What to Look for in a PCB Manufacturer
When evaluating PCB Manufacturers, there are several key factors to consider:
- Capabilities – What types of PCBs can they manufacture? This includes things like max number of layers, material options, min trace/space widths, hole sizes, surface finishes, etc.
- Pricing – How competitive are their prices, especially for the quantities and turn times you need? Are there any setup/tooling fees?
- Turn Times – How fast can they manufacture and ship the PCBs once the order is placed? Do they offer expedited options?
- Quality – Do they have good quality control processes in place? What types of testing and inspection do they perform?
- Customer Support – How easy is it to get help if you have questions or issues with your order? Do they have good documentation and design resources available?
With those criteria in mind, let’s take a look at 5 of the top online PCB manufacturers.
1. JLCPCB
JLCPCB is one of the most popular online PCB manufacturers, known for their low prices, fast turn times, and great customer support. They offer a wide range of capabilities for 1-6 layer PCBs.
Capabilities
| Spec | Capability |
|---|---|
| Layers | 1-6 |
| Material | FR-4, Aluminum |
| Finished Copper | 1 oz, 2 oz |
| Solder Mask | Green, Red, Yellow, Blue, Black, White |
| Silk Screen | White, Black, Yellow |
| Surface Finish | HASL, ENIG, OSP |
| Min Trace/Space | 4/4mil |
| Min Hole Size | 0.2mm |
Pricing
JLCPCB’s pricing is very competitive, with prices starting at just $2 for 5pcs of 2-layer 10x10cm boards. There are no setup fees. Here are their price tiers:
| Layers | 5pcs | 10pcs | 50pcs | 100pcs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2 | $5 | $12 | $29 |
| 2 | $2 | $8 | $27 | $45 |
| 4 | $10 | $15 | $70 | $100 |
| 6 | $30 | $50 | $150 | $250 |
*Prices based on 10x10cm board size with 1oz copper, green solder mask, HASL finish, and min trace/space widths.
Turn Times
JLCPCB offers industry-leading turn times:
| Service | Turn Time |
|---|---|
| Economic | 8-10 days |
| Standard | 5 days |
| Fast | 3 days |
The fast 3 day service is available at a small upcharge and is one of the fastest standard lead times in the industry.
Quality & Support
JLCPCB has automated optical inspection (AOI) and high-res microscope inspection on 100% of boards. They offer a guarantee on quality and will refund or remake boards if there are any manufacturer defects.
Their support team is very responsive over live chat, email, and phone. They also have extensive documentation and guides on their website for designers.
2. PCBWay
PCBWay is another great online PCB manufacturer with a wide range of capabilities and options. They are known for high quality and have been around since 2003.
Capabilities
| Spec | Capability |
|---|---|
| Layers | 1-32 |
| Material | FR-4, High Tg FR-4, Isola, Rogers, Aluminum, Flexible |
| Finished Copper | 1-6oz |
| Solder Mask | Green, Red, Yellow, Blue, Black, White, Matte |
| Silk Screen | White, Black, Yellow |
| Surface Finish | HASL, ENIG, OSP, Immersion Gold, Immersion Silver |
| Min Trace/Space | 3/3mil |
| Min Hole Size | 0.2mm |
PCBWay has a very wide range of material and finish options to choose from compared to most manufacturers. The 32 layer max is also one of the highest.
Pricing
PCBWay’s pricing is very competitive on standard 1-8 layer boards. They do have a small tooling fee which varies based on board specs. Here are some price examples:
| Layers | 5pcs | 10pcs | 100pcs | 500pcs | Tooling Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5 | $9 | $43 | $97 | $25 |
| 2 | $5 | $10 | $50 | $130 | $25 |
| 4 | $20 | $30 | $90 | $260 | $40 |
| 6 | $60 | $95 | $280 | $1250 | $75 |
*Prices based on 10x10cm board size with 1oz copper, green solder mask, HASL finish, and 5mil min trace/space.
