What is the difference between PlanSnapper and Roomscan?

PlanSnapper is a browser-based tool for calculating ANSI-compliant GLA from existing floor plan images and PDFs. Roomscan is a separate tool with different core functionality. The right choice depends on whether you need to measure from a floor plan or perform a different task.

Can PlanSnapper replace Roomscan?

It depends on your workflow. PlanSnapper focuses on GLA calculation from floor plans — uploading an image, tracing the perimeter, and getting square footage. If Roomscan serves a different purpose in your process, the two tools may complement each other rather than compete.

Which is better for ANSI Z765 GLA calculation — PlanSnapper or Roomscan?

PlanSnapper is purpose-built for ANSI-compliant GLA calculation from floor plan images. It handles PDF uploads, perimeter tracing, and automatic area calculation in a browser with no install required. Whether Roomscan offers equivalent GLA functionality depends on its feature set.

How much does PlanSnapper cost compared to Roomscan?

PlanSnapper and Roomscan 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 — PlanSnapper or Roomscan?

Ease of use depends on your starting point. PlanSnapper tends to fit one type of user or workflow, while Roomscan is designed for another. 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 PlanSnapper or Roomscan 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 PlanSnapper and Roomscan are most useful for creating sketches from scratch or capturing measurements in the field.

Which works better for calculating GLA — PlanSnapper or Roomscan?

Both PlanSnapper and Roomscan 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.

How do PlanSnapper and Roomscan handle existing floor plan PDFs?

Neither PlanSnapper nor Roomscan is primarily designed to import and calculate square footage from an existing PDF floor plan. Both tools are built around creating or capturing floor plans from scratch. If you already have a PDF floor plan, PlanSnapper lets you upload it directly, trace the walls, and get an accurate GLA figure without redrawing anything.

Which is better for occasional users — PlanSnapper or Roomscan?

PlanSnapper and Roomscan are both specialized tools with learning curves that reward regular use. Occasional users often find dedicated subscription tools hard to justify. For someone who needs to calculate square footage a few times a month, PlanSnapper is designed for exactly that — no training required, no annual contract, upload and measure in minutes.

Compare · 5 min read

PlanSnapper vs RoomScan Pro: Which Is Better for Floor Plan Measurement?

RoomScan Pro is an iOS app that uses your phone or iPad's LiDAR sensor to draw a floor plan while you walk through a property. PlanSnapper is a browser tool that calculates square footage from a floor plan you already have — a PDF, a photo, or an export from any other source. They solve different problems. Here is when to use each.

The short version

RoomScan Pro: Best when you need to create a new floor plan on-site using LiDAR. You walk each room holding your phone to the walls, and it draws the layout automatically.
PlanSnapper: Best when you already have a floor plan — from CubiCasa, Matterport, an architect, a prior appraisal, or any other source — and need to measure GLA from it quickly and accurately.

PlanSnapper vs RoomScan Pro: at a glance

	PlanSnapper	RoomScan Pro
Primary use	Measure GLA from an existing floor plan	Create a new floor plan on-site using LiDAR
Requires site visit	No — works from any to-scale image	Yes — LiDAR requires physical presence
Platform	Browser (desktop, laptop, tablet)	iOS only (iPhone/iPad with LiDAR)
ANSI Z765 GLA	Yes (above/below grade separation built in)	No (measures interior room dimensions only)
Accuracy	Within 1–2% of professional field measurement (from to-scale plan)	±2–5% for LiDAR; interior only (excludes wall thickness)
Input	Photo, PDF, or image of any floor plan	Physical space (walks each room with phone)
Export	PDF report with GLA, address, and floor plan	DXF, PDF, PNG floor plan drawing
Price	$9 day pass / $29/mo	Free basic / $4.99–$9.99/mo Pro
Works without field visit	Yes	No

What RoomScan Pro does well

If you are on-site and do not have a floor plan, RoomScan Pro is one of the fastest ways to create one. On newer iPhones and iPads with LiDAR, it can capture a room's shape in seconds by detecting walls automatically as you move the phone around the perimeter. It exports usable DXF and PDF floor plans suitable for quick sketches and listing prep.

For real estate agents preparing listing photos or investors doing quick assessments, RoomScan Pro is a solid field tool. The app is affordable and works well for interior layout documentation.

Where RoomScan Pro falls short for appraisers

Interior dimensions only. LiDAR measures from interior wall surface to interior wall surface. ANSI Z765 requires exterior measurements — from exterior wall face to exterior wall face. That gap (roughly 6–12 inches per wall, times four walls) adds up to a meaningful difference in calculated GLA.
No ANSI Z765 compliance. RoomScan does not know about above-grade vs below-grade separation, minimum ceiling height rules, or how to handle attics and split-levels under ANSI standards. Appraisers would need to apply those rules manually after export.
Requires physical presence. If you already have a floor plan — from CubiCasa, Matterport, a prior appraisal, or the architect — there is no value in re-scanning. PlanSnapper works from any image without a site visit.
iOS only. RoomScan Pro requires a LiDAR-equipped iPhone or iPad (iPhone 12 Pro and later, iPad Pro 2020 and later). Android users and anyone on a laptop or desktop are excluded.

Where PlanSnapper wins

Works from any floor plan. CubiCasa, Matterport, iGUIDE, Apex Sketch exports, architect drawings, hand sketches — if it is a to-scale image, PlanSnapper can measure it. No site visit required.
ANSI Z765 compliant GLA. PlanSnapper uses exterior perimeter measurements and calculates above-grade and below-grade areas separately — matching the methodology required for appraisal reports.
Works on any device. Desktop, laptop, or tablet. No iOS LiDAR sensor required.
Better for existing floor plans. Most appraisers already have a floor plan from a scan service, a builder, or a prior report. PlanSnapper turns that into a ANSI-compliant GLA number in under two minutes without stepping foot on the property again.

Can you use them together?

Yes — and this is actually a strong workflow. Use RoomScan Pro on-site to capture the floor plan layout quickly, then export it as a PDF. Upload that PDF to PlanSnapper to trace the exterior perimeter and calculate a proper ANSI-compliant GLA. You get the speed of LiDAR field capture combined with the accuracy and methodology compliance of PlanSnapper.

Just remember: RoomScan captures interior dimensions, so your exported PDF will reflect interior wall-to-wall distances. When you trace in PlanSnapper, you are tracing the floor plan as drawn — which means you should add approximate wall thickness to get true exterior GLA if precision is critical.

Who should use which tool

Use RoomScan Pro if you are on-site without a floor plan and need to create one fast from LiDAR
Use PlanSnapper if you already have a floor plan and need to calculate ANSI-compliant GLA from it without a site visit
Use both if your workflow involves capturing layouts on-site (RoomScan) and then computing GLA for reports (PlanSnapper)

Already have a floor plan? Get the GLA in 60 seconds.

Upload any to-scale image — PDF, photo, or CubiCasa/Matterport export — and trace the perimeter. No LiDAR required.

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