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Flux vs ChatGPT: Answers, work files, and code in ChatGPT. A designed device in Flux.

ChatGPT answers questions, creates work files, and includes Codex for coding tasks. Flux turns a hardware requirement into a checked device, with electronics and mechanical design in one live project.

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Flux editor: the AI engineer plans and delegates tasks while the 3D view shows the complete device: enclosure, circuit board, and wiring

What Flux and ChatGPT are

What Flux is

Flux turns a product requirement into a complete hardware design. The AI hardware engineer works across electronics, mechanical parts, and firmware in one live project, then checks the work and provides manufacturing files.

What ChatGPT is

ChatGPT includes Chat for questions, writing, web search, and images. It also supports voice across web, desktop, and mobile.[1]

ChatGPT Work creates and edits documents, slide decks, spreadsheets, charts, and PDFs with connected apps. Codex is a coding agent alongside ChatGPT.[1]

OpenAI does not train on ChatGPT Business or Enterprise content. Individual users can opt out of training on their content.[3]

What ChatGPT does

Get answers in Chat

Chat can answer questions, help with writing, search the web, and create images.[1]

Create work files

Work creates and edits documents, slide decks, spreadsheets, charts, and PDFs with connected apps.[1]

Keep coding work close

Codex is available alongside ChatGPT for coding tasks.[1]

Same models. A complete hardware project.

ChatGPT helps with questions, work files, and coding through Codex. Flux also runs OpenAI models. It adds a live hardware project with schematic design, PCB layout, mechanical parts, firmware, simulation, and manufacturing files.

Close-up of a red guitar pedal board in its enclosure
Flux project photos show boards and enclosures made together.
Flux compared with ChatGPT
Feature Flux ChatGPT
Requirements and specification The AI engineer turns your idea into requirements and a product specification, and checks the design against them. Answers questions, searches the web, and creates images.[1]
What it is AI hardware engineer with its own design tools Chat, Work, and Codex in the ChatGPT product.[1]
Where it runs In your web browser. Nothing to install. Your projects live in the cloud. Web, desktop, and mobile apps, with voice.[1]
Who does the design work The Flux agent. Your engineers review and edit. People use ChatGPT for questions, work files, and coding.[1]
Schematic and parts Built in. Picks from 734,000+ public parts. No built-in schematic design workspace.[1]
Board layout and routing Built in No built-in board layout and routing workspace.[1]
Placement and routing The AI engineer places the parts and routes the board like an experienced designer. Your engineers review and edit. No built-in PCB trace-routing tools.[1]
High-speed design The AI engineer routes differential pairs and length-matched buses such as DDR, tunes length and skew, fans out BGAs with blind, buried, and microvias, and sets trace impedance from your stackup. It checks the routed board with S-parameters, TDR, eye diagrams, and crosstalk analysis. Your engineers review and edit. No built-in PCB signal-integrity analysis.[1]
Parts and sourcing 734,000+ public parts, with live prices and stock from distributors No built-in electronics parts library.[1]
Simulation and design rule checks SPICE, power delivery network, full-wave electromagnetic, signal integrity, thermal, and mechanical simulation, plus design rule checks No built-in hardware simulation workspace.[1]
Firmware Writes firmware for the board it designed Codex is part of ChatGPT for coding tasks.[1]
Wiring harnesses Built in. Flux designs the wiring harnesses between the boards: connectors, pinouts, and wires, in the same project. No built-in wire-harness design workspace.[1]
Manufacturing files Gerber, ODB++, IPC-2581, bill of materials, pick-and-place, and more; Flux can check the files before you order, including copper gaps, silkscreen, board outline, BOM, and pick-and-place files. No built-in hardware manufacturing-file workflow.[1]
Quotes and orders Quotes and orders for boards, 3D printing, CNC machining, and wire harnesses, from the project. No built-in hardware quoting or ordering workflow.[1]
Import from other tools Imports complete projects from Altium, OrCAD and Allegro, KiCad, PADS and Xpedition, CADSTAR, Eagle, Fusion Electronics, EasyEDA, DipTrace, and SOLIDWORKS PCB. Flux imports Labcenter Proteus SDF netlists with Specctra board exports. IPC-2581 revision B and C files become board projects with reusable footprint parts. No built-in EDA project importer.[1]
Versions, branches, and merges Full change history. The AI engineer forks a design into a second version, keeps both, and merges the changes that you pick. No native hardware design version history.[1]
Who reviews the work The whole team, in one live project in the browser: electrical, layout, mechanical, and firmware engineers You prompt the assistant and review its responses.[1]
Product images, videos, and documents Product images, product videos, datasheets, and regulatory documents, made from the design in the project. Work creates and edits documents, decks, spreadsheets, charts, and PDFs.[1]
Mechanical CAD Built in, kernel agnostic. From an enclosure to a complete robot arm. No built-in mechanical CAD design workspace.[1]
Mechanical simulation Finite-element stress, thermal, and airflow simulation No built-in mechanical simulation workspace.[1]
Mechanical manufacturing STEP, STL, and 3MF files, plus quotes for 3D printing, CNC machining, sheet metal, and laser cutting No built-in mechanical manufacturing workflow.[1]
CNC toolpaths and G-code The AI engineer writes the toolpaths, the G-code, a toolpath preview, and a setup sheet for the parts that it designed. No built-in CNC toolpath or G-code workflow.[1]
AI models Frontier models from several providers, including OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini models OpenAI models[2]
Tool licenses Included in your Flux plan: the editor, mechanical CAD, parts data, simulation, and manufacturing files. Nothing else to buy. Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans.[2]
Team knowledge and rules Written once for the whole organization. Every AI engineer applies it on every project, and Flux checks every design against your rules. Projects and memory support ongoing work.[2]
Parallel work A lead AI engineer splits a product into workstreams across projects, runs them at the same time, and reports back. Large changes wait for your approval. Scheduled tasks are available on paid plans.[2]

