A Tinkercad Circuits alternative for physics and electronics labs

This page is for teachers and students who use Tinkercad Circuits and are looking at another tool for circuit and electronics lessons.

The two tools overlap: both run in the browser and both have breadboards. Tinkercad pairs electronics with 3D design and coding, including Arduino and micro:bit. DCACLab focuses on circuit lessons for physics and electronics, with worksheets built on working circuits and a classroom workflow.

What Tinkercad Circuits does well

Tinkercad is a free web app for 3D design, electronics and coding.
Circuits projects are simulated in the browser, so students can try them without physical hardware.
It has breadboards, with an introductory breadboard tutorial.
Arduino and micro:bit boards can be programmed with Codeblocks, and micro:bit also with Python.
In Tinkercad classes, students join with a link or a code, teachers assign activities, and there is a Google Classroom integration.

What DCACLab offers for circuit lessons

Bench-style instruments: digital and analog multimeters, an oscilloscope and a wattmeter.
AC circuits: AC sources with capacitors, inductors and transformers, and an oscilloscope to watch the waveforms, for example the output of a half-wave rectifier.
Components for physics and electronics lessons: resistors, potentiometers, diodes, LEDs, bipolar transistors, MOSFETs, operational amplifiers, relays, switches, logic gates and integrated circuits.
A breadboard mode, where students place parts and jumper wires as they would on a real breadboard.
An IC Creator for making your own integrated circuits (not included in the Starter plan).
Classes: create a classroom, share its join link, assign a circuit with a due date, choose whether students can resubmit, then enter a mark on each submission.
Ready-to-use lab activities, each with steps, a data table, questions and an answer key.
Saving and sharing circuits, with a plan or as part of a class. Without a plan the lab is a limited demo: saving needs an active plan, and a circuit can have at most two components of each type.

Side by side

Where it runs: Tinkercad Circuits: web app, in the browser.; DCACLab: in a web browser.
Breadboard: Tinkercad Circuits: breadboards, with an introductory tutorial.; DCACLab: breadboard mode.
Microcontrollers and code: Tinkercad Circuits: Arduino and micro:bit with Codeblocks; micro:bit also with Python.; DCACLab: no microcontroller programming; the focus is analog and digital circuits.
Classes: Tinkercad Circuits: students join with a link or a code, teachers assign activities, Google Classroom integration.; DCACLab: classrooms with a join link, assignments with due dates, and a mark on each submission.
Access: Tinkercad Circuits: free web app.; DCACLab: without a plan, a limited demo (saving needs an active plan, at most two components of each type); classrooms run under a school or institutional license.

When to choose Tinkercad Circuits instead

Your lessons combine electronics with coding on Arduino or micro:bit.
You also teach 3D design and want one app for both.
Your school works in Google Classroom and wants that integration.

How to try DCACLab

For students

Create an account and open the lab in your web browser. Without a plan the lab is a limited demo: saving needs an active plan, and a circuit can have at most two components of each type.

Create an account

Teaching with circuits?

Create a classroom, give your students this lab, and review what they submit. The free classroom demo gives you one classroom with room for 30 students for 7 days, counted from when your first student joins (once per teacher); after that it keeps up to 5 students.

Try the free classroom demo

Frequently asked questions

Does DCACLab have a breadboard?

Yes. The breadboard mode lets students place parts and jumper wires on a virtual breadboard and measure the circuit with a multimeter and an oscilloscope.

Can I program an Arduino in DCACLab?

No. DCACLab does not simulate microcontrollers. For Arduino or micro:bit projects, Tinkercad Circuits covers that work.

Can I run a class in DCACLab?

Yes. Create a classroom, share its join link, assign a circuit with a due date and grade what students hand in.

Is DCACLab free?

Without a plan the lab is a limited demo: saving needs an active plan, and a circuit can have at most two components of each type. Teachers can also try the classroom demo: one classroom with room for 30 students for 7 days, counted from when the first student joins (once per teacher); after that it keeps up to 5 students.

Sources

Facts about other products come from their official websites, checked on 3 November 2026.

Tinkercad is a trademark of Autodesk, Inc. DCACLab is not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by Autodesk, Inc.