Home Design Software provides a way for you to create beautiful, efficient and personalized home designs that will aid you in the pursuit of your dream home.
When you use home design software, you can do much more than just create basic floor plans. Some of these benefits include:
One of the most appealing characteristics of home design software is that it's simply fun to use. Whether you're designing a home for yourself or are a seasoned general contractor, home design software can make the home design experience a pleasure.
In this site, you’ll find articles on home design and comprehensive reviews to help you make an informed decision on which home design software package is right for you. Our top-rated home design software choices are Home Designer Suite, Home & Landscape Design and Instant Architect.
At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don't Have To.™
Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to rank home design software:
Feature Set
Home design software features should go beyond basic floor plan design and should offer a variety of tools such as real-time walkthroughs and the ability to incorporate plumbing/electrical/HVAC infrastructure. The design tools should be accessible and easy to use even for an inexperienced designer. First-rate home design software offers tools that give maximum design freedom and customization including lighting effects and landscape design.
Ease of Use
A computer novice should be able to install and learn how to use the home design software quickly. The control panel and design tools should be powerful, but intuitive.
Ease of Installation
We looked for home design software that is simple to install and set up, and all-inclusive programs that do not require additional downloads or software to be able to run at full capability.
Help Documentation
With the complex nature of home design, the help support options for home design software should offer clear, step-by-step instructions. The language in help files and tutorials should be simple to understand and well organized, so you can find answers fast.
So whether you're building your first or your thirty-first house, expert home design software will help you do it faster, easier and better than ever before.
Be sure to read our other home design software reviews. If you’re using a Mac, check out our reviews of Mac home design software.
| Rank | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #7 | |||
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Home Designer Suite | Home & Landscape Design | Instant Architect | Total 3D Home Design Deluxe | HGTV Home Design & Remodeling | Design Workshop Classic | Fast Plans | |||
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Lowest Price |
$99.99 |
$79.99 |
$69.95 |
$69.95 |
$79.95 |
$64.99 |
$79.00 |
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| Overall Rating | ||||||||||
| Ratings | ||||||||||
| Aesthetic Appeal | ||||||||||
| Features & Tools | ||||||||||
| Support & Documentation | ||||||||||
| Ease of Use | ||||||||||
| Features | ||||||||||
| Imperial & Metric Measurements | ||||||||||
| 2D Design | ||||||||||
| Object Organizer Database | ||||||||||
| Enter Precise Dimensions | ||||||||||
| Editable Home Plans | ||||||||||
| Exterior Lighting Simulation | ||||||||||
| 3D Design | ||||||||||
| 3D Walkthrough | ||||||||||
| 3D Flyaround (aerial views) | ||||||||||
| Set Camera View Angles | ||||||||||
| Scan & Trace Pictures, Blueprints | ||||||||||
| Interior Lighting Simulation | ||||||||||
| Plant Library | ||||||||||
| Automatic Floorplan Dimensioning | ||||||||||
| Editable Standard Room Templates | ||||||||||
| Landscape Module | ||||||||||
| Cost Estimation | ||||||||||
| Plant Editor | ||||||||||
| 3D Cutaway Slider (dollhouse views) | ||||||||||
| Wireframe Views | ||||||||||
| Hands-On Real Model | ||||||||||
| Automatic Updates | ||||||||||
| Create Custom Animations | ||||||||||
| Tools | ||||||||||
| Materials Paintbrush | ||||||||||
| Custom Roofs & Pitch | ||||||||||
| Roofing Wizard | ||||||||||
| Stair Generator | ||||||||||
| Window & Door Designer | ||||||||||
| Cabinet Designer | ||||||||||
| House Builder Wizard | ||||||||||
| Framing Editor | ||||||||||
| Kitchen Builder Wizard | ||||||||||
| Topography Designer | ||||||||||
| Fence Designer | ||||||||||
| Custom Material Wizard | ||||||||||
| Curved Walls | ||||||||||
| Deck Designer | ||||||||||
| Fireplace Designer | ||||||||||
| Object Libraries | ||||||||||
| Interior Furniture | ||||||||||
| Light Fixtures | ||||||||||
| Windows | ||||||||||
| Appliances | ||||||||||
| Cabinets | ||||||||||
| Bathroom Fixtures | ||||||||||
| Plants | ||||||||||
| Doors | ||||||||||
| Stairs | ||||||||||
| Exterior Furniture | ||||||||||
| Flooring | ||||||||||
| Roofing Materials | ||||||||||
| External Light Fixtures | ||||||||||
| Railing | ||||||||||
| Ramps | ||||||||||
| Import 2D Pictures | ||||||||||
| Import 3D Objects | ||||||||||
| Import Options | ||||||||||
| 3D Files | ||||||||||
| BMP | ||||||||||
| JPEG | ||||||||||
| 2D Files | ||||||||||
| PNG | ||||||||||
| TIFF | ||||||||||
| GIF | ||||||||||
| DXF (AutoCAD) | ||||||||||
| WMF | ||||||||||
| DWG (AutoCAD) | ||||||||||
| Export Options | ||||||||||
| Print 2D Image | ||||||||||
| .BMP | ||||||||||
| 2D Files | ||||||||||
| .JPEG | ||||||||||
| Print 3D Image | ||||||||||
| 3D Files | ||||||||||
| .DXF (AutoCAD) | ||||||||||
| .WRL (VRML) | ||||||||||
| .PNG | ||||||||||
| .TIFF | ||||||||||
| .EMF | ||||||||||
| .WMF | ||||||||||
| .DWG (AutoCAD) | ||||||||||
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| Manual | ||||||||||
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| Video Tutorials | ||||||||||
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| Supported Configuration: | ||||||||||
| Windows 7 | ||||||||||
| Windows Vista | ||||||||||
| Windows XP | ||||||||||
| Windows 2000 | ||||||||||
| Mac OSX | ||||||||||
| Recommended System Specs | ||||||||||
| Processor (CPU) | 2.4 GHz | 1.0 GHz | 500 MHz | Pentium III | 500 MHz | -- | -- | |||
| Memory (RAM) | 2 GB | 256 MB | 1 GB | 256 MB | 512 MB | -- | -- | |||
| Video Card | 256 MB | 64 MB | 64 MB | DX8 Compatible | 32 MB | -- | -- | |||
| Hard Drive Space | 5 GB | 3.2 GB | 750 MB | 1.8 GB | 1GB | -- | -- | |||
| Resolution | 1024x768 | 1024x768 | 1024x768 | 800x600 | 1024x768 | -- | 800x600 | |||
| Upgrades | ||||||||||
| Architectural Grade | Home & Landscape Design Professional | Home & Landscape Design Professional | Total 3D Home & Landscape Design Suite 9 | |||||||