There are several PCB software out there, some which are free, while others are premium. It could be
a daunting task choosing from several tens of software in the market. When selecting a design package to use, it is always advisable to use some of the latest tools with available support and community. In the EDA industry, some of the best and most popular tools are mostly not free. Nevertheless, there are still a couple of powerful free ones. In this article, I will highlight some of the best free PCB design software you can find for designing your printed circuit board layout, and hopefully, this list will help you to pick what works for you.
1. Autodesk Eagle
Features
PCB layout software for every engineerBring your electronic inventions to life with a complete set of PCB layout and schematic editing tools, library content, and community-driven features.
SPICE simulator
Quickly test ideas and validate circuit performance with SPICE simulation methods
Modular design blocks
Drag and drop reusable design blocks between your projects, complete with synchronized schematic and PCB circuitry.
Electronic rule checking
Validate your schematic design with a complete set of electronic rule checks, so your schematic can stay on track.
Real-time design synchronization
All changes stay automatically in sync between your schematic and layout, so you can focus on the creative process.
Intuitive alignment tools
Precisely arrange and order PCB design objects with a complete set of alignment tools.
Push and shove routing
Adhere to all your design rules while the adaptive interactive router pushes and shoves your PCB traces.
Obstacle avoidance routing
Route complex PCB layouts and maneuver around your design to easily get your trace to its destination.
New routing engine
Create PCB layouts quickly. Explore tools for loop removal, cornering, and via placement while routing.
Design rule checking (DRC)
Control your design flow and avoid unexpected surprises with fully customizable PCB design rules and constraints.
Managed online libraries
Worry-free libraries are ready for your next design. Find and place parts dynamically linked to our growing catalog.
3D PCB models
Don’t rely on luck to fit your board in its enclosure. Accurate 3D models enable the PCB to fit the first time.
Complete components
Out-of-the-box component libraries include symbol, footprint, 3D model, and parametrics.
One-click make
PCB manufacturing without the headache. Push complete outputs to the hub, connecting with your manufacturer directly.
Fusion 360 integration
Design the PCB object directly in Fusion 360 and synchronize bidirectional changes to your PCB design seamlessly.
User language programs (ULPs)
Enhance usability and capabilities with one of the scripts or programs created by the vast online PCB community.
Eagle is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac. More information about Eagle is available on the product page.
KiCAD2. KiCAD
KiCAD is a Cross-Platform and Open Source Electronics Design Automation Suite. It includes a schematic editor for creating and editing schematic designs, a PCB Editor for making professional PCB layouts with up to 32 copper layers, and a 3D viewer which can be used to inspect the design in a 3D form. Unlike Eagle, KiCAD is entirely free, and no paywall is needed to use some of its features.
KiCAD is available on Windows, Linux, and Mac. More information about KiCAD is available on the product page.
Fritzing3. Fritzing
Just like KiCAD, Fritzing is an open-source platform for learning electronics. Fritzing became popular with its examples of Arduino and its an easy to use platform. Fritzing includes a breadboard layout, schematic, and PCB view for designing a PCB layout for your board. With a rich interface and growing community, fritzing is a good choice among hobbyists.
The software is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac. More information is available on the product page.
DesignSpark PCB
DesignSpark PCB4. DesignSpark PCB
With an arguable easy-to-learn environment, with a schematics capture and PCB layout tool, DesignSpark PCB is one of the EDA tools to try out. It is free, comes with an excellent schematic capture, PCB editor for designing an unlimited number of PCB layers, a part and library creator, 3D views, and many more features.
DesignSpark PCB is only available for Windows. More information is available on the product page.
EasyEDA
EasyEDA5. EasyEDA
EasyEDA is a free and a paid EDA tool. EasyEDA provides a powerful schematic capture, PCB editor, Libraries designer, a project management tool, and lastly a team collaborator. EasyEDA also has an integration with LCSC.com component catalog for providing real-time stocks and pricing information about components used.
EasyEDA is online based and also desktop based. It is cross-platform and supports Windows, Linux, and Mac. More information is available on the product page.
UpVerter
UpVerter6. UpVerter
Upverter is a web-based EDA just like EasyEDA for enabling hardware engineers to design, share, and review schematics and PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards). It does for open-source hardware design what GitHub have done for open-source software development, providing a collaboration platform. It comes with a schematics capture, PCB editor, a system designer, 3D viewer, team collaboration, and many more. More information about the platform is available here.
PCBWeb Designer
PCBWeb Designer7. PCBWeb Designer
PCBWeb is a free CAD application for designing and manufacturing electronics hardware. It features a schematic capture for multi-sheet design, PCB layout support multi-layers, and an integrated arrow parts catalog.
PCBWeb is available only for Windows. More information is available on the platform site.
ExpressPCB Plus
ExpressPCB Plus8. ExpressPCB Plus
ExpressPCB Plus is an EDA software for creating and designing of electronics circuitry. It includes ExpressSCH Classic for drawing schematics and ExpressPCB Plus for circuit board layout. ExpressPCB Plus provides the option to see the instant quotes for your PCB board and even order the board for fabrication from inside the program itself.
ExpressPCB is available for use on Windows, Linux, and Mac. More information is available on the product page.
TinyCAD9. TinyCAD
TinyCAD is a simple and basic electronic circuit schematic and PCB designer. It is an open-source software project. It supports standard and custom symbol libraries. It supports PCB layout programs with several netlist formats and can also produce SPICE simulation netlists.
TinyCAD is only available in the Windows version. More information is available on the download
.
Osmond PCB
Osmond PCB10. Osmond PCB
Osmond PCB is an only MAC-based EDA tool. It supports schematic capture and PCB layout design. The software provides many features such as unlimited board sizes, multiple board layers, and can be used to design boards up to 700 pins.
More information about the software is available here.
Feel free to share your own favorite EDA tool or suggest what you think might be better on this list. If you are interested in learning how to make your first printed circuit board, then tread the “Making Your First Printed Circuit Board.”
