No matter which project it is that they are working on, electronics engineers must know exactly how the electrical circuits should be laid out and how they will work. Without printed circuit boards (PCBs), an electronics engineer’s job would be impossible. But, it can be quite a task for an electronics engineer to find the right PCB design software tools because they are so busy and there are so many to sift through.

• Eagle Pcb Software

Tools Review: The 10 Best FREE PCB Design Solutions 1. This is an open source software suite containing programs for Schematic Capture. DesignSpark PCB. DesignSpark PCB is a very popular, easy-to-learn schematics capture. ExpressPCB Plus and ExpressSCH. This is a basic PCB design.

That’s why we have pulled together 46 of the top PCB design software tools for electronics engineers – to save you time while you are designing your projects. We also realize that one software tool may be appropriate for one PCB project while another will work better for other types of projects. As a result, we have included simple tools, free tools, and proprietary tools on our list. Our criteria was simple: the PCB design software tools for electronics engineers must be intuitive, include useful features, be established enough to limit risks, and feature a robust library so they can be applied to multiple projects. We share our top 46 PCB design software tools for electronics engineers here, in no particular order.

1. PCB Artist
@AC4PCB

Advanced Circuits is the leading PCB manufacturer with the industry’s largest active customer database and best on-time shipping record. Their PCB Artist is a reliable software tool for electronics engineers looking for an intuitive, easy to use solution. Electronics engineers also choose PCB Artist because it helps save time and money.

Key Features:

• Components Library of more than 500,000 parts
• Free Gerber format files
• Integrated schematics
• Parts list reports in CSV
• Design rule check error report and between selected items

Cost: FREE

2. Ultiboard
@NIglobal

National Instruments accelerates engineering success with their open, software-centric platform that leverages modular hardware and an expansive ecosystem. Electronics engineers specifically choose National Instruments’ Utiliboard because it provides a rapid PCB prototyping environment for several applications.

Key Features:

• Seamless integration with Multisim
• Saves electronics engineers hours of development time
• Complete circuit schematics, SPIC simulation, and PCB layout in the same environment
• Accelerates PCB design with automated functionality while maintaining precision with manual control
• Compliments Multisim’s powerful SPICE simulation environment with PCB layout and routing capabilities

Cost: FREE evaluation; Contact for a quote

3. Altium Designer 17
@altium

A software company providing PC-based electronics design software for engineers, Altium presents Designer 17. This PCB design software for electronics engineers is considered the gold standard by many in the industry. Altium Designer 17 is efficient, easy to use, and meets the modern needs of professional electronics engineers.

Key Features:

• Leverages innovative technologies to help electronics engineers focus less on process and more on design
• Product more inspired designs by concentrating more on the creative aspects of your workflow
• Effortless design automation
• Endless engineering reach
• Intuitive team collaboration
• Verify designs in the mechanical world
• Centralize trusted design assets

Cost: FREE trial available; Contact for a quote

4. SOLIDWORKS PCB
@SOLIDWORKS

For electronic design, SOLIDWORKS offers powerful design technology with on-demand bidirectional integration with SOLIDWORKS CAD. And, their PCB solution brings together CAD and PCB design for flawless collaboration.

Key Features:

• Combines the best technology in PCB design with an easy-to-use interface
• Links with SOLIDWORKS CAD for an efficient design experience
• Quickly and easily complete PCB designs to continue with your product design workflow

Cost: Contact for a quote

5. DipTrace
@DipTrace

DipTrace is a PCB design software tool for electronics engineers that features an intuitive interface and wide capabilities. For PCB layout, DipTrace provides board design with smart manual routing and shape-based autorouter. Electronics engineers prefer DipTrace for its single environment with direct circuit-to-board converting, updating from schematic, and back annotation.

Key Features:

• Real-time DRC
• Differential parts
• 3D preview
• STEP export
• Placement features allow for placing components manually by simple drag and drop or automatically according to custom settings
• Fanout feature for nets, components, and single pads

Cost:

• DipTrace Full: $1,195 – Unlimited pins, unlimited signal layers
• DipTrace Extended: $695 – 2,000 pins, 6 signal layers
• DipTrace Standard: $395 – 1,000 pins, 4 signal layers
• DipTrace Lite: $145 – 500 pins, 2 signal layers
• DipTrace Starter: $75 – 300 pins, 2 signal layers

6. PCBWeb
@PCBWeb

A full-featured electronics design tool, PCBWeb supports both schematics and PCB layout. For electronics engineers looking to simplify hardware design, PCBWeb is an ideal tool for designing and manufacturing electronics hardware.

Key Features:

• Design multi-sheet schematics with PCBWeb’s fast, easy-to-use writing tool
• Route multi-layer boars with support for copper pours and DRC checking
• Integrated Digi-Key Parts Catalog with Bill of Materials Manager

Cost: FREE

7. BSch3V

BSch3V is a popular PCB design design software tool from Suigyodo Online for electronics engineers who need a free solution. A schematic capture program, BSch3V is for Windows Vista/7/8/10 and has basic functions to simplify operations.

