Altium Designer | KiCad | EasyEDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Open source | Paid | Open source | Free |
| Verified price | — | — | — | — |
| Free plan | Free app | No | Free app | Free app |
| Open source | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux |
Top QElectroTech alternatives
See all 5- 1Altium Designer72.5
Professional commercial EDA suite for teams that need advanced PCB design and simulation.
- 2KiCad68.8
Free and open source too, with schematic capture plus PCB layout if your work moves into electronics boards.
- 3EasyEDA64.8
Browser-based schematics with a parts library and PCB ordering, handy for quick electronics projects.
- 4
draw.io52.6Free general diagramming with electrical shape sets, simpler for one-off wiring sketches.
- 5
Microsoft Visio51.2Common in offices that already pay for Microsoft 365, with electrical and engineering stencils.
Why people left QElectroTech
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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QElectroTech: common questions
What is QElectroTech?
QElectroTech: Free, open-source editor for electrical, industrial and control-panel schematics. Best for electricians, students and small firms drawing industrial wiring and control-panel schematics. Available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is QElectroTech free?
Yes. QElectroTech is free, open-source software.
Is QElectroTech open source?
Yes. The source code is on GitHub at qelectrotech/qelectrotech-source-mirror.
What platforms does QElectroTech run on?
QElectroTech is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
What are the best alternatives to QElectroTech?
The highest-ranked QElectroTech alternatives right now are Altium Designer, KiCad and EasyEDA. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
QElectroTech vs Altium Designer: what's the difference?
QElectroTech is free and open source; Altium Designer is a paid product. QElectroTech is open source and Altium Designer is not. Only QElectroTech runs on macOS and Linux.