Comparison of EDA software

Comparison of electronic design automation (EDA) software

Comparison of EDA packages

Application and developer	Latest version/release	Latest release date	Schematic?	Simulation?	PCB editing?	Runs on POSIX style systems?	Runs on Windows?	Other platforms?	Open source?	User Interface Language(s)	Imports	Exports	Scripting support
Active-HDL by Aldec	10.3	16 March 2016	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	en	EDIF, Viewlogic, more	PDF, HTML, Verilog, VHDL, EDIF, Zuken, more
Proteus by Labcenter Electronics Ltd	8.11	1 September 2020	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	en	Gerber, BMP, DXF	PDF, Gerber, GerberX2, Excellon, ODB++, DXF, IDF, PKP, testpoint file, metafile, BMP.	internal script
Advanced Design System by Keysight EEsof EDA	2019[1]	15 November 2018	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes[2]	Yes[2]	SuSE, RHEL[2]	No	en	HSPICE, SPICE, Spectre netlists; Gerber, Excellon, ODB++, artwork; more	HSPICE, SPICE, Spectre netlists; Gerber, Excellon, ODB++, artwork; more	Python, Application Extension Language (proprietary; "AEL")
Altium Designer (former Protel) by Altium	21.0.9[3]	11 January 2021	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Wine	No	Multilingual	OrCAD, Allegro, PADS Logic, PADS PCB, Expedition, DxDesigner, EAGLE, P-CAD, Gerber, STEP, Solidworks, IDF, more	3D PDF, Gerber, Gerber X2, Excellon, ODB++, DXF, STEP, OrCAD, EAGLE, more	Delphi, JS, VB
CADSTAR, Board Designer, and Visula by Zuken	2019.0.0.1	18 November 2019	Yes	Yes, SI & PI	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	en	PADS, OrCAD, P-CAD, Protel, DXF, IDF	PDF, Gerber, Excellon, ODB++, DXF, IDF more	COM, macros
CircuitLogix by Logic Design Inc.	10	January 2019	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	en	SPICE, Gerber, DXF	SPICE, PDF, Gerber, DXF
CircuitMaker by Altium	1.3.0.119	August 2016	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Wine	No	en	AD09, AD10, AD12, PADS, P-CAD, OrCAD, Protel, EAGLE, DXF	Gerber, Excellon, DXF, STEP, more
CR-5000 by Zuken	13	17 May 2011	Yes	Yes, SI & PI	Yes	Yes	Yes	Unix, Linux	No	en, jp	EDIF, DXF, IGES, IDF, BSDL, STEP, ACIS, Gerber, Excellon, more	PDF, Gerber, Excellon, ODB++ (must request[4]), DXF, STEP, IPC D-356, IPC-2581, EPS, ACIS
CR-8000 by Zuken	2020	30 June 2020	Yes	Yes, SI & PI, IBIS-AMI/SERDES	Yes	Yes	Yes	Unix, Linux	No	en, jp	EDIF, DXF, IGES, IDF, BSDL, STEP, ACIS, Gerber, Excellon, more	PDF, Gerber, Excellon, ODB++ (must request[4]), DXF, STEP, IPC D-356, IPC-2581, EPS, ACIS
DesignSpark PCB by RS Components	9.0.3	8 July 2020	Yes	Yes, Spice	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	en	EAGLE, DXF, EDIF	Gerber, Excellon, ODB++, DXF, IDF, PDF, LPKF
DesignSpark PCB Pro by RS Components	9.0.3	8 July 2020	Yes	Yes, Spice	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	en	EAGLE, OrCAD, Easy-PC, NI Ultiboard, BoardMaker, DXF, PNL, EDIF	Gerber, Excellon, ODB++, DXF, IDF, PDF, LPKF
DipTrace by Novarm	4.0.0.5	30 July 2020	Yes	External (Spice netlist export)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Mac, Wine	No	21 languages	EAGLE, Altium, P-CAD, PADS, OrCAD, Gerber, N/C Drill, DXF, BSDL Pinlist, Netlists	Gerber, Gerber X2, Excellon, ODB++, DXF, P-CAD, PADS, OrCAD, IPC-D-356, STEP, VRML, Pick and Place, CSV, BOM
EAGLE by Autodesk/CadSoft Computer	9.6.2	27 May 2020	Yes	Ngspice	Yes	Yes	Yes	Linux, Mac	No	de, en, zh, hu, ru	EAGLE (XML), ACCEL (P-CAD, Altium, Protel), ULTIBOARD, Netlists, BMP, Custom	EAGLE (XML), Protel, Netlists, Images, Gerber, Gerber X2, Excellon, Sieb & Meyer, HPGL, PostScript/EPS, PDF, Images, HyperLynx, IDF, Custom	Proprietary User Language Programming (ULP)
EasyEDA	6.4.5	19 August 2020	Yes	Ngspice	Yes	Yes	Yes	Linux, Mac, and Chrome OS as a Web application	No	en, fr, de, pl, jp, ru, es, se, ua, zh ...	Altium, EAGLE, KiCad libraries, LTspice .asc/.asy files, JSON, Spice	PDF, PNG, SVG, JSON, Gerber, Excellon, Pick and Place CSV file, CSV-formatted drill chart, Bill of Materials CSV file, Altium netlist, FreePCB netlist, PADS Layout Netlist, Spice netlist.	JSON
