Three different kinds of tool all call themselves panelization or panel layout tools, and they do not do the same job. Pick the wrong one and you either bend a CAD suite to a question it was never built to answer, or you commit a layout without ever checking what it costs to build. This page maps each tool to the job it is for, and shows where the expensive decision actually gets made.
CAD/CAM and Gerber panelizers (for example Altium, KiCad with KiKit, and Zuken) take finished board designs and produce a panel layout and the manufacturing data a fabricator needs: rails, fiducials, mouse bites or V-scores, Gerber files and ODB++ data to produce the panel.
Free fab calculators produce a quick, one-off panel layout for the dimensions you type in, showing how many boards fit. They are useful for a rough check, but do not offer true what-if analysis options.
KwickFit answers the question the other two skip: what is the most cost-effective way to lay this board out on the panel or sub-panel (array), and is it worth changing before you commit? Early in design, while you still have latitude to adjust, KwickFit's Analyze Part Size finds the threshold at which a reduced board size fits more boards per panel. When the board size is already established, it can still optimize the array. Auto Matrix Array finds the best array for each panel size, and you can compare results across multiple panel sizes in seconds, with no CAD or Gerber files.
| Capability | KwickFit | CAD / Gerber panelizers | Free fab calculators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Optimize boards per panel to reduce cost | Produce the fabrication panel and data | Quick panel layout |
| Needs a CAD layout or Gerber files | No | Yes | No |
| Finds the optimal array automatically | Yes (Auto Matrix Array) | Not its focus | No |
| Tests adjusting the board size to fit more boards | Yes (Analyze Part Size) | No | No |
| Compares many panel sizes at once | Yes | Not its focus | No |
| Outputs Gerber / ODB++ for the fab | No | Yes | No |
| When you use it | Before you commit the layout | At or after layout, for production | A rough estimate, any time |
| Cost | 14-day free trial, then subscription | Usually part of a CAD suite | Free |
Comparison reflects KwickFit's understanding of publicly available information as of May 2026. Other tools' capabilities may change. All product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners; this comparison is not endorsed by them.
Sending a panel to your fabricator? Use a CAD panelizer or your fab's tooling. That is the job they are built for.
Just want a rough count? A free calculator is fine for a one-off check.
Deciding the most cost-effective layout, or chasing parts per panel at volume? That is KwickFit. And it is complementary, not competing: optimize the array, the panel choice, and the board size where you have room, in KwickFit first, then panelize the winning design in your CAD tool. You make the expensive layout decision before it is locked in.
No CAD or Gerber files. Enter your dimensions and find the most cost-effective layout in seconds.
No credit card required.
Related: The PCB Cost Cliff shows what these layout decisions are worth in real dollars, and why more arrays per panel does not mean more boards.