OrCAD (All Products) vs Ngspice

Struggling to choose between OrCAD (All Products) and Ngspice? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

OrCAD (All Products) is a Development solution with tags like pcb-design, ic-design, schematic-capture, simulation, layout, autorouting, manufacturing.

It boasts features such as Schematic capture, PCB layout and autorouting, FPGA design, Simulation and analysis, 3D modeling and visualization, Design rule checking, Signal integrity analysis, Thermal analysis, Design data and workflow management and pros including Powerful and full-featured toolset, Good for complex, high-speed designs, Tight integration between modules, Large user community and available expertise, Compatible with industry standards.

On the other hand, Ngspice is a Development product tagged with electronics, semiconductors, circuit-simulation, spice-models, analog-circuits, digital-circuits, mixedsignal-circuits.

Its standout features include SPICE circuit simulator, Supports digital, analog and mixed-mode circuits, Has an extensive model library, Supports PSpice compatible models, Has a graphical waveform viewer, Can generate netlists from schematics, Has Monte Carlo and worst-case analysis, Can do DC, AC, Transient and Fourier analysis, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Powerful simulation capabilities, Large model library, Compatible with many SPICE models, Good for learning circuit simulation.

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.

OrCAD (All Products)

OrCAD (All Products)

OrCAD is a suite of electronic design automation software used for printed circuit board, integrated circuit, and programmable logic design. It includes schematic capture, simulation, PCB layout, auto-routing, and manufacturing outputs.

Categories:
pcb-design ic-design schematic-capture simulation layout autorouting manufacturing

OrCAD (All Products) Features

  1. Schematic capture
  2. PCB layout and autorouting
  3. FPGA design
  4. Simulation and analysis
  5. 3D modeling and visualization
  6. Design rule checking
  7. Signal integrity analysis
  8. Thermal analysis
  9. Design data and workflow management

Pricing

  • Subscription
  • Perpetual License

Pros

Powerful and full-featured toolset

Good for complex, high-speed designs

Tight integration between modules

Large user community and available expertise

Compatible with industry standards

Cons

Steep learning curve

Can be expensive for smaller teams

Limited customization compared to open source

Vendor lock-in


Ngspice

Ngspice

Ngspice is an open-source circuit simulator for electronics and semiconductors. It allows analyzing, modeling, and testing analog, digital and mixed-signal circuits with over 500 spice models of MOSFETs, BJTs, diodes, transformers, etc.

Categories:
electronics semiconductors circuit-simulation spice-models analog-circuits digital-circuits mixedsignal-circuits

Ngspice Features

  1. SPICE circuit simulator
  2. Supports digital, analog and mixed-mode circuits
  3. Has an extensive model library
  4. Supports PSpice compatible models
  5. Has a graphical waveform viewer
  6. Can generate netlists from schematics
  7. Has Monte Carlo and worst-case analysis
  8. Can do DC, AC, Transient and Fourier analysis

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Powerful simulation capabilities

Large model library

Compatible with many SPICE models

Good for learning circuit simulation

Cons

Steep learning curve

Limited documentation and support

No integrated schematic editor

User interface is not very intuitive