Key Features:

• Basic schematic capture
• Component library editor
• Parts list generator
• Netlist generator
• Automatic numbering software
• CE3Search searching utility for CE3 files
• Source code and component library
• Suigyodo also offers Minimal Board Editor, a free PCB editor software

Cost: FREE

8. XCircuit

Electrical engineer Tim Edwards writes and maintains XCircuit, a schematic capture program for presentations and an electronic design automation (EDA) tool. Electronics engineers make XCircuit part of their PCB design software toolbox when they need to draw publishable-quality electrical circuit schematic diagrams and related figures and produce circuit net lists through schematic capture.

Key Features:

• Online tutorials available
• Output is suitable for publication
• Regards circuits as inherently hierarchical and writes both hierarchical PostScript output and hierarchical SPICE netlists
• Saves circuit components in libraries that are fully editable
• Maintains flexibility in style without compromising the power of schematic capture
• Especially useful for tasks requiring repeated use of a standard set of graphical objects including PCB layouts

Cost: FREE

9. gerbv
@sourceforge

Available on sourceforge, gerbv is an open source Gerber file viewer for RS-274X only. Electronics engineers can load several files on top of one another with gerbv.

Key Features:

• Do measurements on the displayed image
• View Excellon drill files
• View pick-place files
• Quickly determine conflicts before sending files to a board house

Cost: FREE

10. KiCad EDA
@kicad_pcb

A cross platform and open source electronics design automation suite, KiCad EDA includes schematic capture, PCB layout, and a 3D viewer for electronics engineers. Create designs without limit, make professional PCB layouts, and inspect designs in an interactive canvas with KiCad EDA.

Key Features:

• Up to 32 copper layers
• Lay out boards more quickly
• Draw your track while KiCad pushes forward traces that are in the way or reroutes tracks around obstacles
• Push and shove router makes sure your DRC constraints are respected
• Footprint editor (GAL)

Cost: FREE

11. DesignSpark PCB
@DesignSparkRS

DesignSpark is for the engineering and maker community with free DesignSpark PCB, DesignSpark Mechanical, and DesignSpark Electrical software. Electronics engineers choose DesignSpark PCB when taking ideas from concept to creation is a priority.

Key Features:

• Seamless integration into existing design workflows
• No limitation on schematic size
• Use as many layers as needed for PCB designs
• Maximum size of PCB is 1m x 1m
• Create your own parts models in the library editor or access the ready-to-use embedded libraries
• Prepare unrestricted Gerber and ODB++ files to order PCBs or let DesignSpark’s PCB quote service build it for you

Cost: FREE

12. Eagle PCB
@autodesk

Offering 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software and services, Autodesk makes electronic engineers’ jobs easier with Eagle PCB. This powerful, easy-to-use PCB design software tool makes is possible for engineers to make anything they can dream.

Key Features:

• Easy-to-use schematic editor to transform your ideas into reality
• Bring designs to life with intuitive PCB layout tools
• Accessible library content enables electronic engineers to skip busywork and get creative with ready-to-use part libraries
• Routing engine makes it possible to speed through complex layouts with modern PCB routing tools
• Modular design blocks for quickly reusing sub circuits that are synchronized between schematic and PCB
• Escape ball grid arrays in seconds

Cost: FREE trial available

• EAGLE Standard Subscription
  • $15/month
  • $100/year
• EAGLE Premium Subscription
  • $65/month
  • $500/yea

13. CircuitMaker
@CircuitMaker

A free PCB design tool powered by Altium, CircuitMaker also includes a community of creative people that works together to invent circuits and electronics products. Electronics engineers looking to create products to better the future often use CircuitMaker to turn their idea into products.

Key Features:

• Design high-quality schematics and PCBs with no artificial limits on layer counts or board areas
• Rely on the community to find reference designs and to promote and rate other projects
• Set up teams for collaborative designs

Cost: FREE

14. Pad2Pad
@pad2padpcb

Pad2Pad is a printed circuit board manufacturer with free design software. Electronics engineers use Pad2Pad to create products using a library of through hold components, net list import, any board shape, and auto routing.

Key Features:

• User-friendly and intuitive interface
• Auto error check
• Ground planes
• BOM integration with Digi-Key
• Snap-to-line mode
• Trace simplifier
• Assorted material

Cost: FREE

15. OrCAD
@EMA_EDA

OrCAD is the PCB design software tool of choice for more than 40,000 engineers. Electronics engineers choose OrCAD because it is dependable and allows them to scale as business grows. They also prefer OrCAD because it provides a complete environment, from the initial schematic to the final artwork.

Key Features:

• Grows with evolving design challenges and provides scalability for future challenges
• Fully integrated simulation and analysis technologies ensure first pass-success without any need for translations
• Intuitive interfaces make OrCAD easy to learn and use
• Powerful, effective functionality depth with award-winning OrCAD technologies

Cost: FREE trial available; Contact for a quote

16. ZenitPCB

ZenitPCB is a free PCB layout software tool for electronic projects. A flexible and easy-to-use program, ZenitPCB helps electronics engineers create projects in a short time because it is intuitive.

