Comparison

Decks 3D vs Deck Calculator & Planner

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Design various deck shapes
  • Detailed framing and material lists
  • 3D visualization
  • Exportable blueprints and cut lists
  • Imperial and metric measurements
  • Offline project packages
Features
Read full description

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/

About

Deck Calculator & Planner

Features
Read full description

Planning a deck? Type the width, depth and height. Deck Calculator & Planner draws the deck to scale and lists everything you need: joists, beams, posts, footings, concrete, decking, screws, railing and stairs. Free to plan. One purchase unlocks PDF export, the cut list and cost totals. No subscription. No account. What the app gives you: - A scaled plan you can see and adjust as you change the size, attached or freestanding - A full material list, grouped by framing, footings and concrete, decking and hardware, with your own prices and a running total - Stairs worked out for you: rise, run, tread count and stringers - A joist and beam check against published span tables, with a flag when a choice is outside the table - Railing counted out: posts and balusters, spaced to keep gaps under 4 inches - A PDF you can print or send, with a cut list page for the lumber yard Deck Planner helps you plan and estimate. It is not engineering advice and it does not replace your building department, a licensed engineer or a contractor. Span and footing checks come from published prescriptive tables for typical conditions. Your town may use a different code edition, snow load, frost depth or soil value. Most decks need a permit. Check with your local permit office before you buy materials or build.

Screenshots

Decks 3D4 screens
Deck Calculator & Planner4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Decks 3D at every 6 days against Deck Calculator & Planner's fortnightly. Deck Calculator & Planner's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 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. Decks 3D sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Deck Calculator & Planner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Decks 3D ships an update every 6 days, Deck Calculator & Planner fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Decks 3D versus Deck Calculator & Planner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDecks 3DDeck Calculator & Planner
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSebastin MichaelCommonwealth Business Systems

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Decks 3D

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Pro Annual$49.991 Year
1 purchases

Deck Calculator & Planner

One-time1
  • Full Unlock$9.99

Questions

Is Decks 3D free?
Decks 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Deck Calculator & Planner free?
Deck Calculator & Planner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Decks 3D or Deck Calculator & Planner have ads?
Neither Decks 3D nor Deck Calculator & Planner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Decks 3D or Deck Calculator & Planner?
Decks 3D ships an update every 6 days, and Deck Calculator & Planner fortnightly. Most recently, Decks 3D was updated on October 7, 2026 and Deck Calculator & Planner on October 18, 2026.

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