Designing a garage can be a lot more difficult than you think. That remains true whether for professional, remodel, or DIY purposes. Good garage design software can simplify that. Here, the software offers layouts, templates, mechanical help, and more.
This list of the top 13 best garage design software solutions includes free and paid options.
It includes solutions for experts, beginners, and computer-aided design. Some of them have a very little learning curve, others can require more time to familiarize yourself with the software.
| Software | Paid/Free | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| BigHammer | Free | NA | Beginner |
| CADPro | Paid | $99.95 | Intermediate/Pro |
| SketchUp | Free/Paid | Free-$299/year | Intermediate/Pro |
| floorplanner | Free/Paid | Free-$29/month | Intermediate |
| ElecoSoft Arcon Evo | Paid | $400 | Pro |
| RoomSketcher | Free/Paid | Free-$99/year | Beginner/Intermediate |
| SmartDraw Buiding Design | Paid | $5.95-$9.95/month | Beginner/Intermediate |
| All-American Buildings Designer | Free | NA | Beginner |
| Home Designer DIY | Paid | $59/month or $249 | Intermediate/Pro |
| Virtual Architect | Paid | $39.99-$99.99 | Beginner/Intermediate |
| DraftSight | Paid | $249/year | Intermediate/Pro |
| ElecoSoft 3D Architect | Paid | $90+ | Beginner/Intermediate |
| Planner 5D | Free | NA | Beginner |
*This list was correct when last updated in September 2022. Software, features, and pricing are subject to change. In addition, this list is in random order.
1. BigHammer DIY Garage Designer
BigHammer Do-It-Yourself Garage Designer is a collaboration between The Home Depot and Edgenet. The tool is completely free and can be used on the web or downloaded to your PC.
=> Looking for a custom house floor plan? Click here to fill out our form, a member of our team will be in touch.
This beginner-friendly garage designer tool features 3D visualization for projects. You can also build floor plans.
In addition, the tool incorporates trees, bushes, and groundcover, so you can get a good idea of what the finished project will look like.
The drag-and-drop builder also offers multiple templates and designs you can use to get started. Plus, with 2D and 3D views, as well as floorplans, you can fully explore every part of your garage design.
BigHammer is a best fit for beginners and/or amateurs and does not feature professional design tools.
- Free
- Best suited for beginners/amateur DIYers
- Drag and drop interface
- Best fit for download to PC
- Works on Windows operating systems
Website: http://odp-dev.edgenet.com/cqdesignstartneo
2. CADPro
CADPro is a professional 3D design solution designed for intermediate and professional applications. This program is a best fit for anyone looking for a longer-term solution rather than a one-off garage design.
In addition, CADPro is not free. The software costs $99.95 for a license, which includes the full lifetime of the software plus updates.
CADPro also mixes drag and drop design with templates and with parameter-based design.
You’ll also be able to switch between 2D and 3D designs. This allows you to create floorplans and full renders of your new garage. You can also see how the garage will work with the rest of your home.
Finally, CADPro is a full 3D computer-aided design program. This means you can build custom items, add surfaces, and otherwise completely design your garage and the objects.
- $99.95 (lifetime license)
- Best suited for intermediate/professional use
- Drag and drop/CAD interface
- Works on Windows operating systems
Website: https://www.cadpro.com/easy-detached-garage-floor-plans-software/
3. SketchUp
SketchUp is a popular design tool with free and premium versions.
If you’re building a single garage, the free version will offer more than you need. However, if you’re looking for a longer-term solution, SketchUp Make is a better fit.
SketchUp Free offers simple 3D modeling. While it’s not expressly intended for garage design, it offers a full suite of 3D design tools.
This means you can build layouts, add custom items and furniture, add dimensions, and see how your cars, furniture, and work tools fit into the space.
Finally, SketchUp offers a mobile viewer, making it easier to take your completed models to a construction agency or architect. And, if you get the premium versions (Starting from $119 per year), you can design and sketch on your iPad as well.
- Starts Free to $699 per year
- Best suited for beginner to intermediate users
- Drag and drop/drafting interface
- Works in a browser, iOS, and on Windows
Website: https://www.sketchup.com/plans-and-pricing/sketchup-free
4. floorplanner
floorplanner is a simple garage design software solution. In fact, it’s primarily intended for creating floor plans. However, floorplanner also offers 3D designs, meaning you can design your full garage.
In addition, floorplanner offers a library of objects, flooring, and furniture. You can integrate these into your project to see how things look, how much space you need, and how designs work.
Plus, with full support for any existing blueprints or floor plans you have, you can easily change layouts you already have. You can also render from photos. That makes it easier to work out changes and remodeling.
- Free to $29 per month
- Best suited for beginning to intermediate users
- Drag and drop interface
- Works in browser
Website: https://floorplanner.com/
5. Elecosoft Arcon Evo
Arcon Evo is one of a suite of 3D tools for garage design offered by Elecosoft. However, this garage design tool is intended for professional use. With rates starting at $400, it’s not the best fit for a single DIY project.
However, Arcon Evo offers detailed support for architectural design. This means you get layers for structure, frames, insulation, roofing, flooring, etc.
In addition, Arcon Evo offers full support for building control, enabling you to check building codes and work those into your designs.
That makes this tool ideal if you’re creating new buildings and need a fully customizable drafting tool to support that.
Finally, Arcon Evo offers 7,000+ objects, textures, and materials to import into designs, giving you a good library from which to start your work.
- From $400
- Best suited for intermediate to professional users
- Drag and drop/drafting interface
- Works on Windows
Website: https://elecosoft.com/products/arcon-evo/
6. RoomSketcher
RoomSketcher is a floor planner and 3D planner. While not specifically garage design software, RoomSketcher is a simple garage layout drafter.