Key Features:

• Designed for personal or semi-professional use
• Limited to 800 pins
• Developed by a PCB designer
• Create PCB in a speedy, intuitive way

Cost: FREE

17. CircuitStudio
@CircuitStudioTM

CircuitStudio is a professional PCB design tool for modern electronics engineers. Use CircuitStudio to quickly design advanced PCB layouts with interactive routing, collaborate with mechanical design teams, and simulate and ship advanced electronics.

Key Features:

• Intelligent Situs Autorouting technology
• Native 3D PCB editing and STEP MCAD support
• Integrated analog and digital simulation
• Intelligent schematic capture and PCB layout
• Easy-to-use interface and customizable workflow
• Complete design history compatibility with Altium Designer and EAGLE

Cost: FREE trial available for 30 days; Contact for a quote

18. PCB123
@SunstoneCircuit

Sunstone Circuits has been delivering high-quality, on-time PCB prototypes for more than 40 years. They also offer PCB123, a professional-quality PDB design software available free of charge for electronics engineers inside of the Sunstone ordering process.

Key Features:

• Improved polygon functions for merging, clipping, and optimizing more complex designs
• Gerber files free with every PCB123 order
• Enhanced user controls for faster rendering, smoother drag and drop, more zoom control, and unified control panels
• Slots and cutouts available in parts definitions

Cost: FREE

19. CUSPICE

From ngspice, CUSPICE is available on CUDA platforms and supports hospice devices such as BSIM4v7, Capacitor, Self and Mutual Inductor, Current Source, Resistor, and Voltage Source. Electronics engineers speed up model evaluation, circuit, and right-hand side creation steps by up to three times with CUSPICE.

Key Features:

• hospice for CUDA platforms
• Modified to exploit the parallelism offered by CUDA platforms
• Requires an NVIDIA video card with Fermi or newer architecture and a working CUDA environment installation

Cost: FREE

20. FreePCB

A free, open source PCB editor for Microsoft Windows, FreePCB is easy to learn and use but enables electronics engineers to produce professional-quality work. If necessary, engineers can use the FreeRout web-based autorouter with FreePCB as it does not include an autorouter.

Key Features:

• 1-16 copper layers
• Board size up to 60 inches x 60 inches
• Uses English or metric units for most functions
• Copper fill areas
• Footprint Wizard and Footprint Editor for creating and modifying footprints

Cost: FREE

21. Mentor Graphics Xpedition
@MentorPCB

A leader in electronic design automation, Mentor Graphics PCB offers Xpedition, a PCB design software tool for electronics engineers. Billed as “the industry’s most innovative PCB design flow,” Xpedition includes unique, patented technologies to reduce design cycles by at least 50% while improving overall quality and resource efficiency.

Key Features:

• Multi-board systems design
• PCB virtual prototyping results in higher quality products faster
• Collaborative placement and routing of highly complex PCBs
• Capture, verify, and communicate design intent throughout the PCB design flow
• PCB data management with a single, integrated solution for WIP design and library management
• Get designs right the first time and meet PCB’s most demanding manufacturing process rulesets

Cost: Contact for a quote

22. ExpressPCB
@expresspcb_com

ExpressPCB is a PCB design software tool that is easy to learn. This free tool is appropriate for beginner and professional electronics engineers, who benefit from the ExpressPCB community library while completing designs.

Key Features:

• For XP, Vista, and Windows 7/8.1/10
• Fully functionally and was to install
• Standardized Windows user interface
• You choose whether to draw a schematic first using the ExpressSCH program
• Design two or four layer boards
• Drag and drop features
• Instant quotes
• xCheck analyzes PCB designs to identify potential problems before manufacturing the board

Cost: FREE

23. Easy-PC PCB

From Number One Systems, Easy-PC PCB is ready-to-use PCB design software for electronics engineers. Teams and individuals choose Easy-PC PCB because it is a professional design tool that is cost effective and scalable.

Key Features:

• Easy to use
• Dedicated manned support
• Library management tools
• Library creation wizards
• 3D preview
• Automatic project versioning
• Create PCB designs without a schematic
• Design reuse
• Shape-based copper pour
• Fully integrated autorouters

Cost:

• Easy-PC Integrated Schematic Capture and PCB Layout
  • Unlimited Pins License: £497
  • 2000 Pins License: £397
  • 1000 Pins License: £297

24. TINA
@tinadesignsuite

TINA (Toolkit for Interactive Network Analysis) Design Suite, a powerful circuit simulation and PCB design software package, is available both offline and online for electronics engineers. From DesignSoft, TINA is powerful, yet affordable and is useful for analyzing, designing, and real-time testing analog, digital, HDL, MCU, and mixed electronic circuits and their PCB layouts.

