Table of Contents
Best PowerCad Alternative (2026): ELEK Cable Pro Web vs PowerCad Comparison
Looking for a PowerCad alternative? This detailed comparison explains the differences between ELEK Cable Pro Web and PowerCad-5 for cable sizing to AS/NZS 3008, maximum demand, LV distribution network design, protection coordination, and arc flash analysis. Engineers use this guide to evaluate features, standards compliance, usability, and pricing.
The deciding factor for most engineers is the generation of software: PowerCad-5 is an installed desktop package licensed per machine, while ELEK Cable Pro Web is a modern, always-current cloud platform built around AI-first features, API-driven workflows, and live, interactive design.
About PowerCad
PowerCad Software was established in 1991 in Victoria, Australia, and has been a long-standing name in electrical design software for the building services industry. Its product family spans the market, from cable sizing tools for electricians and electrical contractors through to PowerCad-5, its flagship Windows desktop application for consulting electrical engineers. PowerCad-5 is widely adopted by Australian consulting firms for the LV distribution design of building services projects such as commercial buildings, residential developments, and industrial facilities, and is used by electrical engineers in 27 countries, including New Zealand, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa, and the UAE. In 2023, PowerCad Software was acquired by JDM Technology Group, one of the largest global suppliers of enterprise software for the construction industry. Following the acquisition, the original electrical engineer who founded the company and developed the software has left the business.
PowerCad-5 offers cable sizing, maximum demand, fault-loop impedance, protection coordination with time-current curves, harmonic analysis, and LV network modelling, with interfaces to AutoCAD® and Revit®.
About ELEK Cable Pro Web
ELEK Cable Pro Web is a modern, cloud-based alternative to PowerCad. It performs cable sizing and voltage drop calculations compliant with AS/NZS 3008.1.1:2025 (Australia), AS/NZS 3008.1.2 (New Zealand), BS 7671:2018, IEC 60364, and NEC (NFPA 70), plus maximum demand, LV network design with a fully interactive single line diagram, protection coordination with a database of over 30,000 manufacturer devices, arc flash calculations to IEEE 1584-2018, and cable pulling calculations.
Because it runs in the browser, there is nothing to install, no licence files to manage, and every user is always on the latest version with the latest standards. It can also be installed as a desktop and mobile app directly from the browser. Cable Pro Web is the first cable sizing software with AI integration: its MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools let engineers perform calculations from ChatGPT and Claude using ELEK’s verified calculation engines, and open the same calculations inside the Cable Pro Web app to continue working on them.
Start with the Free plan of ELEK Cable Pro Web. No credit card is required.
About the comparison
ELEK Cable Pro Web Version 12.5. Date of release: August 2026
PowerCad-5 Version 5.0.80.6. Date of release: August 2026
This comparison is based on internal evaluations and publicly available information for the listed software versions. Capabilities may vary depending on configuration, modules, and updates. Readers should verify specific features with the software vendors.
Consulting companies use Cable Pro Web™
Construction companies use Cable Pro Web™
Electrical contracting companies use Cable Pro Web™
Mining companies use Cable Pro Web™
Education and industry associations use Cable Pro Web™
Power utilities use Cable Pro Web™
Manufacturers and suppliers use Cable Pro Web™
Compare
Why choose ELEK Cable Pro Web over PowerCad-5?
ELEK Cable Pro Web matches PowerCad’s core capabilities, and adds features PowerCad lacks, including cable pulling, voltage rise reports, and AI/API-driven workflows.
ELEK CABLE PRO WEB
POWERCAD-5
General Features
| Feature | ELEK Cable Pro Web | PowerCad-5 |
|---|---|---|
|
Platform
Cable Pro Web is cloud-based and runs in the browser on desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile, and can be installed as a desktop or mobile app directly from the browser, with no licence files or IT deployment. PowerCad-5 is a Windows desktop application and requires AutoCAD for its CAD features.
|
CLOUD Any device, installable as an app |
DESKTOP ONLY |
|
Cable sizing standards
Cable Pro Web supports five standards in one product: AS/NZS 3008.1.1:2025, AS/NZS 3008.1.2 (NZ), BS 7671:2018, IEC 60364, and NEC (NFPA 70). PowerCad-5 supports AS/NZS 3008.1.1:2025; support for other regions references older IEE, BS, CP5 and IS (India) listings. See the Cable Pro Web product page for full standards details.
