Comparison

KiCAD PCB Viewer vs Valence 3D

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

KiCAD PCB Viewer

This tool allows users to view and review KiCAD-generated PCB design files on mobile devices. It offers multi-layer browsing, interactive verification, and design rule checks to ensure manufacturing standards. Features include real-time zoom, pan, rotation, and annotation for collaborative design.

Highlights
  • View KiCAD PCB files on mobile
  • Multi-layer browsing and analysis
  • Interactive design verification
  • Design Rule Check (DRC)
  • Annotation and marking for collaboration
  • Cross-platform support (Windows, macOS, Linux)
  • AI model integration via MCP
Features
Read full description

This is a lightweight APP for viewing KiCAD 3 - 10 generated pcb files in a mobile environment. No matter what questions, opinions or ideas you have, you can send an email to xjerry248@gmail.com . KiCAD PCB Viewer is a highly professional tool developed specifically for viewing and reviewing PCB design files generated by KiCAD. The tool integrates an advanced graphical interface that allows users to deeply browse PCB designs in a multi-layer view mode, supporting comprehensive analysis and verification of complex boards. Users can view the component layout, electrical connections, and signal paths of each layer in detail, and perform interactive design verification and troubleshooting. KiCAD PCB Viewer provides real-time zoom, pan, and rotation capabilities, enabling users to precisely locate and inspect every detail of the board. At the same time, the tool supports various display modes, including transparent view, high brightness display and inter-layer contrast, helping users to quickly identify and solve potential problems. KiCAD PCB Viewer also has a powerful Design Rule Check (DRC) feature that automatically detects and flags design violations to ensure that your board design meets industrial manufacturing standards. In addition, the tool supports annotation and marking capabilities, which facilitate team collaboration and design review. To improve the user experience, KiCAD PCB Viewer integrates cross-platform support and is able to run smoothly on Windows, macOS, and Linux systems. Its efficient file handling capability and optimized user interface make it an ideal choice for PCB design engineers in the design, verification and optimization process. You can access the Web interface of the APP directly in the browser, easily manage, upload and download the PCB design file generated by KiCAD, and achieve cross-platform convenient and efficient file operation. KiCAD PCB Viewer supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Through this protocol, it can provide AI models with the necessary context from PCB files to enhance circuit analysis. Engineers can connect KiCAD PCB Viewer with AI - driven functions like automated design analysis and intelligent verification. This allows them to more effectively identify potential PCB design issues and improve the overall quality of their PCB designs. KiCAD PCB Viewer provides engineers with comprehensive support to ensure high quality, reliability, and manufacturability of PCB designs, whether at the beginning of design, mid-development, or final review before production. By using KiCAD PCB Viewer, engineers can more efficiently perform design verification, optimization, and fault diagnosis, improving overall design efficiency and product quality.

About

Valence 3D

This app is a powerful yet user-friendly 3D modeling and design tool for iPad and iPhone. It offers a comprehensive set of tools for creating, importing, editing, and exporting 3D models, suitable for both beginners and professionals across various industries.

Highlights
  • Extensive primitive shapes library
  • Import and export various 3D file formats
  • Advanced modeling and mesh operations
  • Non-destructive mesh modifiers
  • Intuitive navigation and context-aware tools
  • Automatic saving and iCloud syncing
Features
Read full description

