The Best DIY Home Improvement Apps of 2024
Written by: BestApp.com App Testing Team - Updated: Sep 24, 2021
For the best overall DIY home improvement app, we chose Houzz due to its wide range of resources for homeowners, including an online furniture store, design inspiration, and contractor recommendations. But Houzz isn’t the only great app for DIY enthusiasts. We found nine other amazing home improvement apps that offer a variety of features and tools to help homeowners complete their DIY projects. Here are the 10 best DIY home improvement apps for you to check out.
Top 10 DIY Home Improvement Apps to Try
- Houzz — Top Pick
- Homestyler — Best Free Version
- iHandy Carpenter — Best Digital Tools
- DIY Tip Genius — Best for Home Improvement Tips
- The Home Depot — Best for Purchasing DIY Materials
- RoomScan Pro — Best for Creating Floor Plans
- MagicPlan — Best for Contractors
- Home Improvement Calcs — Best for Quick Calculations
- Handy — Best for Hiring Professionals
- Photo Measures — Best for Room Measurements
How We Chose the Best DIY Home Improvement Apps
We chose the 10 best DIY home improvement apps based on a selection of key features that contribute to successful DIY project planning and execution. These features include in-app DIY tools, the ability to order supplies through the app, pro tips, conversion tools, and the option to contact and hire professionals. Every app on our list offers one or more of these core features to ensure it can simplify and accelerate the DIY process.
Choose the DIY home improvement app that’s right for you
To find the best DIY home improvement app for you, it’s important to consider your project needs. Apps like Houzz and Homestyler are great for planning home remodels and redecorations, while apps like iHandy Carpenter and RoomScan Pro offer practical tools to use once you begin your remodel.
Consider hiring a professional
While coordinating and carrying out a successful DIY project can be very rewarding, it’s important to consider hiring professional contractors for more complex and dangerous tasks. Repainting a room, for example, is a great DIY project for amateurs; however, comprehensive remodels that involve tearing out flooring and interior walls are best left to professionals with the expertise and safety knowledge needed to complete the project without accidents. For projects like these, we recommend using one of the apps, like Houzz, that lets users find and hire professionals.
Our DIY Home Improvement App Reviews
Houzz — Top Pick
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Houzz is our top pick for the best DIY home improvement app as it is the ultimate source for home redesign ideas. The app is similar to Pinterest in that users can browse and save pictures of ideas that they like so they can replicate them in the future. You can browse through a wide range of categories, including everything from dining room and living room inspiration to ideas for your landscape or patio. To help you get started on your redesign, Houzz has a directory of professional contractors, and you can message contractors directly through the app to discuss your project. Houzz also has its own online furniture store, so users can purchase the items they need for their remodel from the app itself.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: Starter: $55/month; Essential: $75/month; Ultimate: $199-$999+/month
- Support available: FAQs, Email, Phone
| Houzz Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Home redesign inspiration | No in-app tools |
| Contractor directory | |
| Online furniture store | |
Homestyler — Best Free Version
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Like Houzz, Homestyler is designed to help users plan their next home redesign or remodel. You start by uploading a picture of your room or creating a 2D or 3D floor plan, then you can use the app to browse furniture and place it directly in your room to see how it would look. You can also walk through your room using a photo-realistic 720-degree panorama view. Users can browse through a gallery of user-created rooms to get inspiration for their own projects, and the app includes a learning library for you to learn how to create their dream room. Homestyler’s free version is very generous and suitable for most DIYers. It includes unlimited free standard renders and access to all of the app’s features. By upgrading to one of the subscription plans, users can unlock Ultra HD and 4K rendering.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: Pro Plan: $20/month; Master Plan: $40/month
- Support available: FAQs, Email, Forum, Contact Form
| Homestyler Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Unlimited free standard renders | No in-app tools |
| Floor plan features in free version | No contractor recommendations |
iHandy Carpenter — Best Digital Tools
Download: iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
iHandy Carpenter is a digital toolkit that is perfect for DIY home improvement enthusiasts. It is the only app on our list dedicated to providing accurate and practical digital tools, including a plumb bob for verifying verticality, surface level to level flat surfaces, steel protractor for measuring angles, and steel ruler to take quick measurements. The app costs $1.99 to download but does not include any in-app purchases or subscription plans. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced contractor, these five tools will come in handy for your next small DIY project or major remodel.