Key Features:

• Easy to use
• High-performance tool
• Choose TINACloud for editing and running your circuit simulation designs online on PCs, Macs, thin clients, tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, and ebook readers without any installation
• Fully integrated layout module includes all the features electronics engineers need for advanced PCB design, including multilayer PCBs with split power plane layers, powerful autoplacement and auto routing, rip-up and reroute, manual and follow-me trace placement, 3D views of your PCB design from any angle, and much more

Cost:

• TINA 11.0 Design Suite Basic Edition, Single User: $129, Bundled with free TINACloud Basic registration for one year
• TINA 11.0 Design Suite Basic Plus Edition, Single User: $299, Bundled with free TINACloud Basic registration for one year
• TINA 11.0 Design Suite Classic Edition, Single User: $600, Bundled with free TINACloud Basic registration for one year
• TINA 11.0 Design Suite Industrial Version, Single User: $1200, Bundled with free TINACloud Industrial registration for one year

25. Fritzing
@FritzingOrg

A free software tool to support designs, artists, hobbyists, and engineers work creatively with interactive electronics, Fritzing is an open-source hardware initiative. Fritzing also includes a community website and services for processing and Arduino to foster a creative community for documenting prototypes, sharing with one another, teaching electronics, and laying out and manufacturing professional PCBs.

Key Features:

• Get inspired by projects within the Fritzing community
• Ideal for beginners through professional engineers
• Use the Fritzing Fab to turn your PCB sketches into professional PCBs

Cost: FREE

26. EasyEDA
@easyeda

EasyEDA is a web-based EDA, schematic capture, spice circuit simulation, and PCB layout tool for electronics engineers. The developers of EasyEDA set out to create a PCB design software tool that provides comprehensive data and collaboration tools to help engineers and designers move from idea to product more easily and quickly.

Key Features:

• Complete circuit simulation, PCB design, and electronic circuit design online
• Supports Mac, Linux, Windows, Android, and all other platforms by requiring zero installation and existing in a cross-platform environment for electronics engineers
• Powerful PCB layout and simulation capability with massive libraries of schematic components, PCB footprints and packages, spice simulation, and more
• Import designs from Eagle, Altium, KiCad, and LTspice
• Operate quickly and lay out PCB design quickly even with multiple layers and thousands of pads

Cost: FREE

27. Proteus

From Labcenter Electronics, Proteus combines powerful features with ease of use to help electronics engineers design, test, and lay out professional PCBs incredibly quickly and easily. Proteus is intuitive and includes a world-class shape-based autorouter, making it a complete software design tool for modern engineers.

Key Features:

• Nearly 800 microcontroller variants ready for simulation right from the schematic
• Professional PCB layout package
• Combines schematic capture and ARES PCB layout programs to be a powerful, integrated suite of tools for professional PCB design
• Complete functionality yet featuring a simple, clean user interface and tight integration with schematic design
• Design capacity scales with the product range, which allows electronics engineers to choose the Proteus product right for you

Cost:

• Proteus PCB Design Level 1, 500 pins in Netlist: $248
• Proteus PCB Design Level 1, 1000 pins in Netlist: $487
• Proteus PCB Design Level 1, 2000 pins in Netlist: $652
• Proteus PCB Design Level 2+, 1000 pins in Netlist: $982
• Proteus PCB Design Level 2+, 2000 pins in Netlist: $1642
• Proteus PCB Design Level 2+, Unlimited pins in Netlist: $2022

28. Upverter
@upverter

Upverter is a leader in cloud-based PCB design tools, and they attribute their success to empowering engineers by equipping them with world-class technology, knowledge, and support. With the power of collaborative tools, electronics engineers find a speedier design process that saves time and reduce board errors.

Key Features:

• Upverter Parts Concierge eliminates the need for you to create and verify schematic symbols and footprints and allows you to focus on your design
• On-demand part verification removes the risk of symbol and footprint errors
• Centralized library management
• Growing component library with verified parts from Texas Instruments, Broadcom, Atmel, Cypress Semiconductor, and countless others

Cost: FREE trial available

• Starter: FREE
• Professional: $100/user/month billed annually
• Enterprise: Contact for a quote

29. Circuit Wizard

A PCB design software tool that combines circuit design, PCB design, simulation, and CAD/CAM manufacturing in one package, Circuit Wizard is available in educational, standard, and professional editions. The professional edition integrates the entire design process to give electronics engineers the tools necessary for producing a project from start to finish.

Key Features:

• Includes on-screen testing of the PCB prior to construction
• 500-1500+ models in component library
• ANSI an DIN symbols
• Off-board components
• Interactive PCB layout simulation
• Breadboard simulation
• On-screen animation
• Automatic PCB routing

Cost: Contact for a quote

30. TinyCAD
@sourceforge

Available on Sourceforge, TinyCAD is an open-source program for drawing electrical circuit diagrams, or schematic drawings. TinyCAD is a PCB design software tool of choice for electronics engineers who want a solution that supports standard and custom symbol libraries and supports PCB layout programs with several netlist formats.

Key Features:

• Often used to draw one-line diagrams, block diagrams, and presentation drawings
• Flat or hierarchical schematic entry
• Includes many popular PCB layout-compatible netlist formats
• Convenient support for embedding graphical images in drawings

Cost: FREE

31. AutoTRAX

AutoTRAX DEX PCB is an integrated PCB design software and EDA for electronics engineers. Rapidly and easily move from design to production with this PCB design software tool that includes a hierarchical project manager.

