Circuit Board Design Software & Online Circuit Builder

Online Circuit Builder for Complete Circuit Board Design

Flux brings schematic capture, PCB layout, component research, routing, design review, and manufacturing preparation into one connected workspace.

Start with product requirements or a circuit idea, create an editable schematic drawing, and move from schematic to PCB without transferring the project between disconnected tools. Every component, connection, comment, and revision remains attached to the same circuit board design.

Whether you are building your first PCB board design or developing a professional hardware product, you retain control over component selection, critical routing, design constraints, and final manufacturing review.

Describe

Start your circuit board design with product requirements, a reference circuit, or a plain-language description. Flux can ask clarifying questions, research components, compare datasheet specifications, and help organize a system architecture before schematic design begins.

Example: "Design a smart humidity sensor with WiFi and USB-C charging"

Design

Create and edit the schematic, then move from schematic to PCB in the same project. Place components, define the board outline, configure the PCB layout, and manually route critical connections. Use AI assistance for component research, supporting circuitry, placement, routing, and design review where appropriate.

Schematic capture and PCB layout stay connected throughout the design process.

Manufacture

Review the completed PCB board design, resolve design-rule issues, verify footprints and component availability, and export the files required for fabrication and assembly, including Gerbers, BOM, and pick-and-place data.

Your files. Your manufacturer. No lock-in.

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What makes circuit board design hard (and how Flux solves it)

Circuit board design often requires separate workflows for schematic drawing, component research, PCB layout, design validation, collaboration, and manufacturing preparation. Flux connects these stages in one browser-based circuit builder.

Circuit Board Design Software Is Expensive and Fragmented

$10K+/seat desktop software with separate tools for schematic, layout, and simulation. Manual file exports between steps. OS compatibility headaches.

How Flux solves it: Flux combines schematic design, PCB layout, circuit simulation, component data, BOM preparation, and Gerber export in one browser-based circuit board design tool. Projects remain connected from the first schematic drawing through final manufacturing preparation. Compare Flux with dedicated PCB design software and EDA software.

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Circuit Board Design Rule Violations Pile Up

Overlapping copper, floating traces, missing ground fills. DRC violations are easy to create and tedious to track down.

How Flux solves it: Flux runs design-rule checks while you work on the PCB layout. Review overlapping copper, incomplete connections, ground-fill problems, and other issues before releasing the circuit board design for manufacturing.

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Circuit Board Component Research Is a Black Hole

Finding the right part means cross-referencing datasheets, checking stock, and hoping your selection is still available at order time.

How Flux solves it: Search for real components by electrical requirement, compare datasheet specifications, review availability, and add the selected part directly to the schematic design. When a part is unavailable, Flux can help identify possible alternatives for engineering review.

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Real-time Circuit Board Design Collaboration Doesn't Exist

Traditional EDA tools have no real-time collaboration. Two engineers can't work on the same board at the same time. You email files back and forth, lose track of versions, and waste hours resolving conflicts.

How Flux solves it: Real-time multiplayer editing — like Google Docs for circuit board design. Multiple engineers on the same board simultaneously. Comment, review, and iterate with built-in version history. Because schematic capture and PCB layout remain in the same shared project, reviewers can evaluate the complete circuit board design without exchanging separate project files.

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Getting Started with Circuit Board Design Has a Brutal Learning Curve

Most EDA tools assume you already know what you're doing. No guided path from idea to board.

How Flux solves it: Flux provides a browser-based circuit builder with editable AI-generated starting points, component research, example projects, and connected schematic and PCB workflows. Beginners can learn the process while professional engineers retain control over components, constraints, layout, and manufacturing review.

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AI-Assisted PCB Layout for Faster Circuit Board Design

PCB layout and routing are often among the most time-consuming parts of circuit board design. Flux lets engineers manually route critical nets and use AI Auto Layout to assist with suitable remaining connections.

The resulting PCB layout remains editable. Engineers can review placement, routing, clearances, ground continuity, and design rules before manufacturing release.

AI-Powered Design Assistance

Flux AI handles part research, schematic generation, component placement, routing, and design rule checks. Describe what you want to build, and AI delivers a starting point you can refine.

Schematic Capture

Create and edit schematic drawings using real components, reusable circuit blocks, and connected symbols and footprints. Every schematic design change remains synchronized with the PCB layout. Explore dedicated schematic capture software.

PCB Layout and Routing

Define the board outline, place components, configure multi-layer PCB layouts, and route traces manually or with AI assistance. Continuous design-rule checking helps identify issues throughout the PCB board design process.

Live Component Data

Design with real-time inventory, pricing, and alternate part suggestions. Your BOM is always sourced and ready to order.

