In this article, we run through the 20 best free and paid interior design tools for every skill level and budget in 2023. Learn about the latest software in the field and each tool’s key features.
SUMMARISE WITH:
Whether you’re training to become an interior designer or you’re an interior design professional, you’ll know that staying up to date on the latest design and project management tools is crucial to creating high-quality designs, organizing your workflow, and successfully completing design projects.
To help you find the most innovative and intuitive interior design tools available, we’ve compiled a list of 20 of the best free and paid software options for every skill level and budget.
Let’s take a look at the top interior design software and tools for this year.
Contents:
The best paid interior design software and tools for 2026
In this section, we’ll be covering the best paid-for interior design software and tools available.
1. Autodesk AutoCAD LT
AutoCAD LT is a web application that enables interior decorators and engineers to create complex multi-layered drawings and drafts using 2D geometry. With features such as tool palettes, external referencing, printing, and plotting, this popular interior design software boasts an intuitive, easy-to-use interface, and a mobile app that can be used for accessing, sharing, and editing from anywhere.
Cost: $60 per month
Skill level: Beginner-intermediate
Pros:
- Intuitive interface makes it a good tool for beginners
- Mobile app makes the tool accessible from anywhere
Cons:
- If autosave feature is not enabled there’s a risk of losing work
- It cannot perform 3D modeling
Available on: Windows and Mac
2. TurboCAD
TurboCAD is an advanced CAD tool and collaboration suite that is popular with interior designers, construction companies, and architects, to create 3D designs, drafts, prototypes, and presentations. This software, which is available for Mac and Windows, is used by businesses to create, edit, share, and manage their designs for different types of projects in interior design and construction. Main features of this software include the ability to create views of different shapes and sizes, a multi-select drawing tool, and dimension tools to assist in the creation and optimization of designs.
Cost: One-time payment of $299.99
Skill level: Advanced
Pros:
- Supports many different import/export file formats for increased flexibility
Cons:
- Technical layout and language can make it challenging to those less experienced with this kind of software
Available on : Windows and Mac
3. Autodesk 3ds Max
Developed by Autodesk Media and Entertainment, Autodesk 3ds Max is a professional interior design and game creation tool that promises a high level of accuracy in its renderings of 3D animations, images, and models. With an editor for materials, textures, and colors offering photorealistic designs, this software can help designers demonstrate their work to clients in all its glory, complete with highly-detailed previews. The software also offers some process automation to enable speedier content production and a faster overall workflow.
Cost: $125 per month
Skill level: Advanced
Pros:
- Offers photorealistic images and highly detailed previews
Cons:
- Not the most user-friendly tool available and quite unsuitable for beginners
Available on: Windows
4. Autodesk Revit
Autodesk Revit is the ultimate modeling collaboration tool for interior designers, architects, and engineers with its central purpose being to unify and align all stakeholders working on a single project. One example of this is the software’s translation of sketches into building information modeling (BIM) which provides each collaborator with a clear project roadmap to work with. In addition to its outstanding collaboration features, the tool enables interior designers to create, edit, share, annotate, and assess 3D visualizations of buildings and interiors in detail.