Key Features:

• Perform both top-down and bottom-up design and reuse design components and sub-systems
• Schematic capture and PCB layout
• Unified electronic design software with unmatched ability to design and build current and future generations of electronic products
• Ensures your design remains correct without dangling wires or PCB design rule violations
• Quickly proceed from design to production with a populated PCB without leaving the AutoTRAX program
• Use auto routing or a combination of automatic and manual routing to complete all electrical wiring

Cost: $49

32. NI Multisim
@NIglobal

From National Instruments, NI Multisim is powerful circuit design software that is an advanced, industry-standard, best-in-class SPICE simulation environment used by electronics engineers around the globe. Multisim also is appropriate for educators and students.

Key Features:

• Analyze analog, digital, and power electronics
• All-new parameter analysis
• Integration with new embedded targets
• Simplified design with user-definable templates
• Over 6,000 new components from leading manufacturers
• Integrated with NI Ultiboard for a quick layout and prototyping design flow

Cost:

• Multisim Base Edition for Windows: $1,617
• Multisim Full Edition for Windows: $2,826
• Multisim Power Pro Edition for Windows: $4,186

33. Zuken CR-8000
@ZukenAmericas

Zuken provides software solutions for PCB design, designing electrical wiring from schematic to cable harness and panel layout, and e-PLM. Electronics engineers choose Zuken CR-8000 when they require advanced PCB design software with a product-centric 3D PCB design platform.

Key Features:

• Multi-site ECAD library and data
• 2D/3D multi-board PCB design
• Design exploration to bridge the gap between marketing requirements and detailed design
• 3D ECAD/MCAD convergence
• Chip-package-board co-design
• FPGA pin optimization

Cost: FREE trial available; Contact for a quote

34. PCB Creator
@bayareacircuits

Bay Area Circuits is a PCB manufacturer specializing in quick-turn prototyping for businesses, designers, makers, and hobbyists. Their PCB Creator is a free PCB layout and schematic capture software that is the perfect solution for electronics engineers who want a powerful design tool without spending a lot of money.

Key Features:

• PCB design software for creating 2-4 layer custom PCBs with integrated pricing and ordering options
• Simple to learn
• Easy-to-use manual and automatic routing tools
• Component and pattern editors for making new parts and footprints
• Import and export custom PCB designs and libraries with other EDA tools
• Use schematic capture
• Preview designs in 3D
• Powered by the DipTrace platform

Cost: FREE, with paid upgrades to DipTrace available

35. Pulsonix
@PulsonixPCB

Pulsonix PCB is a global EDA company specializing in schematic capture and PCB design software. Electronics engineers improve their electronic design process with Pulsonix’s advanced, yet affordable PCB design software tool.

Key Features:

• QSchematic capture includes the feature-rich toolset within the Pulsonix Schematic Editor
• Sophisticated, fully integrated PCB design with intelligent features to aid complex day-to-day PCB design
• Carefully designed to ensure maximum productivity with minimal engineer input time
• Rule creation, component placement, routing modes, and post-processing capability to significantly reduce design time

Cost: FREE trial available; Contact for a quote

36. PADS PCB Design Software
@MentorPCB

From Mentor Graphics, PADS PCB Design Software is a powerful PCB tool for electronics engineers that allows for the easy design of printed circuit boards. PADS allows for robust rules hierarchy, powerful interactive routings nd advanced features like physical design reuse.

Key Features:

• Built-in DFF
• Automatic routing
• High-speed interactive routing
• 3D visualization and placement
• Easy, effective interactive routing
• Easily create split planes and copper areas
• Advanced features and capabilities that speed lay out of most complex design

Cost: FREE trial of PADS Standard Plus available; Contact for a quote

37. Allegro PCB Designer
@Cadence

A leading global EDA and semiEDA company, Cadence enables electronic design innovation and plays an essential role in the creation of ICs and electronics. Electronics engineers turn to Cadence’s Allegro PCB Designer when they require a more predictable, shorter design cycle.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive in-design inter-layer checking technology to minimize design-check-redesign iterations
• Dynamic concurrent-team-design capability to accelerate product creation time
• Utilizes material inlay fabrication techniques to reduce material costs
• Embedded Sigrity technology ensures critical signals meet performance criteria and power integrity for PCB designers to address power delivery and IR drop issues efficiently to eliminate time-consumer iteration with PI experts

Cost: Contact for a quote

38. EdWinXP
@VisionicsIndia

An EDA software package or automated design of electronic products, EDWinXP is the PCB designing and SPICE-based software tool from Visionics. An integrated PCB design software tool for electronics engineers, EDWinXP covers every stage of the design process, from schematic capture to PCB manufacturing and testing.

