8 Best Shed Design Software Picks (Free and Paid)

Did you know that one of my first articles on this site was about what a “she shed” was? It’s true, and it remains one of my favorite articles that I wrote on this site. Ever since that shed article, I had a soft spot for designing sheds. That’s why I jumped at the chance to talk about shed design software. Believe it or not, designing a chicher she-shed just got a lot easier thanks to these top-rated software platforms below.

The highest-rated shed design software is Revit by Autodesk, a professional-grade architectural design platform. Other options include Shed Boss, Fair Dinkum, Home Designer Suite, SketchUp, Studio Shed Design, Chief Architect, and AutoCAD/CADPro.

If you want to plan out a better shed (even if it’s not a she-shed!), then sketching out your shed design is a good idea. Let’s talk about your options.

It all depends on how you are making your shed. It’s possible to do minor upgrades on a pre-built shed that you transport over to your home without this software. However, most people find that having shed design software kits is a good use of their time. This is one of the easiest ways to ensure that the shed that you planned out is the shed that you are going to get.

Depending on what software you choose, it can make it easier for contractors to give you an accurate estimate. Some might even offer cost estimates for real contracting work done around you. Or, it could just give you a better idea of what the shed you think you want will actually look like in your garden.

The price you pay for shed design software depends on your budget, needs, as well as the overall level of detail that you require. Shed design software can be free, or cost over $220 per month. Most shed designing mobile apps will be free, while software platforms made for professionals will cost more.

The truth is that you don’t have to pay hundreds of dollars to get good results with shed designing software unless you are a professional who needs to have industry-standard blueprints. Most homeowners who want to offer up a visual guide for contractors will be perfectly fine with downloading a free app or using web apps to make the shed of their dreams.

You might remember that Autodesk is a major design software company when it comes to everything from pergolas to interior design. Revit is the more architecture-specific spinoff of Autodesk. As one of the most advanced designing software kits on the planet, Revit is one of the only platforms on this list that offers true-to-life design down to the very measurement.

This is super customizable, and also happens to be slightly easier to use than most of the other professional shed design software platforms on the net. With that said, it still remains somewhat difficult to use. That makes it a good choice for people who want to become professional shed installers or who work professionally in hardware.

AutoCAD is another professional-centric design software kit that people love to use for drafting shed designs. AutoCAD is similar to Revit, even to the point that it’s made by the same company. The key difference is that Revit is architectural and AutoCAD is good to use for smaller items like objects or furniture. It can still be used for a shed and can actually work well for sheds that are meant to be more like a clubhouse.

If you want something that is extremely detail-oriented, then you are going to want AutoCAD as your software of choice. It’s professional-level, which is why many architecture and furniture design firms swear by it. Since both of these CAD programs tend to be used for other architecture projects, they tend to be most commonly found in home design and build companies.

Note: Most of this information also applies to CADPro, another popular platform. The key difference is the price and the interface details.

Don’t feel like paying the amount you would for a pet for a program? Then you might want to look at the more user-friendly version of these two programs. SketchUp is the more affordable option for people who need to have a realistic sketch that can translate into plans for a shed fairly easily. It’s made for homeowners as well as cost-conscious professionals who want to have realistic sketches.

You can design 2D and 3D at the same time. It’s easy enough to use and comes with a community that offers advice. You’ll love the pencil tool it comes with, plus the “push/pull” tools that make it possible to resize your shed in a pinch. It still can be somewhat difficult for newbies to use.

Home Designer Suite is a more “mainstream-friendly” option that is designed with ease of use in mind. As the name suggests, you get to do a lot more than shed designing here. However, that doesn’t mean it sucks at shed design. Quite the contrary! Home Designer Suite is a great choice for people who are still brainstorming what they want their shed to look like.

This suite has a massive library of items that make it easy to fully envision what your shed will look like in your yard as well as inside the shed itself. 2D/3D rendering happens in tandem, and it’s exactly what most people want in a sketching app. With that said, it’s not always measurements-friendly. They also have an amazing list of accessories that you can add to make your rendering more realistic.

Now, we’re starting to get to the point where we’re looking at shed design software that’s specifically for sheds. Amazing, right? Shed Boss was made by an Australian shed maker as an app for people who are planning their next shed. It lets you see your shed in 3D, plan out key measurements, and also pick out the important details that you want to keep in mind. With that said, it’s still made by people who want you to buy their service. So, don’t be surprised if you get a little salesy vibe from time to time.

Shed Boss is a great app for people who want to be able to get a “one and done” design. It also doesn’t stop at standard sheds, either. Carports and lean-to’s are also free to add. Did I mention they give cost estimates too? Yep. It’s great like that. The only thing you might not like is the fact that it’s not very aesthetically pleasing and doesn’t let you add accessories to your shed like flowers.

Fair Dinkum is another shed designing company, and surprise! They have a shed designing app too! The Fair Dinkum Shed Designer is an app made with homeowners planning a new shed in mind. They let you design the basics, add measurements, check out lean-to options, as well as pick out the colors that you want to have.

With this designer, things are left to be pretty basic. You get the shed, the options surrounding the shed’s creation, and the materials. While it’s not big on frills, the truth is that it’s easy to use and gets the job done. Since Fair Dinkum is in the shed-building industry, you also get reliable cost estimates based on market rates.

Studio Shed Design is an app that is made by Studio Shed, one of the only services that actually contracts out shed design to groups throughout the nation. In other words, this is not just a shed-making company. Heck, they don’t even design sheds. It’s a company that connects you with contractors that work with you to make your shed the way you want it to be. It’s all local.

In a lot of ways, Studio Shed Design is extremely similar to Shed Boss. It’s not frilly, and it’s not there to see how “pretty” your shed will look in your garden. It’s there to give you the straight dope on what your project can cost and how it’ll look like when it’s done. Everything around it? Well, that’s not their prerogative. Even so, it’s really useful.

Home Designer is the homeowner-centric version of Chief Architect. This is a professional-grade version of Home Designer that’s geared towards the more measurement and material-oriented parts of your shed planning experience. Since it’s meant for professionals, you get even more control over materials, measurements, and other important factors like lumber planning.

With more control over your shed design comes more involvement in the planning and designing process. This means that your interface will be more complex, and that there will be a longer learning curve to mastering this platform. You’re going to love the high-quality 3D visuals as well as the materials library.

Related Questions

Is it cheaper to design and build your own shed or use a shed kit?

Study after study shows that it’s cheaper to design and build your own shed, assuming you’re going to do the work yourself. Shed kits come at a small premium price. After all, shed kits have to recover the cost it took to design the shed, cut everything out, and assemble it into a single kit. As a result, buying a shed kit will always be a little bit more expensive than the DIY route.

Can I store my power tools in a shed?

If you want to store power tools in a shed, a standard kit shed will not pass muster for your needs. Power tools need to be stored in a well-insulated, well-ventilated area. Standard sheds do not come with insulation provided, which means that they are generally not the place to store power tools. If you need to store power tools in your shed, you may have to design and build (or upgrade) the shed yourself.A good rule of thumb to follow is that you shouldn’t store power tools anywhere that you wouldn’t store indoors-designed wooden furniture. They both need a similar type of environment to last.

How do I plan a shed’s interior?

A shed will need to have an area to place your hand tools, as well as interior fixings for any major toolkits that you may want to store there. If you want to store power tools in your shed or want to turn your shed into a workspace, you need to plan for insulation installation. When in doubt, the best thing that you can do is call a shed installation expert for advice on designing your own shed.