|
Yes 5 current international standards |
Yes AS/NZS focused |
|
Standards updates
Cloud users receive new standard editions automatically. The AS/NZS 3008.1.1:2025 update required no user action. Desktop users must download and install updates, which are tied to a maintenance agreement.
|
Yes Automatic |
Yes Manual Updates |
|
Access to standards documents in-app
Cable Pro Web offers a Standards Access add-on for AU/NZ users to view the standards they design to.
|
Yes |
No |
|
AI integration (MCP)
Cable Pro Web is AI-first: its MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools perform calculations directly from ChatGPT and Claude using ELEK's verified calculation engines, and the same calculations can be opened inside the Cable Pro Web app to continue working on them. Protection coordination and arc flash via AI are under development. Learn more about ELEK AI features.
|
Yes |
No |
|
APIs and automated workflows
Cable Pro Web's calculations are driven by APIs, which also power the AI tools and the Excel Add-in for bulk cable sizing.
|
Yes |
No |
|
Live (instant) calculations
Cable Pro Web updates results instantly as inputs change, with a colour-coded compliance status for every criterion.
|
Yes |
No |
|
Transparent step-by-step calculations
Cable Pro Web reports show the worked equations and intermediate values for AS/NZS, BS 7671 and NEC cable sizing. Equivalent worked calculations were not identified in PowerCad-5's available documentation.
|
Yes |
Not Identified |
|
Team accounts and project sharing
Cable Pro Web team accounts let you add and manage any number of team members, and teams can share and collaborate on the same projects.
|
Yes |
Network Licence |
|
Transparent pricing
Cable Pro Web pricing is public: Free plan, Essential $99/year, Premium $290/year, Professional $650/year per seat, with a 14-day trial. PowerCad-5 pricing is quote-based and not published.
|
Yes |
No |
|
Training and support
Cable Pro Web includes live chat with engineers and a large library of free online video tutorials, plus webinars and in-app product tours. PowerCad-5 offers direct online support and regular in-person day training courses in capital cities around Australia.
|
Yes Live chat + free online tutorials |
Yes Online support + in-person training |
Cable Sizing and Maximum Demand
| Feature | ELEK Cable Pro Web | PowerCad-5 |
|---|---|---|
|
Automatic cable sizing
Both automatically select the minimum compliant active, neutral, and earth conductors and allow manual selection with compliance checking. Cable Pro Web supports parallel cables and earth conductor material selection.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Compliance criteria checked
Both check current-carrying capacity, voltage drop, short-circuit temperature rise, and earth fault-loop impedance.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Supply types
Cable Pro Web sizes cables for DC, single-phase, two-phase, and three-phase supplies.
|
Yes Incl. DC and 2-phase |
Yes 1-phase and 3-phase |
|
Derating (correction) factors
Cable Pro Web includes a guided derating wizard that derives the factor from installation conditions. In PowerCad-5 the user enters a derating factor derived manually from the standard's tables. The wizard is demonstrated in the Cable Pro Web video tutorials.
|
Yes Guided wizard |
Yes Manual Factor Entry |
|
Unbalanced loads and network conditions
Cable Pro Web calculates unbalanced three-phase loads in standalone cable sizing and models unbalanced conditions, including voltage drop per phase, across the LV network.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Harmonics in cable sizing
Both consider harmonic currents, including neutral conductor sizing.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Voltage rise (AS/NZS 4777.1)
Cable Pro Web calculates voltage rise for solar/inverter installations across multiple cable runs and produces a dedicated compliance report. Not identified in PowerCad-5's available documentation.
|
Yes |
Not Identified |
|
Touch voltage
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Maximum demand (AS/NZS 3000)
Both calculate maximum demand for domestic and non-domestic installations, automatically applying the rules for each installation type.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Automatic single-phase load balancing
Cable Pro Web automatically balances single-phase loads across the three phases during the maximum demand calculation, an extremely powerful time-saver on unbalanced installations.
|
Yes |
No |
|
Energy demand method
Cable Pro Web calculates maximum demand by the energy demand method.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Motor and VSD load libraries
PowerCad-5 includes motor libraries with starting current profiles, variable speed drives, and soft starters.
|
No |
Yes |
|
EV charging loads
PowerCad-5 models manufacturer EV charging stations including their harmonic data.
