Exploring a Different EDA Tool: EasyEDA

Exploring a Different EDA Tool: EasyEDA#

I kept bumping into EasyEDA while looking for components in the JLCPCB parts library and on LCSC, so I decided to check it out properly.

EasyEDA is an online EDA tool closely integrated with JLCPCB and LCSC, two companies I already use quite frequently for PCB manufacturing and component sourcing. Since I expect to use them for a few more boards in the near future, I thought it was worth giving EasyEDA a try and kicking the tyres a little.

The result has left me somewhat conflicted.

Don’t get me wrong, EasyEDA is a good tool. I have probably only scratched the surface of what it can do, but the basic workflow is very smooth. You can draw the schematic, lay out the PCB, route the board, view it as a 3D model, and select components from libraries that are already closely tied to LCSC and JLCPCB.

That has some obvious advantages.

If you are picking parts that are already in the LCSC or JLCPCB ecosystem, there is a good chance the symbols, footprints, and 3D models are already available. The BOM is also largely handled as part of the process, which removes quite a bit of friction from getting a design manufactured.

In simple terms, it lets you focus on the schematic and PCB layout while making the component sourcing and manufacturing path feel much more integrated.

That is genuinely useful.

It is easy to see why people use it, especially for simple boards, prototypes, and designs that are intended to go straight to JLCPCB for manufacture. The workflow is slick, and there is a clear advantage in having the EDA tool, component library, BOM, and manufacturing process all connected.

However, that is also the part that makes me cautious.

Using EasyEDA means that more of the workflow is encouraged towards a specific platform and ecosystem. I am happy to use JLCPCB and LCSC on a case-by-case basis, and I have had good results from them, but I am less comfortable with the idea of making my entire design workflow dependent on one vendor-controlled platform.

I do not like vendor lock-in.

I do not like workflows where a company effectively dictates how I work, where I source parts, or how easy it is to move a project elsewhere later. I am not saying JLCPCB or EasyEDA would suddenly make life difficult, but the possibility exists with any proprietary tool or hosted service.

I have seen this pattern before in the software world.

A tool starts out useful, convenient, and inexpensive. Over time, it becomes part of your workflow. Then, once you depend on it, the terms change, the pricing changes, features move, exports become awkward, or the ecosystem starts nudging you harder in one direction.

I have been burned by that sort of thing enough times in my software development career to look for escape hatches whenever I see a proprietary tool becoming central to a workflow.

That does not mean EasyEDA is bad.

It means I need to be clear about where it fits in my own process.

This is less about one tool being right or wrong, and more about choosing the right level of dependency for the type of project.

This is the kind of small utility board where I can see EasyEDA making sense: simple enough to redesign elsewhere if needed, but quick enough to benefit from the integrated parts and manufacturing workflow.

The interesting thing is that EasyEDA does remove a lot of friction. Having footprints, symbols, 3D models for many parts, BOM generation, and JLCPCB manufacturing integration all available in one place makes it much easier to move from an idea to a physical board.

For small boards, that can be very attractive.

A simple USB-C shield, breakout board, adapter, or small utility PCB could be designed very quickly using EasyEDA. If the board only has a handful of components and would not be difficult to recreate elsewhere, the risk of lock-in is relatively low.

That is probably where I see EasyEDA fitting into my workflow.

For small, simple designs — the kind of board I could comfortably redraw in KiCad if I ever needed to — I would consider using EasyEDA. For example, a small breakout board with fewer than ten discrete components, or a quick utility board intended specifically for JLCPCB assembly, could make sense.

For larger projects, reusable building block boards, or anything I may want to maintain long term, I still expect to use KiCad.

KiCad gives me more control over the project files, the workflow, the libraries, and the manufacturing options. It also keeps me in a better position to order boards from different manufacturers if needed. I may still need to make BOM changes depending on the vendor or assembly house, but the core design remains under my control.

So my conclusion is not that EasyEDA replaces KiCad for me.

It does not.

My conclusion is that EasyEDA is a useful tool, but one I will use selectively.

For quick boards where the convenience outweighs the lock-in risk, I can see myself using it. For my main projects, my building block boards, and anything I want to keep portable and vendor-independent, I will continue to use KiCad and my existing workflow.

That feels like the right balance.

Use the convenient tool where it genuinely helps, but do not let convenience quietly turn into dependency.

I run Protoworks (NI) in Northern Ireland, helping small businesses design prototypes and build custom software. If you have a hardware or software idea you’d like to sketch out, feel free to get in touch.