QucsStudio — The Complete Guide: Circuit and RF Simulation, Free Even for Commercial Use
QucsStudio is a circuit simulator aimed especially at RF and microwave work. It is developed by Michael Margraf and distributed as freeware for any use, including inside commercial companies. The source code is not open, and the program runs on Windows.
QucsStudio
Michael Margraf
A circuit and RF simulator: DC, AC, transient, S-parameters and harmonic balance, with microstrip tools and filter synthesis. Free even for commercial use.
Get it from the vendorWhat you get
- Circuit analyses — DC, AC and transient on a schematic.
- S-parameters — analysing RF networks, matching and losses.
- Harmonic balance — non-linear analysis of circuits such as amplifiers and mixers.
- Microstrip tools — printed line calculations and basic electromagnetic simulation.
- Filter synthesis — generating a filter from its specification.
How it differs from Qucs-S
The two share roots, but Qucs-S is open source and relies on external engines such as ngspice, while QucsStudio is closed-source with its own engine and an RF focus. For switching and general analogue circuits, SPICE tools are usually more convenient; for filters, amplifiers and matching networks, QucsStudio shines.
Related tools
For open-source simulation on a SPICE engine — Qucs-S. For fast SPICE simulation of power circuits — LTspice. For full electromagnetic simulation of antennas and structures — openEMS.
Qucs-S
Qucs-S Project
Circuit simulation with a graphical schematic front end over SPICE engines.
Get it from the vendor
LTspice
Analog Devices
Fast SPICE simulator with no component limit, unusually strong on switching converters and power circuits.
Get it from the vendor
openEMS
Thorsten Liebig and contributors
A 3D FDTD electromagnetic field solver — antennas, RF filters and PCB structures, scripted in Octave, MATLAB or Python.
Get it from the vendor
NanoVNA-Saver
NanoVNA-Saver project
Desktop software for low-cost NanoVNA vector network analysers: sweeps, Smith charts, VSWR and TDR, for tuning antennas, filters and cables.
Get it from the vendorThe bottom line
QucsStudio is one of the most complete RF simulators you can get for free. Free for any use, including commercial — on Windows only.