# KiCAD PCB Viewer vs Valence 3D

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.

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.

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.

KiCAD PCB Viewer ships an update every 2 weeks, Valence 3D every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | KiCAD PCB Viewer | Valence 3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [1.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kicad-pcb-viewer/id6450205342/reviews) | **[4.2 (116 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/valence-3d/id6450967410/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **116** |
| Positive reviews | 15.4% of reviews | **60.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | #146 | **#31** |
| Size | 14 MB | 195 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [明杰 曾](https://appshunter.io/developer/1695506895) | [Hi-Rez, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1584901634) |

## What reviewers say

### KiCAD PCB Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kicad-pcb-viewer/id6450205342)

**Currently charting:** #146 Top Paid · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Valence 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/valence-3d/id6450967410)

**Currently charting:** #31 Top Paid · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great start
- 👍 Intuitive UI
- 💡 Powerful features
- 🚀 Frequent updates
- 👍 Clean and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
- 🐛 File loading/saving problems
- 🐛 Unreliable selection and navigation
- 🐛 Mesh corruption and data loss
- 🐛 Lack of key modeling tools (boolean, curve, etc.)

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked 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 2 weeks, and Valence 3D every 11 days. Most recently, KiCAD PCB Viewer was updated on September 26, 2026 and Valence 3D on September 24, 2026.

### Which is more popular, KiCAD PCB Viewer or Valence 3D?

KiCAD PCB Viewer currently peaks at #146 in the App Store charts, and Valence 3D at #31. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*