Home Designer vs VizTerra
Home Designer
homedesignersoftware.comVizTerra
structurestudios.comSide by side
| Figure | Home Designer | VizTerra |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $41.25/mo | $84/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 10 | 3 |
| Spec score · Landscape Design Software | 8.9 (#2) | 8.1 (#7) |
| Founded | 1992 | 2001 |
| Licence | The EULA grants an individual, non-transferable proprietary licence and prohibits reverse engineering, redistribution and disabling authentication. | The EULA says VizTerra is licensed rather than sold under a non-exclusive, non-transferable membership licence. |
| Purpose | Home Designer is DIY software for home design, remodeling, kitchen and bath design, and cost estimation. | VizTerra is landscape design software for professionals designing, presenting, and building outdoor living spaces. |
| Rating on Apple App Store | 3.7 out of 5 from 526 ratings for the companion 3D Viewer app | Not enough ratings to display an overview out of 5 from 0 displayed ratings |
| Rating on Capterra | 4.2 out of 5 from 9 reviews | 3.0 out of 5 from 4 reviews |
| Rating on GetApp | 4.2 out of 5 from 9 reviews | 3.0 out of 5 from 4 reviews |
| Support | Free online support resources are available 24/7, including a knowledge base, webinars, training materials, and the HomeTalk forum. | Official resources advertise live phone support, video training, and a Help Center; third-party listings describe chat and a knowledge base. |
| System requirements | Current Windows minimums are Windows 10/11 64-bit, 16 GB RAM, 4 GB graphics memory, DirectX 12, 5 GB storage and internet; Mac minimums require an M1-or-newer processor, 16 GB RAM, 5 GB storage and internet. | Version 2 minimums include Windows 8.1 or 10, an eighth-generation Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, GTX 960-class graphics, and 11 GB free disk space. |
| Trial | A free trial is offered, but trial users cannot save, print, export, or record walkthroughs, and Library Browser functions are restricted. | The maker offers a 30-day free trial with full feature access and no credit card required to start. |
| What it does | Home Designer is desktop software for DIY home design, remodeling, interior, kitchen and bath, deck, landscaping, 2D plans and 3D visualization. | VizTerra supports 2D landscape planning, interactive 3D design, client presentations, and construction plans from one project file. |
Plans
Home Designer
- Home Designer$79 a month
- Home Designer$495 a year
- Home Designer Pro Rent (legacy)$59 a month
- Home Designer (monthly subscription)$79 a month
- Home Designer subscription (monthly)$79 a month
- Home Designer Suite (legacy)$129, paid once
- Home Designer Architectural (legacy)$249, paid once
- Home Designer (annual subscription)$495 a year
- Home Designer subscription (annual)$495 a year
- Home Designer Pro (legacy)$595, paid once
VizTerra
- VizTerra Annual Membership$84 a month
- VizTerra Monthly$97 a month
- VizTerraPrice not published
In their own words
Home Designer
Home Designer is desktop software for DIY home design, remodeling, kitchen and bath projects, and cost estimation. It runs on Windows and macOS and provides 2D floor plans alongside 3D views, cross-sections, elevations, and real-time ray-trace rendering. Automatic design tools generate roofs, floors, foundations, ceilings, and framing as users work. Users can create scaled construction documents and site plans, produce materials lists, assign prices for estimates, and dimension plans manually or automatically. The software also supports customizable smart cabinets, automatic door and window framing, and materials takeoffs. Virtual tour walkthroughs can be recorded, and interactive 3D Viewer models can be exported to Chief Architect’s cloud for mobile sharing. Core, bonus, and manufacturer library items are available; bonus and manufacturer catalogs are free downloads. Home Designer is compatible with Chief Architect software for project sharing. A trial is available, but trial users cannot save, print, export, or record walkthroughs, and Library Browser functions are restricted. The monthly plan is $79 a month; annual subscription is $495 a year.
VizTerra
VizTerra is Windows landscape design software for professionals planning, presenting, and building outdoor living spaces. Users can draw in 2D, switch to interactive 3D, and create construction plans from the same project file. The software calculates measurements, square footage, and quantities as designs develop. Its library lists 1,922 3D objects, 1,241 HD materials, and 1,748 trees and shrubs. An optional GIS add-on can provide parcel boundaries, setbacks, a home footprint, and high-resolution aerial imagery at scale. Presentation tools support photo capture up to 8K and include a video storyboard. VizTerra imports AutoCAD DWG/DXF files and exports designs or construction plans in DXF, JPG, and PDF. Designs can also be exported to the optional YARD iPad app for augmented-reality viewing on a client's property. A 30-day free trial provides full feature access without a credit card to start. The per-seat subscription is listed at $9,784 a month, with $97 user/month billed monthly or $84 user/month billed annually, plus a $95 one-time setup fee. GIS and YARD cost extra. Access ends after the subscription ends.