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Having a house that’s both functional and beautiful is the ultimate goal for many homeowners, but it can be difficult to achieve without help. Design software is an invaluable resource if you’re taking on a major remodel or building a home from scratch. The best floor plan software transforms sketches, vision boards, and abstract ideas into beautiful 3D models.
Before you spend money, it's helpful to find tools that align with your specific project and are compatible with your go-to devices. In this guide, we break down the industry’s top floor plan software, focusing solely on programs aimed at beginners. See how their features—from visualization tools to shoppable furnishings—stack up.
Best Floor Plan Software of 2023
- Best Overall: Homestyler
- Best 3D Graphics: Home Design 3D
- Best HD Images: HomeByMe
- Best for Tablets: RoomSketcher
- Best Product Library: Floorplanner
Best Overall: Homestyler
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HomeStyler
Key Specs
- Cost: $0–$10/month
- Device Compatibility: Desktop, mobile, and tablet
- No. of plans: 4
Why We Chose It
Ultimately, HomeStyler tops our list because its free version is so comprehensive. Homestyler allows users to create floor plans, 3D models, and more, and its premium versions include bonus features.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free version with unlimited 1K rendering
- Virtual tour function
- Dozens of written tutorials and how-to videos
Cons
- No free trial for Pro and Master paid plans
- Basic plan members must purchase higher-quality renders separately
Overview
HomeStyler allows you to create floor plans, 3D models, advanced renderings, and virtual stagings from a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. You can build a home from scratch on the free version, and with unlimited 1K renderings, you can visualize what your space will look like when it's finished.
The Basic plan lets you virtually tour your 3D layout and add real items from popular furniture stores in its "real brands" catalog. It also offers 2K and 4K renders as part of its Pro (from $5/month) and Master (from $10/month) plans. These include panoramic pictures, video rendering, and retouching capabilities.
The software is available on desktop and both iOS and Android devices. HomeStyler has the highest App Store rating of any program on this list with 4.5 out of 5 stars, and it offers access to a huge selection of tutorials and video demonstrations about topics like drawing a room accurately and editing the floor shape.
Best 3D Graphics: Home Design 3D
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Home Design 3D
Key Specs
- Cost: $0–$20
- Device Compatibility: Desktop, mobile, tablet, and Steam
- No. of plans: 4
Why We Chose It
Home Design 3D includes user-friendly tools that focus on 3D renderings, making it easy to scale rooms to your home and visualize your designs.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free version to test out basic functions
- Easy-to-use design tools and real-time 3D tours
- Outdoor spaces included
Cons
- No free trial for paid plans
- No way to save in the free version
Overview
Home Design 3D may not have secured the most coveted spot on our list, but it’s still an excellent option for homeowners. The software allows you to toggle between 2D and 3D throughout the entire design process, and you can add architectural elements and furniture in either view.
Given that 3D is in the name, it’s not surprising that the program also has an impressive virtual tour feature that lets you walk through each room as if you’re really there. Home Design 3D also offers the ability to create exterior spaces, so your outdoor oasis can seamlessly be added to the rest of the floor plan.
In order to work across multiple devices and share your designs, you have to pay for an upgrade. The good news is that the fee is one-time rather than monthly. For multi-room projects, we recommend the Gold ($12) or Gold Plus ($20) plans, which have much bigger item libraries for you to browse through during the decorating stage.
Best HD Images: HomeByMe
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HomeByMe
Key Specs
- Cost: $0–$65/month
- Device Compatibility: Desktop, mobile, and tablet
- No. of plans: 3
Why We Chose It
HomeByMe's designs are offered in high definition that looks realistic enough to be mistaken for photos.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Virtual catalog of 20,000+ home products
- Ultra-realistic images
- A wide array of add-ons
- Option to enlist design assistance from a professional
Cons
- Free version doesn’t include 360-degree photos
Overview
If you struggle to visualize your design ideas, selecting floor plan software with excellent HD imagery will solve that problem. HomeByMe lets you generate gorgeous 3D images with a single click. The photos are so realistic that your friends and family will think you stole them from a magazine.
The software has a community inspiration board that allows users to share their creations with other members, ask for feedback, and discuss ideas. Your first five projects are free, and with its add-on model, you only buy what you need. Extra services include a technical drawing of your finished floor plan (from $15) and interior design help, complete with a style board (starting at $69).
If you want to handle the decoration yourself, HomeByMe has more than 20,000 shoppable products you can insert into your floor plan, many of which come from top home brands like AllModern, Wayfair, and Pottery Barn.