Key Features:

• Stores complete design information in the integrated project and is accessible by Schematic Design Editor, PCB Layout Editor, Fabrication Output Manger, and Simulators
• Analyze and validate the functionality and behavior of circuits captured in the form of schematic diagrams
• Fully automatic front and back annotation of all design changes
• Includes an extensive part library that may be updated, customized, and enhanced via the Library Editor

Cost:

• EdWinXP 2.10 – Schematic, Commercial: $450
• EdWinXP – Standard, Commercial: $800
• EdWinXP – Deluxe, Commercial: $1,200
• EdWinXP – Professional, Commercial: $3,200
• EdWinXP 2.10 – Schematic, Small Biz License: $225
• EdWinXP – Standard, Small Biz License: $800
• EdWinXP – Deluxe, Small Biz License: $1,200
• EdWinXP – Professional, Small Biz License: $1,600
• EdWinXP 2.10 – Schematic, Non-Commercial: $45
• EdWinXP 2.10 – Standard, Non-Commercial: $160
• EdWinXP 2.10 – Deluxe, Non-Commercial: $240
• EdWinXP – Professional, Non-Commercial: $320

39. CADSTAR
@ZukenAmericas

Zuken’s software solutions for electronics engineers include CADSTAR, a desktop PCB design software. This complete design environment takes engineers from their initial ideas through product creation, thanks to its unified suite of applications.

Key Features:

• Brings high-performance PCB layout to the engineer’s desktop
• Provides a fast, efficient way of capturing electronic design intent, rules, and constraints for smooth, error-free transition to PCB layout
• PCB analysis and verification
• Efficient library management

Cost: FREE trial of CADSTAR Express; Contact for a quote and for other CADSTAR products

40. Osmond PCB

Osmond PCB is a PCB design software tool for electronics engineers using Macs. This PCB design tool gives users power and flexibility and eliminates artificial limits and restrictions to enable the design of boards of any size and shape and with as many layers as needed.

Key Features:

• Spatial resolution of 10 nanometers for precision
• Place parts anywhere on the board with any orientation
• Run traces of any with along any path and at any angle
• Supports both metric and imperial unit, even on the same design
• Integrated parts editor for easily defining new part types or modifying existing part types

Cost:

• FREE for small designs with fewer than 700 pins
• OsmondCocoa 1.1.1: $79

41. Pantheon PCB Layout Software
@Intercept2

Intercept Technology, Inc. is a leading supplier of technology-independent PCB, hybrid, and RF design and layout software. Their Pantheon PCB Layout Software is an ideal PCB design software tool for electronics engineers because it offers an easy-to-use interface with basic to advanced design options for increased productivity and efficiency.

Key Features:

• Advanced PCB layout software with specialized RF and hybrid design flows
• For design teams of all sizes
• Scalable, affordable PCB layout solution
• Geometry generation
• Component placement and routing
• Flexible area fill creation and manipulation
• Automatic test point generation
• Split power planes
• Artwork creation/verification

Cost: Contact for a quote

42. CometCAD

CometCAD is a schematic capture and PCB layout editor tool that is designed for electronics engineers using Windows. The PCB layout editor enables users to create rectangular multi-PCB panels and utilize PCB borders with polygon shapes.

Key Features:

• 1/2 copper layers
• Internal resolution of one micrometer
• Copper planes and design rule checks
• Adjust trace width between corner points
• Milled PCB gaps/cuts and round holes are possible

Cost:

• Level 1, maximum of 2 schematic sheets and 250 package pins: FREE
• Level 2, maximum of 20 schematic sheets and 500 package pins: $67
• Level 3, maximum of 1,000 schematic sheets and 1,000 package pins: $134

43. VUTRAX

VUTRAAX is a major professional electronics schematic and PCB design package from the UK. VUTRAX is supported on Windows, and an unsupported Linux version is available to work with most x86 based distributions. Electronics engineers choose VUTRAX because it is scalable, features integrated schematic capture, and offers true WYSIWYG operation throughout.

Key Features:

• Design for modern PCB technology including surface mount, gluespots, blind and buried vias, microvias, components on both sides, pick and place, and more
• Bidirectional modification with integrity
• Select auto routers from orthogonal, ripup and retry, and shape-based styles
• Online and offline design validation
• Extensive libraries of schematic symbols and component footprints are included3D view of the PCB

Cost:

• VUTRAX Extended Custom: £4850
• VUTRAX Standard Custom: £2048
• VUTRAX Bureau Bundle: £2500

44. Microstrip Impedance Calculator
@EE_Web

A premier electrical engineering community for hardware designers, EEWeb offers Microstrip Impedance. This handy PCB design tool does not require any installation or downloads, as it is a web-based PCB microstrip impedance calculator. Simple and useful, this PCB design tool is one electronics engineers should bookmark to use for their next design.

Key Features:

• Properly build structures to meet your needs by understanding the microstrip transmission line
• Use modeling approximation to design the microstrip trace
• Forumla based on Wheeler’s equation

Cost: FREE

45. CIRCAD

A powerful, yet easy-to-use PCB design package, CIRCAD includes all of the tools for circuit design and manufacturing that modern electronics engineers require. CIRCAD includes schematic capture, netlist generation, PCB layout, copper pour, design rule checking, several manufacturing output formats, and standard component libraries.

