Study of various online and offline tools for Circuit

analysis and their comparison

Muhammad Bilal Kamran¹, Muhammad Hannan², Arslan Rafique³, Hammas Naveed⁴
¹SMME NUST, Pakistan
²SMME NUST, Pakistan
³SMME NUST, Pakistan
⁴SMME NUST, Pakistan
¹403281; ²418402; ³426229; ⁴407747

Abstract- The objective of this assignment is to familiarize yourself with various free online and offline electrical circuit simulation
software/tools, compare their features and capabilities, and gain hands-on experience with some of them.

I. List of software/platforms explored.

Here is the list of both online websites and offline software for circuit analysis which we explored and learned about: -
A. CircuitLab.
B. EasyEDA.
C. Proteus.
D. Ltspice XVII.
E. Tina-TI.
The first two tools are online whereas the rest are downloadable only software. The links for circuitLab and EasyEDA are provided
in [1] and [2] respectively.
II. Software details.
A. CircuitLab
CircuitLab is an online tool that provides its’ users with the basic platform to build electric circuits. It is simply
an educational-friendly tool for help in electronics and circuit design which is not suited for complex work like building
PCBs.
1) Features:
a) Provides a user-friendly schematic error.
b) Helps to make analogue and digital circuit simulations in seconds.
c) Provides tools for graphing and plotting circuit voltages and diagrams.
d) It is educational-friendly software that helps in electronics and circuit design.
2) Advantages:
a) Offers a web-based interface with a simple and intuitive design.
b) It is a web-based tool and doesn’t need to install it.
c) Provides a comprehensive component library offering a wide range of electronic components to design complex
circuits.
d) It is a versatile software that helps students and professional engineers.
3) Limitations:
a) Its simulations might not be as fast as offline simulation software.
b) It works online only which is a limitation.
c) It doesn’t handle complex circuits as well as some better software like SPICE.
d) It does not have some necessary equipment like an ohmmeter.
 4) Platform compatibility:
Circuitlab is a web-based application, so it is platform-independent which makes it compatible
with Linux, Mac, and Windows. If we have a compatible web browser like Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge, and a
stable internet connection we can use the circuitlab on these systems without any installation requirements or downloads.
B. EasyEDA
EasyEDA is an easier and more powerful online PCB design tool that allows electronics engineers, educators,
students, makers, and enthusiasts to design and share their projects. This is a design tool integrated with LCSC components
[8] catalogue and JLCPCB PCB service [9] that helps users save time in making their ideas into real products.
1) Features:
a) Provides simple, easy, and powerful drawing capabilities.
b) Provides tools for designing printed circuit boards (PCB’s) with features like PCB layout, footprint selection, and
routing.
c) Has an extensive library of components including resistors, integrated circuits, and capacitors.
d) It is a cloud-based platform and multiple users can collaborate on real-time projects.
2) Advantages:
a) It is web-based and offline software.
b) Being a cloud-based platform, EasyEDA allows real-time collaboration and sharing of projects among team
members.
c) EasyEDA supports both analog and digital circuit simulation.
d) Provides a 3D viewer that allows users to visualize their PCB designs in three dimensions.
e) Allows users to export designs in various formats, including Gerber files for PCB fabrication, and PDFs for
documentation.
3) Limitations:
a) EasyEDA is a cloud-based tool, which means it requires a stable internet connection to work.
b) The complexity of simulations in EasyEDA might be limited compared to specialized simulation software like SPICE.
c) It is user-friendly but there is still a need for new users to learn its interface.
d) It has a limited component library and might not support industry-specific components.
4) Compatibility:
EasyEDA is compatible with various versions of the Windows operating system, including Windows 7, 8,
and 10. It can be used on Linux distributions. Users can access EasyEDA through web browsers compatible with Linux,
such as Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. Mac users can access EasyEDA using Safari, Firefox, Chrome, or other
compatible web browsers. It doesn’t need specific requirements for installation and all we need is a stable internet
connection.
C. Proteus
The Proteus Design Suite is a proprietary software tool suite used primarily for electronic design automation. The
software is used mainly by electronic design engineers and technicians to create schematics and electronic prints for
manufacturing printed circuit boards. It is a downloadable software only.
1) Features:
a) Allows users to create circuit diagrams using a simple drag-and-drop interface.
b) Digital and analog simulations are supported which enable the simulation of complex mixed-signal analysis.
c) It facilitates and allows the design and layout of PCBs.
d) It has an extensive library of components, including microcontrollers, sensors, transistors, ICs, and more.
e) It is an offline tool for circuit creation.
2) Advantages:
a) It provides an integrated platform for simulation, PCB design and schematic capture.
b) It has a wide and extensive use in educational institutions for electronic circuits and design.
c) It gives 3D visualization of PCB layout which helps designers to inspect board from various angles.
d) It provides an auto-routing feature for PCB design which saves considerable time for complex circuits.
3) Limitations:
a) It is suitable for basic analog circuits but may not provide accurate results for complex analog circuits.
b) Proteus offers 3D visualization of PCB layouts but doesn’t offer advanced mechanical simulation capabilities.
c) Proteus does not offer real-time simulation capabilities, which are essential for some applications like control system
simulations.
 d) It supports basic power electronics simulations but might lack in-depth power electronics analysis.
4) Compatibility:
