From schematic capture to manufacturing output, Flux streamlines every phase of online PCB design. Our browser-based toolchain keeps everything synchronized in real-time, so your team stays aligned and you never lose work.
Describe
Create your schematic in Flux's unified editor. Define components, add part numbers from manufacturer databases, and tag nets for critical signals (power, ground, differential pairs). All your design intent lives in one place. No fragmented symbol libraries or XML files to manage.
Example: A biomedical researcher tags power rails, current-sensing signals, and SPI traces before layout begins. The AI learns what matters.
Design
Place footprints on your board, then let the AI auto-route critical connections. Use our reinforcement learning model (trained on thousands of professionally routed boards) or take full manual control. Real-time design rules keep you within spec: trace width, spacing, via size, impedance. Collaborate live with your team. See cursor movements, comments, and changes instantly.
Hand-route the critical 20%. AI routes the other 80%.
Manufacture
Export Gerbers, drill files, and BOMs directly to JLCPCB, PCBWay, or Osh Park. Flux validates manufacturing constraints (panelization, layer stackup, via drilling) before you order. No surprises at fabrication.
Your files. Your manufacturer. No lock-in.
Free PCB design software has come a long way, and tools like KiCad are genuinely excellent. But there are areas where AI-powered design changes what's possible. Here's where Flux adds the most value:
It's a fair question whether browser-based tools can match desktop performance. Desktop EDA has decades of optimization behind it. For typical projects, modern JavaScript engines and WebGL rendering deliver smooth, responsive design experiences. For very large designs (100,000+ components), desktop tools still have an edge. For most boards, browser performance is excellent.
How Flux solves it: Browser-based with smooth performance on professional boards up to 8 layers.
Designers worry: if my PCB lives on someone else's server, who has access? Can it be hacked? What if the company disappears?
How Flux solves it: Designs are private by default on paid plans. Export your board in standard formats anytime, so you're never locked in.
Desktop tools like Altium and OrCAD have decades of deep feature development. A reasonable question is whether online PCB design software can handle complex 8-layer boards, impedance-controlled traces, and differential pairs.
How Flux solves it: Up to 8 layers, impedance control, differential pairs, and full design rules. All native in the browser.
Desktop EDA software was built for specialists. Tools like Altium and OrCAD require weeks of training before you can be productive — navigating complex menus, configuring libraries, and learning proprietary workflows. For hardware founders, researchers, and cross-disciplinary engineers, that learning curve is a real barrier to getting a working board.
How Flux solves it: Describe your circuit in plain language and the AI suggests components, drafts schematics, and proposes routing paths
Some platforms offer hybrid cloud/desktop workflows, combining desktop tools with cloud-based collaboration features. These work well for teams already invested in desktop EDA, though the experience can vary depending on which features live in the browser versus the desktop app.
How Flux solves it: Cloud-native real-time collaboration from day one.
Flux's AI Copilot uses reinforcement learning, trained on 10,000+ professionally routed boards from top hardware teams. Instead of manually routing every trace, you describe what matters (power integrity, signal timing, thermal zones) and the AI handles the repetitive work.
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.
Create and edit schematics with a full component library. Every change syncs instantly to your PCB layout, keeping your design consistent throughout.
Place components, define board outlines, and route traces with AI assistance. Flux supports multi-layer designs with impedance-aware routing and real-time DRC.
Design with real-time inventory, pricing, and alternate part suggestions. Your BOM is always sourced and ready to order.
Validate your design before manufacturing with built-in SPICE simulation. Test circuits, verify parameters, and catch issues early.
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.
Work with Flux.ai like an engineering intern: automating the grunt work, learning your standards, explaining its decisions, and checking in for feedback at key moments.
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
Loved by engineers pushing hardware design forward.
Yes. Flux supports the features you need for production: 8 layers, impedance control, differential pairs, and design rule checking. Several online PCB design tools (including EasyEDA) handle simpler projects well. Flux is designed to handle more complex, production-grade boards with AI assistance.
For most projects, yes. Desktop tools like Altium and OrCAD have deeper feature sets built over decades, and they're the right choice for specialized work (FPGA escape routing, ultra-high-speed SI analysis). Online tools like Flux offer different strengths: real-time collaboration, instant cloud access, and AI routing. It depends on what your project needs.
Your designs are private by default on paid plans. You control sharing and permissions. You can export your board anytime in standard formats, so you're never locked in.
Yes. Flux runs in any modern browser on Mac, Windows, Linux, or Chromebook. No software installation. Some designers choose Flux for the cross-platform flexibility.
Flux's AI Copilot learns your design patterns and automates routing, component placement, and design rule checking. 66-75% of Flux users actively use it. It's not magic. It's a tool that handles repetitive work so you focus on what matters.
Yes. Gerbers, BOM, and pick-and-place files compatible with any manufacturer. AI checks component availability before export.
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.
In-app chat with real engineers, documentation, YouTube tutorials, and a Slack community. Common issues like DRC violations and import problems are well-documented.
AI Auto Layout is used actively by 66-75% of Flux paying users, and they keep paying because it delivers real time savings. The AI is trained on thousands of professionally routed boards and uses reinforcement learning to optimize placement and routing. You can accept all suggestions, override specific ones, or turn it off entirely. It's a tool that respects your expertise while handling the repetitive work.
A modern browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) and an internet connection. Sign up, start your 14-day free trial, and open the editor. Tutorials are built in.
