Printed circuit board (PCB) design software is used to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the PCB design process. It helps users save time by selecting premade design components included in the software. There are many PCB design software available and to help you determine which one is best for you, we have compiled a list of the best PCB design software on market.

Best 8 Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Design Software

  1. Altium Designer – Best PCB design software and high-powered tools for PCB designers
  2. EAGLE – Best PCB design software, an easy-to-use schematic editor
  3. KiCad – Best PCB design software, a cross-platform and open-source electronics design automation suite
  4. Proteus – Best PCB design software that makes PCB design and simulation easy
  5. DesignSpark – Best PCB design software that enables you to capture schematics and design PCB boards and layouts
  6. EasyEDA – Best PCB design software, an easier and more powerful online PCB design tool
  7. orCAD – Best PCB design software for electronic design automation
  8. CADSTAR – Best PCB design software that is optimized for small and mid-sized design teams

1. Altium Designer – Best PCB design software and high-powered tools for PCB designers

PRICING: One-time starting price of $7,245

Altium is a software tool that enables and connects PCB designers, component suppliers, and manufacturers to manufacture and develop electronics products more quickly and efficiently than ever before. From automotive and aerospace to consumer electronics and medical devices, there is something for everyone. Designers can always rely on Altium.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Design review
  • Electronic collaboration use case
  • Customer interaction use case
  • Manufacturer collaboration use case
  • Reusable outputs configuration

REASONS TO USE:

  • Simple and intuitive
  • Schematic-driven design rules
  • Automated project release
  • Powerful part speech

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • For new users, this creates a significant barrier to entry

2. EAGLE – Best PCB design software, an easy-to-use schematic editor

PRICING: $60/ month, $495/ annual, and $1,410/ every 3 years

EAGLE is electronic design automation (EDA) software that allows PCB designers to seamlessly connect schematic diagrams, component placement, PCB routing, and extensive library content. With schematic capture, you can turn your ideas into reality, and with EAGLE’s PCB layout tools, you can bring your designs to life.

KEY FEATURES:

  • PCB layout editor
  • PCB library content
  • Real-time design synchronization
  • Intuitive alignment tools

REASONS TO USE:

  • Easy-to-use schematic editor
  • Powerful PCB layout
  • Workflows

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Bad user interface

3. KiCad – Best PCB design software, a cross-platform and open-source electronics design automation suite

PRICING: KiCad PCB does not provide any information regarding its price. Contact KiCad PCB to access their current pricing

KiCad is a free electronic design automation software suite. It makes electronic hardware design and simulation easier. It includes an integrated environment for schematic capture, PCB layout, viewing manufacturing files, SPICE simulation, and engineering calculation. KiCad’s PCB editor is simple enough for your first PCB design while also being powerful enough for complex modern designs.

KEY FEATURES:

  • 3D viewer
  • PCB layout
  • Schematic capture
  • Manufacturing file viewing

REASONS TO USE:

  • Workflow
  • Free and unlimited
  • Configurable
  • Cross-platform configurable ( Mac, Windows, or Linux)

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • It is difficult to manage symbols, footprints, and libraries
  • Bad print function

4. Proteus – Best PCB design software that makes PCB design and simulation easy

PRICING: $6,972.00 for the Enterprise Plan, $8,622.00 for the Platinum Plan, and $248.00 for the Custom Plan

The Proteus Design Suite combines ease of use with a robust feature set to allow for the rapid design, testing, and layout of professionally printed circuit boards. Proteus PCB tools combine schematic capture and PCB layout to provide a powerful, integrated, and user-friendly suite of tools for professional PCB design.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Schematic capture
  • PCB layout
  • Assembly variants
  • Report generation
  • Library parts

REASONS TO USE:

  • Power planes
  • High-speed design
  • Single-chip software debugging

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Large upfront cost

5. DesignSpark – Best PCB design software that enables you to capture schematics and design PCB boards and layouts

PRICING: DesignSpark PCB does not provide any information regarding its price. Contact DesignSpark PCB to access their current pricing

DesignSpark PCB is completely free, and its main goal is to assist the company in exploring more design options, which will lead to increased innovation. PCB software, at its core, is a powerful software engine that allows you to capture schematics and design PCB boards and layouts.

KEY FEATURES:

  • No limitation on your schematic size
  • Seamless integration into existing design workflows
  • Library editor
  • Export to spice simulation software
  • Create BOMs in the format you want

REASONS TO USE:

  • Simple and easy to use
  • 3D viewer
  • Project interface to organize design files

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • At times, it can be buggy and system-intensive

6. EasyEDA – Best PCB design software, an easier and more powerful online PCB design tool

PRICING: EasyEDA has three pricing plans of which two are free while the Enterprise Plan is $9.9 per member/ month

EasyEDA is a web-based EDA tool suite that allows hardware engineers to structure, simulate, and discuss schematics, simulations, and printed circuit boards. EasyEDA supports the innovation and editing of schematic diagrams, the SPICE simulation of mixed analog and digital circuits, the creation and editing of printed circuit board layouts, and the fabrication of printed circuit boards.

KEY FEATURES:

  • PCB layout
  • Schematic capture
  • Integrated PCB fabrication and components purchase workflow
  • Libraries design

REASONS TO USE:

  • Real-time team corporation
  • Simple and user-friendly
  • Open source projects
  • Supports all types of operating system

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Awareness takes time

7. orCAD – Best PCB design software for electronic design automation

PRICING: One-time starting price of$2,300

OrCAD enables electronic engineers to realize their product development concepts. They provide electronic design tools to electronic engineers all over the world. OrCAD PCB design solutions provide fully analog/ mixed-signal simulation, integrated front-end design, place-and-route technologies, and signal integrity analysis which increases efficiency and reduces time to market.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Schematic entry
  • PCB editor for the physical layout
  • Constraint manager
  • Integration of PSpice on OrCAD PCB flow

REASONS TO USE:

  • Integration and productivity
  • Intelligent place and route
  • Integrated design flows

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Only developed for windows

8. CADSTAR – Best PCB design software that is optimized for small and mid-sized design teams

PRICING: CADSTAR PCB does not provide any information regarding its price. Contact CADSTAR PCB to access their current pricing

CADSTAR will satisfy your design needs and budget, and it is endorsed by experienced local resellers who offer training, assistance, integration, and consultancy to help you maximize your return on investment. CADSTAR is designed for the average small to medium-sized design team. Individual all-rounders and corporations with multiple sites will both benefit from CADSTAR PCB Design software. CADSTAR is a detailed software environment for PCB design, from initial concept to product realization. Engineers can define, visualize, implement, and verify their designs with a unified suite of applications.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Schematic capture with placement and constraint planner
  • PCB design editor
  • Place and route editor
  • Design migration

REASONS TO USE:

  • High-speed design with length and delay-based routing
  • Fast optimization to improve the design

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Some of the features are outdated

REFERENCES AND LINKS

  • https://www.proto-electronics.com/blog/our-top-10-printed-circuit-design-software-programmes
  • https://www.altium.com/
  • https://www.autodesk.com/products/eagle/overview
  • https://www.kicad.org/
  • https://www.labcenter.com/
  • https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/pcb-software
  • https://easyeda.com/
  • https://www.orcad.com/
  • https://www.ecadstar.com/en/product/cadstar/