Valence 3D is a powerful, beautiful & easy-to-use 3D polygon modeling design tool built from the ground up for iPad & iPhone. No matter whether you're learning 3D modeling for the first time or a professional working in design, construction, gaming, web dev, digital fabrication, architecture, or spatial computing, Valence 3D has what you need to get started! CREATE, IMPORT, EDIT & EXPORT 3D MODELS • 25 primitive shapes are built-in & ready to help you start modeling: plane, box, sphere, squircle, rounded box, arc, circle, cylinder, tube, cone, capsule, torus, icosphere, pipe, revolve, helix, voronoi, text, super shape, noise surfaces, torus knot, faceted gem & tube. • Import existing models, reference images, lidar scans and room plans • Imports: OBJ, STL, USD, USDZ • Exports: PNG, SVG, OBJ, STL, USD, USDZ, GLTF, GLB • Knife tool to create complex and detailed geometry • Move, Rotate, & Scale gizmos make it easy to transform nodes, faces, edges & vertices • Powerful modeling gizmos for extruding, insetting, beveling, poking, creasing & cutting • Multiple selection & automatic loop selection help accelerate your modeling • Tap on one of the gizmo handles to bring up an input field for precise transformations & mesh operations • Robust snapping & alignment commands • Selection operations: grow, shrink, select shell & deselect • Mesh operations: duplicate, instance, set / center pivot, trim by plane, boolean, apply transform & subdivide • Face operations: separate, combine, bridge, extract, poke, collapse, delete, dissolve, harden & soften • Edge operations: extrude, insert vertex, collapse, dissolve, bridge, harden & soften • Vertex operations: insert edge, dissolve, delete & merge • Non-destructive & configurable mesh modifiers: mirror & subdivision • Apply complex transformations using different gizmo pivot points & orientations EASILY NAVIGATE & STAY IN FLOW WHILE DESIGNING • Carefully crafted & fully optimized for iPhone & iPad • Designed to minimize cognitive overload by only showing tools & commands that are contextually relevant • Easily navigate to any part of your model by dragging and pinching: two finger pinch to zoom and roll, and one finger drag to rotate • Pop into the standard orthographic views by tapping one of the handles of the orientation gizmo • Use two & three finger tap gestures to undo & redo • Select components by dragging or using the rectangular selection mode • Your work is saved automatically every two minutes and every time you go back to the gallery • Get an overview of your scene’s structure from the Outliner • Long press on a node in the Outliner to easily rename, duplicate, instance, delete, parent & reorder any object in your scene • Precisely adjust any node’s position, rotation & scale with the Inspector • Adjust material properties, display & modifier options with the Inspector STAY ORGANIZED ACROSS ALL YOUR DEVICES • Preview, share, duplicate, delete & rename your models from the gallery • iCloud syncing keeps all your models up to date, private & accessible across all your devices PREVIEW, MEASURE, & RENDER YOUR CREATIONS • 6 powerful rendering modes: Matcap, Modeling, Wireframe, Physically Based, X-Ray & Path Traced • Export renders in any aspect ratio & scale • Preview your model in AR in two taps • Export your scene as a USDZ & be confident it’ll look consistent on all Apple devices • Tweak your model’s material & see changes in real-time • Tweak-able scene settings: camera field of view, background type, blurriness, intensity & rotation • Get model measurements in one click • Add persistent dimensions between any two surfaces in your scene PURCHASE & COMPATIBILITY • One time purchase unlocks both iPhone & iPad versions • Apple Pencil supported on select iPads • 120 FPS supported on devices with ProMotion displays • Path Tracing is supported on iPads with M series chips & iPhones with A15 Bionic & later • Lidar Scan & Room Plan is supported on devices with a lidar sensor

Screenshots

KiCAD PCB Viewer4 screens
Valence 3D4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Valence 3D at 60% against KiCAD PCB Viewer's 15%. Valence 3D also leads on rating (4.2 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (116 vs 3). KiCAD PCB Viewer's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $19.99) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

KiCAD PCB Viewer costs $1.99 and Valence 3D $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Valence 3D holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Valence 3D has 116 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 15% of KiCAD PCB Viewer's written reviews are positive against 60% of Valence 3D's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

KiCAD PCB Viewer ships an update every 3 weeks, Valence 3D every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
KiCAD PCB Viewer versus Valence 3D: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKiCAD PCB ViewerValence 3D
Price$1.99 — better$19.99
Rating1.0 (3 ratings)4.2 (116 ratings) — better
Positive reviews15.4% of reviews60.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3116 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#147#19 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB195 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer明杰 曾Hi-Rez, LLC

Customer experience

KiCAD PCB Viewer

All ratings3 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive15.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative84.6%

Valence 3D

All ratings116 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral13.8%
Negative11.2%
Written reviews154 reviews
Positive60.4%
Neutral16.2%
Negative23.4%

Bugs and requests

KiCAD PCB Viewer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Valence 3D

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes on launch
  • Saved files not loading properly
  • Unreliable vertex/edge/face selection
  • Mesh corruption and data loss
  • Gizmo and navigation issues

Requested features

8 requests
  • Add boolean operations
  • Improve selection and navigation tools
  • Implement curve/spline primitives
  • Add more modeling modifiers (bevel, subdivision, etc.)
  • Provide more detailed documentation and tutorials
Show 3 more
  • Improve performance and stability
  • Add UV editing and texture support
  • Implement keyboard shortcuts and power user features

In-app purchases

None

KiCAD PCB Viewer

No in-app purchases

None

Valence 3D

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is KiCAD PCB Viewer free?
KiCAD PCB Viewer costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Valence 3D free?
Valence 3D costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, KiCAD PCB Viewer or Valence 3D?
Valence 3D is rated higher. KiCAD PCB Viewer averages 1.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Valence 3D averages 4.2 from 116 ratings.
Do KiCAD PCB Viewer or Valence 3D have ads?
Neither KiCAD PCB Viewer nor Valence 3D shows ads.
Which is updated more often, KiCAD PCB Viewer or Valence 3D?
KiCAD PCB Viewer ships an update every 3 weeks, and Valence 3D every 11 days. Most recently, KiCAD PCB Viewer was updated on September 9, 2026 and Valence 3D on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, KiCAD PCB Viewer or Valence 3D?
KiCAD PCB Viewer currently peaks at #147 in the App Store charts, and Valence 3D at #19. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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