In addition, RoomSketcher offers both a free and premium version. If the free version isn’t enough and you’d like 3D floor plans or the option to replace materials, you can upgrade for $49 for the year.
RoomSketcher also supports 3D snapshots and live 3D views. This enables you to build walkthroughs and fully test out your layout before building.
You can also import blueprints and customize or add 3D layers from there, add measurements, calculate total area, etc.
That makes RoomSketcher a versatile garage designer, with tools for almost anything you’d want to do with your garage layout or mockup.
- Free to $49 per month for personal use
- Best suited for beginner to professional users
- Drag and drop, drafting interface
- Works on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
Website: https://www.roomsketcher.com/
7. SmartDraw Building Design
SmartDraw is a home and garage design software with templates, a diagram builder, scaling tools, and more. The cloud app also features thousands of shapes and outlines to get you started, with basic sizing worked out for 1, 2, and 3 car garages.
In addition, this garage builder offers dozens of tools perfect for beginning designers. For example, you get automatic formatting and automatic spacing and alignment. Plus, you can start with thousands of existing templates.
While most are for home design, those tools are a great way to easily get started designing your garage. And, if you’ve already started something in another tool, SmartDraw will import it for you.
- $9.95 per month
- Best suited for beginning to intermediate users
- Drag and drop interface, cad-like design
- Works in browser
Website: https://www.smartdraw.com/floor-plan/home-design-software.htm
8. All-American Buildings Designer
If you’re trying to build a standalone garage or carport, the All-American Buildings Designer is a cloud tool to help you do exactly that. The online garage designer is a completely free tool with a suite of metal building design templates.
That means you can easily drag and drop and scale your building to size, see how it fits against your home, and check how colors work together.
Of course, All-American Buildings created the tool in hopes that you will order the building you design from them. However, you don’t have to. The tool is completely free and no obligation.
- Free
- For beginners
- Drag and drop interface
- Works in browser
Website: https://allamericanbuildings.com/design-tool/
9. DIY Software by Chief Architect
DIY Software by Chief Architect is a home design and garage design software solution.
The tool uses drawing and drag-and-drop solutions to create an easy and accessible layout builder. In addition, it offers both 2D and 3D designs with thousands of templates and objects to work with.
DIY also offers numerous tools for beginners. For example, walls and frames automatically update as you move them. In addition, you can create smart objects with cabinets, and walls so that they snap and bump up against walls.
In addition, with integrated remodeling tools, DIY is ideal for anyone who wants to update an existing space or expand on it.
However, DIY does not have construction documentation. This means you’ll want the Architectural version of the software if you want to hand the results directly to a construction agency.
- $59 per month/$249
- For beginners/intermediate
- Drag and drop interface
- Works on Windows
Website: https://www.chiefarchitect.com/home-designer-DIY/
10. Virtual Architect
Virtual Architect is a home design and garage design solution with 3D visualization, 3D designs, and digital pictures. Most of the software suite is intended for in-home redesign. However, Visual Architect also offers garage layouts and templates.
In addition, the tool allows you to take digital photographs of your space and immediately work in that space.
Plus, Visual Architect offers beginner-friendly tools. These include automatic snapping, click-to-add doors and windows, and walls that automatically connect. This makes Virtual Architect a good fit for a one-off design tool.
However, with costs starting at $39.99, this tool is not free.
- $39.99-$124.99
- For beginners
- Drag and drop interface
- Works on Windows and Mac
Website: https://www.homedesignsoftware.tv/
11. DraftSight
This software is a professional layout and 2D/3D drafting tool. It’s ideal for professionals looking for a versatile editing and drafting tool. DraftSight is also ideal as a garage planner for individuals who work with DWG files.
The application also supports rich 3D mockups and imagery, including interior and exterior design. DraftSight also offers a 2D to 3D conversion tool. This makes it easier to visualize garage layouts without starting mockups from scratch.
DraftSight also offers multiple tools for mechanical drafting. Therefore, it’s a good fit for construction contractors and agencies.
- $205+
- For professionals
- Drafting interface
- Works on Windows and Mac
Website: https://www.draftsight.com/
12. ElecoSoft 3D Architect Home Designer
ElecoSoft’s 3D Architect is a versatile design tool. It’s suitable for everyone from beginners to professional construction contractors and architects. The basic version of the tool costs $90 and is made for hobbyists and home renovators.
3D Architect offers building layouts, mechanical functions, cross sections, and much more. Integrated tools allow you to draw to scale, add walls, add supports, and assess the overall functionality of your building – in 2D and 3D.
The tool also supports 3D conversions and walkthroughs for visualizations. Plus, it offers a library consisting of thousands of objects, textures, and materials.
- $90 +
- For beginners to professionals
- Drafting interface/ drag and drop interface
- Works on Windows
Website: https://elecosoft.com/products/3d-architect
13. Planner 5D
Planner 5D is a user-friendly home and garage design app. It’s suitable for creating layouts, visualizing designs, and checking material choices.
The app works on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, meaning you can use it to draft layouts on your tablet or phone. In addition, with a library of 5,000+ models and materials, you have a lot to get started with.
Finally, Planner 5D also allows you to check designs others have uploaded and work with them to find inspiration or ideas.
- Free
- For beginners
- Drag and drop interface
- Works on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
Website: https://planner5d.com/
Conclusion
Whatever you need garage design software for, there is an option for it. This list covers free drag-and-drop apps to high-end drafting solutions. Depending on your needs, any of them might be the best fit for you.
However, if you’re unsure, it’s always a good idea to start with a free solution, see if it meets your needs, and work your way from there.
Good luck with your garage design.