Decks 3D vs StairSmith
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Decks 3D
Design and plan custom decks with detailed framing, 3D visualization, and exportable build documents. Supports various deck shapes and measurements for professional use.
- Design various deck shapes
- Detailed framing and material lists
- 3D visualization
- Exportable blueprints and cut lists
- Imperial and metric measurements
- Offline project packages
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Decks 3D is a framing-first deck builder for contractors, deck builders, remodelers, designers, and serious DIY users. Create a deck, generate the framing plan, review it in 3D, and export the build documents you need from iPhone or iPad. Build deck projects faster - Design straight, L-shaped, U-shaped, freestanding, wraparound, custom, gazebo, multi-level, and octagonal decks - Tune joist spacing, beam spacing, posts, footings, decking direction, stairs, railing, roof-over-deck concepts, and terrain notes - Work in imperial or metric measurements for field-friendly input See the structure clearly - Review live 2D deck plans with joists, beams, posts, footings, stairs, labels, and project metrics - Inspect the deck in 3D before you build - Check warnings, presentation notes, material quantities, and cut lists in one workspace Export and share locally - Save blueprint PDFs, material lists, cut lists, and offline project packages - Add white-label branding to exports with Decks 3D Pro - Keep projects, drafts, exports, and packages on device unless you choose to share them - No account required Built for real deck workflows Decks 3D focuses on framing clarity and deck-specific planning instead of generic home design tools. It is made for deck jobs, client walkthroughs, and faster field decisions on iPhone and iPad. Free and Pro Start free with straight deck projects. Decks 3D Pro unlocks all 9 deck shapes, blueprint PDF export, white-label exports, and advanced planning tools. Concept plans only. Verify spans, footings, and local code before construction or permit submission. Terms of Service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
StairSmith
This app calculates stair dimensions, checks building codes, and generates cut lists for builders and DIYers. It provides live diagrams, lumber information, and framing square layouts, all without requiring an account or subscription. The tool is designed for efficiency at the workbench and offers print-ready PDFs.
- Live elevation diagram
- Print-ready PDF reports
- Building code compliance checks
- Framing square layout diagrams
- Lumber and cut sheet generation
- Supports multiple building codes
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The stair calculator built for builders and DIYers. Type your total rise. StairSmith equalizes the risers, draws the elevation diagram live, runs the building-code checks, and tells you what to cut instantly. No account, no cloud, no subscription. HERO FEATURES • Live elevation diagram — pinch, pan, tap any dimension to learn what it means. • Cut Sheet hero — riser height, code going, riser count, stringer length. Take it to the saw. • Lumber cheat sheet — number of stringers, treads, and risers, with stringer length rounded to the next standard 2×12. • Framing-square layout — "set tongue at 7", blade at 10"" with a beautiful, printable diagram on page 2 of every PDF. • Code compliance built in — IRC 2021, IBC 2021, NBC 2020, UK Part K, and Australia NCC. Pass/fail on riser, going, 2R+T, and headroom. Free handrail and guard reminders. • Print-ready PDF — elevation diagram, cut list, lumber list, framing-square layout, and disclaimer. AirDrop, email, or print directly. DESIGNED FOR THE SHOP StairSmith is built around the moment you're at the workbench, sawdust on your glasses, trying to remember what number to mark. Open the "Show at Saw" sheet — the diagram fills your screen, with the two numbers you need in giant monospace type. Slide the framing square down the board, mark, repeat. WHY ONE-TIME PURCHASE Every other stair calculator on the App Store is either subscription-hostile or ad-ridden. StairSmith is a one-time purchase. Yours forever. No upsells, no nag screens, no "Pro" tier locked behind a paywall. FOR DIY HOMEOWNERS First time building a flight of stairs? Tap the (i) on Total Rise and you'll get a 3-sentence explanation of how to measure it correctly so your stairs don't end up an inch off. Tap any "Cut Number" on the Cut Sheet hero to learn what it means. The app teaches you while you use it. FOR PROS Switch between IRC, IBC, NBC, Part K, and NCC with a tap. Switch between imperial (with fractional input) and metric (mm) instantly. Save unlimited projects locally. The PDF cut sheet is dense, professional, and ready to hand a permit reviewer or a trade partner. PRIVACY StairSmith collects nothing. No account, no cloud, no analytics, no tracking, no ads. Your projects live only on your device. NOT INCLUDED IN v1.0 (coming): multi-flight stairs, winders, landings, and isometric view. Today it's straight single-flight stairs only, done extremely well. Built in California, by a builder who got tired of subscription tools that disrespect their users. Questions: support@cascinobuilders.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Decks 3D at Free against StairSmith's $6.99. StairSmith's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads 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
Decks 3D is free to download; StairSmith costs $6.99 up front. Decks 3D sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. StairSmith asks for nothing beyond the download.
StairSmith holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.
Decks 3D ships an update every 6 days, StairSmith every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Decks 3D | StairSmith |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $6.99 |
| Rating | 1.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sebastin Michael | Taylor Cascino |
Customer experience
Decks 3D
StairSmith
In-app purchases
Decks 3D
- Pro Monthly$5.991 Month
- Pro Annual$49.991 Year
StairSmith
No in-app purchases









