You'll probably start on a breadboard. Most people do. Push components in, test the circuit, pull them out. No commitment. Once the design is working, you take it to perfboard and solder it down for good.
Breadboard
A breadboard is a plastic block with spring-loaded clips inside. Push a component leg into a hole and it connects to every other hole in that row. No soldering. Pull it out when you're done and use the parts on the next thing.
A simple circuit is up in minutes. If something doesn't work, move a wire. If a component fails, swap it. The spring clips that make this easy also make it temporary. Connections loosen. Wires slip. Above around 10 MHz, parasitic capacitances in the board itself start affecting the circuit. For anything permanent, high-frequency, or exposed to vibration, you need a soldered board.
We have a standard 400-point breadboard and a larger 830-point version if your circuit needs more room. A set of pre-cut jumper wires helps keep things tidy.
Perfboard
Perfboard is a rigid FR4 board with holes drilled at 2.54 mm spacing. Each hole has a copper pad. Nothing is pre-connected. You place the components where you want them and solder every connection by hand.
The result holds up. Soldered joints handle heat, vibration, and time in a way spring clips never will. You have full control over the layout since there are no fixed traces to work around. The catch is that mistakes are hard to undo. Desoldering is slow and often pulls pads off the board. Plan the layout before you touch the iron.
Our protoboards come in five sizes from 2×8 cm up to 15×9 cm, with solder mask and labeled rows and columns. Standard 2.54 mm spacing, same as any perfboard.
Which one to use
Test on a breadboard. Build on perfboard.
Start with the breadboard. Try component values, move things around, check if the circuit actually does what you think it does. Once it's stable and you need it to last, transfer it to perfboard and solder it properly.
If you want to skip some of the layout work, our PCB protoboard has holes laid out in the same pattern as a standard half-size breadboard. You can move a working breadboard circuit directly onto it without rethinking the whole layout. Useful when you want to make something permanent fast.
For more than a handful of units or anything that needs multi-layer routing, a custom PCB is the next step.
Learn to solder with Soldered
Getting from breadboard to perfboard means learning to solder. If you haven't done it, the fastest way is to start with a kit. You build a real circuit, practice the technique, and end up with something that works.
We have soldering kits for beginners in the Soldered shop. Simple circuits, clear instructions, all components included.
If you want more background on both boards, Adafruit's Collins Lab guide is worth a read.
Conclusion
Breadboards are for testing. Perfboards are for building. Most projects use both.
Breadboard and perfboard FAQs
What is the difference between a breadboard and a perfboard?
A breadboard uses spring clips to hold components without soldering. It's reusable but temporary. Perfboard requires you to solder each connection. Harder to change, but it lasts.
Can you use a breadboard permanently?
No. Connections loosen over time, dislodge under vibration, and the spring clips aren't built for long-term use. For anything that needs to last, move the circuit to perfboard or a custom PCB.
Do you need to solder on a breadboard?
No. You push components and jumper wires into the holes and the clips hold everything. That's the point. It's why breadboards are where most people start.
When should you move from breadboard to perfboard?
When the circuit is working and you need it to stay that way. If you're still changing values or chasing a bug, stay on the breadboard.
What comes after perfboard?
A custom PCB. When you need more than a few units, multi-layer routing, or a clean final product, a PCB is worth the effort. Perfboard is fine for one-offs and small batches.