Proteus is fully compatible with various versions of Windows, including Windows 7, 8, and 10. To run it on
Linux we need a compatibility layer called Wine which requires specific configurations to run, and the performance may
not be as good as Windows. For Mac users, softwares like Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, or VirtualBox can be used
to create a Windows virtual machine on Mac. As soon as it is set, we can install and run Proteus on Mac like on Windows.
D. LTspice XVII
The LTspice XVII is provided free by Analog Devices (formerly Linear Technology) which is a high-
performance SPICE-based simulator that can handle an unlimited number of nodes. In particular, the simulation of the
switching regulator is much faster than when using conventional SPICE simulators. It is downloadable only and is
completely free of cost.
1) Features:
a) It is an offline tool for electronic circuits.
b) provides a user-friendly schematic capture interface that helps in drawing circuits using a wide variety of components,
including analog and digital devices.
c) It supports various simulation modes, including transient analysis, AC analysis, DC sweep, and more.
d) It provides a detailed visualization of simulation results, using a built-in waveform viewer allowing users to analyze
voltage and current waveforms.
e) LTspice XVII supports the use of subcircuits which helps to create complex circuit boards.
2) Advantages:
a) It provides accurate simulation results for a wide range of electronic circuits.
b) It has an extensive library of components that allows designers to simulate circuits for analog and digital devices.
c) It allows the incorporation of external SPICE models, expanding the range of components that can be simulated.
d) It is a spice-based simulator with high performance that can handle an unlimited number of nodes.
3) Limitations:
a) It doesn’t provide accurate results for high-frequency simulations.
b) It is primarily designed for analog and digital simulations and its mix-signal simulations may be limited for complex
circuit analysis.
c) It doesn’t offer 3D visualization of PCB layouts.
d) LTspice has not built-in optimization tools
e) It is not designed for ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array)
design.
4) Compatibility:
LTspice XVII is fully compatible with Windows and can run on Windows 7,8 and 10. We can use parallel
desktop software and create a virtual machine of Windows on Mac and as it is set up we can run and install LTspice XVII
on Mac. For Linux, we use a compatibility layer called ‘wine, which helps to run Windows applications on Linux and it is
not as good as Windows.
E. Tina-TI
Toolkit for Interactive Network Analysis (TINA) is a SPICE-based electronics design and training software by
DesignSoft of Budapest. Tina-TI has extensive post-processing capability that allows you to format results the way you want
them. Virtual instruments allow you to select input waveforms and probe circuit nodes voltages and waveforms.
1) Features:
a) Helps to simulate analog, digital and mixed electronic circuits of a wide range including linear and non-linear
circuits.
b) It’s extensive post-processing capability allows us to format the results in the way we want.
c) It offers an extensive library of electric components that can be easily added and connected and has a user-friendly
interface.
d) It gives you analysis of all conventional DC, transient and frequency domain analysis of software like SPICE.
e) It is an offline tool and can be run on your system by installing it.
 2) Advantages:
a) It offers a wide variety of basic and advanced circuits including complex circuits without any limitation of node or
device limitation.
b) It’s extensive library of electric components allows for versatile and detailed circuit simulations.
c) It’s PCB circuit designer offers real-time testing of analog and digital circuit analysis of their PCB layouts.
d) It assists in identifying issues and debugging circuits by providing detailed simulation results.
3) Limitations:
a) Complex components might not be accurately represented because the accuracy of simulation results heavily depends
on the complexity of the models used.
b) It offers a variety of components but the availability of third-party libraries, especially for specific or specialized
components, might be limited than other software.
c) There can be compatibility issues while working on designs for different versions of Tina-TI.
d) It’s real-time testing analysis features are limited for certain real-world factors such as mechanical stresses, and
electromagnetic interference.
4) Compatibility:
It is primarily designed for Windows and can be run on all versions of Windows but just installing and
downloading the software. For Mac compatibility tools like playonMac and wineBottler are used to run Windows
applications on it and we have to check compatibility reports and specific instructions which we can install and run.
For Linux, a compatibility layer called wine can be used to run Windows applications on Linux and we have to check the
specific system requirements to install it as all versions of Tina-TI may not be compatible.
F. Comparison Table
TABLE I
Comparison Table for softwares
S# Comparison CircuitLab EasyEDA Proteus LTspice Tina-TI
XVII
1 Features Easy-to-know Has a drag- Has an Supports It is accessible
interface for and-drop intuitive design various to both beginners
quick circuit function for and simulation and experienced
simulation. schematic comprehensive modes. engineers.
and PCB circuit design
layout. and analysis.
2 Advantages It has a vast Cloud-based Gives a 3D Allows Helps in
circuit library of platform allow view of the external identifying debug
component real-time PCB layout to SPICE issues of circuits
collaboration. inspect the models by providing
board from incorporation. detailed
various angles. simulation results.
3 Limitations It doesn’t It is not Doesn’t offer It doesn’t It’s real-time
handle complex very good for real-time offer 3D testing features
circuits very complex simulation for visualization are limited like for
well. circuits like control of the PCB mechanical
SPICE. systems. layout. stresses and EM
interference.

