With the rise of the maker movement and electronics hobbyists, there is huge demand for affordable printed circuit board (PCB) prototyping services. Getting custom PCBs made used to be an expensive and time-consuming process, requiring complex software, specialized skills, and costly setup fees.
Fortunately, new online PCB fabrication services have made the process fast, easy, and cheap – even for single boards. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cheap PCB prototype options, including:
Table of Contents
- What is a PCB Prototype?
- Why Prototype Your PCB Design?
- Factors that Influence Prototype PCB Cost
- Ways to Reduce Prototype PCB Costs
- Recommended Affordable PCB Prototyping Services
- Tools for Designing Your Own PCBs
- Guide to Ordering Your First Prototype PCB
- FQA about Cheap PCB Prototypes
What is a PCB Prototype?
A printed circuit board (PCB) prototype is an initial testing version of your custom PCB design. It allows you to evaluate your circuit schematics in a physical PCB form and test functionality before finalizing the design for manufacturing.
PCB prototyping bridges the gap between your design concept and production. It provides an inexpensive way to catch errors and make improvements early in the development process, before your design goes into full production. This helps avoid costly mistakes down the road.
Prototypes are usually produced as single boards or in small batches. They may be assembled with components or bare boards only. The goal is to validate the PCB layout and allow functional testing before mass production.
Why Make Prototypes?
Here are the key benefits of prototyping your PCB design:
- Test form, fit, and function
- Confirm component footprints and spacing
- Evaluate manufacturability and assembly
- Refine design ahead of production
- Find bugs and make improvements early
- Save time and money over design iterations
- Gain confidence before large volume orders
In essence, PCB prototyping reduces risk and provides insurance for your design investment. The earlier you can test a physical board, the better chance you have of catching issues that may undermine your entire product development. The cost of a prototype is trivial compared to the expense of fixing mistakes after mass production.
Factors That Influence Prototype PCB Cost
When researching cheap PCB prototype services, you’ll find prices starting under $10 to over $1000. What accounts for this huge range? Here are the key factors:
Board Size and Layer Count
The single biggest factor is the size and layer count of your PCB. Simple single or double-sided boards under 100 x 100 mm can be fabbed for $10-$20. But larger and multilayer boards require more materials and processing, quickly increasing the cost into the hundreds or thousands.
Lead Time
Standard turnaround for PCB prototype orders is 2-4 weeks, sometimes longer for complex boards. But if you need a rush build, expect to pay a premium. Some services offer “24 hour” or 3-5 day expedited production, but often charge 2-4X the base price.
Assembly and Components
Bare PCB prototyping is cheap, but if you want assembled boards with components, add-on costs apply. Assembly pricing is usually based on component count, plus additional fees for difficult parts like BGAs. Supplying your own components helps.
Quantity
Economies of scale apply to PCB prototypes. A 5-piece order may have a $200 base fee, driving each board cost to $40+. But order 20+ units and each board drops below $20. Panelizing multiple small boards can also reduce cost.
Special Services
Additional features like testing, stencils, and tooling holes add incremental costs. The more bells and whistles, the higher your prototype PCB price. Verify any bare minimum features needed for your application.
Location
There are significant regional differences in prototype PCB pricing based on labor, shipping, and production costs. For example, China-based fabs are generally 30-50% cheaper than North American or European options.
Ways to Reduce Prototype PCB Costs
Here are tips to get more affordable prototype pricing for your project:
- Use PCB design software like KiCad or Eagle to optimize your layout for prototyping cost from the start.
- Keep it simple. Single-sided and dual-layer boards are ideal for early testing. Minimize layers, vias, and components.
- Choose a smaller form factor if possible. Smaller boards cost less to produce.
- Order in panel format for quantity discounts. Panelize multiple smaller boards together.
- Get quotes from multiple fabs and compare to find the best price.
- Order bare boards only – fully assembled prototypes are 2-5X more expensive.
- Provide your own components to avoid assembly mark-up.
- Allow longer lead times of 2-4 weeks for standard pricing.
- Start with the minimum 5 pieces to amortize setup costs.
Following these guidelines can easily save you 50% or more compared to a naive approach. With a well optimized design and supplier choice, you can get simple PCB prototypes for under $10 per board.
Recommended Affordable PCB Prototyping Services
To get you started, here are some of the top budget-friendly PCB prototype services to check out:
JLCPCB – The price leader for cheap PCB manufacturing, often starting under $2/board. Very fast order fulfillment from China.
PCBWay – Low cost PCB fab and assembly with good quality and customer service.
OSH Park – Known for purple boards and quick turnarounds starting at $5/sq. inch. Small runs only.
Seeed Studio – Order PCBs, components, and assembly together at reasonable prices.
ALLPCB – A longtime budget PCB maker with reliable service and pricing below $20.