|
No |
Yes |
LV Network Design
| Feature | ELEK Cable Pro Web | PowerCad-5 |
|---|---|---|
|
Multi-switchboard network modelling
Both model complete LV distribution networks with multiple switchboards and final subcircuits. Cable Pro Web automatically sizes all cables to meet the network voltage drop limit.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Supply sources
Cable Pro Web supports transformers, generators, power stations, and network feeders, including HV relays and fuses. PowerCad-5 supports transformers and generators including standby generator sizing.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Interactive single line diagram
Cable Pro Web's single line diagram is fully interactive: elements are added, dragged, connected, and configured live on the diagram itself, results update on the diagram as the design changes, and any element can be clicked to edit its properties. PowerCad-5 auto-generates its diagram from the network tree. Additional diagram elements (panelboards, tee-off boxes, busbars, and pillars) are under development for Cable Pro Web. See it in action in the Cable Pro Web video tutorials.
|
Yes Fully interactive, live editing |
Yes Auto-Generated |
|
Auto layout and undo/redo
Cable Pro Web's interactive single line diagram includes automatic diagram layout and full undo/redo of design changes. PowerCad-5's documentation describes no undo function; timed history file snapshots are used for recovery instead.
|
Yes |
No |
|
Bus-ties and automatic transfer switches
Both model bus-tie arrangements and standby generators with automatic transfer switches.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Unbalanced network calculations
Cable Pro Web models unbalanced loads and harmonics across the whole network, including per-phase results.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Fault level calculations
Cable Pro Web calculates network fault levels in accordance with IEC 60909. PowerCad-5 calculates three-phase and earth fault levels at every switchboard.
|
Yes IEC 60909 |
Yes |
|
Transformer sizing
Both size supply transformers automatically or manually, including parallel units.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Power factor correction
Both design capacitor banks for power factor correction.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Export of the single line diagram to CAD
|
Yes |
Yes |
Protection, Fault Levels and Arc Flash
| Feature | ELEK Cable Pro Web | PowerCad-5 |
|---|---|---|
|
Protective device database
Cable Pro Web includes over 30,000 manufacturer devices, covering time-current curves, settings, breaking capacities, and part numbers, from ABB, Schneider Electric, NHP, Siemens, Hager, Eaton, LS Electric, Bussmann and others, plus HV relays and fuses, with device search. PowerCad-5 includes actively maintained manufacturer databases; a device count is not published.
|
Yes 30,000+ devices |
Yes Count not published |
|
Time-current curves and discrimination
Both plot time-current curves and verify discrimination between devices. Cable Pro Web coordinates up to 10 cascaded devices. PowerCad-5 offers on-screen dynamic adjustment of breaker settings on the curve.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cable and transformer damage curves
Cable Pro Web overlays both cable damage curves and transformer damage curves on the time-current plot to verify equipment protection. PowerCad-5 displays cable damage curves; transformer damage curves were not identified in available documentation.
|
Yes Cable and transformer |
Yes Cable only |
|
Cascading / selectivity
Both verify selectivity and support cascading arrangements based on manufacturer data.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
User-defined protective devices
PowerCad-5 allows users to define custom time-current and let-through energy curves. This capability is under development for Cable Pro Web.
|
Under Development |
Yes |
|
Earth fault-loop impedance
Both calculate fault-loop impedance throughout the network and verify disconnection times.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Arc flash (AC)
Cable Pro Web calculates arc flash incident energy in accordance with IEEE 1584-2018 and NFPA 70E, plus ENA NENS 09-2014 and DGUV 203-077, with PPE categories and printable arc flash labels. Arc flash via AI is under development. PowerCad-5 provides an arcing fault clearance check; an incident-energy calculation method was not identified in available documentation.
|
Yes IEEE 1584-2018 |
Yes Arc Fault Check |
|
Arc flash (DC)
Cable Pro Web calculates DC arc flash using the Maximum Power (Doan), DGUV, and Stokes methods.
|
Yes |
Not Identified |
Harmonics and Power Quality
| Feature | ELEK Cable Pro Web | PowerCad-5 |
|---|---|---|
|
Harmonic load modelling
Both model non-linear loads with harmonic spectra. Cable Pro Web includes harmonics in cable sizing and LV network calculations with THD results, spectrum plots, and reports. PowerCad-5 models up to the 51st harmonic order with harmonic data libraries.
