Best PCB Design Software in the UK
View:
Compare the Top PCB Design Software in the UK as of March 2026
Sort By:
What is PCB Design Software in the UK?
PCB design software is software used for designing and laying out circuit boards. It allows users to quickly create and modify electrical components, as well as simulate potential designs. In addition, the software can be used to generate models and images of PCBs that can be shared with colleagues or printed for physical hardware manufacture. PCB design software offers an intuitive graphical user interface which makes it easy to learn even for non-technical users. Some of the features include auto-routers, track editing tools, control over component placement, 3D visualizations, and fabrication output formats. Compare and read user reviews of the best PCB Design software in the UK currently available using the table below. This list is updated regularly.
-
1
Altium Develop
Altium
Altium Develop is a multidisciplinary product creation platform that breaks down silos and empowers teams to design collaboratively without limits. Built on Altium Designer and Altium 365, it unifies electrical, mechanical, software, sourcing, and manufacturing teams in a shared environment. Every comment, change, and decision is captured in real time, giving collaborators visibility without the need for constant check-ins. The platform enhances project outcomes by aligning requirements, supply chain data, and design context in one ecosystem. Manufacturing engineers and suppliers can provide feedback early, avoiding costly rework and delays. By transforming collaboration into true co-creation, Altium Develop helps organizations innovate faster, smarter, and with greater alignment across disciplines.Starting Price: $995/year/author -
2
OrCAD X
Cadence Design Systems
OrCAD® X is a unified PCB design software platform that offers significant improvements in ease of use, performance, automation, data management, and collaboration. Our cloud-enabled product suite contains applications for schematic, simulation, and PCB layout. OrCAD X Capture is one of the most widely used schematic design solutions for the creation and documentation of electrical circuits. PSpice® is our virtual SPICE simulation environment integrated within Capture that allows you to prototype your designs using the industry-leading, native analog, mixed-signal, and advanced analysis engines to deliver a complete circuit simulation and verification solution. Our two PCB layout environments, OrCAD X PCB Editor and OrCAD X Presto, allow designers to easily collaborate between ECAD/MCAD teams and build better PCBs faster. OrCAD X Presto is a new user-friendly option offering a simpler interface for quick-turn PCB design.Starting Price: $107 USD/month -
3
BQR
BQR Reliability Engineering
𝗔𝗜-𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗕𝗤𝗥’𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝟱 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀: 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲𝗿𝗧𝗠: streamlines PCB design with de-rating & MTBF prediction. 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗛𝗮𝘄𝗸𝗧𝗠: verifies multi-PCB systems for errors & overstress. 𝗳𝗶𝗫𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀®: predicts component lifespan with de-rating, thermal & stress analysis. 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘®: assesses reliability, availability, maintainability & safety. 𝗮𝗽𝗺𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗿®: optimizes maintenance & logistics. -
4
PCB123
Sunstone Circuits
PCB123 is a full-feature design tool for Printed Circuit Board designers of all levels. Introduced as a free tool in 2002, PCB123 still operates on a risk-sharing business model: We don't get paid until you succeed at designing your PCB. And to help ensure your success, we staff our technical support department with professionals that can answer your questions. So what's to stop you? Easy-to-use, and professional-grade PCB CAD software that's free and fully supported. We don’t throttle our tool and charge you for a license to give you full functionality. We get paid when you order boards – it really is that simple. software developer’s kit, with programmatic access to the PCB123 database, you can expand the tool for your own purposes. Our PCB layout specialists are available to help you stretch your resource dollars & speed your PCB prototyping cycle. Submit basic design information to get a quote.Starting Price: $0 -
5
Proteus
Labcenter Electronics Limited
We started developing Proteus way back in the days of MS-DOS. Over 30 years of constant development later we're proud to offer one of the most productive and cost effective PCB tools on the market. Our philosophy has always been one of continuous improvement and innovation resulting in a modern software suite packed full of powerful, time-saving features to help you design PCBs faster. Purchasing Proteus is the start - not the end - of a successful business relationship. Included with the cost of the software comes a world class technical support service. After each professional purchase one of our team will introduce themselves as your technical support point of contact. This gives you an easy way to ask questions and direct access to Labcenter support. We may not be able to solve every problem immediately but we'll certainly try our best. Our customers are the reason for our success.Starting Price: $6,592 one-time payment -
6
Allegro X Design Platform
Cadence Design Systems
The Cadence Allegro X Design Platform is the ultimate solution for navigating modern electronic complexities that help support your diverse PCB design needs. As a full-stack engineering platform, it provides a scalable and highly integrated environment for multi-board electronic system design. Allegro X ensures that your global teams can effectively and concurrently collaborate to minimize project risks, lower production costs, and ensure design compliance and standards are met. Electrical engineers and PCB designers can make data-driven decisions with access to constraints and integrated analysis workflows reducing turnaround time while ensuring product reliability, manufacturing, and first pass success.Starting Price: Available Upon Request -
7
Flux
Flux