Notable features:
- Free version not available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: Email
| iHandy Carpenter Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| No in-app purchases or subscription plans | No free version |
| Practical digital carpentry tools | Limited support options |
DIY Tip Genius — Best for Home Improvement Tips
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★
DIY Tip Genius is an app from the publishers of The Family Handyman Magazine — a magazine dedicated to DIY and home improvement skills and techniques. Unlike the other apps on our list that focus on remodel inspiration or practical DIY tools, DIY Tip Genius offers useful DIY tips and tricks for casual handymen. The app has nearly 4,000 tips that cover a wide range of categories, including painting, woodworking, home remodeling, and landscaping. Whenever you have an idea for a DIY project, you can consult the app to find useful tips to make the project go as smoothly as possible.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- In-app purchases: $4.99/item
- Support available: Email
| DIY Tip Genius Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Practically DIY tips | Not available on iOS |
| Tips from experience handymen | Limited support options |
The Home Depot — Best for Purchasing DIY Materials
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
The Home Depot app is a must-have for anyone interested in DIY and home improvement. It offers a number of features not found in other apps on our list, including its image search feature. If you don’t know the name of something you need, take a picture with your phone and the app will tell you the name of the product. You can also use the app’s augmented reality (AR) feature to visualize products in your home before you purchase them, and users can search for local contractors for large home improvement projects. You can also use the app to read reviews and purchase products directly from Home Depot.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: Email, Phone, Help & FAQs
| The Home Depot Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Product image search | No in-app tools |
| AR features | |
| Contractor search | |
RoomScan Pro — Best for Creating Floor Plans
Download: iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
RoomScan Pro is an AR app that makes creating floor plans quick and easy. You can use one of three methods to quickly scan rooms and create floor plans: touch your phone against each wall in a room, use AR to scan your room, or use Leica & Bosch laser measures to get precise measurements for your floor plans. This is also the only floor plan app on our list that can also be used to scan building exteriors and landscapes. With the free version of the app, users can export, save, send, and print floor plans as standard image files.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- In-app purchases: $8.49/item
- Support available: Email, Chat, FAQs
| RoomScan Pro Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Create accurate floor plans | Not available on Android |
| Free file exports | |
MagicPlan — Best for Contractors
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
While most of the apps on our list are ideal for amateur DIY enthusiasts, MagicPlan is designed for contractors. The app lets users easily create and share floor plans, field reports, and estimates. With MagicPlan, contractors can quickly gather important project data, including job specs, measurements, sketches, and markups. You can sketch plans in 2D or 3D, create project reports, and automatically calculate pricing for different projects. Project plans are stored in the MagicPlan Cloud for easy access, and all project data is automatically structured for more efficient workflows. The free version of the app includes all features for two projects, but to create additional projects, you’ll have to subscribe to one of three monthly plans.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: Sketch: $9.99/month/user; Report: $29.99/month/user; Estimate: $89.99/month/user; Enterprise: Custom
- Support available: Help Center, Email, Phone, FAQs, Tickets
| MagicPlan Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Create floor plans | Limited features in free version |
| Generate project reports | |
| Calculate estimates | |
Home Improvement Calcs — Best for Quick Calculations
Download: iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Home Improvement Calcs is the only app on our list dedicated to helping users quickly make calculations for home improvement projects. The app costs $1.99, but does not require any in-app purchases or subscriptions to unlock additional features. It includes over 250 calculators for various projects, including interior, framing, electrical, and landscaping projects. You can use the app to determine how much concrete you need to fill in a hole, how much fertilizer you need for your yard, and more. Home Improvement Calcs also includes a tool to measure angles, a project cost estimator, and calculators to help you manage project timelines.