Orchestration

Coordinate electrical and mechanical design.

Flux keeps board, enclosure, and firmware work connected to one product requirement and one live project.

Work from the same product goal

The electrical and physical designs stay linked to the requirement.

Progress together

Board and enclosure work can move forward at the same time in Flux.

Review active work

Your team can see project changes and review design work in context.

Keep the team aligned

Shared project access gives engineers and reviewers the same design information.

Example

A connected board and enclosure

Flux keeps mounting holes and connectors aligned with enclosure openings. Engineers review the circuit board and the physical design in the same project.

Built for teams

Let engineers work in the same project.

Flux runs in a browser, where engineers, reviewers, and AI support can share the current hardware design.

  • One workspace

    Store designs, comments, and revisions together in a cloud project.

  • Team design context

    Keep approved parts, rules, and decisions available to the team.

  • Review the AI's work

    Inspect the output and continue from the same project as a teammate.

  • Start from a link

    Open the project in a browser without local CAD installation.

  • Speak with Flux

    Talk to the AI hardware engineer using a computer or phone.

Engineer holding a finished board in its enclosure, designed with Flux

Customizable

Make Flux work with your design practices.

Share team knowledge, set design rules, and connect the tools used across your hardware projects.

Team knowledge

Save approved parts and design guidance for reuse across the organization.

Design rules

Set layout and manufacturing requirements for the project.

Connected services

Link MCP servers and web APIs to the Flux workflow.

Managed API keys

Organization admins manage service keys without exposing them to the AI engineer.

Interactive project tools

Create a live page for budgets, bring-up tracking, or an interactive assembly.

Use Flux through AI tools

Connect Claude Code, Cursor, or other MCP-compatible agents to Flux.

Connect your existing engineering services.

  • Onshape Onshape
  • Autodesk Fusion Autodesk Fusion
  • PTC Windchill PTC Windchill
  • Siemens Teamcenter Siemens Teamcenter
  • Arena PLM Arena PLM
  • OpenBOM OpenBOM
  • Duro Duro
  • GitHub GitHub
  • GitLab GitLab
  • Memfault Memfault
  • Golioth Golioth
  • Particle Particle
  • Nordic nRF Cloud Nordic nRF Cloud
  • Edge Impulse Edge Impulse
  • NI SystemLink NI SystemLink
  • SimScale SimScale
  • Octopart Octopart
  • SiliconExpert SiliconExpert

Design more than a document or a script

Move from requirement to device

Flux turns a hardware brief into electrical and mechanical work that stays together for review.

Connect every design discipline

Work across schematics, boards, enclosures, firmware, and manufacturing outputs in one product.

Start with engineering tools ready

The editor, import tools, simulation, design checks, and manufacturing files are part of Flux.

Select from 734,000+ public parts

Flux part records include live distributor data to support component selection and sourcing.

Verify the work in the project

Use simulation, design rule checks, and datasheet checks before your engineers approve a design.

Keep team review in context

Collaborators can open the same live project and use organization and project access controls.

Model-agnostic AI

Use OpenAI models for hardware design

Flux runs frontier models from several providers, including OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini models. Adaptive model selection chooses a capable model for each engineering task. Your team gets frontier performance at 30% lower cost.

  • OpenAI
  • Anthropic
  • Google Gemini
  • More as they ship
Adaptive model selection

Frontier models at 30% lower cost.

Flux selects models for engineering work with capability and cost in view. Your team gets frontier performance in one connected hardware product.

Frontier AI models

  • Reasoning
  • Planning
  • Language

Flux engineering harness

  • CAD and EDA tools
  • Project context
  • Simulation
  • Design rules

Working hardware

  • Schematics
  • Boards
  • Enclosures
  • Firmware
  • Fab files
  • Product videos

Bring OpenAI models to Flux

Use OpenAI models inside the workspace for circuit, board, mechanical, and firmware design.