Cost: $320 per month
Skill level: Intermediate
Pros: Cons: Available on: Windows Archicad 25 is a popular architectural rendering software for Mac and Windows designed for managing the whole design process of any built environment, offering computer-aided solutions, robust tools, and BIM application. With its intuitive and seamless UI, the advantage of this tool for interior designers lies in how it enables them to focus on creating aesthetically pleasing designs by assisting with logistical considerations. Designers can switch between 2D and 3D models, generate cost estimates for projects, and collaborate with contractors and clients via the platform. Cost: Solo version is $240 a month, full version is $280 a month Skill level: Intermediate Pros:
Cons: Available on: Windows and Mac
Popular interior design software, SmartDraw, has a range of features to assist interior designers in creating, editing, and sharing designs. Some of the key features of the tool include quick-start, customizable templates, and a ready-made library of visuals of furniture, accessories, and landscaping elements. Additionally, the tool boasts an intuitive interface and easy formatting, helping both interior design beginners, as well as experts, produce great-looking visuals. Cost: $9.95 per month Skill level: All levels Pros: Cons: Available on: Windows and Mac Virtual home design tool, Live Home 3D Pro, facilitates 2D and 3D high-res renderings of both interior and exterior designs. Interior designers can create accurate layouts and furnish interiors in 2D before the tool automatically renders the same images in 3D. Key features include advanced drawing tools, a library of furnishings and accessories, geopositioning, and split mode where users can view their 2D images next to their 3D versions. Cost: From $4.99 per month. Skill level: All levels Pros: Cons: Available on: Windows and Mac Substance 3D is a design suite by Adobe that offers a range of services, content, and tools for users looking to create and render 3D images and scenes. Digital texturing is one major feature of the tool, while a library of hundreds of 3D materials–including PBR materials such as flooring and textiles–enables users to select photorealistic images with which to furnish their interior designs. Users can even create their own materials using high-res scans and photos, in turn coming up with truly original designs for their clients. Cost: $49.99 per month Skill level: Intermediate-advanced Pros: Cons: Available on: Windows and Mac Indema is a project management software for interior designers and interior design firms. The tool focuses on improving the workflow of interior design businesses by streamlining projects and enabling seamless collaboration. Indema assists in every area of running an interior design business, from product sourcing to human resources, with the goal of taking the pain out of the administrative side of interior design. By streamlining logistics, the tool leaves designers free to do what they do best: creating designs. Cost: $75 per month (with free trial available) Skill level: Intermediate Pros: Cons: Available on: Windows and Mac Another popular project management solution for interior design businesses and freelancers is Mydoma Studio. The tool facilitates the creation and simplification of vendor lists, purchase orders, and invoices, as well as enables each user to put their own branding elements on documents before sharing the same with clients for collaboration or sign-off. Key features of the tool include package creation, client collaboration, and project management. Interior designers will also be pleased to hear that Mydoma is compatible with the tools Zapier, Calendly, and Stripe, for maximum ease of use and team alignment. Cost: $50 for solopreneurs, $129 for agencies. Skill level: All levels Pros: Cons: Available on: Any device that can access the internet Tool
Price Skill level
Available on
Best for
Autodesk AutoCAD LT
$60 per month Beginner-intermediate
Windows and Mac
Creating TurboCAD
One time Advanced Windows and Collaboration Autodesk 3ds Max $125 per month
Advanced Windows 3D rendering Autodesk Revit $320 per month Intermediate
Windows
Aligning teams Archicad 25 $240 a month Intermediate Windows and Supporting the SmartDraw $9.95 per month
All levels Windows and Mac Professional-looking results Live Home 3D Pro From $4.99 per month
All levels Windows and Mac
Automatic Substance 3D by Adobe
$49.99 per month
Intermediate-advanced Windows and Mac Digital texturing Indema
$75 per month Intermediate Windows and Mac Project Mydoma Studio $50 for All levels
Any device that Client 5. Archicad 25
6. SmartDraw
7. Live Home 3D Pro
8. Substance 3D by Adobe
9. Indema
10. Mydoma Studio
A comparison of the best paid interior design tools at a glance
multi-layered
drawings and drafts
payment of
$299.99
Mac
with multiple
stakeholders
and
photorealistic
designs
and
collaboration
on projects
or $280 a
month
Mac
logistical
considerations
of a design project
rendering of 2D
into 3D
management
and workflow
solopreneurs,
$129 for
agencies.
can access
the internet
collaboration
and project management
Learn More: The Ultimate Interior Designer Salary Guide
The best free interior design software and tools for 2026
Now that we’ve covered the paid-for tools, this section will cover the range of free interior design tools available.
11. Cedreo
A cloud-based, intuitive 3D interior design software, Cedreo is used by interior designers to create photorealistic 2D and 3D floor plans. With a library of 3D furniture, fabrics, materials, and accessories, the tool enables designers to give clients a true-to-life rendition of their interior design project, in turn speeding up sign-off on designs and moving projects along more quickly.
