Qt
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- Features
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€546 per user per year
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What is Qt
Qt is a cross-platform application development framework and set of tools for building GUI and embedded software primarily in C++, with bindings available for other languages. It is used to develop desktop, mobile, and embedded/IoT applications that need a consistent UI and behavior across operating systems. Qt typically includes the Qt libraries (widgets/QML, networking, multimedia, etc.) and optional commercial tooling such as Qt Creator, design tools, and device deployment/debugging components. A key differentiator is its mature cross-platform UI stack (Qt Widgets and QML/Qt Quick) and support for embedded targets alongside desktop and mobile.
Cross-platform UI framework
Qt provides a single UI and application framework that targets Windows, macOS, Linux, and common embedded OS configurations. Teams can share substantial code across platforms compared with platform-specific IDE/toolchains. Qt offers both a traditional widget toolkit and a declarative UI approach (QML/Qt Quick), which supports different UI development styles. This is useful for products that must maintain consistent UX across multiple device classes.
Strong embedded and IoT fit
Qt is widely used in embedded systems where a full desktop stack is not practical but a rich UI is still required. It supports cross-compilation workflows and integrates with device deployment and debugging options depending on the edition and setup. The framework includes modules commonly needed in device software (networking, serial/IO integration patterns, multimedia, and graphics). This positions it well for teams building UI-driven device applications rather than only microcontroller sketches.
Comprehensive C++ libraries
Qt includes a broad set of C++ libraries beyond UI, such as containers, concurrency primitives, networking, and internationalization. These reduce the need to assemble many third-party dependencies for common application concerns. The signal/slot event model and meta-object system provide structured patterns for UI and asynchronous programming. For organizations standardizing on C++, this can simplify architecture and maintenance across projects.
Licensing and compliance complexity
Qt is available under open-source licenses and commercial licenses, and the choice affects distribution obligations and permitted use cases. Organizations often need legal review to ensure compliance with license terms, especially for closed-source products. Some capabilities and tooling may be packaged differently across editions, which can complicate procurement and standardization. This can be more complex than toolchains that are entirely permissive or entirely proprietary.
Not a full ALM suite
While Qt provides development tooling and libraries, it does not replace end-to-end ALM functions such as backlog management, test management, and CI/CD orchestration on its own. Teams typically integrate it with external version control, build systems, and DevOps platforms. As a result, organizations seeking a single integrated lifecycle suite will still need additional products and integrations. This contrasts with environments that bundle broader lifecycle management more tightly.
Learning curve for QML/Qt
Qt’s architecture (signals/slots, meta-object system) and its declarative UI layer (QML) introduce concepts that can be unfamiliar to developers coming from other UI frameworks. Performance tuning and deployment for embedded targets can also require specialized knowledge of graphics stacks and build configurations. Teams may need time to establish best practices for project structure, module selection, and cross-platform packaging. This can increase onboarding time compared with more narrowly scoped IDE-centric tools.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Qt for Application Development (Commercial, named-developer) | $302 per user/month | Commercial dev license for desktop & mobile (named developer). Price shown on Qt product page as "starts at $302 per developer per month". |
| Qt for Application Development — Small Business (ADE-SB) | €546 per user/year | Discounted small-business subscription (eligibility: max €1M annual revenue, max 3 licenses, limited support tickets). |
| Qt for Device Creation — Small Business (DCP-SB) | €1,090 per user/year | Small-business discounted Device Creation license (term-based 12 months). |
| Qt for Device Creation (Professional / Enterprise) | Contact sales / Get quote | Device Creation Professional/Enterprise and Distribution licenses are sold via sales or webshop for qualified customers; distribution licenses priced by volume. |
| Qt Design Studio (standalone) | Evaluation: 10 days; standalone pricing available in webshop (historical listing: $990/year in 2020) | Qt Design Studio Professional is included in commercial developer licenses; standalone evaluation available for 10 days. |
Notes:
- Qt Community Edition (open-source, GPL/LGPL) is available as a permanently free option for projects that comply with the open-source license terms.
- The Qt download/evaluation page confirms a 10-day free trial for commercial packages.
- Some products (Device Creation, Automotive, MCUs, Distribution Licenses) often require contacting Qt sales for current commercial pricing.
Seller details
The Qt Company Oyj
Espoo, Finland
1994
Public
https://www.qt.io/
https://x.com/qtproject
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-qt-company/
