Best Landscape Design Software 2023 For A Dreamy Outdoor Space
Landscape design software, interior design software, and house design software downloads are through the roof. The media goes crazy for ways to design your house as if it is something you do in The Sims. But they often neglect landscape design software.
This is quite a shape because your yard, your landscape design, is the first thing people will notice. So making it special is important. Especially if you love spending time outdoors. Now, let’s take a look at some of this software.
What Is Landscape Design Software?
Not long ago, landscape design software and programs were designed to be used by professional contractors and college graduates. But with the new age of computers and independence among us, things have changed.
Now, software is almost always designed to be used by your average human. Landscape design software is no exception. You can download almost any program and design your landscape like a pro. But how do you know which software to download?
Best Landscape Design Software And Apps
There are dozens, if not hundreds of landscape design software out there. So finding the right one for you can be overwhelming. It truly depends on what you’re looking for, how easy and personalized you want it to be.
These are the apps and software that we’ve found to offer the best of both worlds. Some are free while others can’t be purchased for under $1000. In general, the quality is reflected by the price of the app.
FREE: Better Homes & Gardens Plan-A-Garden
Price: FREE
The Better Homes & Gardens Garden Design Tool is a great tool to use that you won’t believe is free. Made by Better Homes & Gardens, is a wonderful, simple app that you can get for free. However, you do have to sign up.
Not only does the app have over 150 trees, shrubs, and flowers, but you can also add other things like fountains, gazebos, and more. It really is a great tool to play around with and it’s easy to use.
Realtime Landscaping: High-End Landscape Design Software
Price: $150
If you are willing to pay up then Realtime Landscaping likely won’t fail you. It comes at a steep price but those who use it, love it. If you buy a lot of software, then you know that good software doesn’t come cheap.
This is why those who do buy a lot of software aren’t deterred by the price. Not only does this software help you plan your garden but it can also help you by letting you visualize it in lifelike 3D not just with low-quality graphics.
Smart Draw: Versatile Landscape Design Software
Price: $10/month
What’s great about SmartDraw is that it’s not just for landscaping. You can use it for just about anything. However, one of its specialties is indeed landscaping design, and it’s way easier than you think.
The grid makes it easy to plan things out precisely and the payment method makes it great if you use it once or a hundred times. Because you can either cancel after the first month or keep it forever.
Home Outside: Software For Apple
Price: $3
Home Outside is a great choice for Apple users currently, but the Android and desktop versions are supposedly on the way. So if you are interested in them, keep an eye out and hopefully, they will be out soon.
Until then, you can use an Apple device or choose another method. Though it may be worth borrowing an Apple device because the app is so cheap and easy to use that it’s in the top mobile outdoor design apps.
iScape: Design Software With Many Choices
Price: Varies
While most landscape design software is hardly talked about, iScape is a fan favorite. You can download the app on the Apple store for free or buy the premium version which is $30 a month. This may seem steep, but it may be worth it.
With iScape’s premium version, not only do you get additional tools, but you can also upload your own images. This means you get to see what the design will look like in your very own yard. Not many apps do this.
Chief Architect’s Home Designer Software: Many Price Options
Price: Varies
There are a lot of options and ways to personalize your order from Chief Architect. Because of this, the price varies greatly. You’ll have to check their site to find out what your price will be for the software.
More than likely, you’ll pay at least a couple of hundred dollars for this software. However, it’s one of the best landscape design software available and highest-end options available. So most people say it is worth it.
Structure Studios: Fun Landscape Design Software
Price: $100-$200/per month
Structure Studios is definitely one of the best hardscaping landscape design software you can get. Hardscaping is like landscaping only it is focused on working with manmade structures, such as pools and decks.
There is one thing you should know about Structure Studios. You just might get addicted to playing with it, even if you don’t have anything to design in real life. It can turn into a super fun game instead.
Shoot Garden Planner: Garden Landscape Design Software
Price: Free
This lesser-known garden and landscape design software should not be forgotten. If you want something simple and free, then it is an amazing option. It’s easy to understand and you can create your dream landscape in minutes.
Something special about this software is that everything is recorded. You can create plant lists, like shopping lists for plants, and plan everything along the way. It’s not just a design tool, it’s a helper tool.
Marshalls Garden Visualiser: Browser-Based Landscape Design Software
Price: Free
If you want something free that you don’t even have to download or sign up for, check out Marshall’s Garden Visualizer. With this browser-based landscape design software, you can create a visual in minutes.
But just because it is browser-based doesn’t mean it’s a low-quality or useless io game. This is a serious app with a bigger purpose than you would think. This company is focused on a socially, environmentally, and economically better world.
HGTV Ultimate Home Design: Comfortable Software
Price: $100
When you attach a name like HGTV to something, you know it has to be two things: popular and good. That’s what happened with the HGTV Ultimate Home Design software because we can’t get enough of it.
Not only does this app do the exterior and landscape design, but it also does interior. The HGTV software does a great job of bringing everything together. And this praise is saying a lot considering it’s not a new software.
Idea Spectrum: Expensive, But Worth It
Price: Varies
Idea Spectrum has a varying price because there are three types of software. There is one for beginners, one for those in the middle, and one for experts. The cheapest is $100 while the expert software is $400.
If you have a lot of experience either in landscaping or with design software then the higher-end option would be best. But if you are new to either then you should probably start with the basic package.
Landsdesign: Professional Landscape Design Software
Price: $800+
Here we actually have a relatively new landscape design software. Its age shows in the best way possible too. While most apps are 2D or even 3D yet look like they came from the 90s, this software has amazing graphics.
You can fully visualize your space with the software because it looks so realistic. If the price is too steep for you, you can always get a 90-day free trial which is more than enough time to decide if you like it.
Pro Landscape: The Most Expensive Landscape Design Software
Price: $1245
Simple yet satisfying, that’s what PRO Landscape is. You can also try it free for 60-days risk-free. This is a great opportunity since it is such amazing software for beginners and experts alike. Which is the best thing for an app to be.
Though it is more popular with colleges and contractors than with amateurs, it is simple enough for almost anyone to use. Use it on your iPad, computer, or another device and take it anywhere that you go.
How To Choose The Right Landscape Design Software
This can be difficult. Do you choose something cheaper or something higher-end? That’s one of the questions you need to ask yourself. To make things easier, here is a list of simple questions that can help guide you.
- What Is My Budget? – this is the first question you need to ask yourself. Before you even begin, set aside a budget that is for your landscape design software. This can change over the process, but shouldn’t change by much.
- What Is My Focus? – is your focus on trees? Or perhaps seating? Maybe colors mean everything to do. Finding out what your number one priority is can help you find the right software for you.
- Do I Want An Interior Design App? – ask yourself if you want an interior design app as well. If you do, find out if you’d prefer an app or software that does both, or are you okay with buying two separate items.
- Garden, Yard, Or Park? – this is also important. The apps made for architects and designers will be geared more towards parks while smaller-scale apps will accommodate small gardens better.
- Do Graphics Matter? – this may or may not be important. If you can visualize in 2D then go for it. But some people not only need 3D, but they need good graphics. Just know, you’ll always pay for graphics.
- What Do I Need? – now that you’ve figured out what you want, it’s time to figure out what you need. This will let you narrow things down, prioritize and weed out any prospects that just won’t work for you.
Happy Designing!