Notable features:
- Free version not available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: Email, Phone
| Home Improvement Calcs Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Over 250 project calculators | Not available on Android |
| In-app tools | |
| Project timeline estimates | |
Handy — Best for Hiring Professionals
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Handy is the best app on our list for finding and hiring contractors. The app’s main features are included in the free version, allowing users to instantly book professionals to handle cleaning and handyman tasks at fixed rates. This includes services like furniture assembly, TV mounting, wall hanging, and office cleaning. The app also provides free quotes from local contractors for larger jobs like bathroom remodels, kitchen remodels, and floor installation. Included in the app is a furniture store and, unlike most other apps, anything bought through the app includes free delivery, assembly, and professional installation. By upgrading to Handy Select for $10 per month, users can save 20% on all of their home cleanings booked through the app.
Notable features:
- Free version available
- Subscription plans: Handy Select: $10/month
- Support available: Help Center, Email
| Handy Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| Instant bookings for small projects | Limited support options |
| Free quotes from professional contractors | No in-app tools |
| Furniture purchases include free assembly | |
Photo Measures — Best for Room Measurements
Download: Android ★★★★★★★★★★ | iOS ★★★★★★★★★★
Photo Measures is a great app for DIYers to use when planning projects. It is the only app on our list that lets users snap photos of rooms and furniture, add measurements, store and organize documents, and export documents for sharing. Using the app is simple: take a picture of your room, draw measurements directly on the photo, zoom in and out to alter measurements with more precision, add text comments, and save your photo to a specific category. Once saved, you can share photos directly with contractors or other professionals to streamline the project planning process. The app costs $6.99 and $4.99 to download on iOS and Android, respectively, and does not include any additional in-app purchases.
Notable features:
- Free version not available
- Subscription plans: None
- Support available: FAQs, Email, Contact Form
| Photo Measures Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|
| What we like | What we don’t like |
| No in-app purchases | No free version |
| Create accurate room measurements | |
DIY Home Improvement Apps: Features Summary Table
| DIY Home Improvement Apps Comparison Table | ||
|---|---|---|
| App | Subscription Fees or In-App Purchases | Features |
| Houzz — Top Pick | Starter: $55/month Essential: $75/month Ultimate: $199-$999+/month |
✓ In-App Tools ✓ Order Supplies ✓ Pro Tips ✓ Calculation/Conversion Tool ✓ Contact Professional |
| Homestyler — Best Free Version | Pro Plan: $20/month Master Plan: $40/month |
✓ In-App Tools X Order Supplies X Pro Tips X Calculation/Conversion Tool X Contact Professional |
| iHandy Carpenter — Best Digital Tools | None | ✓ In-App Tools X Order Supplies X Pro Tips X Calculation/Conversion Tool X Contact Professional |
| DIY Tip Genius — Best for Home Improvement Tips | $4.99/item | X In-App Tools X Order Supplies ✓ Pro Tips ✓ Calculation/Conversion Tool X Contact Professional |
| The Home Depot — Best for Purchasing DIY Materials | None | X In-App Tools ✓ Order Supplies X Pro Tips ✓ Calculation/Conversion Tool ✓ Contact Professional |
| RoomScan Pro — Best for Creating Floor Plans | $8.49/item | ✓ In-App Tools X Order Supplies X Pro Tips X Calculation/Conversion Tool X Contact Professional |
| MagicPlan — Best for Contractors | Sketch: $9.99/month/user Report: $29.99/month/user Estimate: $89.99/month/user Enterprise: Custom |
✓ In-App Tools ✓ Order Supplies X Pro Tips ✓ Calculation/Conversion Tool X Contact Professional |
| Home Improvement Calcs — Best for Quick Calculations | None | ✓ In-App Tools X Order Supplies X Pro Tips ✓ Calculation/Conversion Tool X Contact Professional |
| Handy — Best Best for Hiring Professionals | Handy Select: $10/month | X In-App Tools X Order Supplies ✓ Pro Tips X Calculation/Conversion Tool ✓ Contact Professional |
| Photo Measures — Best for Room Measurements | None | ✓ In-App Tools X Order Supplies X Pro Tips X Calculation/Conversion Tool X Contact Professional |