Home & Interior Design Software
Plan Your Room
Truly freeEntirely free to lay out rooms in 2D and basic 3D with exact dimensions, but there's no paid tier and no real file export; you print to keep a copy, and the save system is widely reported to lose work.

Sweet Home 3D
Truly freeCompletely free and open-source for personal and commercial use with no feature paywall; the only real limit is that the online and mobile versions can't import custom 3D models or export OBJ, which the desktop app handles.

Arcadium 3D
Free, with limitsFree forever (not a trial) with the full library and real-time 3D, but capped at 2 projects and roughly 30-50 objects each, with no custom-model import and only limited AI render credits before you need Pro.

Cedreo
Free, with limitsThe free plan gives 1 project and only 5 photorealistic renders that are watermarked and personal-use only, with no blueprint download and no commercial use; everything beyond that requires a paid plan.

Coohom
Free, with limitsFree to design and view in 3D in-browser, but free renders are capped at around 10 standard renders a month and carry a Coohom watermark; HD/4K, panoramas, videos, and watermark removal all require a paid plan.

Floorplanner
Free, with limitsFree to design in 2D/3D with the full library, but every free export is locked to SD (960x540) with a Floorplanner watermark, and HD/4K, watermark removal, multiple floors, and DXF/PDF export all cost credits.

HomeByMe
Free, with limitsFree design with unlimited 2D/3D screenshots, but you get only 5 realistic HD renders total for the account's lifetime (not per month), deleting a project doesn't refund the credit, and free is personal-use only.

Homestyler
Free, with limitsFree to design with unlimited 1K renders and 100k+ models, but every free render carries a Homestyler watermark, removing it needs a paid plan, and 4K renders cost $1.99 each a la carte.

Live Home 3D
Free, with limitsThe free version limits you to one active project at a time, watermarks all image and video exports, and disables 3D-model export entirely; a one-time Standard purchase removes those limits.

Planner 5D
Free, with limitsFree to design unlimited 2D/3D projects, but about half the furniture catalog is locked, you get no proper renders, and DWG/DXF export plus custom 3D import require the Professional plan.

RoomSketcher
Free, with limitsFree to draw accurate floor plans and view low-res 3D snapshots, but you can't download, print, or export a finished 2D/3D plan until you pay about $4 per output or subscribe to Pro, and free is capped at 2 projects.

Roomstyler
Free, with limitsFree to design in 3D with the full real-brand catalog, but you must sign up to render, free renders are low-res (around 640x480) and watermarked, and HD downloads require credits.

SketchUp
Free, with limitsSketchUp Free is free for personal, non-commercial use in the browser only; you can model and download skp/png/stl, but DWG/DXF/OBJ/PDF export, the desktop app, and extensions all require a paid plan.

Chief Architect / Home Designer
Free trial onlyThere's no free tier, only a non-expiring trial that disables saving, printing, exporting, and walkthrough recording, so you can explore in 3D but can't get any work out without a paid subscription.

SmartDraw
Free trial onlyThere is no free tier, only a 7-day trial; after that you must pay, billing is annual-only, and it produces flat 2D floor plans with no 3D or photorealistic rendering at all.
What to look for in home & interior design software
The best home design software depends on what "free" needs to mean for you. For a true no-cost 2D and 3D floor planner with no watermark, Sweet Home 3D is the safest pick. For browser-based room design with a big furniture library, Planner 5D is easiest, but its free plan watermarks renders and unlocks only half the catalog. For professional 3D modeling, SketchUp is the standard, though its free web version exports only SKP, PNG, and STL files. Below, we compare each tool by what it actually gives you for free, what it watermarks or locks, and which platforms it runs on, so you can choose before you invest the time.
2D vs 3D and render quality. Some tools only draw flat floor plans; others build full 3D models. The big gap is photorealistic rendering: many let you design in 3D free but charge for lit, high-quality renders, and free renders often carry a watermark. Decide if you need a real picture or just a layout.
Real object and furniture library. A large, accurate catalog saves hours. Check whether the free plan unlocks the full library or just a slice. Planner 5D’s free tier, for example, gives about half the catalog; the rest is paid.
Beginner learning curve. Drag-and-drop planners (Planner 5D, Roomstyler) take minutes to learn. Pro tools (SketchUp, Chief Architect) are powerful but steep. Be realistic about time spent learning vs. designing.
Whole-house vs single-room. Room planners shine for one room. Whole-house and new-build design (multiple floors, framing, roofs) needs heavier tools like Chief Architect, Cedreo, or Live Home 3D. Match the tool to project size.
Export and import (DWG, OBJ, STL, PDF). This is where "free" often breaks. SketchUp’s free web version exports only SKP, PNG, and STL — no DWG or PDF. If you need to share CAD files or import a plan, confirm formats before you start.
Mac, iPad, and web availability. Many "best" tools are Windows-only. Check for native Mac, an iPad app, or a browser version. Live Home 3D and Cedreo run on Mac; SketchUp and Planner 5D run in any browser; some pro tools never leave Windows.
Watermarks and account limits. Free renders are often stamped, and free accounts may cap projects, render resolution, or save slots. Check what "free" output actually looks like before you rely on it.
Questions, answered
What is the best free home design software?
For a fully free 2D and 3D floor planner with no watermark and no project limits, Sweet Home 3D is the strongest pick — it’s open-source and exports without locks. If you want a polished browser experience with a furniture catalog, Planner 5D is easiest for free, but expect a watermark on renders and only about half the library unlocked. There’s no single "best" — it depends on whether you value zero limits or ease of use.
Is SketchUp free, and what are the limits?
Yes, SketchUp for Web has a free version that runs in your browser. The catch is exports: the free tier only saves SKP, PNG, and STL, so you can’t export DWG, DXF, PDF, or OBJ without a paid plan. Free use is also limited to personal, non-commercial projects, and the desktop modeler is paid-only.
Can I design a house online without downloading anything?
Yes. Planner 5D, SketchUp for Web, HomeByMe, and Roomstyler all run entirely in a browser. Browser tools are the fastest way to start and work on any OS, but they often gate the best features — high-resolution renders or full libraries — behind a paid plan. For offline, no-watermark work, a download like Sweet Home 3D is usually better.
Do free home design tools put a watermark on renders?
Often, yes. Planner 5D stamps its logo on free renders, and several others do the same or cap resolution. Sweet Home 3D is a notable exception — it produces clean images with no watermark because it’s free and open-source. Always generate a test render before you commit.
What’s the difference between home design and interior design software?
Home design software covers the whole structure — floor plans, walls, multiple stories, roofs — so it’s built for remodels and new builds. Interior design software focuses on a finished space inside existing walls — furniture, color, décor, lighting. Many tools do both, but if your goal is decorating a room, an interior-focused tool feels simpler.
Learn more
- The Rendering Essentials (YouTube)
- SketchUp’s official YouTube channel
- TheSketchUpEssentials (YouTube)
- The Sweet Home 3D official site & documentation