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Flux alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll electronics design software

Top picks

Common reasons people leave Flux: editing private projects and exporting require a paid plan after the trial, and boards are limited to eight layers. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Flux, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Altium Designer currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Altium Designer logoAltium DesignerPaid—NoWindows5 of 576.8
2EasyEDA logoEasyEDAFree—NoWeb, Windows, macOS +15 of 568.8
3KiCad logoKiCadOpen source—YesWindows, macOS, Linux5 of 564.8
4CiCircuitMakerFree—NoWindows4 of 457.5
5Autodesk Fusion logoAutodesk FusionFree plan + paid—NoWindows, macOS, Web0 of 038.4
  1. Altium Designer logo

    1. Altium DesignerTop pick

    Best for: Professional hardware teams designing complex, high-speed or rigid-flex boards

    PaidWindows

    76.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Flux

    Industry-standard professional PCB suite for complex, high-layer-count boards.

    Pros

    • Handles complex high-speed, HDI and rigid-flex designs
    • Schematic, layout and simulation share one data model
    • Cloud collaboration with version history and shared libraries
    • Widely used, so experienced designers are easy to find

    Cons

    • Expensive subscription, priced through sales
    • Windows only
    • Overkill for hobby and simple boards
    Visit Altium Designer Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Altium Designer a good Flux alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Platforms
    Windows (64-bit)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026altium.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Simulation
    SPICE and signal integrity
    Checked Nov 8, 2026altium.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Rigid-flex
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026altium.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Co-authoring
    Multiple engineers on one PCB
    Checked Nov 8, 2026altium.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Students
    Free access
    Checked Nov 8, 2026altium.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. EasyEDA logo

    2. EasyEDA

    Best for: Hobbyists and small teams who design boards and order them from JLCPCB

    FreeWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Flux

    Free browser and desktop PCB editor tied to LCSC parts and JLCPCB ordering, with no subscription for most users.

    Pros

    • Free, including the Pro edition
    • Runs in a browser with nothing to install
    • Shows LCSC part stock and sends boards straight to JLCPCB
    • Imports Altium, Eagle and KiCad designs

    Cons

    • Designs live on the vendor's cloud by default
    • Workflow steers you toward JLCPCB and LCSC
    • Less capable than Altium for complex high-speed boards
    Visit EasyEDA Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is EasyEDA a good Flux alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Nov 8, 2026easyeda.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Web app
    Yes, no download needed
    Checked Nov 8, 2026easyeda.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Linux desktop client
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026easyeda.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Import
    Altium, Eagle, KiCad
    Checked Nov 8, 2026easyeda.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Team collaboration
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026easyeda.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. KiCad logo

    3. KiCad

    Best for: Hobbyists, startups and engineers who want a capable PCB tool with no licence cost

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Flux

    Free, open-source desktop EDA suite with no layer limit and files you keep locally.

    Pros

    • Completely free with no feature limits or seat caps
    • Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
    • Large official libraries and an active community
    • Projects are local files you fully control

    Cons

    • Fewer advanced high-speed and team collaboration features than Altium
    • Managing custom libraries takes some learning
    • No built-in part sourcing like EasyEDA's LCSC link
    Visit KiCad Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is KiCad a good Flux alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    GPL v3
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kicad.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, Linux, macOS
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kicad.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Simulation
    Integrated SPICE
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kicad.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Manufacturing output
    Gerber and IPC-2581
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kicad.org(opens source in a new tab)
    First released
    1992
    Checked Nov 8, 2026kicad.org(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Ci

    4. CircuitMaker

    Best for: Hobbyists and open-hardware makers who want Altium-grade PCB tools for free and don't mind sharing designs

    FreeWindows

    57.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Flux

    Free schematic and PCB tool from Altium with cloud projects, for hobbyists who don't need Flux's AI copilot.

    Pros

    • Free with no non-commercial restriction
    • Up to 16 signal plus 16 plane layers and no board size limit
    • Large community parts library backed by Octopart data
    • Fork and reuse other members' published designs

    Cons

    • Only 5 private projects; most work is shared publicly
    • Needs an account and online connection to work
    • Windows only
    Visit CircuitMaker Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is CircuitMaker a good Flux alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Nov 8, 2026circuitmaker.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Layer limit
    16 signal + 16 plane
    Checked Nov 8, 2026circuitmaker.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Commercial use
    Allowed
    Checked Nov 8, 2026circuitmaker.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Altium
    Checked Nov 8, 2026circuitmaker.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Autodesk Fusion logo

    5. Autodesk Fusion

    Best for: Makers and small product teams who want CAD, CAM and PCB tools in one package

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Web

    38.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Flux

    Combines electronics and mechanical CAD in one product, useful when enclosure design matters as much as the board.

    Pros

    • CAD, CAM, simulation and electronics in one tool
    • Free personal-use licence for hobbyists
    • Cloud storage with built-in version history

    Cons

    • Personal tier restricts features and commercial use
    • Relies on Autodesk cloud and account
    • Advanced manufacturing features cost extra
    Visit Autodesk Fusion Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1515
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Autodesk Fusion a good Flux alternative?

    Verified facts

    0 of 0 verified

    No sourced facts yet.

The best Flux alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Altium Designer logo

Best Flux alternative for most people

Altium Designer

Industry-standard professional PCB suite for complex, high-layer-count boards.

EasyEDA logo

Best Flux alternative for a free option

EasyEDA

Free browser and desktop PCB editor tied to LCSC parts and JLCPCB ordering, with no subscription for most users.

Autodesk Fusion logo

Best Flux alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Autodesk Fusion

Combines electronics and mechanical CAD in one product, useful when enclosure design matters as much as the board.

KiCad logo

Best Flux alternative for open source

KiCad

Free, open-source desktop EDA suite with no layer limit and files you keep locally.

EasyEDA logo

Best Flux alternative for Mac

EasyEDA

Free browser and desktop PCB editor tied to LCSC parts and JLCPCB ordering, with no subscription for most users.

Ci

Best Flux alternative for Windows

CircuitMaker

Free schematic and PCB tool from Altium with cloud projects, for hobbyists who don't need Flux's AI copilot.

EasyEDA logo

Best Flux alternative for Linux

EasyEDA

Free browser and desktop PCB editor tied to LCSC parts and JLCPCB ordering, with no subscription for most users.

EasyEDA logo

Best Flux alternative for working in the browser

EasyEDA

Free browser and desktop PCB editor tied to LCSC parts and JLCPCB ordering, with no subscription for most users.

Flux alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Flux?

Altium Designer ranks first right now. Industry-standard professional PCB suite for complex, high-layer-count boards. EasyEDA and KiCad follow it in our ranking.

Flux vs Altium Designer: what's the difference?

Both Flux and Altium Designer are paid products. Only Flux runs on Web. Only Altium Designer runs on Windows.

Is Flux free?

Flux is a paid product. Free trial: Yes, on individual plans; Free plan: No; paid plan needed for private projects; Extra AI usage: $2 per ACU on Build and Pro. Checked on Flux's own site, November 2026.

Is there a free alternative to Flux?

Yes. EasyEDA (free), KiCad (open source), CircuitMaker (free) and Autodesk Fusion (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Flux?

Yes: KiCad.

Which Flux alternatives work on Linux?

EasyEDA and KiCad run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Flux?

The complaints we hear most: editing private projects and exporting require a paid plan after the trial; boards are limited to eight layers; cloud-only, so designs live on Flux's servers and need a connection.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Flux, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.