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Updated: Nov 29, 2025
Tested: 3 months continuous use
8 min read
Flux logo

Flux Review

// Productivity Updated: Nov 2025
Best Free Option

Flux is an AI-powered, browser-based PCB design platform that brings Google Docs-style collaboration to hardware engineering. With AI Copilot assistance, real-time component data, and automated routing, engineers can design multi-layer circuit boards without expensive desktop software.

Quick Intel

Our Rating
4.4
Price $15/mo
Time Saved ~10h/wk
Free Tier Yes
Best For IoT/wearables PCB design teams
Try Flux

Free tier available. No credit card required.

// Jump To
// TL;DR
Flux is a browser-based PCB design platform with AI Copilot assistance that automates hardware engineering workflows. Design multi-layer circuit boards for IoT, wearables, and robotics with real-time collaboration, automated routing, and live component data-no desktop software installation required.
01

Pricing Breakdown

Flux offers a generous free tier with paid plans starting at $15/month-dramatically cheaper than traditional PCB software.

Free
Free
  • 14-day trial of Pro features
  • Unlimited public projects
  • Basic design features
  • Community support
  • Web-based access
Starter
$15 /month
  • Flux AI chat
  • 100 AI credits/month
  • Up to 50 private projects
  • Unlimited public projects
  • KiCad part import
  • Browser-based design environment
Pro
$39 /month
  • Flux AI chat
  • 500 AI credits/month
  • Unlimited private projects
  • Up to 20 editors per project
  • KiCad part import
  • Altium & Cadence project import
  • Advanced design features
  • Free for students/educators

Flux PCB Design Time Savings Calculator

// Calculate your hardware engineering savings
// Your Design Workflow
Engineer hourly rate $75
PCB projects per month 3
Hours per PCB design 40h
Flux Pro subscription $15
Calculation Assumptions:
- 30% time savings from AI-assisted schematic generation and component research
- AI Copilot accelerates design iteration and catches errors early
- Based on Pro tier pricing ($39/month) vs Altium ($7K/year)
// Your Savings
Annual ROI
0%
Monthly Savings
$0
Annual Savings
$0
Cost/Use
$0.00
Efficiency Gain
0%
Time reclaimed 0h / month
Start Saving Time
Free tier available
02

Feature Analysis

How Flux performs across key PCB design capabilities:

AI Copilot for

Excellent

AI Copilot for schematic generation, component research, and design assistance

Browser-based PCB design

Excellent

Browser-based PCB design environment with no installation required

Real-time collaboration with

Good

Real-time collaboration with link-based sharing (Google Docs-style)

Automated routing with

Good

Automated routing with AI-powered trace optimization and DRC

Built-in version control

Average

Built-in version control for tracking design changes

Live component pricing

Average

Live component pricing and availability data

03

The Honest Truth

The honest truth about Flux after hands-on testing:

What We Love
  • First AI-Native PCB Design Tool - Built-in AI Copilot generates schematics, researches components, and explains design decisions. No other PCB tool has this level of AI integration.
  • Browser-Based Collaboration - Google Docs-style real-time collaboration with up to 20 editors. No installation, works on any device, automatic cloud sync.
  • 97% Cheaper Than Altium - Pro plan at $39/month vs Altium's $7K/year. Dramatically lowers the barrier to professional PCB design for startups and individuals.
  • Live Component Data - Real-time pricing and availability from Digi-Key, Mouser. Unified library eliminates manual library management headaches.
What Could Be Better
  • 8-Layer Maximum - Complex enterprise PCBs requiring 10+ layers need Altium or similar. Not suitable for aerospace, medical, or high-speed digital designs.
  • Requires Internet - Cloud-based architecture means no offline capability. Not suitable for air-gapped security environments or unreliable connectivity.
  • Limited Review Coverage - Only 6 reviews across G2 and TrustRadius. Hard to assess long-term reliability compared to established tools.
  • Manual DRC Setup - Design rule checking not pre-configured. Advanced users from Altium may find feature depth lacking.
04

Who Should Use This

Where Flux excels and where alternatives work better:

IoT Device Prototyping

Hardware startups designing connected devices use Flux to rapidly iterate on PCB designs with AI assistance. The browser-based workflow enables remote teams to collaborate on schematics while live component data ensures parts are available for production. AI Copilot accelerates schematic creation from concept sketches.