SPICE Simulation

Validate your design before manufacturing with built-in SPICE simulation. Test circuits, verify parameters, and catch issues early.

Cloud Collaboration

Work with your team in real time on the same schematic and layout. Built-in version control, comments, and role-based permissions keep everyone aligned.

How Flux Compares to Legacy Circuit Board Design Software

Work with Flux.ai like an AI hardware engineer: handling complex tasks, learning your standards, explaining its decisions, and collaborating with you at every step.

Legacy EDA

Desktop install required

100% Browser-based

Design alone, email files

Real-time multiplayer

No AI assistance

AI help built-in

Manual part research

Live inventory

Need separate tools

All-in-one platform

$10K+/seat licenses

Free to start

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PhD researcher in CTS

Nabhan Fakrudin

"Next-Generation EDA; Absolutely phenomenal support and design experience. Added value with the post-design reviews before manufacturing"

Founder of DirtyDevices

Tim Wagner

"As a startup founder building an IoT device for construction machinery, I took my product from concept to production entirely in Flux with no external EE help. We even raised $187K on Indiegogo. Flux made it possible."

Founder and CEO of Seeed Studio

Eric Pan

"Flux with its AI will enable more people to design their own hardware. Seeed is gladly joining the efforts by bringing the latest open hardware designs to Flux public library!"

What is circuit board design?

The process of creating a printed circuit board (PCB): selecting components, drawing schematics, laying out the board, routing traces, and exporting manufacturing files. Flux makes this accessible through AI-assisted design in your browser.

What software do I need for circuit board design?

Traditional tools like Altium or Cadence cost $10K+/year. KiCad is free but complex. Flux is browser-based with no install and no license keys, combining schematic capture, layout, AI routing, and manufacturing export in one platform.

How long does it take to design a circuit board?

A simple board can be designed in hours; complex multi-layer boards take days or weeks. Flux's AI Copilot and Auto Layout significantly reduce design time.

Is Flux really free?

Yes. Free tier for public projects. Paid plans start at $15/mo with a 14-day free trial. Students and educators get Pro for free.

Can I import projects from Altium, Cadence, or KiCad?

Yes. KiCad on all plans; Altium and Cadence on Pro. For Altium, export in ASCII format. Binary exports will import empty.

Can I export manufacturing files?

Yes. Gerbers, BOM, and pick-and-place files compatible with any manufacturer. AI checks component availability before export.

How capable is the AI, and what are its limits?

Flux AI handles part research, schematic generation, component placement, route optimization, and design rule checks. It works best as a collaborator: it makes suggestions and explains its reasoning, and you make the final call. It accelerates your workflow but does not replace engineering judgment.

What if I get stuck?

In-app chat with real engineers, documentation, YouTube tutorials, and direct support via help@flux.ai. Common issues like DRC violations and import problems are well-documented.

How does Flux handle design rule checking?

Automated DRC runs continuously, catching overlapping copper, floating traces, and ground fill issues. Click any violation to jump to it. AI Review adds a second layer before export.

Can multiple engineers work on the same PCB design?

Yes. Flux supports real-time collaboration with multiple engineers on the same schematic and layout simultaneously. Changes sync instantly, and version history tracks every edit.

Can I use Flux as an online circuit builder?

Yes. Flux works as an online circuit builder, supporting connected schematic creation, component selection, PCB layout, routing, simulation, design review, and manufacturing-file preparation directly in the browser.

Can I move from schematic to PCB in Flux?

Yes. Schematic connectivity carries into the PCB layout within the same project, so you can move from schematic to PCB without rebuilding the design in a separate tool.

Does Flux combine schematic capture and PCB layout?

Yes. Schematic capture and PCB layout are connected within the same project, and schematic changes remain associated with the physical PCB design.

Is Flux suitable for PCB board design?

Yes. Flux supports schematic design, board outlines, component placement, multi-layer PCB layouts, routing, design checks, and manufacturing exports for complete PCB board design.

What is the difference between a circuit builder and circuit board design software?

A general circuit builder may focus on creating or simulating a circuit, while circuit board design software also supports footprints, physical PCB layout, routing, design rules, and manufacturing files. Flux combines these workflows.

Circuit Board Design Software & Online Circuit Builder

Online Circuit Builder for Complete Circuit Board Design

What makes circuit board design hard (and how Flux solves it)

Circuit Board Design Software Is Expensive and Fragmented

Circuit Board Design Rule Violations Pile Up

Circuit Board Component Research Is a Black Hole

Real-time Circuit Board Design Collaboration Doesn't Exist

Getting Started with Circuit Board Design Has a Brutal Learning Curve