Compare · 7 min read
Homestyler vs Planner 5D: Which is Better?
Homestyler and Planner 5D are both free-to-start browser tools for designing room layouts and home interiors. Both let you draw a floor plan, furnish it, and render a 3D view. But they have different strengths, pricing tiers, and ideal users.
The short version
- Choose Homestyler if you want a large furniture and decor catalog with photorealistic renders for staging or inspiration.
- Choose Planner 5D if you want a simpler interface, strong mobile app, and a fast layout workflow for floor plan sketches.
- Neither is right for measuring GLA or producing appraisal-grade square footage — they are design tools, not measurement tools.
Homestyler vs Planner 5D: at a glance
| Homestyler | Planner 5D | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes (limited exports) | Yes (limited items) |
| Mobile app | iOS + Android | iOS + Android (strong) |
| 3D renders | Yes — photorealistic | Yes — good quality |
| Furniture catalog | Very large (brand-name items) | Large (generic items) |
| Floor plan accuracy | Approximate | Approximate |
| ANSI/GLA output | No | No |
| Best for | Interior design, staging inspiration | Layout planning, quick floor sketches |
| Learning curve | Moderate | Low |
| Made by | Easyhome / Autodesk partnership | Planner 5D (independent) |
Homestyler: strengths and weaknesses
Homestyler is strong on visual output. The furniture catalog includes real brand-name items — IKEA, West Elm, Wayfair — which makes it useful for realistic staging mockups and interior design presentations. The photorealistic render engine produces impressive results for a free tool.
The downside is that the floor plan creation side feels secondary to the styling experience. Wall placement is approximate, and room dimensions are entered manually rather than snapped to a scale. For people who care about accurate layouts, this is a limitation.
Planner 5D: strengths and weaknesses
Planner 5D has a simpler, more focused interface. You can sketch a floor plan quickly, furnish it, and generate a 3D walkthrough. The mobile app is notably good — one of the better mobile floor plan design experiences available.
The free tier is limited in the number of items you can place, which gets restrictive for anything beyond a simple room. Paid plans unlock the full catalog. The renders are solid but not as polished as Homestyler at the photorealistic end.
What neither tool is good for
Both tools are designed for interior design and layout visualization, not property measurement. Room dimensions are approximate. Neither produces output that meets ANSI Z765 standards for gross living area calculation. If you are an appraiser, agent, or investor who needs accurate square footage, you need a different tool.
Who each tool is actually for
Homestyler is for homeowners planning a renovation, interior designers putting together client presentations, and stagers who want a realistic mockup of a furnished space. The catalog quality and rendering make it suitable for client-facing work.
Planner 5D is for people who want to quickly sketch a layout — apartment hunting, planning furniture placement, or a simple space planning exercise. It is also popular with students and hobbyists who want something approachable without a steep learning curve.
If you need to measure square footage from a floor plan
If you already have a floor plan — from CubiCasa, Matterport, an architect PDF, or a scan — and need to calculate or verify the ANSI GLA, PlanSnapper is built for that exact workflow. Upload the plan, set one known wall length, and trace the perimeter for an accurate measurement in under two minutes.