Use the built-in engineering environment

The model can work with Flux tools, project data, and hardware design flows.

Keep current as models change

Adopt updated models without moving the hardware project to another environment.

Choose among providers

Flux supports frontier models from several providers rather than a single model vendor.

Select by task and cost

Adaptive model selection finds a capable model for each engineering task and its price.

One platform

One AI engineer for every part of the product.

ChatGPT helps with Chat, Work, and Codex. Flux gives hardware teams one connected project for the electronics, physical design, and manufacturing work.

  1. USB-C power input schematic in Flux

    Electrical engineering

    Start from the requirements, select components, create the schematic, and simulate circuits.

  2. Routed board layout of the ESP32 x86 PC in Flux

    PCB layout

    Arrange components, route traces, define stackups, and run design rule checks.

  3. Boards, enclosure, and mounts in one model

    Mechanical design

    Build enclosures, brackets, and mounts around the board's mounting holes and connectors. Add STEP models and source screws and standoffs.

  4. STM32 current-loop firmware that Flux wrote and compiled, in a syntax-highlighted code block

    Firmware

    Create firmware for the designed board and build, analyze, and unit test the code.

  5. Bill of materials with stock and pricing

    Manufacturing

    Find parts, get fabricator quotes, and deliver production files for boards, assemblies, and cables.

A guitar pedal board in a purple enclosure, next to a red board with the Flux logo
Flux project photos show boards and enclosures made together.

Verification lab

Review engineering checks before you build.

Flux can simulate and verify the design with professional engineering tools before it provides manufacturing outputs.

Circuit simulation

Run SPICE analysis for analog, power, and mixed-signal designs.

Electromagnetic simulation

Analyze impedance, S-parameters, crosstalk, and antennas on the routed board.

Thermal simulation

Study board and enclosure temperature and airflow before fabrication.

Fluid simulation

Check cooling airflow inside an enclosure before the first prototype.

Mechanical simulation

Evaluate stress in physical parts such as brackets, mounts, and enclosures.

Design rule checks

Run electrical and manufacturing checks across the schematic and board.

Datasheet verification

Compare component pinouts, ratings, and operating limits with their datasheets.

SPICE load step of a 3.3 V buck converter
SPICE load step of a 3.3 V buck converter
Thermal map of top and bottom copper
Thermal map of top and bottom copper
Stress analysis of an aluminum bracket
Stress analysis of an aluminum bracket
S-parameters of a USB data line, simulated on the routed board
S-parameters of a USB data line, simulated on the routed board

Sourcing

Use live distributor information for parts.

Flux helps select electronic and mechanical parts with current supplier data and supports pricing comparisons.

  • Digi-Key Digi-Key
  • LCSC LCSC
  • Mouser Mouser
  • Arrow Arrow
  • Verical Verical
  • TME TME
  • HQonline HQonline
  • McMaster-Carr McMaster-Carr
  • MISUMI MISUMI
  • JLCMC JLCMC

Manufacturing

Carry the design into manufacturing.

Flux supports live quotes for board production, assembly, cables, and mechanical manufacturing as the project changes.

Circuit boards and assembly

  • JLCPCB JLCPCB
  • PCBWay PCBWay
  • OSH Park OSH Park
  • AISLER AISLER

Mechanical parts

  • Craftcloud Craftcloud
  • JLC 3D printing JLC 3D printing
  • PCBWay 3D printing PCBWay 3D printing
  • Shapeways Shapeways
  • OSH Cut OSH Cut
  • SendCutSend SendCutSend

Cables and wiring harnesses

  • MiniProto MiniProto

Protect the work your team creates.

  • Cloud infrastructure aligned with SOC 2
  • Organization single sign-on
  • Permissions at the project level
  • Your inputs and outputs stay your intellectual property
  • Customer data is not used to train AI

Flux pricing

  • Explore

    See current pricing

    Trial terms depend on your current offer.

  • Build

    See current pricing

    Trial terms depend on your current offer.

  • Pro

    See current pricing

    Trial terms depend on your current offer.

  • Teams

    See current pricing

    Teams subscriptions start paid.

Eligible individual plans include a free trial. Teams subscriptions start paid; trial and pricing terms depend on your current offer. See all plans

When to use which

Use ChatGPT for questions, work files, and coding. Choose Flux when your team needs to turn a product requirement into a complete hardware design. Flux's AI engineer does design work in hours; the same work without Flux takes days or weeks.

Questions

Bring your next hardware brief to Flux.

Review team plans or book time with Flux to see the hardware workflow.

Start Free Trial Book a Demo

Sources

  1. ChatGPT overview: https://openai.com/chatgpt/overview/
  2. ChatGPT pricing and plans: https://openai.com/chatgpt/pricing/
  3. ChatGPT data use: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6783457-what-is-chatgpt