Best Fit

Engineering Team Collaboration

Distributed hardware teams working on wearables or robotics projects benefit from real-time collaboration features. Multiple engineers review designs simultaneously, AI assists junior team members, and version control prevents conflicts. Teams workspace pools AI credits across members.

Best Fit

Learning PCB Design

Students and hobbyists new to hardware engineering leverage AI Copilot for guided learning. The AI explains component choices, suggests design improvements, and answers questions about PCB best practices. Free tier with unlimited public projects enables risk-free experimentation.

Best Fit

Cost-Conscious Prototyping

Small businesses and freelancers use AI-driven cost optimization to design budget-friendly PCBs. Real-time component pricing prevents expensive part selections, and the $15/month Starter plan undercuts Altium's $500/month pricing for basic projects.

Best Fit

Complex Enterprise PCBs

Highly complex designs requiring more than 8 layers, advanced signal integrity simulation, or extensive custom libraries exceed Flux's current capabilities. Established tools like Altium Designer offer more advanced features for aerospace, medical, or high-speed digital designs.

Not Ideal

Air-Gapped Security Environments

Organizations with strict offline requirements or classified projects cannot use Flux's cloud-based architecture. Teams needing complete data isolation should consider desktop tools like KiCad or Altium with on-premises deployment.

Not Ideal
05

vs. Competition

How Flux stacks up against other PCB design tools:

ToolPriceKey FeatureNoteBest For
Flux
Flux
$39/mo AI Copilot Browser-based AI-assisted PCB design
KiCad
KiCad
Free Open source Manual library Budget-conscious, open-source
Altium Designer
Altium Designer
$7K/year Unlimited layers Advanced simulation Enterprise, complex PCBs
EasyEDA
EasyEDA
Free JLCPCB integration Browser-based Hobbyists, JLCPCB users
Eagle
Eagle
$100/mo Fusion 360 Established Autodesk ecosystem

Flux wins on AI assistance and browser-based collaboration. Choose it for rapid prototyping with AI help. For complex 10+ layer designs, Altium remains the industry standard.

06

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Flux PCB design platform:

Flux requires an internet connection as it runs entirely in the browser with cloud storage. All projects are stored on Flux servers, and the AI Copilot needs connectivity to function. This enables real-time collaboration but means Flux isn't suitable for air-gapped environments or areas with unreliable internet.
Yes. The Starter plan supports KiCad project import, while Pro and Teams tiers add Altium Designer and Cadence project import. Flux preserves your schematics, layouts, and component libraries during migration, though some manual adjustments may be needed for custom components or complex design rules.
Flux currently supports PCB designs up to 8 layers, which covers IoT devices, wearables, robotics, and most consumer electronics. For highly complex designs requiring 10+ layers (like high-speed digital boards or dense backplanes), established tools like Altium Designer offer better support.
Flux Copilot is trained specifically on PCB design workflows with direct integration into the design environment. It can generate schematics, modify your current design, and access live component data-unlike general AI chatbots. The AI understands your project context and provides actionable design suggestions rather than generic advice.
Yes. Flux allows you to export your designs in standard formats like Gerber files for manufacturing, even on the free tier. You can also export projects to other tools, though the free tier has more limited export options compared to paid plans. Your work isn't locked into Flux's ecosystem.
The Free plan includes a 14-day trial of Pro features without payment info required. After 14 days, you keep unlimited public projects but lose access to Pro features like unlimited private projects and advanced AI credits. You can upgrade to paid plans anytime to restore full functionality.
Flux uses a unified, community-contributed component database with thousands of parts from major manufacturers. Unlike KiCad's manual library management, Flux components include verified footprints, 3D models, and live pricing data. You can also create custom components and share them with your team or the community.
Yes. The AI Copilot helps junior engineers by explaining design decisions and suggesting improvements, while experienced engineers benefit from automation. Real-time collaboration means seniors can review and guide juniors' work instantly. The Teams plan pools AI credits across members so everyone has access to AI assistance.
07

Final Verdict

4.4/5
Our Rating

Best for: AI-assisted prototyping, team collaboration

Flux brings AI assistance and Google Docs-style collaboration to PCB design at 97% lower cost than Altium. At $39/month, it's ideal for startups, students, and teams designing IoT devices. Skip it for complex enterprise PCBs requiring 10+ layers or offline capability.

Try Flux Free

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