Altium Designer vs Electronics Workbench

Struggling to choose between Altium Designer and Electronics Workbench? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Altium Designer is a Development solution with tags like pcb-design, schematic-capture, layout, manufacturing.

It boasts features such as PCB Layout and Routing, 3D PCB Visualization, FPGA Design, MCAD Co-Design, BOM Generation and Supply Chain Management, Simulation and Signal Integrity Analysis, Version Control and Design Data Management and pros including Powerful routing and layout tools, Intuitive 3D visualization, Tight integration between schematic and PCB, Support for complex designs like high-speed or RF, Extensive component libraries.

On the other hand, Electronics Workbench is a Education & Reference product tagged with circuit-simulation, electronics, prototyping.

Its standout features include Graphical interface to design and simulate circuits, Extensive component library with analog and digital parts, Real-time circuit simulation, Waveform visualization, SPICE simulation engine, Import/export circuits as images, Interactive troubleshooting tools, and it shines with pros like Easy to learn and use, Large component library, Powerful simulation capabilities, Great for education and prototyping.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Altium Designer

Altium Designer

Altium Designer is professional printed circuit board (PCB) design software used for schematic capture, PCB layout, and file output for manufacturing. It helps engineers design and prototype complex electronic hardware products.

Categories:
Development Electronic Design Automation
pcb-design schematic-capture layout manufacturing

Altium Designer Features

  1. PCB Layout and Routing
  2. 3D PCB Visualization
  3. FPGA Design
  4. MCAD Co-Design
  5. BOM Generation and Supply Chain Management
  6. Simulation and Signal Integrity Analysis
  7. Version Control and Design Data Management

Pricing

  • Subscription-Based
  • Custom Pricing

Pros

Powerful routing and layout tools

Intuitive 3D visualization

Tight integration between schematic and PCB

Support for complex designs like high-speed or RF

Extensive component libraries

Cons

Steep learning curve

Expensive licensing model

Limited free version capabilities

Resource intensive

Electronics Workbench

Electronics Workbench

Electronics Workbench is an electronic circuit simulator software that allows users to design, test and prototype analog and digital circuits. It provides a graphical interface with drag-and-drop components to build circuits.

Categories:
Education & Reference Electronics
circuit-simulation electronics prototyping

Electronics Workbench Features

  1. Graphical interface to design and simulate circuits
  2. Extensive component library with analog and digital parts
  3. Real-time circuit simulation
  4. Waveform visualization
  5. SPICE simulation engine
  6. Import/export circuits as images
  7. Interactive troubleshooting tools

Pricing

  • One-time Purchase
  • Subscription-Based

Pros

Easy to learn and use

Large component library

Powerful simulation capabilities

Great for education and prototyping

Cons

Limited to low-frequency circuits

Not suitable for extremely complex designs

Component library could be expanded

User interface feels dated