Build hardware more efficiently with real-time collaboration, an easy-to-use simulator, and forkable community content. Leverage collective intelligence through modern sharing, permissions, and an easy-to-use version control system. We believe in the power of open-source. Get started quickly with an ever-expanding library of parts and schematics created by the Flux community. Finally, a programmable simulator that doesn’t require a PHD to use. Check your schematic before you build, all from the browser. Whether you're building a simple circuit board or designing hardware for the next Mars mission, Flux is where great hardware projects are born. Flux is a browser-based end-to-end electronic design tool that breaks down barriers. Flux is making something new, and we’re doing in a new way. It’s called building in the open. Join our community of engineers, makers, and entrepreneurs who are passionate about improving hardware design tools.Starting Price: $7 per user per month -
8
PathWave RFIC Design
Keysight Technologies
Go beyond traditional RF simulation to design, analyze, and verify radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs). Achieve confidence with steady-state and nonlinear solvers for design and verification. Wireless standard libraries accelerate the validation of complex RFICs. Before taping out an RFIC, verification of IC specifications via RF simulation is a must. Simulations include effects of layout parasitics, complex modulated signals, and digital control circuitry. With PathWave RFIC Design, you can simulate in both the frequency and time domain and bring your designs to and from Cadence Virtuoso. Accurately model components on silicon chips. Optimize designs with sweeps and load-pull analysis. Integrate RF designs in the Cadence Virtuoso environment. Increase performance using Monte Carlo and yield analysis. Simplify debugging with safe operating area warnings. Utilize the latest foundry technology immediately. -
9
PathWave EM Design
Keysight Technologies
Electromagnetic (EM) simulation brings you insight before physical prototyping. Customize EM simulations for speed and accuracy. Integrate EM analysis with your circuit simulations. EM simulations can take hours to run. Shorten your import and export time by integrating your EM simulation software with PathWave Circuit Design software. Integrate EM analysis with circuit simulations to maximize efficiency. 3D EM solid modeling environment for creating arbitrary 3D objects and importing existing 3D models from other CAD environments. Prerequisite for preparing a 3D geometry for 3DEM simulation by defining ports, boundary conditions and material properties. 3D EM solid modeling environment and Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulator. Compliance testing for Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) and Hearing Aid Compatibility (HAC). -
10
PathWave RF Synthesis
Keysight Technologies
Analyze RF and microwave circuits and systems with fast simulation and powerful optimization tools. Explore performance trade-offs with automatic circuit synthesis technology. PathWave RF Synthesis (Genesys) provides entry-level functionality suitable for all RF and microwave circuit board and subsystem designers. Identify RF design errors missed by traditional spreadsheet calculations with PathWave Circuit Design. With this entry-level design environment — including circuit, system, and electromagnetic simulators — you will gain confidence in your design reviews before hardware realization. Just a few mouse clicks and you can watch as your matching network is synthesized and optimized automatically. Then, transfer the design to PathWave Advanced Design System (ADS) for inclusion into a more complex design. -
11
FloWare
FlowCAD
FloWare is a bunch of useful tool enhancements which increase productivity in CAD Flow and PCB Design with OrCAD and Allegro. These enhancements have been created to meet the specific needs of customers in the fields of Setup, Display, Edit, Draft, Shapes, Check/Review, Documentation, etc. Installation of FloWare modules is a simple process and does not require any expert knowledge. Installation process includes a wizard and guides you through the FloWare installation process. Menu structures are automatically recognized by PCB Editor and shown in the tool bar. Simply choose from the available modules according to your needs and increase PCB design productivity. The license is distributed by e-mail and is valid for the site of your company location. Each module provides a detailed documentation. -
12
Pulsonix
Pulsonix
Automatically heal damaged copper areas during interactive editing. User-defined design selections can be easily refined. Interactively move components and enclosures in the 3D environment with real-time clash detection of violations. When your technology requirements are such; benefit from advanced technology features such as flexi-rigid design, embedded components, and chip-on-board to provide you with the functionality you require. Use our standard or create your own extensive BOM, pick and place, PCB acceptance reports, and netlists in a number of different formats with ease from Pulsonix. Unique to Pulsonix, construction lines provide user-definable lines within your design from which to guide your design items. Using construction lines you can create complex board outlines or align irregular shapes and design items. Define rules for automatically creating naming conventions for new and existing styles. -
13
PCBflow
Siemens Electronic Systems Design & Manufacturing
Get instant, actionable feedback about PCB manufacturability before handoff. Accelerate time-to-market for your prototypes and NPIs. Access world-class DFM analysis, powered by Valor NPI, no setup is required. Use DFM rules created by your preferred supplier, and easily upload your designs in ODB++, IPC2581, Gerber274x, and many other common CAD formats. Assembly Included PCBflow merges accurate part geometry to your design (provided by VPL), and tests for assembly problems so you can adjust your board before it's too late. Designed to accelerate, simplify, and improve the handoff process from design to production. Designers and manufacturers can connect to share and collaborate on the platform, and instantly deliver designs to production. Secure, cloud-based, collaborative environment with no IT investment. Siemens takes information security seriously for the management of cloud environments and product offerings. -
14
Numerical Cloud
Numerical Innovations Inc.