Cost: Free (paid plans are available)
Skill level: Intermediate
Pros:
- The tool enables designs to be created at speed
- Users can create realistic 3D renderings
Cons:
- Some users report that roofs can be particularly hard to navigate
Available on: Windows and Mac
12. Sweet Home 3D
Sweet Home 3D is an interior design and architecture tool that assists designers and architects as they design both the interior and exterior of a house, offering 2D planning and 3D previews. The software’s extensive library of virtual furniture, textiles, and home appliances, enables the creation of an accurate simulation of interior spaces, while structural pieces such as windows and doors can also be dragged and dropped into any chosen layout or design. For those with more experience, layouts can be created from scratch, while beginners can choose a layout design to work with while getting to know the tool.
Cost: Free
Skill level: All levels
Pros:
- A fun feature of the tool is that designs drawn in 2D, would appear in their 3D version when seen in real-time.
- The tool provides a 3D tour of the final design that can also be rendered as photos or videos, if necessary.
Cons:
- With so many features, it can take some time to discover everything this tool can do
Available on: Windows and Mac
13. Floorplanner
With a focus on assisting businesses in manufacturing, real estate, and retail, Floorplanner is a free tool that enables the creation of 2D or 3D floor plans that can be easily collaborated on and shared. While its main focus is enabling users to plan flooring, the tool also offers other interior design assistance, such as a library of furnishings and accessories, lighting effects, and different styles and layouts. Another major benefit of Floorplanner is that users don’t need to download an app to get started; the tool is available in-browser and free of charge.
Cost: Basic plan is free
Skill level: Beginner-intermediate
Pros:
- The tool is available to use in-browser, with no downloading of software necessary to get started
Cons:
- Room dimensions need to be set up manually
Available on: Any device with an internet connection
14. Roomeon
Roomeon is an easy-to-use, feature-rich tool for the seamless planning, designing, and decoration of 3D rooms. The software boasts different viewing cameras, a “Create the Mood” feature which can show a room at different times of day, and the option for users to furnish their virtual homes with furniture and accessories from real-life brands such as Eames and IKEA.
Cost: Free for personal use
Skill level: All levels
Pros:
- Users can incorporate furniture from specific brands for a realistic look and feel
Cons:
- Some may find the tool’s catalog of furniture and accessories limited compared to similar tools
Available on: Windows and Mac
15. SketchUp
The flexibility of interior design software SketchUp sets it apart from other tools in the field. The tool offers true-to-life 3D drawing capabilities on its online web app, as well as the ability to add customizable furnishings and objects to room plans. SketchUp has different products for different price points; SketchUp Free, SketchUp Go, SketchUp Pro, and SketchUp Studio. The free version of SketchUp offers 3D modelers for desktop, web, and iPad, 2D documentation, photorealistic and real-time visualization, and the ability to import and model on top-of-point cloud data.
Cost: Free and paid options available
Skill level: All levels
Pros:
- Users benefit from photorealistic 3D drawing capabilities
- No software download required
- The tool is suitable for beginners
Cons:
- Augmented Reality (AR) and other handy tools are only available with a premium subscription.
Available on: Windows and Mac
16. Homestyler
Homestyler is a free, online interior design tool that enables users to design the insides of their homes using furnishings and accessories from real-world brands. Users can create accurately-measured floor plans in 2D and 3D as well as furnish, decorate, and paint their designs with products they already know and love. HD, photo-realistic rendering, and panoramas allow users to experience different angles and lighting while the Homestyler summary page enables users to view all the items they’ve used in their design and get redirected to where they can buy these items.
Cost: Free (paid options are available)
Skill level: All levels
Pros:
- The tool is ideal for homeowners looking to revamp their interiors
- The software is very responsive
Cons:
- There is no real estate photo editing service
Available on : Windows and Mac
17. Roomstyler
Roomstyler is an intuitive interior design software that enables users to design their interior spaces from scratch. Users can create 3D floor plans, observe their designs in sunlight, and drag and drop customizable items such as windows and walls into their designs. A key feature is the furniture library which offers interior designers the chance to incorporate and customize furniture, accessories, and textiles into their design before reviewing instant results in both 2D and 3D. Roomstyler is another app that offers users the option of incorporating real-life, branded products into room plans to give designs a realistic feel, in addition to enabling the customization of colors, sizes, and placements to meet personal preferences or client specifications.
