Comparison

RedX Decks vs Rafter Builder

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

RedX Decks

Design and visualize complex deck structures, including roofs and stairs, with automatic framing and structural calculations. Generate professional, permit-ready blueprints and detailed material lists for efficient construction.

Highlights
  • 3D deck and roof design
  • Automatic framing layouts
  • Structural calculations
  • Permit-ready blueprints
  • Material and cut lists
  • 3D visualization and renders
Features
Read full description

Design decks. Add roofs. Generate permit ready blueprints. RedX Decks is powerful deck design software for contractors, designers, and serious DIY builders. Create structurally sound decks, add roof-over-deck systems with beams and posts, and generate professional construction drawings in minutes. Build straight, wraparound, gazebo, L-shaped, U-shaped, freestanding, multi-level, or fully custom decks with automatic framing layouts and structural calculations. Decks With Roof Structures Design: • Roof over deck systems • Post and beam covered decks • Gazebo roofs • Decks with integrated stairs and railings • Multi-level structural framing Create complete deck and roof framing plans including beams, joists, posts, and railing systems. Permit Ready Blueprints Generate professional PDF construction drawings: • Joist and beam layout plans • Elevation blueprints • Framing layouts • Post and railing layouts • Stair stringer plans • Structural load calculations • Detailed material and cut lists Perfect for permit applications, contractor submissions, inspections, and client presentations. Automatic Structural & Framing Layout RedX automatically calculates: • Deck tributary areas • Beam sizing logic • Joist and beam placement • Load distribution • Structural checks Automatically generate: • Beam layouts • Joist layouts • Divider boards • Joist blocking • Post spacing • Stair framing Adjust spacing, deck load, materials, and wood species to match your project requirements. 3D Visualization & High-Quality Renders View your deck and roof structure in realistic 3D. Rotate, zoom, and inspect every component before building. Export high-resolution render images for client presentations, marketing, social media, or permit documentation. Complete Material & Cut Lists Get accurate: • Lumber quantities • Cut lists • Fastener estimates • Material summaries Reduce waste and build with confidence. Built for decks attached to a house or fully freestanding structures — from simple backyard builds to covered roof-over-deck systems. Download RedX Decks and start creating permit ready deck and roof blueprints today. Terms of Use (EULA) https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ RedX Apps Terms of Service https://www.redxapps.com/terms-of-service In-App Purchases Available Premium Monthly and Yearly subscriptions unlock advanced features. Payment is charged to your iTunes account and renews automatically unless turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage subscriptions in your App Store settings. Current pricing starts at $6.99 USD/month or $59.99 USD/year. Prices may vary by region and are subject to change. Active subscriptions cannot be canceled during the billing period.

About

Rafter Builder

Features
Read full description

Rafter Builder is a professional roof framing calculator and design toolkit for contractors, framers, carpenters, and serious DIY builders. Run accurate rafter calculations, generate cut lists, visualize framing in 2D and 3D, and export PDF blueprints — all from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. 11 ROOF BUILDERS. EVERY JOB. Rafter Builder covers the full range of residential roof geometry: • Common Rafter — pitch, run, overhang, birdsmouth, plumb and seat cuts • Hip Roof — hip rafter, jack rafter schedule, bevel and backing angles • Valley — intersecting roof geometry, valley lengths, cut angles • Gable Truss — span, pitch, webs, and fabrication layout • Dormer — dormer framing integrated into a main roof body • Single Slope — lean-to and shed roof workflow • Open Valley — flashing gap, valley rafter, and cut-angle sheet • Gambrel — dual-pitch profile with segmented rafters • Turret — polygon-based radial rafter framing • Bay — bay roof facets, hips, and compact framing schedule • A-Frame — symmetrical A-frame with ridge and full-span rafters Common Rafter is free. All other builders are included with Rafter Builder Pro. PRECISE OUTPUT. EVERY TIME. Enter roof pitch, run, overhang, and lumber details. Get exact member lengths, rise, tail, fascia height, birdsmouth dimensions, plumb cuts, and seat cuts — to 1/16" precision or finer. Results update in real time as you type. CUT LISTS. MATERIAL LISTS. PDF BLUEPRINTS. Every build produces a complete cut list by member type, a material list by lumber size and quantity, and a structured PDF blueprint ready to print or share with your crew. Exports are versioned so you always know which plan went to the field. 2D AND 3D VISUALIZATION View your roof from the top, side, or in a live 3D orbit. Tap any member to inspect its exact dimensions, angles, and cut details. Toggle labels on or off. The 3D model renders in under two seconds for standard projects. BUILT FOR THE JOB SITE • Fully offline — no account, no email, no sign-in required • Works on iPhone, iPad, and Mac Catalyst • Imperial (feet-inch-fraction) and metric • Large touch targets for glove-friendly use • Autosaves continuously — interruptions never lose your work • Organize jobs into folders and archive completed projects PROJECT MANAGEMENT Save and reopen projects, duplicate jobs for variations, attach files, and maintain a full versioned export history. Free tier supports up to 3 active projects with watermarked preview exports. RAFTER BUILDER PRO Monthly and annual plans unlock: • All 10 premium builders (Hip, Valley, Truss, Dormer, Single Slope, Open Valley, Gambrel, Turret, Bay, A-Frame) • Full PDF and CSV exports with no watermark • Advanced 3D views • Unlimited saved projects • Material lists and versioned export history PLANNING AID — NOT ENGINEERING SIGN-OFF Rafter Builder is a planning and fabrication aid. Always verify calculations against local building codes, engineering requirements, and actual site conditions before cutting. Terms of Service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

RedX Decks4 screens
Rafter Builder4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: RedX Decks at 15.6 against Rafter Builder's 17.6. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. RedX Decks sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Rafter Builder sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
RedX Decks versus Rafter Builder: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRedX DecksRafter Builder
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (536 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews30.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings536 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size177 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRedX Technology IncJalsaa

In-app purchases

8 purchases

RedX Decks

Subscriptions5
  • RedX Apps Pro++ Monthly$9.991 Month
  • RedX Decks Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • RedX Apps Pro++$59.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • RedX Decks Pro7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • RedX Apps Bundle1 Year trial2 variants$179.991 Year
One-time3
  • 20 Render Credits$9.99
  • 100 Render Credits$29.99
  • 200 Render Credits$44.99
2 purchases

Rafter Builder

Subscriptions2
  • Professional Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Professional Yearly$69.991 Year

Questions

Is RedX Decks free?
RedX Decks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Rafter Builder free?
Rafter Builder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do RedX Decks or Rafter Builder have ads?
Neither RedX Decks nor Rafter Builder shows ads.

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