Turn Times
PCBWay offers 3 tiers of lead times:
| Service | Turn Time |
|---|---|
| Standard | 3-5 days |
| Fast | 2-3 days |
| Super Fast | 1 day* |
*Super fast service not available for flex, HDI, aluminum, or heavy copper boards
Quality & Support
PCBWay performs full electrical testing on all multi-layer boards and visual inspection under high magnification for all boards. Boards go through an 8-step outgoing quality assurance process.
They have support available 24/7 via live chat, Skype, email, and phone. The website also has a knowledge base with a lot of great tutorials and guides.
3. Seeed Studio Fusion
Seeed Studio is the PCB manufacturing service offered by the open source hardware company Seeed Studio. They are popular in the maker/hobbyist community.
Capabilities
| Spec | Capability |
|---|---|
| Layers | 1-12 |
| Material | FR-4 |
| Finished Copper | 1 oz, 2 oz |
| Solder Mask | Green, Red, Yellow, Blue, Black, White |
| Silk Screen | White |
| Surface Finish | HASL, ENIG, Hard Gold |
| Min Trace/Space | 5/5mil |
| Min Hole Size | 0.3mm |
Their capabilities are more limited compared to some larger manufacturers, but still suitable for most common PCB designs up to 12 layers.
Pricing
Seeed Studio has very simple $4.90 flat rate pricing for most 2-layer boards up to 10x10cm:
| Layers | ≤ 10pcs | ≤ 20pcs | ≤ 30pcs | ≤ 50pcs | Per Add’l |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $4.90 | $9.80 | $14.70 | $24.50 | $0.30 |
Pricing scales up with larger quantities and higher layer counts. There are no setup/tooling fees.
Turn Times
Seeed Studio offers 2 service tiers:
| Service | Turn Time |
|---|---|
| Standard | 7-10 days |
| Fast | 3-5 days |
Fast service is available at a 30-50% upcharge depending on the specs.
Quality & Support
Seeed Studio performs automated optical inspection (AOI) on all PCBs and guarantees quality. If there are any issues, they will refund or re-manufacture the boards.
Support is available via live chat, email, and the Seeed Studio community forums where their engineers actively respond. They have detailed PCB design and ordering guides on their website.
4. OSH Park
OSH Park specializes in low volume, high mix PCB prototyping in the United States. All boards are produced in a single consolidated run which helps keeps prices low.
Capabilities
| Spec | Capability |
|---|---|
| Layers | 2 and 4 |
| Material | High Temp FR-4 |
| Finished Copper | 1 oz |
| Solder Mask | Purple |
| Silk Screen | White |
| Surface Finish | ENIG |
| Min Trace/Space | 5/5mil |
| Min Hole Size | 0.3mm |
OSH Park keeps things simple by only offering one stackup option for 2 and 4 layer boards. This allows them to consolidate designs from multiple customers into a single panel to keep costs low.
Pricing
OSH Park’s signature is simple flat-rate pricing based on the square inch area of the board:
| Board Area | 2-Layer Price | 4-Layer Price |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 2 in2 | $5 per board | $10 per board |
| > 2 in2 | $1 per in2 | $2 per in2 |
So for example, a 1″ x 1″ 2-layer board is $5 for a set of 3 boards, and a 2″ x 3″ 4-layer board is $12 for a set of 3. You can order as many sets of 3 you need.
The flat rate includes all specs, so there’s no added fees for things like different solder mask color, ENIG finish, etc.
Turn Times
OSH Park offers 2 service options, standard and Super Swift:
| Service | Turn Time |
|---|---|
| Standard | 12 calendar days |
| Super Swift | 5 calendar days |
The Super Swift service is a flat $100 adder per order and can be selected at checkout. Standard service orders are shipped with USPS First Class Mail and arrive 2-5 business days after the boards are manufactured.
Quality & Support
OSH Park has a thorough inspection process that checks impedance control, layer alignment, copper weights, hole sizes, and solder mask adhesion. The boards are electrically tested and guaranteed to function per the design files.
You can get support by emailing [email protected]. They are very responsive and knowledgeable about the PCB design. The website also has a good FAQ and community forum with guidance from other designers and OSH Park employees.
5. Pad2Pad
Pad2Pad is a US-based quick-turn PCB prototype shop that can produce 1-16 layer PCBs in as fast as 24 hours. They offer both standard FR-4 and advanced high-frequency materials.
