Want to design and test circuits without building them? CircuitLab lets you create, simulate, and see results online, making learning and experimenting with electronics possible.
How do you design and test electronic circuits? I wonder if anyone in today’s world is doing these tasks manually. Even with the tools these tasks can be time-consuming, expensive, and error-prone, especially for students, hobbyists, and engineers who need to prototype ideas without access to physical components or lab equipment.
CircuitLab addresses this problem by providing an online platform for schematic capture and circuit simulation, allowing you to design, test, and iterate both analog and digital circuits directly in a web browser before building physical prototypes.
CircuitLab is an online tool accessible directly in a web browser. These tools let you design and test analog and digital circuits before building physical prototypes. The platform’s online schematic editor makes it easy to share and discuss designs, while its simulation tools support rapid design iteration and help users learn electronics more effectively.
One user said, “CircuitLab is the best editor I have ever used. Bug-free design, excellent simulation.”
Launched in February 2012, CircuitLab features a drag-and-drop interface that simplifies circuit design compared to traditional software like Multisim. The initial set of components is sufficient for beginners, helping them avoid the common errors and frustrations of building real-world circuits.
CircuitLab helps you create schematics, run DC, time-domain, and frequency-domain simulations, and view results through plots and real-time measurements. It is useful for you if you want to test, analyze, and share circuit designs without installing any software. With the editor, you can build schematics, drag and drop components, adjust values, and immediately see how circuit behavior changes.
While the platform works best on standard desktop browsers, users can try CircuitLab for free with limited features or explore advanced capabilities through a paid subscription or trial account.
“Amazingly user friendly and simple for even the novice hobbyist to dive into,” added one user.
What’s New?
CircuitLab is continuously maintained, though it does not follow a traditional “latest version” release model like desktop software. The last significant feature announcement came on January 6, 2021, with the introduction of the “Quick Toggle” feature. This addition makes exploring digital circuits easier: instead of swapping digital 1 and 0 elements in a schematic, users can now switch a digital input between 1 and 0 by simply highlighting the element and pressing a key. Circuits with older digital elements are automatically updated to the new system, and similar functionality may be added to other elements in the future.
CircuitLab Pros
The web-based EDA tool that makes it easy to design and test electronic circuits comes up with a lot of advantages for you. Some of which are listed below:
- Works in a web browser, no installation needed
- Can design both analog and digital circuits
- Lets you run DC, time-domain, and frequency-domain simulations
- Shows results in plots and real-time measurements
- Drag and drop components easily
- Change component values and see effects instantly
- Can use math expressions for sources and outputs
- Export schematics to PDF, PNG, or SVG
- Allows collaboration with other users
These features make CircuitLab a convenient and flexible platform for learning, experimenting, and collaborating on electronic circuit design. You can explore circuits, analyze results, and share their work all in one browser-based environment.
CircuitLab Limitations
Like any software, it has some limitations that users should be aware of:
- Simulations may be slower for large circuits
- It is primarily a simulation and schematic capture tool and does not offer full PCB layout capabilities.
- The official documentation hasn’t been updated in a long time. ”There isn’t enough help available for beginners when they hit a roadblock,” one user added.
- Free version has limits on features and usage
- Subscription needed for full access
- No offline option. Internet is always needed to work on CircuitLab
Despite these limitations, CircuitLab remains a useful option for quick prototyping and learning, especially for those who primarily need simulation and schematic capture without complex PCB design features.
Pricing Details
- Hobbyist / Individual Users
- Hobbyist Plan: Save unlimited circuits, run unlimited simulations, and export high-quality schematics.
- Discounted Subscriptions: Available for non-commercial hobbyists and enthusiasts.
- Student Edition: Free for students and faculty with a valid .edu email.
- Hobbyist Plan: Save unlimited circuits, run unlimited simulations, and export high-quality schematics.
- Academic / Institutional Users
- Site License: $2,400/year for access across the entire institution.
- Other Licenses: Floating and group licenses available for organizations.
- Purchase Orders: Accepted for the 12-month site license.
- Site License: $2,400/year for access across the entire institution.
CircuitLab provides an accessible and efficient way to design, simulate, and test electronic circuits directly in a web browser. It reduces the time, cost, and errors associated with physical prototyping while supporting rapid learning and experimentation.
Whether you are a student, hobbyist, or professional engineer, CircuitLab’s intuitive interface, simulation capabilities, and collaboration features make it a valuable tool for exploring both analog and digital circuits with ease. To get started with the online tool, click here.
