| Feature | CopperCAM | FlatCAM | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | ~$80 (Free limited demo available) | Free (Open Source) | | Platform | Windows only (Wine for Mac/Linux) | Native Windows, Mac, Linux | | Isolation Type | Manual/Selection based | Automated Geometric | | Multiple Passes | Yes (Manual offset) | Yes (Auto-contour) | | Double-sided boards | Excellent (mirror view) | Good (requires manual flip) | | Drilling (Excellon) | Very fast, customizable peck drilling | Good, but less peck drill control | | Simulation | 3D Real-time (Best in class) | 2D Basic (Relies on external viewer) | | Trace Width check | Yes (visual ruler tool) | No (requires external DRC) | | Open Source | No | Yes |
Here is a complete breakdown to help you choose the right tool for your bench.