12 Best Home Design Apps In 2023

Are you redecorating your living room, furnishing your first home or planning a kitchen remodel? You can improve the process of your next construction or DIY home project with the help of a home design app. Sometimes it can be difficult to envision how your space could look through your own eyes. Design software can make it easier to conceptualize what your ideas would look like and make any necessary adjustments.

Explore our guide to the best user-friendly home design apps for testing your design ideas on your mobile device or desktop.

Top Room Planning And Interior Home Design Apps

We researched the best interior design apps on Android and iOS and assembled a list of our top 12 picks for home design apps.

Many of the free apps below are owned and run by furniture stores. They cost nothing because they’re marketing products for the furniture and decor at that store. These apps are great – because of the free price tag – but they’ll limit you to products available at that particular store. If you aren’t planning to shop from that store, it can limit your options.

Some of the apps below allow you to design or build a home from scratch – kind of like “The Sims” video game. These can be fun for designing a home, or just to play around with if you’re interested in interior design as a hobby.

Finally, there are some apps that can measure your actual room or home and use your phone’s technology to create a quick and accurate floor plan for your space. These apps are great for contractors and designers working in various homes looking to create estimates, quotes or virtual design plans.

1. Homestyler

Homestyler is an app that allows you to take a picture of a room and design it. It uses a drag-and-drop functionality to add 3D furniture and accessories to your space.

Best for: Beginners – the software is simple enough for anyone to pick up quickly.

Cost: The basic plan is free, but you can upgrade for $4.99 or $9.99 a month for renderings in 4K and to remove the Homestyler watermark.

Pros: Users love that the basic version of this app is free, and that there’s a large library of decor options. You can easily switch from 2D to 3D models and really get a feel for your space. The drag-and-drop functionality of this app makes it easy for anyone to use.

Cons: Users report the software has a slight lag and can be slow. Additionally, you’ll have to pay for 4K renderings or upgrade to the unlimited plans for additional features.

2. Planner 5D

Planner 5D is a design software that can be used to build houses, buildings or rooms from the ground up. There is a huge object catalog for furniture and decor to add to your design. Planner 5D can run on your web browser or on a specific app on your phone or tablet.

Best for: Beginners – this software is drag-and-drop and very easy to use.

Cost: Free, but you have to pay for many of the furniture and decor pieces in the catalog. You’ll also have to pay separately for renderings.

Pros: This software is easy to use and can help design anything from a simple room to a huge building. Users love that it can be used on the app or on the web.

Cons: The cost can add up quickly if you want a lot of furniture or add-ons to your space. Some users complain that the program is a data hog and can slow down your computer when in use.

3. Houzz

Popular home design site Houzz has a home design app for your phone or tablet. This app is mainly an inspiration board, where you can collect images of projects or homes you like in one place. The app will also suggest products and connect you to purchase them right there.

Best for: Beginners and homeowners looking for inspiration.

Cost: Free.

Pros: If you’re looking for a Pinterest alternative, this could be a good fit.

Cons: There aren’t the design capabilities that some of these other apps have – it’s just for gathering inspiration.

4. IKEA Place

IKEA stores have developed their own app to let you try IKEA furniture or cabinets in your home. Take a photo of your room and the app will use augmented reality to insert the IKEA items into the image.

Best for: Beginners and homeowners looking to shop at IKEA.

Cost: Free.

Pros: If you know you want to shop at IKEA, this is a great way to try their furnishings in your space and get a feel for how they would look next to the items you already have.

Cons: Because this app was designed by IKEA, you can only display IKEA furniture. If you aren’t shopping at IKEA, or buying second-hand IKEA pieces, this app won’t do you much good.

5. IKEA Home Planner

IKEA Home Planner is IKEA’s web browser home design solution (there’s no app). While the IKEA Place app allows you to place furniture in a photo of your room, IKEA Home Planner allows you to build detailed renderings of rooms and homes from the floor up.

Best for: Homeowners who want to shop at IKEA.

Cost: Free.

Pros: This software is great for designing a 3D floor plan of a room, but it’s especially loved for its kitchen cabinet design system. You can easily figure out exactly what pieces you need to put together to remodel your kitchen.

Cons: This software is web browser only; there is no phone app. Also, it’s once again limited to IKEA furniture so if you don’t plan to shop there, it’s not ideal.

6. Magicplan

Magicplan is an app that converts a photo into a floor plan – no measuring required.

Best for: Contractors or professionals.

Cost: The app is free to try, but to run a report or print a plan, you’ll need to sign up for a monthly subscription. Plans run from $9.99 to $89.99 a month, depending on the exact features needed.

Pros: It’s easy for contractors on the job to use a tablet to quickly photograph and design a room with additions like doors and windows. They can then quickly create an estimate for the job you’re bidding on.

