Guide The Beginner’s Guide to Circuit Simulators: From Easy to Advanced

[Heisen]

Hello folks,

If you’re new to electronics and looking to dip your toes into circuit simulation, you’ve come to the right place! Circuit simulators are fantastic tools to test and visualize your designs before building them. They range from simple, beginner-friendly platforms to more advanced tools for professional use. Here’s a breakdown of some popular options, ranked from easiest to hardest for beginners:

1. Tinkercad Circuits (Easiest)​

Perfect for: Absolute beginners.​

Tinkercad Circuits by Autodesk is a visual and highly intuitive simulator. It’s like a playground for electronics! Drag and drop components, connect wires, and simulate your circuit in real time. It even supports basic Arduino coding, making it a great first step for budding makers.

Pros:

• Simple drag-and-drop interface.
• Includes built-in tutorials.
• Real-time simulation with code integration.

Cons:

• Limited to basic components.
• Not suitable for complex designs.

2. EveryCircuit​

Perfect for: Beginners who like visuals.​

EveryCircuit emphasizes visual learning with animated simulations that show current flow, voltage, and more. It’s available online and as a mobile app, making it a great tool for learning on the go.

Pros:

• Real-time animations for better understanding.
• User-friendly interface.
• Great for learning analog circuits.

Cons:

• Component library is limited compared to more advanced tools.
• Paid subscription required for full features.

​

3. Falstad Circuit Simulator​

Perfect for: Beginners who want a bit more depth.​

Falstad is a Java-based online simulator with a quirky charm. It’s easy to use but has a surprising amount of depth, allowing you to simulate more complex circuits. The real-time animations and interactive elements make it an excellent choice for hobbyists.

Pros:

• Intuitive interface with plenty of features.
• Real-time, dynamic simulations.
• Free to use and no installation needed.

Cons:

• The interface can feel dated.
• Limited documentation for advanced features.

​

4. Crumb Circuit Simulator​

Perfect for: Beginners who want an immersive 3D experience.​

Crumb offers a unique 3D environment for circuit simulation, setting it apart from other tools. Available on Steam, it allows users to build and experiment with circuits in a realistic, interactive workspace. This makes it especially engaging for those who enjoy a hands-on feel.

Pros:

• Immersive 3D environment for visual learners.
• Focus on practical breadboard prototyping.
• Accessible via Steam for easy installation.

Cons:

• Component library is somewhat limited.
• Not as feature-rich as professional-grade simulators.

​

5. LTspice (Most Advanced)​

Perfect for: Beginners ready to dive deep into analog circuit design.​

LTspice is a professional-grade simulator from Analog Devices. While it has a steeper learning curve, it’s incredibly powerful and widely used in industry for analog and mixed-signal circuits.

Pros:

• Robust and versatile.
• Excellent for precision simulations.
• Completely free.

Cons:

• Steep learning curve for beginners.
• UI can feel unintuitive.

​

Which Should You Choose?​

If you’re just starting out, Tinkercad Circuits is the best place to begin. As you gain confidence, experiment with EveryCircuit and Crumb Circuit Simulator for more complex simulations.

Remember, the best simulator is the one that matches your current skill level and project goals. Start simple, have fun, and enjoy the journey of learning electronics!

 

[abmr2d2]

I've recently started using Falstad and found it very useful especially for verifying the answers to manually solved problems. Though as you rightly pointed out the interface could use a little polishing, I've been left scratching my head more than once when connections were not made properly but the UI didn't show it. I'm looking forward to using LTspice in the coming months.

Any suggestions for PCB design software for someone who's just starting out?

 

[Heisen]

Though as you rightly pointed out the interface could use a little polishing, I've been left scratching my head more than once when connections were not made properly but the UI didn't show it.

True that. You can use Everycircuit it's little bit dumbed down when compared to Falstad Circuit, but it's paid, at least it's not a subscription model, just one time fee of $15, it's very fast and fluid, connections are easy to make.

I'm looking forward to using LTspice in the coming months.

LTspice is the GOAT, a serious tool which requires serious amount of time to learn, but learning it pays off in the end because then you don't need anything else.

Any suggestions for PCB design software for someone who's just starting out?

My advice is to use easyEDA, you can either download the app or can also use it the browser, it's free but there is also paid version, I suppose the free one has some limitation but I didn't hit those yet, perhaps the free one will be all you ever need.

A lot of people prefer kiCad because it's free and open source, but I found it hard to use because I initially started with easyEDA, maybe if you start with kiCad you'll get used to it.

 

[abmr2d2]

My advice is to use easyEDA, you can either download the app or can also use it the browser, it's free but there is also paid version, I suppose the free one has some limitation but I didn't hit those yet, perhaps the free one will be all you ever need.

A lot of people prefer kiCad because it's free and open source, but I found it hard to use because I initially started with easyEDA, maybe if you start with kiCad you'll get used to it.

Thanks man! I'll check out easyEDA and yeah have had KiCAD suggested too by many people.