PCB Design Software

Global PCB Design Software Market to Reach US$9.9 Billion by 2030

The global market for PCB Design Software estimated at US$4.8 Billion in the year 2024, is expected to reach US$9.9 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 12.6% over the analysis period 2024-2030. Computing, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is expected to record a 15.0% CAGR and reach US$2.9 Billion by the end of the analysis period. Growth in the Consumer Electronics segment is estimated at 10.4% CAGR over the analysis period.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at US$1.3 Billion While China is Forecast to Grow at 11.7% CAGR

The PCB Design Software market in the U.S. is estimated at US$1.3 Billion in the year 2024. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$1.5 Billion by the year 2030 trailing a CAGR of 11.7% over the analysis period 2024-2030. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at a CAGR of 12.0% and 10.6% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 9.0% CAGR.

Global PCB Design Software Market – Key Trends & Drivers Summarized

Is the Demand for Advanced Electronics Accelerating Innovation in PCB Design Platforms?

Printed circuit board (PCB) design software has become an indispensable tool for electronics engineers and system architects involved in designing, simulating, and optimizing complex electronic circuitry. As demand for smaller, faster, and more efficient electronics rises across sectors including automotive, consumer electronics, medical devices, and industrial automation, PCB design platforms are evolving to support increased component density, multi-layer designs, and rapid prototyping. The surge in IoT devices, 5G hardware, and wearable technologies is further pushing the boundaries of PCB complexity and driving demand for feature-rich, scalable design software.

Modern PCB design tools integrate schematic capture, layout editing, signal integrity analysis, thermal modeling, and component libraries within unified platforms—offering real-time design rule checks (DRC), 3D visualization, and collaborative workflows. With time-to-market pressure intensifying, engineers are relying on digital twins and advanced simulation capabilities to identify design errors early, reduce iterations, and accelerate production readiness. These factors are making PCB software a critical enabler of electronics innovation and supply chain efficiency.

How Are Cloud Integration, AI Features, and Collaborative Platforms Enhancing Productivity?

Cloud-based PCB design platforms are gaining popularity due to their ability to enable remote collaboration, seamless version control, and cross-functional co-design between geographically dispersed teams. Features like cloud-hosted libraries, project-sharing, and browser-based layout editing are allowing design teams to streamline workflows and access designs on-demand, without infrastructure constraints. Such tools are especially valuable for startups, contract manufacturers, and small design houses that need scalability without heavy upfront costs.

Artificial intelligence is being embedded into PCB design software to support component placement optimization, routing automation, and design-for-manufacturability (DFM) recommendations. AI-enabled rule engines can identify bottlenecks, thermal hotspots, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) risks at early design stages—minimizing costly revisions and delays. Integration with PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) and ERP systems is further improving traceability, compliance, and design-data synchronization across engineering, manufacturing, and quality assurance teams.

Why Are Emerging Technologies and Regulatory Complexity Reshaping PCB Design Requirements?

The proliferation of advanced technologies such as mmWave, high-speed digital, and power electronics is driving the need for specialized design environments capable of modeling electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), impedance control, and signal propagation. In sectors like aerospace, automotive ADAS, and telecom infrastructure, PCBs must comply with stringent reliability, thermal, and EMI/EMC performance standards—requiring robust design validation, documentation, and test automation.

Regulatory and compliance factors—including RoHS, IPC-2221/2222 standards, and industry-specific testing protocols—are increasing the need for design tools with embedded compliance checking and standards-based design templates. As the electronics supply chain faces component obsolescence, global sourcing challenges, and right-to-repair mandates, design tools must support agile part substitutions, vendor integration, and lifecycle forecasting to ensure design longevity and supportability.

What’s Fueling the Global Demand for PCB Design Software Across the Electronics Ecosystem?

The growth in the PCB design software market is driven by several factors including rising electronics miniaturization, increased design complexity, and the need for faster, collaborative, and error-free development workflows. A major growth driver is the explosion in smart devices, electric vehicles, connected appliances, and wearables, all of which require compact, multilayer, and high-speed PCB architectures. As more companies aim to bring PCB design in-house, user-friendly and cloud-enabled platforms are democratizing access to professional-grade design tools.

The global trend toward electronics vertical integration, hardware-software co-design, and rapid prototyping is increasing the value of PCB software as a strategic digital engineering asset. Educational institutions and small manufacturers are also contributing to adoption through open-source and subscription-based platforms, expanding the addressable user base.

With digital transformation reshaping the electronics value chain, PCB design software will remain a mission-critical enabler of agility, innovation, and competitive advantage—paving the way for next-generation electronics across industries.

SCOPE OF STUDY:

The report analyzes the PCB Design Software market in terms of units by the following Segments, and Geographic Regions/Countries:

Segments:
End-User (Computing, Consumer Electronics, Communications, Medical, Automotive, Defense)

Geographic Regions/Countries:
World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.

Select Competitors (Total 44 Featured) -

• Altium Limited
• ANSYS, Inc.
• Autodesk, Inc.
• Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
• CircuitMaker (Altium)
• CircuitStudio (Altium)
• DipTrace (Novarm Ltd.)
• EasyEDA (JLCPCB)
• ExpressPCB
• KiCad EDA
• Labcenter Electronics Ltd.
• Mentor Graphics (Siemens EDA)
• National Instruments Corporation
• OrCAD (Cadence Design Systems)
• Proteus Design Suite
• Pulsonix (WestDev Ltd.)
• Quadcept Inc.
• Sunstone Circuits
• Upverter (Altium)
• Zuken Inc.

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TARIFF IMPACT FACTOR
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