This time, they’re bringing you the chance to design your home, its interior, and your landscape with their DreamPlan Home Design software. NCH Software is a company you might already recognize from a wide range of other software they sell.

It’s easy to get started and to start customizing your plan. As such, it doesn’t have any overly complicated software you need to grasp. This is another software that’s meant to be used by beginners. This allows you to nail design and really feel like you’re there to test it out before you even get the project physically started. In addition, you can even take a virtual reality walk through your new garden and yard. In keeping with the theme of this list, you have a 3D option as well as a 2D option. It lets you know your budget as you go along, so you don’t devise a lavish plan only to show a contractor who gives you an estimate you can’t afford.Īs for viewing your plan, you have plenty of options with this software. It will also let you know what plants can grow in your climate.Īn even more helpful feature is this design software’s cost estimate tool. This will help you choose plants with a level of upkeep that works for you. To help you come up with a detailed and feasible plan, the program also has a plant encyclopedia. You also have your pick of 5,100 organic decorations such as trees, shrubs, bushes, and flowers. In total, you can expect access to over 5,300 realistic objects like the ones we just discussed. Now, you can add features such as fire pits, outdoor furniture, planters, TVs, table games, wall decorations for your deck or porch and more. This is a step up from the original Real Landscaping design software because this version adds 280 new accessories for you to use. Real Landscaping Plus is our first entry that will cost you money at a one-time fee of about $79. It’s made for homeowners to use, so they didn’t make it as complicated as a professional-grade design software without losing any of the quality.

All it takes is to drag and drop the features you want onto your photo. You even play with lighting and other accessories. When it comes to structures there are many options such as benches, containers, gazebos and shed designs. There are more than 1,000 plant types to choose from. These aren’t a simple one plant copied over and over. You can add plants, structures, and even textures to personalize the appearance you want. There are plenty of options to choose from when you’re designing your yard. You can upload photos of your house and yard for an even more precise representation. Different house types are available in the app too such as urban and rural environments. First, you can choose from working on an entryway, front or back porches, or backyard ponds. Using the Plan-a-Garden tool is simple but efficient. Once you log onto their website, you can access the tool. The only thing you need to do to use it is to create a free Better Homes & Gardens account. The Plan-a-Garden tool is free to use, so anyone can access it. They have a few tools at your disposal but for this list, their Plan-a-Garden application is the best choice for this purpose. While once upon a time, it was popular to clip designs you loved out of catalogs, you can now create your own. Website: Better Homes & Gardens Plan-a-Gardenīetter Homes & Gardens is a household name for home design. Secondly, if you have a particularly complex layout with a tool like a shadow feature worked in, it can sometimes take your browser time to catch up. One, if there are any problems with your browser that already make it run slow, it’s going to be difficult to work with this software.

The only real downside to this app is that it sometimes lags. This allows you to share your ideas with the contractor you’re working with and even collaborate on the plan. Probably one of the most helpful features of this program is its CAD project management tool called Trimble Connect. However, it also doesn’t skimp on the features to make your landscape look exactly how you want it to. It has a pretty low-level need for technical skill, so you can come up with and create ideas without being too overwhelmed by how to use the tool. The program allows you to render and edit 3D models of your landscape design. No matter if you use Chrome, Safari, or Firefox, you’ll be able to design your landscape with this program. The good news is that this makes it universally accessible. If you want to try your hand at SketchUp Pro, they do offer a free trial.Īs mentioned, this is a browser tool instead of an app. This version of SketchUp does miss some more advanced features but with SketchUp Pro costing a one-time fee of $695, the free version is a better choice for casual users. These tools are made for professional designers and builders to use, so even the free option gives you plenty to work with without dropping a dime. There’s the paid version, SketchUp Pro, and the online option, SketchUp Free.

Free landscape design apps upload photo