Compare · 7 min read
CubiCasa vs HOVER: Which Should You Buy?
CubiCasa and HOVER are both phone-based scanning tools used in real estate, but they measure different things. CubiCasa captures interior floor plans. HOVER builds a 3D exterior model for siding, roofing, and exterior measurements. Comparing them directly only makes sense if you understand that distinction first.
The short version
- Buy CubiCasa if you need interior floor plans for appraisals, MLS listings, or GLA calculations.
- Buy HOVER if you need exterior measurements for roofing estimates, insurance bids, or siding projects.
- You may need both if you do full-property documentation for insurance or renovation, but they serve separate workflows.
CubiCasa vs HOVER: at a glance
| CubiCasa | HOVER | |
|---|---|---|
| What it measures | Interior floor plan | Exterior 3D model |
| Hardware required | Any smartphone | Any smartphone |
| How it works | Walk inside, capture rooms | Walk outside, capture facade |
| Pricing model | $4–$9 per scan | Per-job estimate (varies) |
| Output | 2D floor plan with dimensions | 3D exterior model + measurements |
| ANSI GLA | Add-on available | Not applicable |
| Primary use case | Appraisal, MLS, property records | Roofing, siding, insurance |
| Best for | Appraisers, agents, photographers | Contractors, adjusters, roofers |
Already have a floor plan?
Upload it to PlanSnapper and get your square footage in minutes. No software to install.
Measure your floor plan →What CubiCasa actually does
CubiCasa is an interior floor plan app. You walk through a property room by room while the phone captures the space. Within hours, CubiCasa delivers a clean 2D floor plan with room labels and exterior dimensions. It is widely used by residential appraisers, real estate photographers, and agents who need floor plans as a listing deliverable.
The ANSI GLA add-on calculates gross living area from the resulting floor plan: a key metric for residential appraisals. This is the primary reason appraisers choose CubiCasa over other scan tools.
What HOVER actually does
HOVER is an exterior measurement tool. You photograph the outside of a building from multiple angles, and HOVER's AI generates a full 3D model of the exterior with accurate measurements of the facade, roof pitch, wall sections, windows, and doors.
It is primarily used by roofing and siding contractors for job estimates, by insurance adjusters for damage claims, and by home improvement companies to show clients a realistic preview of what their home would look like with new siding or windows. It does not produce interior floor plans.
Where they overlap (and where they do not)
Both tools use phone cameras and AI processing to generate property data. Both eliminate the need for manual measurements in the field. That is roughly where the similarities end.
CubiCasa measures interior living area. HOVER measures exterior surfaces. For a residential appraisal, you need CubiCasa (or a similar interior capture tool): HOVER will not give you GLA. For a roofing estimate, you need HOVER: CubiCasa will not give you roof pitch or facade dimensions.
Some insurance adjusters and property inspectors use both: HOVER for exterior damage assessment and CubiCasa for interior documentation. But they are rarely used together for the same deliverable.
Who uses HOVER
HOVER's primary market is contractors and the insurance industry. Roofing companies use it to generate material estimates without climbing on every roof. Insurance carriers use it for fast damage assessments after hail or wind events. Some real estate investors use it to scope exterior renovation costs before making an offer.
Who uses CubiCasa
CubiCasa is dominant in residential real estate and appraisal. Agents include it in listing packages. Photographers add it as a floor plan upsell. Appraisers use it to reduce field time and deliver ANSI-compliant GLA measurements. It is the most widely used mobile floor plan app in North American real estate.
Already have a floor plan?
If you have a floor plan PDF from CubiCasa (or any other source) and need to calculate or verify the GLA yourself, PlanSnapper lets you upload it, set the scale from one known wall length, and trace the perimeter to get an ANSI-compliant square footage: without paying for a report add-on.
Related reading
- How to get square footage from a CubiCasa floor plan
- What is gross living area (GLA)?
- ANSI Z765 square footage standard explained
- Floor plan measurement tool for GLA calculation
- Hover vs Matterport: comparison
- CubiCasa vs Matterport floor plans: which is better for square footage?
- How to read a floor plan: symbols, scales, and dimensions
- Floor plan dimensions: how to read and use them for square footage
- Furniture floor plan: how to use one to verify room size
- Apex Sketch vs Cubicasa: comparison
- Canvas vs Cubicasa: comparison
- Canvas vs Hover: comparison
- Cubicasa vs Canvas vs Iguide
- Using CubiCasa, Matterport, or iGUIDE floor plans: FAQ
- How to prepare your floor plan before uploading: FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between CubiCasa and Hover?
CubiCasa and Hover are different tools with different strengths. The best choice depends on your workflow, budget, and whether you need features like 3D scanning, floor plan generation, GLA calculation, or design capabilities. This page breaks down a direct comparison.
Which is better for real estate appraisers: CubiCasa or Hover?
Cubicasa and Hover serve different workflows. Cubicasa is better suited for one use case while Hover fits another: the right choice depends on whether you need field capture or office-based GLA calculation from existing floor plans.
Can CubiCasa and Hover be used together?
Cubicasa and Hover can complement each other in some workflows: for example, using one for field capture and the other for GLA calculation and reporting. Check the comparison table above for specific integration details.
How much does CubiCasa cost compared to Hover?
CubiCasa and Hover have different pricing models: one may charge per user, per project, or via annual subscription, while the other may offer a free tier or pay-per-use option. Check the comparison table above for current pricing details and which offers better value for your volume of work.
Which is easier to use: CubiCasa or Hover?
Ease of use depends on your starting point. CubiCasa and Hover each target different user types. If you are working from an existing floor plan PDF and need to calculate square footage quickly, a browser-based tool like PlanSnapper may reduce the learning curve entirely: no software installation required.
Do I need CubiCasa or Hover if I already have a floor plan PDF?
If you already have a floor plan as a PDF or image, you may not need either tool. PlanSnapper lets you upload the PDF directly and trace walls in your browser to calculate GLA: no software installation required. Both CubiCasa and Hover are most useful for creating sketches from scratch or capturing measurements in the field.
Which works better for calculating GLA: CubiCasa or Hover?
Both CubiCasa and Hover can support GLA calculation, but the workflow differs. One may require field measurement and sketch entry while the other may allow importing existing floor plans. If your starting point is an existing PDF or image floor plan, PlanSnapper provides a faster path: upload, trace, and get the GLA figure without entering either tool's workflow.
Does Hover produce ANSI Z765-compliant GLA measurements?
Hover uses aerial imagery and photogrammetry to produce exterior measurements, primarily for contractors and insurance estimators. It is not designed around ANSI Z765 methodology. CubiCasa produces interior floor plans that require ANSI-specific configuration to generate a compliant GLA. Neither tool is a turnkey ANSI solution, but CubiCasa is closer to the residential appraisal workflow.
What is Hover best used for compared to CubiCasa?
Hover is primarily used for exterior measurement in roofing, siding, and insurance contexts: it excels at estimating material quantities from overhead imagery. CubiCasa focuses on interior floor plan generation from a phone walk-through. If you need a floor plan sketch for an appraisal addendum, CubiCasa is the more relevant starting point.