Best for Tablets: RoomSketcher
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RoomSketcher
Key Specs
- Cost: $0–$99/year
- Device Compatibility: Desktop and tablet
- No. of plans: 4
Why We Chose It
Created for use on larger screens like desktops and tablets, RoomSketcher's easy-to-use tools make it simple to design your entire home with an accurate scale.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Straightforward design tools
- Allows for precise measurements
- Users can customize furniture, fixtures, and more
- Ability to create outdoor areas
Cons
- Can't use design tools on mobile
- High-quality 3D photos are not included in the free version
Overview
If you know you’ll be working on a tablet, RoomSketcher may be the easiest software to manage. Its simple interface makes creating floor plans from scratch a breeze, or you can start with one of the provided templates.
The free subscription allows you to build a layout with exact measurements for rooms and furnishings, but the paid plans have advanced features like the ability to swap out finishes and colors with the “replace materials” tool. For example, this function lets you customize a staircase down to the treads—and pretty much any other design element you want.
Prices for the two annual plans are $49 or $99, and both include interactive home tours with a live 3D feature and the ability to print your floor plan to scale. One drawback of this software is that it’s not compatible with mobile devices.
Best Product Library: Floorplanner
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Floorplanner
Key Specs
- Cost: $0–$29/month
- Device Compatibility: Desktop and tablet
- No. of plans: 3
Why We Chose It
Floorplanner's extensive library of products lets users choose design and décor elements to match a variety of unique furnishings.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 150,000+ product catalog
- Unlimited projects across all plans
- 2D and 3D image rendering
- Instructional videos and weekly webinars
Cons
- Not supported on mobile
Overview
You don't need to be a professional to use Floorplanner’s creator tools, but the browser-based software really soars above its competition in the decorating stage. No matter what plan you choose, you’ll have access to a huge product library (over 150,000 items).
This large assortment allows you to get as close to your actual design vision as possible. With the Basic plan, you can also export 2D and 3D images, though higher quality renders and virtual tour capabilities require an upgrade—paid plans start at $5 per month.
In addition to the thousands of furniture, décor, doors, and windows available to you, Floorplanner has an extensive support hub to help you navigate the software. This section of the website houses a user manual, how-to videos, a blog detailing the newest features, and a signup sheet for a weekly webinar.
Final Verdict
HomeStyler ultimately snagged our top spot because of its high-quality imagery, instructional guides, and availability on both desktop and mobile. This floor plan software offers 3D models and more with a large catalog of furnishings, plus bonus features like video rendering and panoramic photos on its paid versions.
If you want to take a tour through your 3D floor plan, we recommend Home Design 3D, though HomeByMe’s HD photos are also great for visualizing a remodel. While beginners might feel most comfortable with RoomSketcher’s straightforward tools, Floorplanner’s free version is arguably the best no-cost option of the bunch. At the end of the day, any one of these software programs will help bring your design dreams to life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Can I Find Ideas for Floor Plans?
Home design websites, magazines, influencers, and blogs offer plenty of inspiration to start designing your floor plan. Additionally, software like RoomSketcher offers templates to get your creative juices flowing, while programs such as Home Design 3D and HomeByMe have community boards where users can get inspired by each other's work.
How Can I Design My Own Floor Plan?
The easiest way to design your own floor plan is to use floor plan design software, which allows you to customize your rooms, furnishings, permanent fixtures, and more. The best software offers specific measurements to design each room to scale. This ensures that your designs will suit the actual space in your home once implemented.
Can Floor Plan Software Be Integrated With Other Programs?
Most floor plan design software cannot be integrated with other design-related programs. That said, many apps allow projects to be uploaded to the cloud, Dropbox, or other digital sharing platforms so they can be emailed or presented.
Is Floor Plan Software Easy to Use?
Not every floor plan software is easy to use, as some are intended for trained design professionals. However, there are plenty of programs that cater to regular homeowners who are looking to remodel their existing homes or build their dream property. The floor plan software included in this list is easy for beginners, but if you have any issues, some companies also offer support hubs with articles and videos to help you learn. You can also contact customer service through the brand's website to answer any questions.
What Do Real Estate Agents Use for Floor Plans?
Like professional designers and homeowners, real estate agents often use floor plan design software to create floor plans. To draw up basic floor plans for homes with room placement, size, and fixtures like windows and doors, real estate agents can measure each room before drawing it by hand or implementing it in software.
Methodology
To find the best floor plan software, we compared more than 40 apps and programs based on their available features, price and range of plans, device compatibility, and level of skill required. We also considered the inclusion of tutorials and demos for users to learn more. Each company's customer service and average rating was noted to include only those with high customer satisfaction.
We excluded software specifically tailored to industry professionals. Instead, we focused on programs that most individuals can use easily. Companies with free versions of their software received extra points in the cost category, while apps that work across mobile and desktop scored high for availability.