Pricing
Free to use. The agent is what costs.
Schema has a free plan with no time limit. Schematic capture, PCB layout, routing, design-rule checks and Gerber export are unmetered. The AI agent runs on credits: the free plan includes a monthly allowance, and further credits are sold in packs.
How it works
The editor — free, unmetered
No time limit, no seat count, no export paywall.
- Schematic capture — symbols, wiring, buses, net labels, power symbols, hierarchical sheets
- Electrical rules check (ERC)
- PCB layout — footprint placement, interactive routing, vias, copper zone fill, keepouts
- Design rules check (DRC) against per-net-class rules
- Gerber RS-274X and Excellon drill export, including plated and non-plated splits
- Reading KiCad symbol and footprint libraries, and Altium schematic libraries
- Every one of the editor commands, issued by you
The agent — metered in credits
The free plan includes a monthly allowance. More credits are sold in packs.
- Describing a circuit in natural language and having the agent build it
- Asking the agent to place parts, wire nets or route copper for you
- Agent-driven review, revision and recovery loops
Why the agent is metered
Running the models behind the agent has a real per-use cost, and that cost scales with how much work you ask it to do. Metering it means the people using the agent heavily pay for it, and the people using the editor by hand pay nothing — rather than everyone paying a subscription that averages the two.
One credit is one US cent of billed value. That is a deliberate choice rather than an obfuscation: credits are meant to be legible, so you can see what a design session actually cost instead of guessing at a token conversion.
Current pack prices are shown in the app
Questions
Is Schema free?
There is a free plan and it does not expire. Using the editor yourself — schematic capture, board layout, routing, DRC, ERC and Gerber export — is not metered at all. The AI agent is metered: the free plan includes a monthly credit allowance, and you can buy more credits if you run out.
What is a credit?
A credit is the unit the AI agent spends. One credit is one US cent of billed value, so credits track the real cost of running the models rather than being an arbitrary token. Your balance and usage are shown in the app.
What happens when I run out of credits?
The agent stops until your allowance renews or you buy more. Nothing else changes — the editor keeps working, your projects stay open, and you can carry on designing by hand.
Do I need to pay to export Gerbers?
No. Fabrication output is not metered. Gerber RS-274X and Excellon drill export are part of the free plan, because a tool you cannot get your work out of is not a tool.
Is there a per-seat licence?
No. There is no seat count and no per-seat licence. The free plan is per account, and the paid element is metered agent usage rather than a subscription to the editor.
Can I use Schema commercially?
Yes. Boards you design are yours, and there is no separate commercial licence for the editor.
Start on the free plan
macOS, Windows and Linux. Bring your existing KiCad and Altium libraries — trying it does not mean rebuilding your parts.