Key Features:

• Easily accomplish more complex circuits with one set of signal names common to all schematic sheets
• Multi-sheet schematics produce multiple net lists merged by the PCB editor
• Manual routing or autorouting
• Floods restricted areas and has individual clearance parameters for each different element type
• DRC function enables engineers to verify correctness of circuit interconnections and ensure adequate clearances between various elements

Cost:

• CIRCAD V6: $995
• CIRCAD V5: $995
• CIRCAD V4: $695

46. Eurocircuits Online PCB Data Verification Tools
@eC_PCB

Eurocircuits is an online PCB prototype and small series specialists working to help cut designers’ and engineers’ time to market with fast and easy PCB procurement. Their online PCB data verification tools give electronics engineers additional piece of mind by enabling them to verify PCB data prior to placing orders.

Key Features:

• PCB Visualizer – Automatic tool for data input and manufacturability analysis
• PCB Checker – Shows design rule issues detected on layouts
• PCB Solver – Online repair tools help users quickly and simply fix common production data issues before placing an order

Cost: FREE

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Get awesome content into your inbox.Thanks for your submission. We will contact you soonHardware 19.04.2018 Nikolai BlazhenkovElectronic EngineerRead mode

The development of electronics requires a deep knowledge of circuit board architecture and modern databases. Furthermore, to be a specialist in this discipline, you have to be able to use computer-aided design (CAD) software and create boards in full accordance with the requirements of the Electric Membership Corporation (EMC).

Integrated circuits are widely used for all types of electronics, including mobile devices. In fact, it’s a huge multi-billion industry that is growing continuously. According to Statista, the global market of integrated circuits for smartphones reached value of $89.7 billion in 2017.

If you’re looking for a conveniently printed circuit board (PCB) design solution, you’re welcome to check out our list of PCB design software packages as well as their advantages and drawbacks.

1. Allegro Cadence

Allegro Cadence is a professional PCB design software that has a wide set of features. This is a package of PCB design utilities properly connected to each other. Each unit is responsible for its own destination and designed for certain tasks.

Allegro Cadence is light when it comes to hardware performance requirements. This solution can work fine even when installed on machines with 512 MB of RAM. If you use a one-cored computer, then Allegro’s product is actually the only option you have, especially if you’re using a few parallel solutions.

Advantages

• Suitable for low-performance hardware
• Designed for complex projects
• Suitable for large enterprises

Disadvantages

Complex user interface

2. PADS

Among the more affordable solutions, PADS is one of the best PCB design software. This tool is designed for independent engineers, those who typically work in small and medium-sized organizations, or form a separate team within large enterprises.

It’s worth noting that PADS is actually one of the most popular PCB design software among small companies. They underline its simplicity as the main advantage after its low pricing.

Advantages

• Cheap packages
• Easy-to-use
• Easy-to-learn
• A high design quality, in comparison with other low-end solutions

Disadvantages

Not suitable for complex multi-layer circuit boards

3. OrCAD

Free OrCAD Lite provides the basic functionality and capabilities of PCB design products, limited only by the size and complexity of the project.

OrCAD Standard will provide full functionality for simple PCBs without special requirements for laying speed signals or differential pairs.

OrCAD Professional will allow you to design complex high-speed PCBs with high efficiency, without the need to pay for excessive functionality.

Advantages

Friendly user interface

Easy-to-use

Disadvantages

Not suitable for large enterprises with complex projects

4. Kicad

KiCad is written in C++. It has various tools and utilities for managing circuit board architecture and electric schemas. KiCad also includes numerous libraries of electronic components. In KiCad, these components have 3D models implemented in Wings3D.

KiCad has an unlimited size for circuits. At any stage, you can go back and make a change. The 3D Viewer option enables you to create a 3D image of a printed circuit board using OpenGL.

The quality of rendering is lower than that of paid analogs, but it is quite enough for a visual understanding; however, the main formats of 3D component models like .iges and * .step are not supported.

Among the drawbacks of this solution, there’s a complex and unintuitive user interface. The software is hard to learn without learning its documentation.

Advantages

• Suitable for low-performance hardware
• Editing options
• A free software package
• 3D modeling

Disadvantages

• Not suitable for complex tasks
• Non-user-friendly interface

5. Altium Designer (PROTEL)

The PROTEL solution has been on the market for PCB design software for about 30 years. This tool has quickly become one of the etalons of electronic design automation (EDA) solutions and set numerous standards for other vendors. With its growing popularity, PROTEL has become a preferred tool among numerous circuit designers.

The PROTEL has now transformed into the even more sophisticated solution called Altium Designer. It inherits all PROTEL’s heritage and provides users with extra features.

Various universities across the entire world, like the Belgium-based Ghent University, educate their students on how to use this solution.

Advantages

• It’s perfect for working on one or two-layered boards
• High-speed digitalization.

Disadvantages

It’s hard to use this tool when you need to create a multi-layered (4+) board

6. Eagle

Eagle (Easily Applicable Graphical Layout Editor) - a program for drawing electrical circuits and trace PCBs of electronic devices.

