OrCAD X

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What OrCAD X is

OrCAD X is an electronic design automation platform for schematic capture, PCB layout and circuit simulation, aimed at small and medium-sized businesses designing medium-complexity boards. Its layout tools include interactive and automatic routing, design-rule checks, constraint-driven design, 3D viewing and design-for-manufacturing checks. Integrated PSpice supports analog and mixed-signal simulation, including Monte Carlo, worst-case and sensitivity analyses. Capture connects with Ultra Librarian, SamacSys and SnapMagic for component symbols and footprints, while ECAD/MCAD collaboration supports SOLIDWORKS, CATIA, Siemens NX, Autodesk Fusion and PTC Creo. Professional and Professional Plus include Live BOM information on lifecycle, availability, inventory, lead times, alternatives and pricing. Yearly single-user plans are priced by region, with no prices listed. The commercial Professional Plus trial lasts 30 days, gives unrestricted access to that tier and requires no payment details. Desktop support covers specified 64-bit Windows editions and Windows Server versions; cloud licenses allow installation on up to five computers but only one active device at a time.

Who it suits

OrCAD X suits small and medium-sized businesses designing medium-complexity boards that need schematic capture, layout and simulation. Teams using supported mechanical design tools may value its listed ECAD/MCAD links.

What it does well

Includes interactive and automatic PCB routing.
PSpice supports analog and mixed-signal simulation.
Capture connects to three component-library services.
Professional tiers include Live BOM information.
Professional Plus has a 30-day unrestricted trial.

What to know first

No plan prices are listed; pricing varies by region.
Single-user cloud licenses allow only one active device.
Cloud floating licenses and license borrowing are unsupported.
PSpice Basic has stated simulation data limits.

Limits

Standard and Professional PSpice Basic simulation stops at whichever comes first: 250 nodes or devices, one million transient data points, or 10,000 sweep data points. A cloud single-user license can be installed on up to five computers, but only one device can be active at a time.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
OrCAD X Standard	yearly single-user license; price varies by region · Essential schematic capture · basic PSpice simulation · up to 10GB cloud storage	On request
OrCAD X Professional	yearly single-user license; price varies by region · Live BOM · team collaboration · automation and high-speed features · integrated SI/PI analysis · up to 50GB cloud storage	On request
OrCAD X Professional Plus	yearly single-user license; price varies by region · Professional features · advanced PSpice analysis · circuit optimizer · MATLAB Simulink integration · up to 50GB cloud storage	On request

As cadence.com lists them, read 2 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit the Cadence OrCAD X website.
Choose a yearly single-user plan, with regional pricing applying.
Alternatively, start the 30-day Professional Plus commercial trial without entering payment details.
Use the web offering or install the Windows desktop version on a supported Windows system.

Verdict

OrCAD X combines PCB design with simulation and mechanical-design collaboration, while higher tiers add Live BOM and other capabilities. Consider the regional plan pricing, single-device cloud-license restriction and PSpice Basic limits alongside the 30-day trial.

Questions

Is OrCAD X free?

No. It is a paid product and has no free plan.

Is there a trial?

Yes. The commercial Professional Plus trial lasts 30 days, provides unrestricted access to that tier, and requires no payment details. The academic license lasts six months.

Which platforms does it support?

The listed platforms are web and Windows. The desktop version supports 64-bit Windows 10 Professional or Enterprise, Windows 11 Professional or Enterprise, and Windows Server 2019 and 2022.

What does Live BOM provide?

Professional and Professional Plus include component lifecycle, availability, inventory, lead-time, alternatives, and pricing information.

Who makes OrCAD X?

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. makes OrCAD X. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

What limits apply to PSpice Basic?

Standard and Professional PSpice Basic is limited to 250 nodes or devices, one million transient data points, or 10,000 sweep data points, whichever is reached first.

Facts from OrCAD X's own pages

Circuit simulation: Integrated PSpice supports analog and mixed-signal simulation, including Monte Carlo, worst-case, and sensitivity analyses. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
Component integrations: OrCAD X Capture integrates with Ultra Librarian, SamacSys, and SnapMagic for component symbols and footprints. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
Desktop platform: OrCAD X desktop supports 64-bit Windows 10 Professional or Enterprise and Windows 11 Professional or Enterprise, plus Windows Server 2019 and 2022. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
Founded: 1988 · cadence.com, 28 Sept 2026
Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA · cadence.com, 28 Sept 2026
License limits: Single-user cloud licenses allow installation on up to five computers with only one device active at a time; cloud floating licenses and license borrowing are not supported. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
Maker: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. is headquartered in San Jose, California, and was founded in 1988. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
Mechanical integrations: ECAD/MCAD collaboration supports SOLIDWORKS, CATIA, Siemens NX, Autodesk Fusion, and PTC Creo. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
PCB layout: PCB layout includes interactive and automatic routing, design-rule checks, constraint-driven tools, 3D viewing, and design-for-manufacturing checks. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
PSpice limits: Standard and Professional PSpice Basic simulation is limited to 250 nodes or devices, one million transient data points, or 10,000 sweep data points, whichever is reached first. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
Purpose: OrCAD X is an AI-enabled electronic design automation platform for schematic capture, PCB layout, and simulation, aimed at small to medium-sized businesses designing medium-complexity boards. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
Security: OrCAD X OnCloud describes enterprise-grade encryption, access controls, and audit trails, while the FAQ says Cadence OnCloud uses layered security and Defense-in-Depth principles. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
Supply chain: OrCAD X Professional and Professional Plus include Live BOM with real-time component lifecycle, availability, inventory, lead-time, alternatives, and pricing information. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
Support: Premium support offers major and minor product updates, OnCloud access, and phone and case-based technical support; community forums and online training are also available. · cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026
Trial: The commercial Professional Plus trial lasts 30 days, provides unrestricted access to that tier, and requires no payment details; the academic license lasts six months. · www5.cadence.com, 2 Oct 2026