Guide
8 EAGLE Alternatives: Find the Right Fit After the Shutdown
Autodesk will stop selling and supporting EAGLE on June 7, 2026, after which its license servers shut down — so every EAGLE user needs a plan. The migration is also a good moment to ask whether you need a PCB tool at all. These eight alternatives cover both the ECAD replacements and the path for people whose real goal was always a working device.
Autodesk Fusion Electronics
Best for the official EAGLE migration path
Fusion Electronics is Autodesk’s designated successor to EAGLE, with import paths for existing projects and integration with Fusion’s mechanical CAD. If you want continuity inside the Autodesk ecosystem, it is the least disruptive move. Your EAGLE files are meant to come along.
Pricing
- Bundled with Fusion; personal-use tier is limited (2 sheets, 2 layers, 80 cm²)
Watch out for
EAGLE EOL is June 7, 2026; the free tier is tight and still aimed at engineers.
KiCad
Best for a free, future-proof open-source escape hatch
KiCad is free, open-source, and now professional-grade (version 10 shipped March 2026), with importers for EAGLE files. Moving here removes license-server risk entirely. For many EAGLE refugees it is the safest long-term home.
Pricing
- Free
Watch out for
A learning curve and no native AI, live BOM, or sourcing.
EasyEDA
Best for browser-based design with built-in fabrication
EasyEDA runs in the browser and links to LCSC parts and JLCPCB fabrication, so you can go from schematic to ordered board quickly. It is approachable and free for most work. The integrated supply chain is a real time-saver post-migration.
Pricing
- Free
- Pro subscription available
Watch out for
Tightly coupled to the JLCPCB/LCSC ecosystem.
Flux.ai
Best for AI-assisted browser ECAD
Flux.ai offers an AI copilot and real-time collaboration for schematic, layout, and BOM. It is a modern, lower-friction alternative to a desktop tool like EAGLE. The copilot speeds up routine design tasks.
Pricing
- Free trial
- $20/mo Starter
- $142/mo Pro
- $158/mo Teams
Watch out for
Assumes some PCB experience — its copilot is “a fast junior engineer.”
Palpable
Best for former EAGLE users who really just want a device
EAGLE’s shutdown is a fork in the road: replace your ECAD tool, or ask whether you needed a custom board in the first place. With Palpable you describe a behavior in plain English or by voice and PAL writes the code and runs it on a Raspberry Pi with plug-and-play I2C/Qwiic modules — no schematic, layout, or Gerbers. It runs in the browser and on the Pi, with over-the-air updates and automatic rollback. There is nothing to migrate because it is a different category; it suits people whose end goal was a working device, not the board itself.
Pricing
- Pre-launch — join the waitlist
Watch out for
Not an ECAD tool — it cannot import EAGLE files or produce a custom PCB. For that you need KiCad or Fusion Electronics.
Altium Designer / Altium Develop
Best for moving up to professional production ECAD
If EAGLE’s end of life has you reconsidering your whole toolchain, Altium is the professional standard for complex boards and team workflows. It is a step up in capability and cost. For production-grade work it is well established.
Pricing
- Perpetual ~$10,790+ plus maintenance
- Subscription ~$3,500–$7,500/seat/yr
Watch out for
Windows-only and expensive — a large jump from EAGLE.
DipTrace
Best for an affordable desktop replacement
DipTrace is a paid desktop ECAD with a gentler interface and a much lower price than Altium. It covers schematic, layout, and 3D preview. For small teams leaving EAGLE it is a sensible, calmer landing spot.
Pricing
- Tiered perpetual licenses; free non-profit tier
Watch out for
Smaller ecosystem than KiCad or Altium.
Upverter
Best for simple collaborative browser design
Upverter is a browser-based ECAD focused on accessibility and collaboration. It is easy to pick up for straightforward boards. The low setup cost suits quick projects after a migration.
Pricing
- Free tier available
Watch out for
Less capable for complex, high-layer-count designs.
How to choose
You want the least disruptive migration → Autodesk Fusion Electronics
You want a free, future-proof tool → KiCad
You realize you just want a working device → Palpable
You are moving up to professional production → Altium
Describe it. PAL builds it.
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