A board, not a breadboard
siliXon lays out a custom PCB instead of wiring modules to a development board.
The Schematik alternative for a real, manufacturable PCB
Schematik is great at telling you which jumper wire goes where on your Arduino, ESP32 or Pico, and it will even write and flash the code. What you end up with, though, is a development board, a breadboard and a tangle of wires, not a PCB you can put in a product. siliXon designs the actual custom circuit board: it picks real parts, draws the schematic, places and routes the layout and hands you Gerbers, drill files, a BOM and pick-and-place data, ready to send to a fab.
Free plan. Runs in your browser.
Head to head
Who leads on what matters when you want a board.
siliXonYou design it, in the browser
SchematikCode and wiring for dev boards
Starting point
siliXon: A plain-English description
Schematik: A plain-English description
Even.Skills you need
siliXon: None
Schematik: None; you assemble the build
Even.Who does the work
siliXon: siliXon; you steer and edit
Schematik: Its AI writes code and wiring; you build it
siliXon leads.What you get
siliXon: An editable PCB and fab files
Schematik: Code, wiring and a parts list
siliXon leads.Time to first board
siliXon: Minutes
Schematik: No custom PCB
siliXon leads.Board complexity
siliXon: Up to 4 layers
Schematik: Development boards and modules
siliXon leads.Layout prep
siliXon: None
Schematik: No PCB to lay out
siliXon leads.
Verdict
Choose siliXon to design a custom board you can send to a fab.
Choose Schematik to get code and wiring for an Arduino, ESP32 or Pico build.
siliXon todaysiliXon is in early beta and builds two- and four-layer, mostly digital boards. Review every design before fabrication.
Where Schematik is strongerIt writes and deploys Arduino-compatible code, and supports the development boards most makers already own.
Time to a prototype
siliXon
5 to 20 minutes
Schematik
No custom PCB
From an idea to a board you can send to a fab, on one scale from zero. Estimates for someone new to each tool.
What changes when you switch from Schematik
Ready for a fab
Download Gerbers, drill files, a BOM and pick-and-place data to order the board.
Checked before you order
Connectivity and manufacturing checks run on the real parts you will buy.
siliXon vs Schematik: feature comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | A plain-English description | A plain-English description |
| AI generation | Generates the whole board | Code, wiring and a parts list |
| PCB layout | Editable in 2D and 3D | No |
| Copper layers | Up to 4 | No PCB |
| Part selection | Real, available parts picked for you | Component list with quantities |
| Design checks | Connectivity and manufacturing checks | Pin assignment tables |
| Fab outputs | Gerbers, drill, BOM and pick-and-place | No |
| Firmware | Programmable over USB, with flashing steps | Arduino-compatible code, deployed to the board |
| Layout prep | None; answer a few questions | No PCB layout |
| Runs in | Browser | Browser and desktop app |
siliXon is in early beta and builds two- and four-layer, mostly digital boards. Review every design before fabrication.
So far creating my first project for 10 min - onboarding seems quite smooth
I like the self validation and how it explains everything too, makes it easier for me to quickly cross reference and learn on the go
Response is very meaningful, I like how it asks you questions to verify and gives you the options to choose the answers with the recommended on the one it thinks is a better option
Good so far. It is helpful and gives me advice
I have to say I love the UI and UX, the front end is really fun to interact with, with the little dynamic touches etc
Super helpful and easy to use
Really good actually better than Flux ai
Compare siliXon with other tools
siliXon vs KiCadFree, open-source desktop EDA for schematics and PCB layout
siliXon vs Altium DesignerProfessional EDA for complex, multi-layer production boards
siliXon vs Blueprint.ioAI build plans with parts, wiring and assembly steps
siliXon vs Flux.aiBrowser ECAD with an AI agent that designs alongside you
siliXon vs DiodeAI-assisted board design service, from spec to production
siliXon vs QuilterAI placement and routing from your finished schematic
siliXon vs SnapMagicAI copilot for Altium, built on the SnapEDA parts library
siliXon vs CELUSAI that turns requirements into schematics and a BOM
siliXon vs atopileCode-native electronics design, with an agent in the browser
siliXon vs tscircuitOpen-source framework for designing PCBs in TypeScriptsiliXon vs Schematik: your questions answered
What is the main difference?
Schematik builds projects around development boards: code, wiring, parts and assembly steps. siliXon designs a custom PCB and exports fab files.
Does Schematik make a PCB?
Its public site does not describe PCB layout or fab files. It focuses on Arduino, ESP32 and Raspberry Pi Pico builds.
Does siliXon write firmware?
siliXon designs boards you can program over USB and gives you the flashing steps. Schematik also writes the code.
Can I use both?
Yes. Prototype with a development board in Schematik, then design the custom board in siliXon.