Fritzing	0.9.3b[5]	3 June 2016	Yes, + breadboard	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Linux, Mac	Yes	en, de, nl, es, it, fr, pt, ru, zh, jp, ...	gEDA symbols, KiCad symbols, SVG	Gerber, DIY etching, BOM, SVG, PDF, EPS
gEDA	1.10.1 [6]	16 December 2020	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Linux, Mac	Yes	en	gschem netlists, image as background	Gerber, Excellon, SVG, PDF, EPS, PNG, GIF, JPEG, Specctra, XYRS	yes
KiCad	5.1.9 [7]	28 December 2020	Yes	Internal: Ngspice External: SPICE netlist export	Yes	Yes	Yes	Linux, Mac	Yes	zh_CN, de, en, es, fr, it, pt, ru, ja, pl, cz	TinyCAD net lists, OrCAD EDIF, EAGLE (XML)	PDF, Gerber, Gerber X2, Excellon, netlist, VRML2, STEP, IDFv3	Python
Micro-Cap (end-of-life)	12.0.2.3	18 November 2019	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Wine	No	en, jp	HSPICE, PSPICE, SPICE3, netlists, Images, IBIS, Touchstone	SPICE text file, netlist, BOM, Protel, Accel, OrCad, PADS netlists, Schematic and Analysis Plots Images, Numeric Output Text, Excel
NI Ultiboard and Multisim by National Instruments	14.2 [8]	19 May 2019	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Web application [9]	No	en	MS*, MP*, EWB, Spice, OrCAD, UltiCap, Protel, Gerber, DXF, Ultiboard 4&5, Calay	BOM, Gerber, Excellon, IGES (3D), DXF (2D & 3D), SVG
OrCAD	17.2	October 2016	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	en	EAGLE, PADS, Altium, STEP, DXF, IDF, IDX, OrCAD SDT, OrCAD Layout,OrCAD	PDF, Gerber, Gerber X2, Excellon drill/route, netlist, ODB++, DXF, IDF, IDX, STEP,3D PDF, IPC2581	Tcl/TK, SKILL (Lisp)
pcb-rnd	2.2.4[10]	9 September 2020	No	external: OpenEMS	Yes	Yes	Yes	Linux, Mac	Yes	en	gschem netlists, Protel Autotrax, KiCad (legacy & s-expr layouts), EAGLE (XML & v3,4,5 binary layouts), eeschema netlists, mentor netlists, TinyCad netlists, Calay netlist, FreePCB/easyEDA netlist, LT-Spice, MUCS, Specctra, Mentor Graphics Hyperlynx, image (BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG), HPGL, BXL	Gerber/[Excellon format|drill],SVG, PDF, EPS, PNG, GIF, JPEG, Specctra, Protel Autotrax, KiCad (legacy & s-expr), DXF, FidocadJ, Mentor Graphics Hyperlynx, template configurable XYRS/BOM	Python, lua, perl, tcl, AWK (multiple dialects), lisp & scheme (multiple dialects), javascript, ruby, pascal, BASIC
Pulsonix by WestDev Ltd	10.0	1 October 2018	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Wine	No	en	Allegro, Altium, CadStar, EAGLE, OrCAD, PADS, P-CAD, Protel, Gerber, STEP, DXF, IDF, more	Gerber, Gerber X2, Excellon, ODB++, IPC-2581, PDF, DXF, STEP, IDF, BOM, more	Proprietary language, ActiveX
TARGET 3001!	30.2.0.63	14 December 2020	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Wine	No	en, de, fr	EAGLE, DXF, Gerber, Gerber, Excellon, BMP, CXF, STEP 3D	Gerber, Gerber X2, Excellon, EAGLE, HPGL, G-Code (Milling), CXF, STEP 3D, Excel BOMs, Pick&Place, GenCAD, FABmaster, IPC D-356, Test points, Netlists, OBJ, POV-Ray, PDF	Package generator scripts, BOM scripts, printing and PDF generator scripts, 3D scripts
Upverter	N/A	10 May 2019	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Web application	No	en	Altium, OrCad, PDF, OpenJSON, EAGLE	PDF, Gerber, Excellon, netlist, PADS Layout Netlist, Tempo Automation, Pick and Place CSV, High-Res PNG, STL, CSV-formatted drill chart, CSV-formatted list of all parts
123D Circuits by Autodesk	N/A		Yes, + breadboard	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Web application	No	en	EAGLE	Gerber
Application and developer	Latest version	Latest release date	Schematic?	Simulation?	PCB editing?	Runs on POSIX style systems?	Runs on Windows?	Other platforms?	Open source?	User Interface Language(s)	Imports	Exports	Scripting support

