CircuitLab vs ProfiCAD
CircuitLab
circuitlab.comProfiCAD
proficad.comSide by side
| Figure | CircuitLab | ProfiCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $2/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 9 | 5 |
| Spec score · Electrical Design Software | 8.2 (#7) | 8.1 (#10) |
| Purpose | CircuitLab provides in-browser tools for schematic capture and circuit simulation for students, hobbyists, and professional engineers. | ProfiCAD creates electrical and electronic diagrams, schematics, control circuit diagrams, and other technical diagrams such as pneumatic and hydraulic diagrams. |
| Support | CircuitLab directs users to online documentation and community support forums; Enterprise support is listed with a response within 24 hours. | Users can get technical support through the site chatbot, email, FAQ, and user manual; the maker says questions are answered by the developer. |
Plans
CircuitLab
- CircuitLab Hacker Lite$16 a month
- CircuitLab Micro$24 a year
- CircuitLab Hacker$26 a month
- CircuitLab Pro$39 a month
- CircuitLab Hacker Lite$79 a year
- CircuitLab Hacker$129 a year
- CircuitLab Pro$399 a year
- CircuitLab Student Edition$2,400 a year
- CircuitLab EnterprisePriced on request
ProfiCAD
- 30-day trialFree
- Home licenseFree
- School License$277, paid once
- Single User License$277, paid once
- Site License$827, paid once
In their own words
CircuitLab
CircuitLab provides in-browser tools for schematic capture and circuit simulation for students, hobbyists, and professional engineers. It supports analog, digital, and mixed-mode simulation, plus frequency-domain analysis and parameter sweeps. Users can import SPICE device models and use CSV files as signal sources. Schematics can be exported as PDF, PNG, EPS, or SVG, and unique circuit URLs make it possible to share designs or ask for help.
CircuitLab runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux and works in a browser on iPad. Its membership information also describes offline access through the Chrome Web Store and SSL-encrypted access. It offers a free plan and paid subscriptions, including Micro at $24 a year, Hacker Lite at $16 a month, Hacker at $26 a month, and Pro at $39 a month. The pricing note lists a starting rate of $2/mo (annual). Commercial use is permitted with Pro and Enterprise subscriptions; otherwise, the terms describe use as personal and non-commercial unless otherwise specified. Support includes online documentation and community forums.
ProfiCAD
ProfiCAD is desktop software for creating electrical and electronic diagrams, schematics, control circuits, and technical diagrams such as pneumatic and hydraulic drawings. It can produce bills of materials, wire lists, terminal lists, and cable lists. The program includes more than 2,000 symbols and an editor for custom symbols. Drawing features include automatic symbol numbering and insertion, symbol search, and cross-references between wires and component symbols. Users can adapt or create ISO 7200 title blocks. The desktop program is for Windows; the maker says it can run on Mac using Parallels. ProfiCAD Viewer lets Android users view drawings, but it does not display cross-references. Drawings can be transferred to the viewer through cloud storage or email. ProfiCAD works offline, and drawings stay on the user's computer. It is not intended for PCB layout, 3D modeling, complex CAD, or full DWG/DXF editing. The free Home edition permits up to three pages, with commercial use limited to opening, viewing, and printing third-party documents. A full-feature trial lasts 30 days without a credit card; paid licenses start at $277, excluding tax.