Elecrow – Affordable China-based PCB prototyping with assembly options. Large order discounts.
Aisler – Europe-based PCB production with small quantity pricing down to €49.
Dirty PCBs – US quick-turn specialist with prototyping deals below $10 per board.
There are many other options, but these services consistently offer among the most competitive pricing while delivering good quality results suitable for prototyping needs.
Tools for Designing Your Own PCBs
To take full advantage of cheap PCB prototyping, you’ll need PCB design software to layout your circuit and export Gerber files. Here are some of the most popular free and low-cost options for DIYers:
- KiCad – Open source EDA tool with full PCB design features. Steep learning curve but very powerful.
- Eagle – Old favorite EDA tool from Autodesk. Free for small boards. Easy to use with big component libraries.
- DipTrace – Affordable Windows-based PCB design software with free versions available.
- EasyEDA – Online circuit and PCB designer with collaboration features. Exports Gerbers for production.
- Altium CircuitMaker – Free PCB tool based on Altium’s premium technology. More capable than Eagle.
Invest time into learning PCB design fundamentals and one of these tools. This will equip you to take any circuit idea and turn it into a manufacturable board optimized for low cost.
Guide to Ordering Your First Prototype PCB
Here is a step-by-step guide to navigate the prototype ordering process and get your first boards successfully produced:
1. Finalize Schematics
Complete your circuit schematics and simulation first. This forms the “truth source” for PCB layout. Use EDA tools like Proteus or Multisim.
2. Create PCB Layout
Use KiCad, Eagle, etc to design the PCB including footprints, routing, and layer stackup. Follow manufacturer design rules.
3. Generate Gerber & Drill Files
Export the industry-standard Gerber and drill files from your EDA tool to submit to the PCB fabrication house.
4. Obtain a Quote
Upload Gerbers to get an instant online quotation from suppliers. Adjust any options and order multiple quotes.
5. Place Order
Select your preferred PCB prototyping vendor and order online by uploading Gerber files. Double check lead time.
6. Submit Components (optional)
If getting assembled boards, ship your component kit to arrive before production time. Verify acceptable parts packaging.
7. Manufacturer Builds
Wait patiently as your Gerber files are manufactured! Typical lead time is 2-4 weeks depending on complexity.
8. Receive Boards
Boards ship directly to your door. Inspect for defects and if any, contact supplier immediately before assembly.
9. Test & Iterate
Populate boards with components and test functionality. Make any needed design tweaks and modifications for the next rev!
With the low prices now available, PCB prototyping is easier and more affordable than ever. Follow this basic process to spin your first boards quickly and budget-friendly.
FQA about Cheap PCB Prototypes
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about low cost PCB prototype services:
What are the main disadvantages of cheap PCB prototypes?
Cheap PCB prototyping tends to have longer lead times of 2-4 weeks standard, versus 3-5 days for premium services. Budget options also have higher chances of quality issues like thin traces or misaligned layers. Support may be limited. Still, quality is usually fine for prototyping purposes.
How many prototype iterations are typical before final PCB design?
For simple boards, often 1-2 prototype runs are sufficient before finalization. But complex designs may require 3-5 iterations over months to get right. Build in extra time and budget for additional prototyping.
Can I panelize multiple PCBs for lower cost?
Yes, panelization places multiple smaller PCBs on a larger panel for easier manufacturing. The fixed costs are amortized across more boards, reducing the per unit price. Just verify any panelization requirements with your vendor.
Are free PCB fabrication services legit?
A few websites offer “free” PCB prototyping by charging only the base cost of materials. But you must share your design files publicly. Only use if your design is open source – otherwise, expect to pay reasonable market pricing.
Should I include solder mask and silkscreen on my first prototype?
These finishing steps are optional for prototyping, but provide useful fiducials to aid assembly and debugging. The minimal additional cost is usually worth the benefits for testing. Include these finishing steps unless cost is absolutely critical.
Can I supply my own components to save money?
Definitely. Supplying parts avoids big component sourcing markups by assembly services. Use Digi-Key, Mouser, or other major distributors to purchase your bill of materials cost-effectively. Just deliver to the PCB assembler before their build time. Account for lead times.
Conclusion
Thanks to online PCB fabrication and assembly, electronic product designers can now get high quality prototypes made and delivered in a few weeks for minimal cost. With wise design decisions and supplier choice, you can have simple boards built for under $10 each – allowing extensive prototyping iteration that greatly reduces overall project risk and improves outcomes.
Use the guidelines provided in this guide to optimize your next PCB project for low-cost prototyping success. The investment will pay back many times over in avoided errors and faster development time to market. With today’s accessible tools and manufacturing networks, there’s no need to cut corners during the crucial prototyping phase.
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