Where to Buy Circuit Boards & Components in the UK: A Practical Guide

Why choosing the right UK supplier matters

Picking the right place to buy circuit boards and electronic components can feel like navigating a maze, especially when your project hangs in the balance. Do you want fast prototyping, bulk savings, expert advice, or rare legacy parts? UK suppliers often offer a sweet spot between local support and global stock, letting you avoid long shipping runs measured in miles and days. In this guide I’ll walk you through the best options—from big distributors to specialist hobby shops—so you can spend less time hunting parts and more time building.

Big distributors: stock, reliability, and technical resources

When you need guaranteed stock, datasheets, and testing specs, large distributors are the go-to. Companies like RS Components, Farnell (element14), and CPC serve engineers and makers alike, offering millions of SKUs, competitive pricing on common parts, and strong search tools. They’re like the department stores of electronics: you’ll find resistors, connectors, and power supplies alongside PCBs and test gear.

RS Components

RS Components is a titan in the UK market, known for rapid search results, BOM tools, and a comprehensive range of industrial-grade components. If you’re scaling a design or working on a professional project, the site’s technical resources and clear stock indicators are invaluable. Typical board sizes, connector pitches, or power ratings are easy to filter — think 2.5 in connectors or 0.1 in pitch headers for hobby PCBs.

Farnell (element14)

Farnell brings a strong technical focus, especially for prototyping and development kits. They’re a great match if you’re working with microcontrollers like Arduino or Raspberry Pi modules and you want matching accessories—cases, HATs, or breakout boards sized in inches. They also partner with designers through educational resources and reference designs.

CPC (part of RS group)

CPC is often the clever choice for hobbyists and small labs looking for accessible pricing and small-quantity packs. Their range includes both SMD and through-hole parts, plus a good selection of PCB prototyping materials—perf boards, copper clad sheets, and adhesive-backed prototyping boards measured in inches.

Hobbyist and maker-focused UK stores

If you love hands-on builds, sensors, wearables, or tiny computers, specialist UK shops provide the quirky kits and community-friendly service you’ll appreciate. They tend to offer curated parts, tutorials, and accessories tailored for Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and discrete prototyping.

Pimoroni

Pimoroni is a Sheffield-based favourite among Raspberry Pi enthusiasts. Their range covers HATs, breakout boards, and custom PCBs sized for Pi form factors, often sold with helpful guides. If your project needs LEDs, tiny displays, or a creative breakout board measured at 2.2 in by 1.8 in, Pimoroni is a great stop.

The Pi Hut

The Pi Hut specialises in Raspberry Pi accessories, cameras, and cases. Their selection of add-ons, expansion boards, and prototyping hats means you can pick up everything for a Pi-based build without juggling multiple suppliers. Boards and enclosures are often described in inches to match Pi dimensions and case openings.

Proto-pic and Hobbytronics

Smaller shops like Proto-pic and Hobbytronics cater to the DIY and educational markets with PCB prototyping supplies, junkbox components, and bespoke kits. These stores are perfect for students and hobbyists who prefer single-piece purchases and enjoy digging through unique modules or breakout boards.

Online marketplaces and international suppliers that serve the UK

Sometimes the exact part you need is only available through a global marketplace. Amazon UK and eBay UK can be lifesavers for obscure parts, cheap basic kits, or fast shipping from local sellers. For industry-level components, global distributors like Mouser and Digi-Key ship to the UK and carry deep inventories. Just watch for customs and lead times measured in days rather than hours.

Mouser & Digi‑Key

Mouser and Digi‑Key are known for their huge portfolios and fast quoting for larger orders. If you’re sourcing rare ICs, surface-mount component reels, or specialty connectors measured in fractions of an inch, these sites can be worth the wait. Their datasheets and parametric search tools rival those of the big UK distributors.

Amazon UK and eBay UK

For quick kits, generic PCBs, and common parts, Amazon and eBay are convenient. They’re especially handy when you need a fast turn or want a cheaply made proto board roughly 3 in by 4 in. Be mindful of seller ratings and part authenticity—sometimes what looks like a bargain can be a counterfeit or low-quality clone.

PCB fabrication and assembly services in the UK

Order a custom printed circuit board and you’ll want a reliable fabricator. UK-based PCB makers often provide fast turnaround, especially for prototype batches measured in small quantities. Services like quick-turn PCB firms will typically quote in inches for board dimensions and offer options for soldermask colours, silkscreen, and surface finish.

Local PCB houses and quick-turn providers

Local PCB shops focus on speed, with options for 1–2 layer prototypes through to rigid-flex and high-density boards. They’ll quote for panelised runs, and can often provide assembly services if you prefer a turnkey solution. For small-scale projects, paying a little extra for local fabrication can save weeks compared to overseas options.

