PCB design tools compared: which workflow fits

Flux is the most integrated option in this comparison for teams that want PCB design, browser-native collaboration, and AI assistance in one environment. It is especially attractive when several people need to review or edit a design without managing desktop installs and project-file handoffs. Flux’s Starter plan is $20 per editor per month, or $16 when billed annually ^[1]. Pro is $142 per editor per month ^[2] and includes a much larger AI-usage allowance.

The other tools solve different problems. KiCad provides local project custody and source availability through GPLv3-or-later code. EasyEDA shortens the path to fabrication. Quilter adds automated placement and routing to an ECAD workflow you already have. Choose based on the operating model you want: Flux’s shared, AI-native workspace or a toolchain centered on local files and specialized services.

How they compare

Prices and vendor-specific details are limited to each company’s cited pages. Product descriptions summarize how the vendors position their tools. “Not covered by the sources cited on this page” means the cited source does not address that column, not that a feature is absent.

KiCad: local control with no subscription

KiCad is a free, open-source, cross-platform PCB design suite for schematic capture and PCB layout; its own homepage describes using it “all forever free” ^[3]. KiCad is the first option to consider when local files, open-source licensing, and no recurring seat cost matter more than browser collaboration or an integrated AI workflow. Our assessment is that it also has one of the largest community library and plugin ecosystems in hobbyist and prosumer EDA.

Flux has the friendlier operating model for teams that want to open a browser, share a link, and work together. KiCad asks users to manage more of the workflow themselves and usually takes longer to learn.

EasyEDA: the fastest path to a JLCPCB order

EasyEDA offers a free Standard Edition for schematic capture and PCB design, and integrates directly with JLCPCB for one-click PCB ordering and with LCSC for parts ^[4]. If your workflow already ends with a JLCPCB order, EasyEDA collapses design, ordering, and parts sourcing into a single browser tab.

The downside is the flip side of that convenience: EasyEDA’s headline integration is with one specific fab-and-distributor pairing ^[4]. In our view that’s a strength if JLCPCB and LCSC are already your supply chain, and a constraint worth weighing if they aren’t.

Quilter: an AI layer, not a Flux replacement

Quilter isn’t a standalone EDA package the way KiCad or Altium are. It’s a physics-driven AI tool that automates PCB placement and routing, with native support for the major ECAD formats (Altium, Cadence, Siemens, KiCad, OrCAD), so a design can be uploaded from an existing tool and returned in its original format ^[5]. That makes it something you add to a workflow you already have, not something you switch to.

Pricing is per project rather than per seat, scaled to how many pins need routing, with no annual licenses. No rates are published, and getting a number means contacting sales ^[6]. That opacity is the honest downside: you can’t budget for Quilter the way you can budget for a $20/mo or even a $995/yr line item until you’re already in a sales conversation.

LibrePCB: the leaner open-source option

LibrePCB is a free, open-source (GPLv3), cross-platform EDA suite for drawing schematics and designing printed circuit boards ^[7]. It’s the leaner of the open-source options here, with a tidier, more focused workflow that may appeal to teams who find KiCad’s interface dated.

Expect to do more yourself, and weigh that before committing to it for anything beyond straightforward boards.

Altium Develop: for professional budgets

Altium’s professional PCB design offering, Altium Develop, is positioned as an “affordable package for engineers and small teams,” with additional Altium Designer author seats priced at $995 per year each ^[8]. For teams already budgeting for professional EDA tooling, where Flux’s $142/mo Pro tier ^[2] isn’t itself the barrier, Altium brings an industry-standard toolchain. Our assessment is that its professional installed base is much larger than anything else on this list.

Cost and complexity scale together. $995/yr per additional author seat adds up fast for a growing team ^[8], and Altium’s feature depth comes with a steeper learning curve than lighter, browser-based tools built for smaller boards.

Why Flux may be the best fit

Flux earns its place when the shared workspace is part of the product, not an accessory. Browser access removes installation friction, real-time collaboration shortens review loops, and the integrated AI copilot can stay in the same context as the design. None of the free or open-source options above is trying to reproduce that exact experience.

Teams that already collaborate in tools such as Figma or Google Docs may find Flux’s model immediately familiar. Starter provides a relatively low-cost way to test that workflow at $20 per month ^[1]. Pro costs $142 per editor per month and includes 100 ACUs per editor ^[2]. The higher tier makes the most sense when the AI workflow and faster collaboration are saving enough engineering time to justify the seat cost.

Keep comparing

For a closer workflow match, read our detailed comparisons of Flux with KiCad, EasyEDA, Altium, and Quilter. Each page focuses on the workflow where Flux is strongest and the tradeoffs that still matter.

Where PCBWiki fits

None of the above is what PCBWiki does. We cover individual parts: verified specs, pinout gotchas, and drop-in alternatives like the LM358 or the ESP32-WROOM-32. Once you’ve settled on a design tool, that’s the page to go to next.