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Who Offers SPICE and FastSPICE circuit simulators?

Daniel Payne

Daniel Payne

Moderator
Here's a list of EDA vendors offering SPICE, and FastSPICE circuit simulators. Let me know if I missed any and I'll update the post.

Which circuit simulators do you use?

Which one is your favorite?

Which need some improvements?

SPICE

  • HSPICE, Synopsys. On the market for 30 years now.
  • Spectre, Cadence. IC oriented.
  • PSpice, Cadence. System oriented.
  • APS, Cadence. Parallel.
  • Eldo, Mentor.
  • FineSim SPICE, Magma. Parallel.
  • RASER, Infinisim.
  • SmartSpice, Silvaco.
  • T-Spice, Tanner EDA.
  • MSIM, Legend Design.
  • ACCIT, ACCIT New Systems Research. GPU powered.
  • Ngspice, Open Source.
  • Gnucap, Open Source, not based on SPICE.
  • Qucs, Open Source, GUI and schematics.
  • SIMetrix SPICE, SIMetrix (also SIMPLIS for PLL, switching, complex modulation simulation)
  • IsSpice4, Intusoft.
  • LTspice IV, Linear Technology. Focus on switching regulators, includes schematics and waveform viewer.
  • NI Multisim, National Instruments. Part of Electronics Workbench.
Analog FastSPICE

FastSPICE

 
Last edited:
Dear Daniel Payne,

I am new to this forum, but it looks like that you're definitely the SPICE guy! :)

Therefore I have a very simple question about SPICE circuit simulator:

What is the best software package to be used by someone that has NEVER used SPICE before?
When I say "the best" I mean with the following conditions in mind:

- very easy to learn,
- not so expensive (less than $300, free would be perfect ;),
- can simulate analog and digital components together,
- include a lot of different analysis (AC, DC, noise, etc),
- to be used on Windows XP or Vista,
- large library including device models of most common semiconductor makers,
- include a tutorial (a book would be better) with lots of exercises.

Once again sorry for my silly question.:eek:

My Best Regards,
 
Wilson,

For a Free SPICE circuit simulator check out Ngspice, the Open Source tool.

Happy learning.

Gambatte kudasai.
 
hi wilson,

i believe Linear Tech's LT spice will suite your needs better. It is a complete package with a schematic editor, waveform viewer, etc ... and it is free (I think).

I believe there is a tutorial on it as well.

I found it to be pretty good for PCB type work etc ... but for serious silicon circuit design you will need access to commercial tools and device models.

Hope you have fun.

Tuck
 
I think we need to "archive" some of the spice simulators in your list ...

e.g. those that are either not used or supported or bought out or obsolete or only used in teaching/books but not applicable in real life.
 
Tuck,

Which ones are not used, or supported? I could make a table that indicates how commercial or just academic they are.

Thanks.
 
Hi Daniel,

heard of AVO spice?

How about specialty tools like AWR?

And how about adding a section, for completeness, on IC companies with inhouse simulators?

FSL -- Mica (founded in 1988-1989, by Steve Hamm, who also developed ADICE in the old days (and TI-spice before that), and is known for convincing Barrie Gilbert that Spice is useful; I met Barrie at a workshop in the mid 90's and he acknowledged this), Parallel, RF, AMS

Titan
TI-Spice
ADICE
IBM -- ??
Intel -- used to be run by Peter Saviz (waveform relaxation, columbia) in 2002. seems Eric Grimme manages it now.

Regards,
Kiran
 
Last edited:
Personally, I would not know which ones are obsolete ... I guess you would have to ask people if they are still using the tools ...

I just looked at gnucap last night and the last revision was released in 2006 ... more than 4 years ago ! That was before multi-core processors became mainstream !
 
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