What’s The Best Home Design Software? Top 10 Revealed

Many people ask similar questions about home design software. In this section, we aim to answer these most popular questions about the best home design software options.

Home design software is any computer program that helps to build, design, layout, change, or alter an interior or exterior space around a home. All these programs have roots in the traditional CAD (computer-aided design) software that launched in the 1960s.

Through the use of three-dimensional and two-dimensional renderings, drawings provide accurate interpretations of what the finished building or design will look like. From a structural perspective, design software helps plan location elements for utility features, walls, ceilings, floors, stairs, floor plans, decks, balconies, and a variety of landscaping ideas.

In the design realm, the best design software will provide customization tools to change colors and textures of the spaces and provide large graphics galleries. These galleries offer furniture, decor, and accent elements to design the space before spending any money.

Finding the best home design software largely depends on you and your project. Some of the best home design software options require a basic understanding of CAD software whereas others are easier to use. If you have time to learn a more complicated program, these programs could work for you. If not, we’d recommend seeking a program suitable for beginners.

Each program has its own set of features. More complicated programs might offer many unnecessary features unneeded for your specific project. Check out our reviews to learn what the software can and cannot do.

The final important consideration to make pertains to the equipment you’ll use to run the best home design software. Always check to see if your computer specifications are compatible with the software before buying. Sometimes, software developers do not allow for product returns. This is particularly the case with software that is downloaded. Most of the best home design software functions with Windows, but the Windows versions vary. Some software works with Apple computers, but there aren’t as many options.

Amazon sells all the best home design software options in this review. Other developer specific software websites also offer home design software options. Be careful when downloading software online. Be sure to only download from reputable sources to protect your computer.

Features

Sweet Home 3D is easy-to-use interior design software for remodeling projects. This basic program is best suited for simple changes that need to happen quickly.

Features include single or multi-level wall and room drawing, door and window arranging, and floor, wall, ceiling, and furniture color and texture customizing. Designs are viewable in three-dimensional and two-dimensional overview formats.

Price

Amazon sells a download of Sweet Home 3D for at an affordable price. This program is downloadable for free from the developer’s website; however, the purchase prices gives you a selection of furniture and fixtures to insert into your renderings.

System Requirements

Sweet Home 3D operates on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and XP. The download of the software is 149 MB and available to US residents only.

Features

If you will spend a little more and invest more time in learning a program, the Chief Architect Home Designer Suite may be the way to go. This program offers a clean and crisp graphic design quality imagery for your remodeling or architectural project. The program includes a library filled with over 6,000 options to accent your creation.

Features for the Chief Architect Home Designer Suite are inbuilt templates, custom options, three-dimensional and two-dimensional viewing, auto generators for roofs, stairs, foundations, framing, dimensions, decks, and terrains. This software allows several viewing options to see what your creation will look like at different times of the day and from different points of view. All designs are fully exportable to your mobile devices for on-the-go 360-degree views of your new home or garden design

Price

Amazon sells the Chief Architect Home Designer Suite for at an affordable price.

System Requirements

The Chief Architect Home Designer Suite runs on Windows 7, 8, and ten along with Mac OS X.

Features

Anuman Interactive Home Design 3D is one of the most popular options among all the best home design software, and it’s free to try before you buy. It isn’t any wonder why. This software and app offer all the most widely used features for revamping a home or property for a low price.

The free version offers a two-dimensional and three-dimensional floor plan arrangements, furniture and decoration libraries, edits for all design elements, and functional importing and exporting to ensure your project is safe and in your hands when you need them to be. This app can be used both as a game and as a design software—further proof of its ease of use. It’s worth it to go for the Gold Edition when you are using this to plan a project because your designs won’t save on the Premium Edition.

Price

Amazon provides access to the Premium Edition for free. The Gold Edition that includes even more insertable objects and more floor plans costs at an affordable price.

System Requirements

Anuman Interactive Home Design 3D is available for iOS, Android, PC, and Mac.

Features

Another free home design software program is the NCH DreamPlan Home Design and Landscaping program. It’s a simple program that doesn’t offer a ton of exceptional features, but it’s a good value for simpler projects. It’s easy to use which helps gets projects finished faster.