Capabilities
| Spec | Capability |
|---|---|
| Layers | 1-16 |
| Material | FR-4, Rogers, Isola |
| Finished Copper | 0.5-6oz |
| Solder Mask | Green, Red, Blue, Black, White, Purple |
| Silk Screen | White, Black, Yellow |
| Surface Finish | HASL, ENIG, Immersion Silver |
| Min Trace/Space | 3/3mil |
| Min Hole Size | 0.2mm |
Pad2Pad offers a lot of options and can handle complex designs up to 16 layers with tight trace/space and micro vias.
Pricing
Pad2Pad’s pricing depends on the board size, layer count, and quantity. They have an instant online quote tool to get pricing for your specific design.
Here are some example prices for reference:
| Layers | Size | 5pcs | 10pcs | 25pcs | 100pcs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2×2 | $25 | $26 | $39 | $74 |
| 2 | 3×3 | $45 | $48 | $75 | $148 |
| 4 | 2×2 | $49 | $57 | $82 | $225 |
| 4 | 3×3 | $89 | $104 | $154 | $444 |
*Prices based on 62mil thickness, 1oz copper, green solder mask, white silkscreen, HASL finish, and standard lead time.
Turn Times
Pad2Pad offers a wide range of turn time options:
| Service | Turn Time |
|---|---|
| Lightning | 1 business day |
| Expedited | 2-3 business days |
| Standard | 5 business days |
| Full Lead-Free | Adds 1-2 days |
Their 24 hour turn time on the Lightning service is one of the fastest in the industry for quick-turn prototypes.
Quality & Support
Pad2Pad performs automated optical inspection (AOI) and electrical testing on 100% of PTH boards and sample testing on non-PTH boards. They have very thorough quality control processes.
US-based phone support is available from 5am-5pm Pacific time. You can also get support anytime via email. They can advise on DFM and catching issues before production.
FAQ
What’s the cheapest PCB manufacturer?
For most standard 1-4 layer PCBs in small quantities (<20), JLCPCB and Seeed Studio Fusion offer the lowest prices, usually under $10 for 10pcs. For larger quantities (50-500+) of 1-6 layer boards, PCBWay tends to have very competitive pricing.
Who has the fastest turn times?
For 1-2 day manufacturing time, Pad2Pad is the fastest service reviewed here and one of the quickest industry-wide, but at a significant cost premium for the speed. JLCPCB and PCBWay offer 3-day turn times on most boards which is a good balance of speed and cost.
What if I need 4+ layer PCBs?
JLCPCB can do up to 6 layers, PCBWay up to 32 layers, Seeed Studio Fusion up to 12 layers, and Pad2Pad up to 16 layers. OSH Park only offers 2 and 4 layer boards. So for higher layer counts, PCBWay is usually the best bet.
Are the cheapest PCB manufacturers unreliable?
The manufacturers reviewed here all have good quality control processes and standards. Issues are rare, and if they do occur, the companies will generally refund or remake the boards at no cost. The low prices are more a function of volume, automation, and offshoring labor rather than cutting corners on quality.
Should I choose lead-free or HASL finish?
Lead-free finishes like ENIG are RoHS compliant and are a must for boards that could end up in commercial products. HASL is fine for prototypes and hobby use. HASL is cheaper and the default option at most shops. If you do choose lead-free, it can add a small amount to the cost and turn time.
Conclusion
JLCPCB, PCBWay, Seeed Studio Fusion, OSH Park, and Pad2Pad are all great options for getting PCBs manufactured quickly and affordably. Which one is best for you will depend on your specific needs – layer count, quantities, turn time, materials, etc.
JLCPCB is a great all-around choice with fast turns and very low prices. PCBWay has the most capabilities and very competitive pricing especially at higher quantities. Seeed Studio Fusion and OSH Park are great for super low-cost 2-4 layer boards in small quantities. And Pad2Pad is the go-to for super fast 1-2 day turns when you need prototypes ASAP and cost is no object.
So get your PCB design files ready and give one of these manufacturers a try for your next project. With prices this
0 Comments