Cons: Some users complain that rooms with lots of furniture can be difficult to scan. Contractors will need a little training and patience to learn how to use the app effectively. The cost can also be a con, though some claim it pays for itself with the timesaving and quick estimates.

7. Havenly

Havenly is less of a design app and more of a design service. It helps you get paired with an interior designer who will help you perfectly design a room. With this service, you can get a custom design and shopping list for your space.

Best for: Homeowners who don’t want to design their own space.

Cost: The rate is $79 for a design, or $129 for a design with 3D renderings and floor plan.

Pros: You’ll get access to a designer and get a custom design based on your style preferences and your space.

Cons: This is a pricier service since you’re paying someone to do the work for you.

8. Room Planner From Wayfair

Furniture superstore Wayfair has released its own program to design rooms – the Room Planner from Wayfair. This is a 3D visualization tool used to place furniture in a space to get a feel for how it will look. The app also uses augmented reality to allow you to add furniture to an image of a room in your home.

Best for: Homeowners shopping on Wayfair for furniture and decor.

Cost: Free.

Pros: The software is super easy to use and has a huge library of products to try out. It’s nice to be able to use images of your own home, too.

Cons: The products are limited to Wayfair products, which makes sense because it’s their app. If you’re not shopping on Wayfair, it might not be a great fit.

9. Home Design 3D Gold

Home Design 3D is an app that allows you to design floor plans in 2D and 3D. The library includes over 1,500 pieces of furniture and hundreds of textures to incorporate into your space.

Best for: Design enthusiasts looking to experiment.

Cost: There is a free version, but the Gold Plus version with all of the bells and whistles is $19.99.

Pros: This app allows you to build a home from the ground up, with tons of details.

Cons: Many reviewers complain that it’s hard to get a room and objects to size precisely and accurately. For that reason, this app seems impractical for those trying to design an actual room. But it’s better for people looking to just have some fun designing mock-ups with no real-world purpose.

10. Amikasa 3D Floor Planner With Augmented Reality

The Amikasa app uses augmented reality to visualize a room design before you even pick up a paintbrush.

Best for: Homeowners looking to design a room in their home.

Cost: The price of the app is $0.99.

Pros: Users say this app and interface are easy to use.

Cons: Users complain that there are limited decor options and that the app is trying to promote certain brands.

11. RoomScan Pro

RoomScan Pro is an app that can create a 3D floor plan in an instant. You simply tap your phone to each wall of the room and the app creates a floor plan for you.

Best for: Homeowners planning a room makeover.

Cost: Free to try or $8.49 to access all features.

Pros: It’s quick and easy to use. A great way to make a floor plan for a real estate listing or brainstorm home makeovers and furniture layouts.

Cons: Measurements are estimated to be correct within 6 inches. This is fine for homeowners making a rough plan, but not good enough for contractors or architects to rely on.

12. DFS Room Planner

DFS is a furniture store based in the United Kingdom. They have a room planner software similar to other store-based software. You can use their basic rooms or upload photos of your space to visualize their furniture in your home.

Best for: Homeowners shopping at DFS.

Cost: Free.

Pros: This is a free and simple online program for designing furniture layouts in your home.

Cons: You’re limited to DFS furniture for the room, so if you don’t want their pieces, it might not be a great fit.

House And Interior Design Apps: FAQs

What else is there to know about using apps for home and interior design? Read through these frequently asked questions.

Can I design my own house?

Yes, you can design your own home. If you’re using a home design app to sketch out your ideas, you may want to consider a paid service to verify that your ideas are realistic, feasible for upgrades and within your renovation budget. Plus, you may want to avoid a furniture store-owned design app if you’re not planning on using that brand’s items throughout the home.

Is there a free app to build your own house?

The list above contains several free options for designing your dream home. However, if you’re working with a professional contractor or builder, they may use their preferred software to ensure accuracy. Free apps can be a good way to bring some of your ideas to life. But you should always consult a professional when it comes to building a new home.

Can you download a picture of your house and change the exterior for free?

There are plenty of design apps that can help you visualize different exterior features on your home. Different apps will allow you to test out different features to boost curb appeal, from new paint colors to siding to new roofing. Do your research into available apps’ costs and capabilities, and try out several apps to find which is best for you.

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re planning a major renovation or just looking to make a few budget-friendly updates, you can streamline your redesign with the help of a home design app. Many of these choices are great if you know you’re going to shop at a specific store. Some are best for inspiration and playing around, and others will give you an accurate rendering of your redesign. Make sure you know what you’re looking for when picking a home or interior design app.

If you’re ready to bring your design ideas to life and start renovating, consider a cash-out refinance to finance the project. Apply online with Rocket Mortgage^®.