With the Numerical Cloud, you get all the professional CAM / DFM / 3D Software Tools and Translators you need at an affordable cost. FAB 3000 - Professional Gerber, Editor, PCB Panelize and DFM Verification Software ACE 2D/3D Translator - The Easiest CAD/EDA/3D Conversion tool available EasyGerb for AutoCAD 2025 - AutoCAD Plug-in that's runs directly inside AutoCAD ACE for FUJIFILM Dimatix Printers - The Original OEM Conversion software built specifically for Fujifilm Dimatix printers. Runs Legacy Tools - FAB 3000 V7, EasyGerb V7, ACE 3000 V7 3D STEP and STL Translators The Numerical Cloud is our most valuable and affordable solution for all engineers! Use it when you need it - Includes Support - No Contract - Cancel Anytime. This is based on an auto-renewal / recurring credit card subscription.Starting Price: $74.99 -
15
HQDFM
NextPCB
Starting Price: $0 -
16
CR-8000 Design Force
ZUKEN
Break down the boundaries of your electrical design process with Design Force, a true innovation in system-level IC package and PCB design and analysis. As the process for designing a complete product continues to increase in complexity, it often includes technologies that have become difficult and sometimes impossible for most ECAD tools to manage and address. Design Force provides the ability for design teams to take system-level design information from as early as the conceptual and planning phase and layout each board in the product, simultaneously considering the entire system view. Design Force fully leverages the latest industry hardware and software capabilities, allowing users to design in a native 3D environment, obtaining optimal performance by utilizing native 64-bit, multi-threading, multi-core processors. Design Force supports multiple client-server implementations and includes the ability to work from your corporate cloud. -
17
MPLAB Analog Designer
Microchip Technology
Choose an existing power solution or customize a suggested design. Schematics and component lists are included. View or modify your choice and, with one click, export the design files to MPLAB® Mindi™ Analog Simulator for verification and analysis. Do you need help calculating your signal chain noise budget? The signal chain signal-to-noise calculator tool provides a simple, intuitive and flexible full noise analysis of your signal chain. Streamlined interface requires minimal data from inputs. Integrated design generators for starting new power designs or refining old designs. Easy transition from power solution selection to design verification. Signal chain signal-to-noise calculator is fully online with no software download required. -
18
MPLAB Mindi Analog Simulator
Microchip Technology
MPLAB® Mindi™ Analog Simulator reduces circuit design time and design risk by simulating analog circuits prior to hardware prototyping. The simulation tool uses a SIMetrix/SIMPLIS simulation environment, with options to use SPICE or piecewise linear modeling, that can cover a very wide set of possible simulation needs. This capable simulation interface is paired with proprietary model files from Microchip to model specific Microchip analog components in addition to generic circuit devices. This simulation tool installs and runs locally on your PC. Once downloaded, no Internet connection is required, and the simulation run time is not dependent on a remotely located server. The result is fast, accurate analog circuit simulations. Run the simulation tool directly on your own PC; once installed no Internet connection is required. -
19
PathWave Advanced Design System (ADS)
Keysight Technologies
PathWave ADS offers integrated design guidance via templates to help you get started faster. Extensive component libraries make it easy to find the part you want. Automatic sync with layout allows you to visualize the physical layout while making schematic designs. Data helps teams visualize whether their designs meet specifications. The data display and analytics capabilities in PathWave ADS produce graphs, charts, and diagrams to give you design confidence. Quickly accelerate your design with wizards, design guides, and templates. The complete design flow includes schematic, layout, circuit, electro-thermal, and electromagnetic simulations. Signal and power integrity are becoming more important as frequency and speed increase in printed circuit boards (PCBs). Losses associated with transmission line effects can cause failures in electronic devices. Modeling traces, vias, and interconnects are necessary to simulate the board accurately. -
20
Aptean Cimnet ERP
Aptean
Aptean Cimnet ERP is designed specifically to empower printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturers to streamline and automate processes, reducing costs and improving bottom-line results. PCB manufacturing and engineering processes require specialized functionality that you just can’t find in a generic ERP. That’s why, Cimnet delivers targeted engineering and manufacturing capabilities that are designed around the unique workflow and challenges of the PCB industry. These industry-specific features are integrated with a full suite of business management tools that drive efficiency and visibility across your quoting, inventory management, production, financial, and supply chain processes. Cimnet also integrates seamlessly with other common PCB applications, including CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) and pre-CAM products. Agility and responsiveness to customer demand are critical to your success in today’s increasingly competitive market. -
