At a glance
| Tool | Runs on | Cut list | Price (US) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TimberLab | iPhone, iPad | Built in, with shopping list | Free download; some features need a subscription | Getting a buildable plan from a photo or idea without learning CAD |
| Fusion | Windows, Mac | Parts list or add-in | Free for personal use (limits); paid for commercial | Precise parametric design, joinery, and CNC |
| Shapr3D | iPad, Mac, Windows, Vision Pro | Not woodworking-specific | Free Basic (2 projects); Pro $299/year | Drawing precise models with an Apple Pencil |
| SketchList 3D | Desktop | Built in, with material optimization | From $599.99/year or $999.99 one-time | Cabinet and furniture shops that need reports |
| SketchUp (for reference) | Web, iPad, desktop | Desktop extensions only, such as OpenCutList | Free (web, non-commercial); Go about $129/year; Pro about $399/year | General 3D modeling with a huge community |
Prices are US list prices as of October 2026. Check each vendor’s site before buying.
1. TimberLab: plans from a photo or a sentence
TimberLab is an iPhone and iPad app that skips the drawing step. Upload a photo of furniture you like or describe it, and it builds a 3D model from real lumber parts with a cut list, a shopping list of standard boards, a tools list, and 3D assembly steps. To change the design, you ask in plain words (“make it 6 inches wider”, “add a shelf”), and every list updates with the model.
- Choose it if you want to build furniture, not learn CAD, and want the cut list and shopping list done for you.
- Skip it if you need precise control over every joint, shop drawings, or CNC files. A CAD tool fits better.
See the output for yourself in our free woodworking plans, which come straight from TimberLab models, or read how the AI plan generator works.
2. Autodesk Fusion: precise, parametric, free for hobbyists
Fusion is professional parametric CAD: dimensions drive the model, so changing one measurement updates everything that depends on it. It also handles detailed joinery and CNC toolpaths. The free Personal Use license covers non-commercial projects, with limits such as 10 active documents and earnings under $1,000 a year from your designs, and it renews every three years.
- Choose it if you want exact control, run a CNC, or plan to learn CAD properly.
- Skip it if you want results quickly. Expect a real learning curve.
3. Shapr3D: CAD made for the iPad
Shapr3D brings precise CAD modeling to the iPad with Apple Pencil, and syncs with Mac and Windows. It is a general-purpose CAD tool, so you set up woodworking parts and lists yourself. The free Basic plan allows 2 projects; Pro is $299 a year.
- Choose it if you like sketching on an iPad and want accurate models.
- Skip it if you want cut lists and shopping lists without extra work.
4. SketchList 3D: built for cabinet makers
SketchList 3D is desktop software designed around woodworking: you build with boards, and it generates cut lists, material optimization, and reports for planning and purchasing. Plans start at $599.99 a year, or $999.99 for a perpetual license with a year of maintenance, and there is a 14-day free trial.
- Choose it if you build cabinets or furniture regularly, maybe for clients, and need reports.
- Skip it if you build occasionally. The price is aimed at shops.
When to stay with SketchUp
SketchUp is still a strong choice if you already know it. Its free web version handles non-commercial modeling, and SketchUp Pro on the desktop adds extensions such as OpenCutList, an open-source cut list and cutting diagram extension. Extensions don’t run in SketchUp Free or Go, so cut lists need Pro.
How to choose
- You want a plan, not a design project: TimberLab.
- You want to learn CAD and control every detail: Fusion, or Shapr3D on an iPad.
- You run a cabinet or furniture business: SketchList 3D.
- You already use SketchUp: stay, and add a cut list extension on Pro.
Questions
What is the easiest SketchUp alternative for woodworking?
For people who don’t want to learn CAD, TimberLab is the simplest option: you describe a piece or upload a photo and get a 3D model with a cut list, shopping list, and assembly steps, then change it by asking. If you want to draw every part yourself, Shapr3D is the most approachable traditional CAD app, especially on an iPad.
Which SketchUp alternative makes cut lists?
TimberLab and SketchList 3D both generate cut lists from the design. SketchList 3D is desktop software for cabinet and furniture makers, and TimberLab is an iPhone and iPad app. Fusion and Shapr3D are general CAD tools, so cut lists take extra work.
Is there a free alternative to SketchUp for woodworking?
Fusion has a free Personal Use license for non-commercial projects, with limits such as 10 active documents. Shapr3D’s free Basic plan allows 2 projects. TimberLab is free to download, with some features requiring a subscription.
Can SketchUp make a cut list?
Not on its own. Desktop SketchUp Pro can run extensions such as OpenCutList that generate cut lists, but extensions do not run in SketchUp Free or SketchUp Go.