Flux review
Flux is a browser-based PCB design tool built around real-time collaboration and an AI assistant. It ties KiCad and EasyEDA on total score and ranks third on the tie-break, because exporting your board needs a paid plan.
Verdict
The best browser-based pick for teams that edit together and will pay for it.
- Made by
- Flux
- Cost
- Paid plans, each with a 7-day trial. Without a plan you can view public projects, but editing private projects and exporting need a paid plan. Prices are on Flux's pricing page. Check: flux.ai/pricing
- Runs on
- Web browser
- Website
- flux.ai
Who it suits
Small teams with a budget who want to design in the browser, edit together in real time and lean on an AI assistant.
Who should look elsewhere
Anyone who wants to make boards for free, work offline or keep design files out of a vendor's cloud.
Strengths
- Runs in the browser with real-time co-editing and comments, like a shared document.
- A shared parts library with supplier data alongside the parts.
- Complete exports: Gerber, BOM, pick-and-place, IPC-2581, ODB++ and STEP.
Limits
- No free way to make boards: exporting needs a paid plan after the trial.
- Closed source and cloud only: your designs live in Flux's service.
- Board size and layer limits not stated on Flux's pricing page.
How Flux scores
Each criterion is scored 0–2 against the rules on How we rank.
| Criterion | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cost and licensing | 0 | After the trial, editing private projects and exporting need a paid plan; closed source. Check: flux.ai/pricing |
| Learning curve | 2 | Nothing to install; official docs and tutorials, plus an assistant in the editor. Check: Flux docs |
| Library and component support | 2 | A large shared parts library with supplier availability shown with parts. Check: flux.ai |
| Board size and layer limits | 1 | Board size and layer limits aren't stated on the pricing page, so we could not confirm them. Check: flux.ai/pricing |
| Output files | 2 | Gerber, BOM, pick-and-place, IPC-2581C, ODB++ and STEP from the Export menu. Check: Flux docs: export designs |
| Platform support | 2 | Runs in a modern web browser on any operating system. Check: flux.ai |
| Collaboration | 2 | Real-time co-editing, comments and shared projects are built in. Check: Flux docs |
| Total | 11/14 | |
Flux compared with KiCad
KiCad is the open-source baseline every tool here is measured against. Flux scores 11/14 against KiCad's 11/14.
- Cost and licensing: Flux behind (0 vs 2). After the trial, editing private projects and exporting need a paid plan; closed source.
- Learning curve: Flux ahead (2 vs 1). Nothing to install; official docs and tutorials, plus an assistant in the editor.
- Library and component support: Flux ahead (2 vs 1). A large shared parts library with supplier availability shown with parts.
- Board size and layer limits: Flux behind (1 vs 2). Board size and layer limits aren't stated on the pricing page, so we could not confirm them.
- Collaboration: Flux ahead (2 vs 1). Real-time co-editing, comments and shared projects are built in.
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