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
THD compliance checking
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Network resonance check
|
No |
Yes |
|
Harmonic filter sizing
PowerCad-5 sizes active and passive harmonic filters.
|
No |
Yes |
Integrations, Reporting and Extras
| Feature | ELEK Cable Pro Web | PowerCad-5 |
|---|---|---|
|
Conduit sizing
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cable pulling calculations
Cable Pro Web calculates pulling tensions for routes with straight sections, bends, slopes, and rollers, including sidewall pressure, clearance, and jamming checks.
|
Yes |
No |
|
AutoCAD integration
PowerCad-5 integrates deeply with AutoCAD, including loads input from attributed drawing blocks and drawing exports. Cable Pro Web exports its single line diagrams to CAD.
|
Yes SLD export |
Yes Deeper two-way |
|
Revit / BIM
PowerCad-5 offers Revit plugins.
|
No |
Yes |
|
Excel integration
Cable Pro Web's Excel Add-in is an API-based tool: size cables for thousands of circuits in spreadsheet rows, with dropdown inputs per row, each calculated live by the ELEK cable sizing API (AS/NZS, NZ, BS, and IEC). Cable schedules also export to Excel. PowerCad-5 exports configurable CSV data.
|
Yes API-based bulk sizing add-in |
Yes CSV export |
|
Cost estimating / bill of materials
PowerCad-5 includes cable, conduit, and switchboard pricing with bill-of-materials output.
|
No |
Yes |
|
Standards-referenced reports
Cable Pro Web PDF reports cite the specific AS/NZS 3008 table and column numbers used for each selection, show the calculation steps, support custom company branding, and can be shared via link. PowerCad-5 produces an extensive set of reports with print preview.
|
Yes With table/column citations |
Yes |
Frequently asked questions
Can ELEK Cable Pro Web replace PowerCad?
For cable sizing, maximum demand, LV network design, protection coordination, and arc flash, yes. It also adds capabilities PowerCad-5 does not have, such as IEEE 1584-2018 arc flash, cable pulling, voltage rise reports, automatic single-phase load balancing, and AI/API-driven workflows. PowerCad-5 remains stronger where deep AutoCAD-based workflows, motor/VSD load libraries, or cost estimating are central to your process.
Does Cable Pro Web support the new AS/NZS 3008.1.1:2025 standard?
Yes. The 2025 edition is built in and applied automatically. Cloud users did not need to install anything to receive it. Cable Pro Web also supports AS/NZS 3008.1.2 for New Zealand, BS 7671:2018, IEC 60364, and NEC.
What does AI integration actually mean in Cable Pro Web?
Cable Pro Web provides MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools for ChatGPT and Claude. You describe the circuit in plain language, the AI calls ELEK’s verified calculation engines, never estimating results itself, and returns a standards-compliant answer with a PDF report. The same calculations can then be opened inside the Cable Pro Web app to continue working on them.
Does Cable Pro Web do protection coordination?
Yes. Time-current curves with cable and transformer damage curves, discrimination verification, and cascading for up to 10 devices, using a database of over 30,000 manufacturer protective devices with settings, breaking capacities, and part numbers.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Cable Pro Web runs in the browser on any device, and can optionally be installed as a desktop or mobile app directly from the browser. There are no licence files, no dongles, and no IT deployment. Updates and new standards arrive automatically.
How do I learn Cable Pro Web?
Most engineers are productive within their first session. A large library of free video tutorials covers every calculator, and live chat support with engineers is included on paid plans. Team accounts let you add and manage any number of team members, and project sharing lets team members collaborate on the same projects.
How much does Cable Pro Web cost compared to PowerCad?
Cable Pro Web pricing is transparent and published: a Free plan, Essential at $99/year, Premium at $290/year, and Professional at $650/year per seat. PowerCad-5 pricing is not published and is provided by quotation, with updates tied to a maintenance agreement. See the Cable Pro Web product page for current plans.
Conclusion
PowerCad-5 is a capable and long-established desktop tool, and it retains genuine strengths in AutoCAD-driven design workflows, motor load libraries, and cost estimating.
ELEK Cable Pro Web represents the next generation of electrical design software: an always-current cloud platform covering five international standards, instant calculations with transparent standards-referenced reports, IEEE 1584-2018 arc flash, cable pulling, a fully interactive single line diagram with auto layout and undo/redo, API-driven bulk workflows in Excel, and the industry’s first AI integration, with team collaboration built in and transparent per-seat pricing that starts free.
For engineers and firms deciding between the two, the choice usually comes down to the generation of software: an installed desktop package, or a modern, AI-first cloud platform available on any device. For organisations looking to reduce IT overhead, keep every engineer on the latest standards, and modernise their design workflow, ELEK Cable Pro Web is a compelling PowerCad alternative.
