Proteus Design Suite

Windows PCB design suite from Labcenter, known for simulating microcontroller code inside SPICE circuits.

PaidElectronics design software

Updated Nov 2, 2026 · AppBreakup editorial · Windows

Visit Proteus Design Suite See 5 alternatives

Is Proteus Design Suite free?

No, it's a paid product

4 alternatives with a free option

Switch from Proteus Design Suite to

All 5

Altium Designer
Paid
KiCad
Open source
EasyEDA
Free

Verified facts: 5 of 5
Alternatives ranked: 5
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 1

About Proteus Design Suite

Proteus is an electronics design package from Labcenter Electronics, a UK company. It covers schematic capture and PCB layout, but most people know it for its Virtual System Modelling: you place a microcontroller on the schematic, load your firmware, and the program runs alongside a mixed-mode SPICE simulation of the surrounding circuit, with virtual instruments and on-screen controls. That makes it popular in universities and with embedded engineers who want to test code before a board exists. Add-ons cover Arduino and Raspberry Pi projects, MicroPython and IoT front panels. The library search pulls parts from SamacSys and SnapEDA. Proteus is sold in modules and bundles with perpetual licences, and there are education discounts; prices are listed on the site. A free demo lets you try it, with simulation limited by time. It runs on 64-bit Windows only, so Mac and Linux users need a virtual machine.

Best for: Students and embedded engineers who want to simulate microcontroller firmware with the circuit.

What works

Co-simulates MCU firmware with SPICE circuits
Perpetual licences you keep without paying maintenance
Large simulation model and part library
Modular packages, so you buy only what you need

Why people leave

Windows only; no ARM processor support
Paid, with no free tier beyond the demo
Smaller user community than KiCad or Altium for PCB layout

Proteus Design Suite vs Altium Designer, KiCad and EasyEDA

From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.

Attribute	Proteus Design Suite	Altium Designer	KiCad	EasyEDA
Pricing	Paid	Paid	Open source	Free
Verified price	—	—	—	—
Free plan	No	No	Free app	Free app
Open source	No	No	Yes	No
Self-hostable	No	No	No	No
Platforms	Windows	Windows	Windows, macOS, Linux	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux

Top Proteus Design Suite alternatives

See all 5

1
Altium Designer
The professional standard for complex multilayer boards, at a much higher subscription price.
79.8
2
KiCad
Free and open source on Windows, Mac and Linux, with a strong PCB editor, though no microcontroller co-simulation.
68.8
3
EasyEDA
Free browser-based schematic and PCB design tied to JLCPCB ordering, with basic simulation.
61.8
4
Qucs-S
Free open-source circuit simulator with a choice of SPICE engines, for analogue work without PCB layout.
59.4
5
Tinkercad
Free browser-based Circuits mode simulates Arduino boards and breadboards, a gentler stand-in for Proteus microcontroller simulation in teaching.
39.5

Why people left Proteus Design Suite

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Proteus Design Suite: common questions

What is Proteus Design Suite?

Proteus Design Suite: Windows PCB design suite from Labcenter, known for simulating microcontroller code inside SPICE circuits. Best for students and embedded engineers who want to simulate microcontroller firmware with the circuit. Available for Windows.

Is Proteus Design Suite free?

No, Proteus Design Suite is a paid product.

Is Proteus Design Suite open source?

No, Proteus Design Suite is not open source. Open-source alternatives include KiCad and Qucs-S.

What platforms does Proteus Design Suite run on?

Proteus Design Suite is available for Windows.

What are the best alternatives to Proteus Design Suite?

The highest-ranked Proteus Design Suite alternatives right now are Altium Designer, KiCad and EasyEDA. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

Proteus Design Suite vs Altium Designer: what's the difference?

Both Proteus Design Suite and Altium Designer are paid products. Both run on Windows.

See all 5 Proteus Design Suite alternatives

Proteus Design Suite facts

5 of 5 verified

Licensing: Perpetual licence; Checked Nov 8, 2026labcenter.com(opens source in a new tab); “own the license in perpetuity.”
Simulation: Mixed-mode SPICE plus microcontroller simulation; Checked Nov 8, 2026labcenter.com(opens source in a new tab); “blends mixed-mode SPICE simulation with world leading fast microcontroller simulation.”
Supported MCUs: Over 750 microprocessor variants; Checked Nov 8, 2026labcenter.com(opens source in a new tab); “With over 750 supported micro-processor variants”
Platforms: Windows 10 or later (x64); Checked Nov 8, 2026labcenter.com(opens source in a new tab); “8GB RAM. Microsoft Windows 10.”
Part library: 15 million+ parts via SamacSys and SnapEDA; Checked Nov 8, 2026labcenter.com(opens source in a new tab); “This provides free access to over 15 million parts from both SamacSys and SnapEDA.”