Design My Lights vs ReluxDesktop: Which Should You Use?

The verdict

Design My Lights and ReluxDesktop are both home & construction design tools, compared here side by side. Design My Lights is truly free (Free) and runs in any web browser with nothing to install; ReluxDesktop is free, with limits (Paid) and is a desktop install with no browser version. The biggest difference is cost: Design My Lights is truly free, while ReluxDesktop is free, with limits (from Paid).

Free tiers & pricing last verified Jun 23, 2026.

Pick Design My Lights if…

Truly free

Homeowners previewing holiday lights

Pick ReluxDesktop if…

Free, with limits

Lighting designers who also plan sensors

Read the full reviews

Design My Lights

Completely free with no account; upload a house photo, drag lights along the roofline and get a photorealistic nighttime preview.

ReluxDesktop

Free for personal, educational and commercial use with member luminaires; using non-member products needs a paid ReluxThirdParty license.

Design My Lights vs ReluxDesktop: questions, answered

What is the main difference between Design My Lights and ReluxDesktop?

The biggest difference is cost: Design My Lights is truly free, while ReluxDesktop is free, with limits (from Paid).

Is Design My Lights or ReluxDesktop free?

Design My Lights is truly free and ReluxDesktop is free, with limits. Design My Lights: Completely free with no account; upload a house photo, drag lights along the roofline and get a photorealistic nighttime preview. ReluxDesktop: Free for personal, educational and commercial use with member luminaires; using non-member products needs a paid ReluxThirdParty license.