Cost: Free
Skill level: Beginner-intermediate
Pros:
- The software is intuitive and easy to use
Cons:
- Professional interior designers may find the features limited
Available on: Windows and Mac
18. Infurnia
A powerful cloud-based architecture software, Infurnia is designed with professional designers and architects in mind. The tool enables users to create floor plans, use 3D elevation design, and render BOQ generation, while also facilitating stakeholder collaboration and project management. Infurnia is feature-rich, offering virtual reality simulation, numerous customization opportunities, and drag and drop furniture. With features supporting administration and project management as well as hands-on design, this is the ultimate tool for professional interior design teams.
Cost: Free (paid options are available)
Skill level: Advanced
Pros:
- A wide-ranging tool that covers both the business side and the design side of working in interior design
- Can be easily integrated with other customer management systems
Cons:
- Not suitable for those new to interior design
Available on: Windows and Mac
19. DreamPlan
DreamPlan is a 3D interior design and architecture solution that enables the virtual creation of both interiors and exteriors for personal or professional use. The tool offers floor planning, color, texture, furniture, accessory customization, and even the planning of outdoor spaces such as gardens. Different floors can be added to a design, so a designer can conceptualize each storey separately, and the option to resize and rotate objects is also available. A nice addition to the DreamPlan site is the range of tutorial videos for learning how to make the most of the software for a user’s specific purpose. The free version is only for personal use; professionals and teams will have to sign up for a paid plan which offers a wider range of features.
Cost: Free (paid options available)
Skill level: Intermediate
Pros:
- The software offers an easy-to-navigate interface
- Tutorials help users achieve their design goals
Cons:
- The free version of the app is designed for personal use only
Available on: Windows and Mac
20. Design Manager
Design Manager is a project management tool aimed at professional interior designers and companies looking to expand their businesses and juggle multiple projects. The software takes care of purchase orders, accounting, and the tracking and management of projects, with a designated Client Portal supporting the sending of proposals and invoices. The reporting feature is unique to the software; it provides users with valuable insights into clients and projects. The profit analysis function also allows users to see where their biggest financial gains and losses are, helping them to identify where savings could be made.
Cost: Free and paid options available
Skill level: Intermediate-advanced Pros: Cons: Available on: Mac Coohom is a multi-purpose interior design web-based platform that is used to create 2D and 3D floor plans, render visuals, etc. This software is targeted towards beginner-level interior designers, trying to learn the intricacies of floor and furniture layout. Coohom also has a library of 3D models, pre-set lighting, and plan templates that designers can use to simplify their processes. It also enables designers to export their construction drawings directly from the project as it is built with CAD/BIM. This is an extremely useful tool that can be used by everyone interested in interior design for their homes without breaking a sweat. Cost: Free and paid options available Skill level: Beginner-intermediate Pros: Cons: Available on: Mac & Windows Tool
Price Skill level
Available on
Best for
Cedreo
Free (paid Intermediate
Windows and Mac
Speedy designing
Sweet Home 3D
Free
All levels Windows and Accurate simulations Floorplanner Basic plan is Beginner- Any device with Creation of 2D or 3D Roomeon Free for personal use All levels
Windows and Mac
A library of furniture SketchUp Free and paid All levels Windows and Flexibility and Homestyler Basic plan is free
All levels Windows and Mac Beginner-level Roomstyler
Free
Beginner-intermediate
Windows and Mac
Creating a realistic Infurnia
Free and paid Windows and Mac Customization DreamPlan DreamPlan
Free and paid options available
Intermediate
Windows and Mac
Easy-to-follow tutorial videos Design Manager Free and paid Intermediate-advanced
Mac
Project management Coohom Free and paid options available Beginner-intermediate
Windows and Mac
Creating professional floor plans and rendering visuals21. Coohom
A comparison of the best free interior design tools at a glance
plans are
available)
Mac
of interior spaces
free
intermediate
internet connection
floor plans
and accessories
from real-life brands
options available
Mac
customization
opportunities
home redesigning
feel with branded
products from
real-life designers
options
available
opportunities
options available
for interior
design businesses