Contract assembly vs. DIY assembly

If your design includes many SMD parts with a pitch below 0.05 in, professional assembly is worth considering. For through-hole or larger SMD parts, hand-soldering at a soldering station with a 0.1 in kit is often sufficient. Consider the cost of rework—if a board requires reflow or BGA placement, contract assembly is usually cheaper than a hobbyist salvage effort.

Choosing components: SMD or through-hole?

Which mounting style should you pick: tiny SMD parts or classic through-hole? Think of it like choosing between driving a sports car or a pickup—SMD is compact and high-performance but needs precision tools, while through-hole is robust and easy to handle. Hobbyists often start with through-hole for learning, then move to SMD as they strive for smaller, denser designs measured in fractions of an inch.

When SMD is the right pick

SMD components save board space and are essential for modern consumer designs. If you’re building a compact wearable or a small IoT node, SMD parts let you pack more functionality into a board the size of a credit card—about 2.1 in by 3.4 in. Keep a microscope, fine-tipped soldering iron, and steady hands on your shopping list.

When through-hole is easier

For breadboarding, prototyping, and educational projects, through-hole parts are a blessing. With standard 0.1 in header pins and larger resistors, you can solder by hand and swap components without special tools. Classroom projects and early prototypes often use perfboard and shield-style PCBs measured in inches to simplify learning.

How to compare prices and avoid common pitfalls

Price per component is only part of the story. Factor in minimum order quantities, shipping measured in postal classes rather than mileage, and lead times. Bulk reels might look cheap per unit but force you to buy hundreds or thousands more than you need. Use BOM tools from distributors to compare total costs across RS, Farnell, CPC, and the specialist shops mentioned earlier.

Watch the tiny details

Datasheets hold the devil in the details—pinouts, thermal specs, and package dimensions in inches or millimetres. Don’t assume a part will fit because it looks similar; a 0.05 in difference in pin spacing can ruin a project. Cross-check footprint libraries and use 3D models where available to visualise how parts sit on a board.

Prototyping tips to speed up your build

Want to go from idea to working prototype without pulling your hair out? Start small and iterate. Order a small run of PCBs, populate one board first, and use headers to test modules. It’s cheaper to rework a header than an entire soldered population measured in multiple inches of copper and trace.

Design for test and modularity

Include test points and modular connectors so you can probe voltages and swap sub-modules. Break complex circuits into boards that connect with 0.1 in pitch headers—this makes debugging feel more like assembling Lego than performing surgery.

Where to find hard-to-get parts and legacy components

Older designs sometimes require discontinued parts or obsolete connectors. For these situations, try specialist brokers, surplus houses, or marketplace sellers with verified feedback. Keep a list of equivalent modern replacements—often you can swap in a component with the same footprint and similar specs rather than chasing an obsolete part.

Using cross-reference tools

Many distributors offer cross-reference search to find modern equivalents by comparing pinout and electrical characteristics. This is useful if you’re updating a design that originally used parts no longer made—swap in a modern IC and maybe shave fractions of an inch off your board.

Soldering, assembly and test: practical advice

Good assembly starts before the first solder joint. Check footprints, order a small set of spare parts, and use magnification for tiny SMD work. For consumer-sized boards under the size of a smartphone—roughly 2.75 in by 5.5 in—consider stencils for solder paste and a hot air rework station for accurate placement.

Heat, flux, and patience

Soldering SMD is part craft, part chemistry. Use flux to help solder flow, a temperature-controlled iron to avoid overheating, and practice on throwaway boards. If a component is misaligned, a dab of flux and gentle reheating will usually coax it into place without damage.

Sustainability and recycling considerations

Electronics create waste, and reclaimed parts and boards can be a sustainable resource. Search UK recyclers or local maker spaces for salvage components, and design with repairability in mind—use modular connectors and avoid excessive glue. Small changes now can keep a board out of landfill and extend a project’s life by years rather than months.

Summary: match your project to the right supplier

Choosing a supplier comes down to priorities: speed and local support (RS, Farnell), maker-focused kits and community (Pimoroni, The Pi Hut), bargain hunting and odd parts (Amazon UK, eBay UK), or deep inventories for professional builds (Mouser, Digi-Key). Combine these resources, read datasheets carefully, and prototype iteratively to save time and avoid expensive surprises.

Conclusion

Whether you’re soldering your first resistor or ordering a small run of custom PCBs, the UK offers a robust ecosystem of suppliers to suit every need. From global distributors that stock millions of parts to niche UK shops tailored to makers, you can piece together the right supply chain for reliability, speed, or cost savings. Treat component selection as part of the design process—cross-check footprints, choose SMD or through-hole wisely, and plan for testing. With the right approach, that prototype on your bench will be a repeatable product before you know it.