4 Compatibility Runs It is a cloud- primarily for Official for it is also for

smoothly on based tool and Windows and Windows and Windows and can
Windows, Mac, can be run can run on Mac can be run on be run on Linux
and Linux. easily on and Linux Linux and and Mac using
Windows, using wine Mac using compatibility
Mac, and compatible compatibility layer wine but
Linux. layer. layer wine. performance can’t
be guaranteed.
 III. Simple Circuits.
A. CicuitLab
The circuit we made is as follows: -

Figure I A circuit on circuitLab

This software is available online and can be accessed by anyone.it is easy to use. A lot of components are available on
this platform. However, we did not find an ohmmeter in circuitLab.
B. EasyEDA
We made the circuit as follows: -

Figure II A circuit on EasyEDA

We made a series of parallel circuits of resistors on this software. Then we measure the voltages across resistors. This
software is easy to use and almost every component is available in this software. The only flaw is that when we put
components, they look very small. So, we first must zoom the screen to 200% to make them look clear.
C. LTspice XVII
We made the circuit as follows: -

Figure III A circuit on LTspice XVII

 Now we measure current through each resistor by running a simulation. The results are as follows:

Figure IV Current through resistors

This software tool was easily available on the internet and its installation is also quite easy. A limited number of components
are available in this software. We cannot get precise values using this as it represents results in the form of graphs.

