--- title: "CircuitMaker vs OrCAD: Which is searched more?" description: "Is CircuitMaker or OrCAD more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the PCB design software set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time." canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/circuitmaker-vs-orcad" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # CircuitMaker vs OrCAD: Which is searched more? Is CircuitMaker or OrCAD more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the PCB design software set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time. ## Key facts - **Compared**: CircuitMaker and OrCAD - **Competitive set**: PCB design software - **Market**: Global - **Month measured**: Sep 2026 - **CircuitMaker Share of Search**: 0.44% - **OrCAD Share of Search**: 1.8% ## Is CircuitMaker or OrCAD more popular in search? - In September 2026, OrCAD had more branded searches than CircuitMaker among PCB design software worldwide. OrCAD had about 18,100 branded searches, while CircuitMaker had 4,400. OrCAD made up 1.8% of all PCB design software searches we track, and CircuitMaker accounted for 0.44%. - OrCAD was ahead of CircuitMaker in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, CircuitMaker’s share of searches among PCB design software worldwide moved from 0.8% to 0.44%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 8.1K to 4.4K. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, OrCAD’s share of searches among PCB design software worldwide moved from 2.2% to 1.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 22.2K to 18.1K. ## Top PCB design software in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, OrCAD was mentioned in three out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. CircuitMaker was mentioned in two out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in both Google AI Overviews. OrCAD was listed before CircuitMaker in two out of three answers that named either. Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options. | Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | KiCad | 1st | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | EasyEDA | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | Altium | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | Fusion 360 | 4th | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | OrCAD | 5th | 1 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 5 | | CircuitMaker | 6th | 0 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 5 | ## Every AI answer about PCB design software - Asked ChatGPT "Which PCB design software should I use?": 1. KiCad, 2. EasyEDA, 3. Altium, 4. Fusion 360 - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best PCB design software options?": 1. KiCad, 2. Altium, 3. EasyEDA, 4. OrCAD, 5. Fusion 360 - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best PCB design software for circuit board design?": 1. KiCad, 2. EasyEDA, 3. Altium, 4. Fusion 360 - Searched Google, AI Overview "pcb design software": 1. KiCad, 2. Altium, 3. EasyEDA, 4. Fusion 360, 5. OrCAD, 6. CircuitMaker - Searched Google, AI Overview "pcb design tools": 1. KiCad, 2. EasyEDA, 3. CircuitMaker, 4. Fusion 360, 5. Altium, 6. OrCAD Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in the United States on October 21, 2026. ## How did search popularity change for PCB design software worldwide in September 2026? - Estimated monthly branded searches for CircuitMaker worldwide fell 45.7% over 12 measured months, from 8.1K to 4.4K in September 2026. - Estimated monthly branded searches for OrCAD worldwide fell 18.5% over 12 measured months, from 22.2K to 18.1K in September 2026. ## Month by month | Month | CircuitMaker estimated searches | CircuitMaker Share of Search | CircuitMaker rank | OrCAD estimated searches | OrCAD Share of Search | OrCAD rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 8.1K | 0.8% | 6 | 22.2K | 2.2% | 5 | | Nov 2025 | 8.1K | 0.81% | 6 | 18.1K | 1.8% | 5 | | Dec 2025 | 6.6K | 0.69% | 6 | 14.8K | 1.6% | 5 | | Jan 2026 | 6.6K | 0.61% | 6 | 18.1K | 1.7% | 5 | | Feb 2026 | 5.4K | 0.54% | 6 | 14.8K | 1.5% | 5 | | Mar 2026 | 5.4K | 0.5% | 6 | 22.2K | 2% | 5 | | Apr 2026 | 5.4K | 0.5% | 6 | 18.1K | 1.7% | 5 | | May 2026 | 4.4K | 0.46% | 6 | 14.8K | 1.5% | 5 | | Jun 2026 | 3.6K | 0.4% | 6 | 14.8K | 1.7% | 5 | | Jul 2026 | 2.9K | 0.34% | 6 | 14.8K | 1.7% | 5 | | Aug 2026 | 3.6K | 0.4% | 6 | 14.8K | 1.7% | 5 | | Sep 2026 | 4.4K | 0.44% | 6 | 18.1K | 1.8% | 5 | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using CircuitMaker’s and OrCAD’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading. - **CircuitMaker**: Measured on the search term “circuitmaker”. - **OrCAD**: Measured on the search term “orcad”. - [CircuitMaker profile](/demand/global-en/brands/circuitmaker) - [OrCAD profile](/demand/global-en/brands/orcad) - [All PCB design software worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/pcb-design-software): The set both shares are measured inside, 6 brands. ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is CircuitMaker or OrCAD more popular in search? In September 2026, OrCAD had more branded searches than CircuitMaker among PCB design software worldwide. OrCAD had about 18,100 branded searches, while CircuitMaker had 4,400. OrCAD made up 1.8% of all PCB design software searches we track, and CircuitMaker accounted for 0.44%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "CircuitMaker vs OrCAD: Which is searched more?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/circuitmaker-vs-orcad This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/circuitmaker-vs-orcad. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.