Choosing the right software can be challenging, especially when you’re on a tight budget. Luckily, I’ve personally reviewed dozens of interior design software programs for online designers.
To help you choose the right options for your business, here are my suggestions.
Wunderlist
One of the biggest aspects of any interior design project is keeping track of all of the tasks that need to be done. That’s what makes Wunderlist such an indispensable tool for creating interactive to-do lists that you can share with your clients, contractors, and creative team.
This app will help you to set and manage install dates, rank tasks by priority and degree of completion, and add sub-tasks to help break big projects down into small assignments. You can even add photos to each to-do list, which will help you be clear in making assignments and specific in tracking progress. You can use this app daily as a virtual clipboard for all of the day-to-day tasks that you need to check off the list before the end of the day.
Room Planner LE Home Design App
Room Planner LE Home Design App
Adobe Capture CC
Homestyler Interior Design
SketchUp
With the worldwide interior design market being worth an estimated $150.7 billion, investing a small amount into design software will likely go a long way in boosting your profits.
SketchUp is a smart software that helps to visualize your idea that still provides that joy you feel when drawing by hand. Create designs that matter and with sustainability at the forefront. There are hundreds of professional features that have been developed to make professional and high-quality designs from scratch.
One of the best uses for this platform is to take advantage of its collaborative tools. The benefit of being able to work as a team is a trick that can help avoid miscommunication and better the end results for your clients.
Planner 5D
Planner 5D is one of the most popular interior design rendering solutions on this list. It can create both 2D floor plans and 3D renderings and offers a wide range of design tools. It can be accessed from mobile devices as well as your computer.
Planner 5D is free to use for simple floor plans and interior designs, but the ability to create photorealistic 3D rendering does come at an additional cost — and depending on the number of designs you’re creating a month, this cost can add up, so it may be a plan better suited to large firms.
In short, if you’re looking for the basics, this is a solid free option. However, keep in mind that the 3D rendering quality is poor compared to other platforms. If the quality and presentation of your designs is important to you, it might make sense to look at another more robust option like Cedreo.
Key interior design features:
- 2D rendering available for free
- 3D rendering available at a premium
- Mobile-friendly
Pricing:
- This program is free to use, but you will have limited access to the catalog and have to pay for 3D Renderings.
- HD Imaging bundles range from $9.99 for 20 renderings to $49.99 for 200 renderings.
- Personal: $6.99/month – full access to the catalog and 3 HD Renderings.
- Professional: $13.99/month – full access to catalog and 3 HD Renderings.
Ivy
Ivy is an interior designing tool created by Houzz. It’s easy to use, making it a good program for both novices and industry veterans. The app does not allow designers to create floor plans or generate 3D visualizations of a room.
The most unique feature about Ivy is the ability to connect directly to clients, letting you upload your design ideas and share them in real-time. The client can then approve the different components of your design right in the app, or request revisions. This saves both of you time and tracks any changes.
Ivy is one of the pricier apps on this list, but the most expensive tier also includes other useful features like payment and business management tools, potentially replacing other apps you may be paying for separately.
The downsides to Ivy are that it doesn’t have many features, and licensing can be a nuisance. As a result, if you’re designing your own home or flipping homes for profit, this may not be the tool for you. If you’re working on larger, higher-scale projects, however, this could be the solution you need.
Key interior design features:
- Easy to use
- Ability to connect with your clients directly through the app
- Designed for large businesses
Pricing: Ivy Software is now included in Houzz Pro starting at $55/month.
Infurnia
Infurnia is another solid interior design tool. It’s a feature-rich platform specifically for interior designers. It’s cloud-based, making it perfect for designers on the go — you can make edits using a web browser without having to install a desktop version that takes up room on your hard drive.
With Infurnia, you can create 2D drawings and floor plans as well as photorealistic 3D, panoramic, and VR renderings. It also provides a space to collaborate in real-time,, making it a powerful tool for teams of multiple designers.
Lastly, it has a large catalog of furniture, floorings, wall coverings, customizable staircases, and modular kitchen tools for every design need.
Key interior design features:
- Cloud-based platform
- Supports both 2D and 3D renderings
- Real-time collaboration capability
- Large library of furnishings and customizations
Pricing:
- Free offer with limited features.
- Business: $50 per month, per user.
- Enterprise (for custom integration requirements): $50 per month, per user with a minimum monthly billing of $10,000.
- Must purchase renderings separately.
Design a Room
Design a Room by Armstrong Flooring is a great app to use if you’re redesigning an existing room or home rather than creating one from scratch. That’s because this app works by having you upload a photo of your existing room or select a photo from hundreds of available templates.
From there, you can edit the room by customizing the flooring, paint, and stain of the furniture. Unfortunately, the design options are pretty limited after that, which is why we recommend it as a tool for personal use or for making minor changes to your existing space.
Key interior design features:
- Ability to upload a photo of an existing room
- Customize the flooring, paint, and furniture stain
Pricing: Design a Room is a free program with very limited capabilities and catalog.
Conclusion
The interior design 3d software has been the most used tool by interior decorators for over a decade. It has been used not only by them but also by many house flippers and commercial real estate developers to create their own visions in designing their houses or offices.