Protoboard Designer vs 3D Box Maker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
Protoboard Designer
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Go from circuit idea to production-ready Gerber file in minutes. No netlist. No learning curve. Just open the app and start building. Protoboard Designer is a WYSIWYG PCB layout editor for makers, hobbyists, students, and anyone who finds KiCad or Altium overwhelming. Place components, route copper traces, and export your board ā on your phone, tablet, or directly in your browser at protoboarddesigner.com. Available on iOS and Web ā your projects sync seamlessly across all your devices. KEY FEATURES ⢠WYSIWYG PCB Layout ā what you place on screen is exactly what gets manufactured. No surprises at the fab house. ⢠Gerber & PDF Export ā send production-ready Gerber files directly to any PCB fab, or export a PDF to etch your own board at home. ⢠KiCad Footprint Import ā use the built-in component library, import KiCad footprints, or add any public GitHub repository as a footprint source. ⢠Cloud Project Sync ā your boards are automatically backed up and synced across iOS and Web. Start on your phone, finish in the browser ā or vice versa. ⢠No Netlist Required ā skip the schematic step entirely and jump straight to layout. PERFECT FOR ⢠Makers and hobbyists designing perfboard, stripboard, or custom PCB layouts ⢠Students learning electronics and circuit board design ⢠Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and ESP32 tinkerers moving beyond breadboards ⢠Anyone wanting to go from idea to fabrication without weeks of learning software WHY NOT KICAD OR ALTIUM? Traditional EDA tools are powerful ā but they're designed for professional engineers managing complex multi-layer boards. They take weeks to learn and are desktop-only. Protoboard Designer strips away everything you don't need for hobby and prototype work, so you can focus on building, not learning software. Try the web app for free at protoboarddesigner.com ā no install required. Or download now and sign in with Google to get started in seconds. No credit card required. Terms of Use (EULA): https://protoboarddesigner.com/terms-of-service.html Privacy Policy: https://protoboarddesigner.com/privacy-policy.html
3D Box Maker
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3D Box Maker is a builder for 3D-printable boxes and enclosures. Set the sizes, add holes, boards and a lid, then save STL or 3MF files ready for your slicer. BODY ⢠Width, depth, wall height, wall and floor thickness, corner radius ⢠Overall and inside dimensions shown as you edit HOLES AND STANDOFFS ⢠Holes in the floor, any wall and the lid: round, rectangular, slots, hexagons ⢠Connector cut-outs: USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, RJ45, DB9, audio, DC power, keystone jacks ⢠PCB standoffs with screw holes ⢠Arrays of identical holes and standoffs: set the step and the count BOARDS ⢠More than 100 templates: Raspberry Pi, Arduino, ESP32, Teensy, sensors, interface converters, motor drivers, displays and more ⢠Your own board with its size, mounting holes and ports ⢠A standoff under every mounting hole and port cut-outs in the walls, added for you ⢠Ribs under the board and a clamp: screw posts with a T piece LID ⢠A lid with a lip and an adjustable clearance ⢠Screw fastening: corner bosses with a 45° taper that print without supports ⢠Engraving from an SVG drawing: cut it into the lid or fill it in another colour as an inlay for two-colour printing PREVIEW AND EXPORT ⢠3D preview: isometric, top, front and side views, lid lifted off ⢠Warnings when a board does not fit, a hole runs past an edge or a standoff is taller than the walls ⢠Undo and redo ⢠STL and 3MF export: base, lid and inlay as separate files; the 3MF of a lid with an inlay holds two coloured bodies ⢠A 1:1 floor sheet to print for marking out PRIVATE AND OFFLINE The app works without the internet and without an account. Your boxes and files stay on your device only ā we collect nothing and send nothing anywhere. Ukrainian and English, light and dark theme. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Service: https://api3d.serenity.games/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://api3d.serenity.games/legal/privacy Deleting your data: https://api3d.serenity.games/legal/delete
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 3D Box Maker at none against Protoboard Designer's 2. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Protoboard Designer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. 3D Box Maker asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Protoboard Designer | 3D Box Maker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | ā |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No ā better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac ā better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 57 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Protoboard Designer Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag | Andrii Kedrov |
In-app purchases
Protoboard Designer
- Maker$5.991 Month
- Engineer$12.991 Month
3D Box Maker
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Protoboard Designer free?
Is 3D Box Maker free?
Do Protoboard Designer or 3D Box Maker have ads?
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