21
Xpedition Enterprise
Siemens
Xpedition Enterprise is the industry’s most innovative PCB design flow, providing integration from system design definition to manufacturing execution. Its unique technologies can reduce design cycles by 50 percent or more while significantly improving overall quality and resource efficiency. Xpedition delivers integration, collaboration, and co-design systems between IC packaging, multi-board, RF, harness, FPGA, and MCAD to ensure the flexibility and intuitive technologies you need. Xpedition PCB design software supports multi-user, multi-site tool, and flow-based concurrent engineering throughout the product development process, dramatically reducing design cycles and improving product quality. Xpedition combines ease-of-use with highly automated functionality to offer PCB designers industry-leading advanced technologies to create today’s most complex designs. Optimize products for performance and manufacturability, ensuring product quality, and reducing design errors or rework. -
22
HyperLynx
Siemens
Integrated signal integrity, power integrity, 3D electromagnetic modeling & electrical rule checking for high-speed digital designs. HyperLynx combines ease of use with automated workflows to make high-speed design analysis accessible to mainstream system designers. This allows problems to be identified and resolved early in the design cycle. HyperLynx works with multiple PCB tools and is an ideal addition to any PCB design flow. The HyperLynx family provides a complete analysis flow that combines best-practice design rule checking with comprehensive signal and power integrity simulation. Integrated 3D EM solvers create highly accurate interconnect models. Evaluate design tradeoffs with pre-layout analysis and validate designs prior to fab with post-layout analysis. Supports SerDes channels, DDRx memory interfaces, and general-purpose signal integrity. Design and validate a board’s power-delivery network (PDN) to meet impedance goals in an easy-to-use environment. -
23
AWR Design Environment Platform
Cadence Design Systems
The Cadence AWR Design Environment Platform accelerates RF/microwave product development cycles with design automation that enhances engineering productivity and reduces turnaround time. This seamlessly integrated platform empowers engineers with advanced high-frequency circuit and system simulation coupled with in-design electromagnetic (EM)/thermal analyses for manufacturing-ready high-frequency IP, offering unmatched efficiency and precision. Designed to enhance engineering productivity, the user interface is powerful and intuitive. It offers smart, customizable design flows that cater to the specific needs of today's high-frequency semiconductor and PCB technologies. A unified design capture system facilitates a front-to-back physical design flow. Electrical and layout design entries are dynamically linked, ensuring that components placed in an electrical schematic automatically generate a synchronized physical layout. -
24
Microwave Office
Cadence Design Systems
Microwave Office supports the design of RF passive components such as filters, couplers, and attenuators, as well as active devices operating under small-signal (AC) conditions such as low noise and buffer amplifiers. The linear configuration provides simulation of S-parameters (Y/Z/H/ABCD), small-signal gain, linear stability, noise figure, return loss/voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), and more, as well as real-time tuning, optimization, and yield analysis. All E-series Microwave Office portfolios include synchronous schematic / layout editors, 2D/3D viewers, comprehensive libraries of high-frequency distributed transmission models, surface-mount vendor component RF models with footprints, measurement-based simulations, and RF plotting. Microwave Office PCB enables linear and nonlinear RF circuit design with the robust APLAC HB simulator and its powerful multi-rate HB, transient-assisted HB, and time-variant simulation engine, supporting analysis of RF/microwave circuits. -
25
eCADSTAR
Zuken
Companies today are faced with complex design challenges and tight budgets. eCADSTAR is more than a PCB layout tool with simulation, 3D MCAD integration, and wire harness support all built on the latest technology for enterprise-level performance at an affordable cost. The modern intuitive UI makes eCADSTAR a compelling solution for all designers. Leverage eCADSTAR’s design capabilities to simplify and accelerate the design process. With the digitally connected library, intuitive schematic capture, and tools to accelerate PCB layout engineers spend less time manipulating the tool and more time doing what they do best, innovate creative solutions for today’s technological challenges. One of the most time-consuming parts of the design process is the test plan. The validation process can be costly in terms of time and money without adequate upfront simulation. eCADSTAR’s capabilities in Spice simulation and SI/PI analysis delivers test cycle time reductions.Starting Price: $3,995 one-time payment
- Previous
- You're on page 1
- Next
