Guides 9 min read Published 2026-08-25

Pedal Playground vs. PedalboardPlanner vs. BoardPlannerHub: 2026 Comparison

Looking for the best online pedalboard planner? We compare Pedal Playground, Pedaltrain PedalboardPlanner, and BoardPlannerHub across pedal library size, power calculations, 3D underside clearances, and AI auto-wiring.

Planning a guitar pedalboard used to require cutting out paper templates, laying pedals on the carpet, or guessing whether patch cables and power supplies would fit under the deck.

Today, interactive web-based pedalboard planners allow guitarists and bassists to design custom rigs with 1:1 scale millimeter accuracy before buying gear.

In this comprehensive 2026 breakdown, we compare the top three online tools: Pedal Playground, Pedaltrain PedalboardPlanner, and BoardPlannerHub.


1. Feature Comparison Matrix

FeaturePedal PlaygroundPedaltrain PedalboardPlannerBoardPlannerHub
Pedal Catalog Size~2,500 pedals~1,800 pedals11,900+ pedals (Updated Weekly)
Pedalboard Brands SupportedPedaltrain, Temple Audio, MonoPedaltrain OnlyPedaltrain, Temple Audio, RockBoard, Aclam, Mono, Custom Sizes
Power Supply mA Budget Calculator✗ No✗ No✓ Automatic isolated voltage & mA calculation
Patch Cable Clearance Testing✗ No✗ No✓ Visual jack collision & pancake plug simulation
3D Underside Power Mounting✗ No✗ No✓ Interactive 3D angle & underside clearance check
AI Auto-Arrange Solver✗ No✗ No✓ Constraint-solver AI arranges board automatically
Cloud Autosave & Public Rig Sharing⚠ Local storage only⚠ URL string hash✓ Cloud Sync, User Profiles, Community Gallery
PriceFreeFree100% Free

2. In-Depth Analysis of Each Tool

A. Pedal Playground

Pedal Playground is a beloved community tool created by Travis Lin. It pioneered 2D drag-and-drop pedal layouts in the browser.

  • Strengths: Clean open-source interface, straightforward drag-and-drop, custom box generator.
  • Limitations: Does not calculate electrical power draw (mA), lacks underside power brick clearance checks, and does not simulate patch cable jack spacing.

  • B. Pedaltrain PedalboardPlanner

    PedalboardPlanner was one of the earliest planning websites, officially published by Pedaltrain.

  • Strengths: Official Pedaltrain frame dimensions.
  • Limitations: Locked exclusively to Pedaltrain brand boards (cannot test Temple Audio or RockBoard), slower catalog updates, and lacks cable routing or power calculators.

  • C. BoardPlannerHub (The Modern 2026 Solution)

    BoardPlannerHub was built from the ground up to solve the shortcomings of older tools by combining physics dimensions with electrical power calculations and modern 3D rendering.

  • 11,900+ Pedals & 300+ Boards: The largest verified gear catalog online, including boutique builders (Chase Bliss, Walrus Audio, Strymon, EarthQuaker Devices, Hologram, Meris).
  • Integrated Power Budget Engine: Automatically totals your pedals' milliampere (mA) consumption across 9V, 12V, and 18V outputs, warning you if your isolated power supply (Strymon Zuma, Cioks DC7, Voodoo Lab) is overloaded.
  • 3D Underside Deck Clearance: Switch between Top View and 3D View to inspect underside power supply brackets and angled rail clearance.
  • AI Layout Solver: Let our constraint-solver AI auto-arrange pedals by signal chain order and optimize tight gaps.

  • 3. Which Pedalboard Planner Should You Choose?

  • Choose Pedal Playground if you want a basic 2D silhouette layout with simple dimensions.
  • Choose Pedaltrain Planner if you strictly use official Pedaltrain products and only need visual reference.
  • Choose BoardPlannerHub if you want a complete, all-in-one workstation with 11,900+ pedals, exact power supply mA calculations, patch cable routing, and 3D clearance checks.

  • Start Planning Your Custom Pedalboard Today!

    Experience the new standard in guitar rig design. Launch the free BoardPlannerHub 1:1 Scale Pedalboard Planner now!

    Ready to Plan Your Guitar Rig?

    Use BoardPlannerHub's free interactive 1:1 scale pedalboard planner to test pedal layouts, calculate mA current draw, and auto-wire patch cables.

    Launch Pedalboard Builder