D. Proteus
We made the circuit as follows: -

Figure V Circuit on proteus

We did not come across any difficulty while making a circuit on Proteus. That just goes to show that it is a reliable source
for making circuits consisting of almost all electrical components. However, it is not an online tool and requires installation
which is also very simple.
IV. Understanding of Flux.ai.
A. Exploring Flux.ai
Flux.ai is an online free tool used for creating electrical circuits efficiently. It is a browser-based
electronics design tool with built-in support for modern hardware design methodologies: reusability, collaboration, and
simulation. It is especially used for PCB (Printed circuit board) design. It uses an A.I voice chat known as “copilot”
which helps the user with his work at any time.
B. Procedure for Circuit Making
We are going to make a circuit for an LED light that turns on when it is dark outside and
turns off when it is bright outside using a photoresistor.
1) Open flux.ai and make an account. Then open a new blank project.
2) Grab the necessary components from the library panel.
3) The necessary components for this circuit are an LED, an n-p-n transistor, generic resistors, a ground terminal, a
DC power supply, a photo-resistor, and a positive terminal.
4) Connect them to make a circuit as shown below in fig VI.
5) Give the generic resistors and DC power supply some value, make any necessary changes like excluding
something from the PCB design (We excluded R3 because it was unnecessary in the presence of a photo-resistor),
and move on to the PCB design (fig VII).
6) Readjust the circuit, untangle the wires, make it look readable, and then trace the path of the circuit.
7) After you are done with the rearrangements, view it in 3D (fig VIII).

Figure VI Circuit on Flux.ai

Figure VII 2D PCB on flux.ai

Figure VIII 3D PCB on Flux.ai

 C. Comparison of experience
It is clear that the best tool among all of the above is Flux.ai by looking at [4] and our work.
It Provides its’ users with all the facilities required for a helpful environment. It is the easiest to use since it provides is’
users with a built-in chatbot which helps its’ users whenever they need it. We faced almost no difficulty in comparison
to other tools while creating a PCB on Flux.ai because all we did was build a circuit design and flux converted it into a
PCB with a single click. It is highly suitable for a work environment and can also be used by students because it is
completely free of cost and easily accessible. After watching just one tutorial on it, we were able to complete our PCB
design without any difficulty whatsoever. Overall, our experience with Flux.ai was remarkable and if someone asked
us about it, we would surely place it on top of our list. We were astonished to see that it also showed real-life prices for
components and the components were correctly labelled with numbers like in real life.
D. Distinctive features of Flux.ai
Some distinctive features of Flux.ai in PCB design are: -
1) It provides us with @copilot which is a large language model that lives inside your project and can provide direct
feedback to help you design faster, safer, and more complex PCBs. Copilot understands the full context of your
project, including your list of components, their connections, and related part datasheets.
2) It provides a 3D view of the PCB design for ease of view.
3) Flux.ai’s PCB editor is easy to use and provides version control. It also allows you to import and export
capabilities that are not found in other softwares.

V. Conclusion.
In short, Flux.ai is the best because it’s one of those tools that can change the aspect of electronic and hardware design
forever. Yeah, there are already some advanced electronic design automation tools out there, but in the future, Flux can do way
more than just suggest changes to the schematic. Flux.ai is a relatively new API that provides access to an electronics simulation
engine. It offers a wide range of methods and properties, but it is still in development, and there are technical difficulties and
security concerns that are not always obvious. Some of the limitations of Flux.ai include:
A. Limited set of simulator primitives.
B. Longer than desired simulator load times.
C. No easy way to see if parts have a simulation model.
D. Missing documentation or missing features in the documentation.
But, like ChatGPT, Flux.ai is evolving at a tremendous rate and the team is working on expanding it’s capabilities. Imagine this,
Copilot, could dig up cheaper alternatives for parts and automatically swap them out in the schematic. It can even help you tweak
your PCB design. Say you want to replace a small capacitor with a bigger one that has a different footprint. that will mess up your
PCB connections. No worries! Copilot can handle those kinds of design tasks without breaking a sweat. To conclude, Flux.ai is
the future of advanced electronic design automation if it keeps on getting good and is not taken over by other tools.

VI. REFERENCES
[1] https://www.circuitlab.com/
[2] https://easyeda.com/
[3] Compare EasyEDA vs. Flux vs. Proteus in 2023 (slashdot.org)
[4] distinctive features of flux.ai in PCB design - Search (bing.com)
[5] Flux.ai - An AI Powered, Browser-Based PCB Design Tool Review - Electronics-Lab.com
[6] https://www.electronics-lab.com/flux-ai-an-ai-powered-browser-based-pcb-design-tool-review/
[7] https://www.flux.ai/
[8] LCSC components
[9] JLCPCB PCB service