The Eagle software package consists of three main components:

1. Schematic Module, designed for drawing electronic circuits using standard elements.
2. Layout Editor, which allows you to develop a drawing of a printed circuit board by your own forces.
3. Autorouter, designed to trace the PCB without user intervention.

Eagle has a library of various standard electronic components with brief descriptions, convenient element database editors, and logical modules that verify the connection and location of components on the board. Among the advantages of Eagle over similar solutions, there are the ability to cancel already-made steps, the absence of problems when working on old computers, a powerful scripting language, and the presence of drivers that allow users to print their schemas.

Using Eagle, you can export the result of your work to the POV-Ray renderer and, as a result, create 3D models of circuit boards.

The Eagle product is developing rapidly since it was purchased by the Autodesk company. The 3D design of the PCB feature which has recently become a must for the PCB designing software is finally being integrated into Eagle.

Advantages

• Wide editing opportunities
• Suitable for low-performance hardware
• A powerful scripting language
• Ready-to-use drivers
• A free version of the software

Disadvantages

Not suitable for complex tasks

7. EasyEda

The online service EasyEDA includes an editor of electrical circuits, SPICE-simulator, and editor of printed circuit boards.

EasyEDA is designed for the development of electronic devices of low and medium complexity. It’s best for students and radio amateurs. It supports the creation and editing of both individual components of circuits, as well as hierarchical schemes and subschemes of SPICE models. The development of custom elements is carried out either by copying and changing existing ones or by drawing them up from scratch.

It’s worth noting the support of hotkeys, the creation of material specifications, file sharing, and shared development of schemes and layouts of printed circuit boards. The results can be exported to SVG, PDF, and PNG file formats.

Advantages

• Suitable for low-performance hardware
• Free web app
• Online sharing
• Shared development
• There are wide settings for displaying simulation results - areas, graphs, background color, grid, etc.

Disadvantages

Not suitable for complex tasks

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8. DesignSpark PCB

One of the distinguishing features of DesignSpark Mechanical (DSM) is its focus on the creation of 3D models of PCBs and bodies for electronic devices. The tool enables you to download 3D models of various components, from resistors to connectors and displays.

In one click, you can order all the components used in the assembly. Using DesignSpark PCB and DSM, you can create various projects for electronic devices, such as printed circuit boards, components, fasteners, and enclosures.

Advantages

• Suitable for low-performance hardware
• Free download
• Easy-to-use

Disadvantages

Not suitable for complex tasks

9. ExpressPCB

ExpressPCB is a solution for the manual design of printed circuit boards. It has an intuitive interface and more than 1200 standard elements for building PCBs that allow you to avoid drawing them from scratch.

Eagle Pcb Software

The most important advantages of ExpressPCB are the rapid development, ease of creating its own base of microcircuits and radio components, and the accuracy of the solution. The instrument is well suited for double-sided printed circuit boards which contain details both with planar terminals and with pins. Using ExpressPCB, you can import a list of circuits, as well as highlight the unconnected pins on the sites.

The solution has a Snap-to-Grid function that allows you to place details on your board with great accuracy. When PCB is designed, the program reports the approximate cost of manufacturing the rendered board. Unfortunately, it has neither auto-router nor functions to check all the connections for the best location of all the details, as well as a preview feature before printing.

Advantages

• A free solution
• Easy-to-use
• Many built-in models
• Calculating the approximate cost

Disadvantages

• No auto-router
• The solution cannot check element connections

10. WG

Compared to ORCAD and PROTEL, WG is quite a new tool, created in 2005 for Windows. WG is a product developed by Mentor Graphics and it’s one of the best solutions when it comes to layout.

The limited configuration of the Expedition package (the core of WG) can be effective for a small workgroup when performing medium-complexity projects. A full package of WG, with options for functional modeling and signal integrity analysis, allows you to design fairly complex boards.

Mentor Graphics develops and supports all three of these routes. This package supports all the main formats of files for PCB production, including Gerber, ATE, AIS Drill and others.

Advantages

• Designed for complex projects
• Suitable for large enterprises

Disadvantages

• Expensive packages

Conclusion

Tool	PROTEL	PADS	ORCAD	WG	Allegro	Eagle	KiCad	EasyEda	DesignSpark PCB	Express PCB
License	Paid	Paid	Free+paid	Paid	Paid	Free+paid	Free	Free	Free	Free
Suitable for	Large enterprises	SMEs	SMEs	Large enterprises	Large enterprises	SMEs	SMEs	SMEs	SMEs	SMEs
Layers	1-2	1-2	multi	multi	multi	multi	multi	1-2	1-2	1-2
Level	Professional	Intermediate	Intermediate	Professional	Professional	Intermediate	Intermediate	Beginner	Beginner	Beginner

Taking our review into account, you should now be able to make a proper decision. If you need a high-end solution for PCB design, then Allegro Cadence is one of the best choices in this case. In cases where you are working on a complex project but your budget is very limited, then try out PADS.

If you’re a student or beginner in PCB design and you need an easy-to-use and well-documented tool, then EAGLE or EasyEDA will be very helpful. If you work for an organization but prefer not to purchase a license, then go for KiCAD.

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