We have conducted a study to find the most powerful planar magnetic actuator that works with a limited amount of current. The actuator must be flat so that it can be fabricated with thin-film or thick-film techniques. In this paper, we propose several configurations of planar electromagnetic actuators. These devices have been modeled, optimized, and fabricated. They allow improvement of the actuation force, and offer the possibility of fabricating complex coils that fit multidipolar magnets. Both cylindrical and checkerboard structures have been tested, and found to enhance the force of the actuators at small air gaps. We calculated the actuation force of the actuators using the surface current density model. This model yields a better understanding of the systems and decreases the calculation time by up to 1000 times. Comparison of calculations with simulations and measurements shows the relevance of the model. Moreover, the model allows one to find the best planar electromagnetic actuator among the proposed designs.