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.

Feature	Altium Designer	Electronics Workbench
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Education & Reference

Product Overview

Altium Designer

Description: 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.

Electronics Workbench

Description: 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.

Key Features Comparison

Altium Designer Features

• 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

Electronics Workbench Features

• 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

Pros & Cons Analysis

Altium Designer

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

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

Pricing Comparison

Altium Designer

• Subscription-Based
• Custom Pricing

Electronics Workbench

• One-time Purchase
• Subscription-Based