DreamPlan can create plans to alter interior and exterior spaces. The program comes equipped with several options for furniture, fixtures, decorations, and plants. One of the best features of this freeware program is the option to switch between three-dimensional and two-dimensional viewing. Many DIY renovators use this program when sprucing up a kitchen, bath, or lawn.

Price

DreamPlan Home Design Software is free for non-commercial use in download form.

System Requirements

DreamPlan software for home and landscaping can be downloaded onto a Mac 10.5 or higher and Windows 7, 8, 10, Vista, or XP. Computer requirements include a Core 2 Duo, 512MB RAM, 20MB hard disk, and a 64MB video card.

Features

The Home and Landscape Design Essentials software by Punch! is loaded with essential features to get your next project off the ground. The simple drag-and-drop features make editing and rearranging simple to do. The software gives access to two-dimensional and three-dimensional renderings to provide access to a more realistic view of the alterations. Punch! Includes free video tutorials to help you get started with the program.

Price

Punch! Home and Landscape Design Essentials costs at an affordable price.

System Requirements

Home and Landscape Design Essentials by Punch! is compatible with Windows computers running Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10. This program is only available to users in the US.

Features

Virtual Architect Ultimate Home Design with Landscaping and Decks 8.0 by Nova Development is marketed to be an easy-to-use program, and it is if you already have a basic understanding of CAD software. For everyone else, this program may not flow as smoothly.

For those of you who have a firm grasp on CAD, we’d recommend checking out Virtual Architect Ultimate Home Design with Landscaping and Decks 8.0. It has a fast, Wizard-driven interface, uses digital photos, and assists with a vast library filled with 3D graphics to make your remodeling or building project come to life.

Price

Virtual Architect Ultimate Home Design with Landscaping Decks 8.0 costs at an affordable price on Amazon.

System Requirements

This program will run on Windows 7, 8, 10, and Vista.

Features

Chief Architect Premier is the best home design software for DIYers with some cash to invest. Although the program costs substantially more than any other option in this review, the price is worth it for the user-friendly interface and a plethora of design features and planning options.

If you are committed to building a new space, Chief Architect Premier can bring your plans alive. It comes with tools to design houses in automated and manual formats, auto roofing, flooring, foundations, ramps, and staircases, and modern interior design features.

Price

Chief Architect Premier at an affordable price on Amazon.

System Requirements

Chief Architect Premier is compatible with Mac OS X, and Windows 7, 8 and 10.

Features

The Encore Home Architect Home Design Deluxe 9 is an interior designer’s delight featuring a 3D walk-through tours, remodeling recommendations, templates, and customizable color and texture features.

Price

On Amazon, 3D Home Architect Home Design Deluxe 9 costs at an affordable price.

System Requirements

Encore’s 3D Home Architect functions on Mac OS X and Windows XP Professional, XP Home Edition, and XP.

Features

Total 3D Home Design Deluxe is one of the older home design software options on this list, but it still is worth a mention due because it is so easy to use. The program offers a great selection of sample plan templates and allows for customized entries. The 3D design elements are a little out-of-date, but this program works well for basic layouts.

Price

Amazon sells Total 3D Home Design Deluxe for at an affordable price.

System Requirements

Total 3D Home Design Deluxe works on Windows 7, 10, and XP.

Features

HGTV Home & Landscape Platinum Suite 3.0 is an updated version of the DIYer classic with full-spectrum use for indoor and outdoor applications. With a “virtually limitless” choices to update or erase your current layouts and designs, HGTV Home & Landscape Platinum is suitable for remodeling, creating, and landscaping.

The Platinum Suite 3.0 displays imagery in two-dimensional or three-dimensional photorealistic form. It’s entirely Wizard-Driven, with an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface. Import photos, calculate cost estimates, insert furniture and fixtures, create virtual tours, and browse an extensive plant encyclopedia within the program to layout and create the home of your dreams.

Price

Amazon sells HGTV Home & Landscape Platinum Suite 3.0 for at an affordable price.

System Requirements

To run the HGTV Home & Landscape Platinum Suite 3.0 you must have Windows XP, Vista, or 7 with 1 GB RAM, DVD-ROM drive, color monitor with 1024 by 768 or higher display resolution. You will need internet to access certain design features. This software is available in disc form only.