Free software

Name	Architecture	License	Autorouter	Comment
Electric	*BSD, Java	GPL	Yes	VLSI circuit design tool with connectivity at all levels. Can also be used for schematic entry and PCB design.
FreePCB	w32	GPL	Yes	A printed circuit board design program for Microsoft Windows. FreePCB allows for up to 16 copper layers, both metric and US customary units, and export of designs in Gerber format. Boards can be partially or fully autorouted with the FreeRouting[11] autorouter by using the FpcROUTE Specctra DSN design file translator.
Fritzing	Windows, Mac, Linux	GPL	Yes	Protoboard view, schematic view, PCB view, Code (firmware) view. Includes customizable design rule checker. Includes common shaped boards like Arduino and Raspberry Pi shields. Allows spline curve traces. Only two layers (top and bottom). Outputs gerbers.
gEDA	*BSD, Linux, Mac	GPL	Yes	schematic, simulation, PCB editor, gerber view
Gnucap	any (C++98)	GPL3	No	Mixed-signal circuit simulator
Icarus Verilog	*BSD, Linux, Mac	GPL	No	Verilog simulator
KiCad	Linux, Mac, Windows	GNU GPL	FreeRouting	Full package for schematic and board design, etc. Design rule checking. User-defined symbols and footprints. Gerber/ drill file creation. Graphic interface. Active user community.
KTechLab	Linux	GPL	No	KTechLab is a schematic capture and simulator. It is specifically geared toward mixed signal simulation of analog components and small digital processors.
Magic	Linux	BSD license	No	A very-large-scale integration layout tool
Ngspice	Linux, Solaris, Mac, NetBSD, FreeBSD, w32	BSD	No	SPICE + XSPICE + Cider
Oregano		GPL	No	Schematic capture + spice simulation
Quite Universal Circuit Simulator (QUCS)	Linux, Solaris, Mac, NetBSD, FreeBSD, w32	GPL	No	Schematic capture + Verilog + VHDL + simulation
pcb-rnd	*BSD, Linux, Mac, w32	GPL	Yes	Circuit layout program with extended file format support, DRC, parametric footprints, query language, and GUI and command line operation for batch processing and automation
Verilator	Posix	GPL	No	Verilator is the fastest free Verilog HDL simulator. It compiles synthesizable Verilog into cycle accurate C++ or SystemC code following 2-state synthesis (zero delay) semantics. Benchmarks reported on its website suggest it is several times faster than commercial event driven simulators such as ModelSim, NC-Verilog and VCS, while not quite as fast as commercial cycle accurate modeling tools such as Carbon ModelStudio and ARC VTOC.
XCircuit	Unix	GPL	No	Used to produce netlists and publish high-quality drawings.

See also

• Electronic Design Automation (EDA)
• List of EDA companies
• List of free electronics circuit simulators
• Schematic editor
• SPICE, a general purpose analog circuit simulator.
• TopoR

References

1. "PathWave Advanced Design System (ADS) Software | Keysight". www.keysight.com.
2. "ADS Supported Platforms". Archived from the original on 2017-10-15. Retrieved 2015-03-20.
3. "ALTIUM DESIGNER". ALTIUM-DOWNLOADS.
4. "PCB tools supporting ODB++". Artwork.com. Artwork Conversion Software Inc. Retrieved 2011-09-25.
5. "Fritzing Fab now powered by AISLER | Fritzing Blog". blog.fritzing.org.
6. "geda:download [gEDA Project Wiki]". wiki.geda-project.org.
7. "KiCad 5.1.9 Release". KiCad 5.1.9 Release.
8. "Upgrade Multisim™ - National Instruments". www.ni.com.
9. "Multisim Web App". Archived from the original on 2017-04-19. Retrieved 2017-04-18.
10. "pcb-rnd - news". repo.hu.
11. Wirtz, Alfons (2014-03-08) [2004]. "FreeRouting - Printed Circuit Board Routing Software from FreeRouting.net". Archived from the original on 2017-09-23. Retrieved 2017-09-24.