Planner 5D Alternatives (Real Limits Compared)
Planner 5D is a solid choice, but people look for alternatives because of the fine print: Free to design unlimited 2D/3D projects, but about half the furniture catalog is locked, you get no proper renders, and DWG/DXF export plus custom 3D import require the Professional plan. On top of that, most furniture and all good-quality renders are paywalled. Strong options to compare include Sweet Home 3D, Homestyler, RoomSketcher, and HomeByMe. Below we line up the real free limits of each — what it exports, what it watermarks, and which platforms it runs on — so you switch for the right reason.
Alternatives at a glance
Sweet Home 3D
Truly freeCompletely free and open-source for personal and commercial use with no feature paywall; the only real limit is that the online and mobile versions can't import custom 3D models or export OBJ, which the desktop app handles.
Homestyler
Free, with limitsFree to design with unlimited 1K renders and 100k+ models, but every free render carries a Homestyler watermark, removing it needs a paid plan, and 4K renders cost $1.99 each a la carte.
RoomSketcher
Free, with limitsFree to draw accurate floor plans and view low-res 3D snapshots, but you can't download, print, or export a finished 2D/3D plan until you pay about $4 per output or subscribe to Pro, and free is capped at 2 projects.
HomeByMe
Free, with limitsFree design with unlimited 2D/3D screenshots, but you get only 5 realistic HD renders total for the account's lifetime (not per month), deleting a project doesn't refund the credit, and free is personal-use only.
Switch to one of these if…
Each card leads with its pricing and free-tier reality — pick the one whose limits you can live with.
Sweet Home 3D
Truly freeCompletely free and open-source for personal and commercial use with no feature paywall; the only real limit is that the online and mobile versions can't import custom 3D models or export OBJ, which the desktop app handles.
Homestyler
Free, with limitsFree to design with unlimited 1K renders and 100k+ models, but every free render carries a Homestyler watermark, removing it needs a paid plan, and 4K renders cost $1.99 each a la carte.
RoomSketcher
Free, with limitsFree to draw accurate floor plans and view low-res 3D snapshots, but you can't download, print, or export a finished 2D/3D plan until you pay about $4 per output or subscribe to Pro, and free is capped at 2 projects.
HomeByMe
Free, with limitsFree design with unlimited 2D/3D screenshots, but you get only 5 realistic HD renders total for the account's lifetime (not per month), deleting a project doesn't refund the credit, and free is personal-use only.