3D Pool Design Online for Free
I've scoured the internet in search of free 3D pool design software and it seems to be cluttered with clickbait, garbage AI blogs, and 30 Day free trials. However, there is hope yet. In this article I've listed several options if you're looking to build an 3D pool Online for Free.
Disclaimer: I have not been paid by any of the below listed sites or companies to promote their products. In actuality my company Pooldes.com provides 3D pool rendering and design work for large pool construction companies. So when sourcing the latest software and options available online, I figured this may be a helpful piece of content.
Best Free 3D Pool Design Online Options
I found a simple plug and play free design option here: https://risingsunpools.mystaycationbuilder.com
After making a quick profile, the site lets you drag and drop some simple options from the pre-existing templates to make a quick pool mock up. It's easy to use and if you're short on time and just need something simple, it will work great and not cost you anything. There's nothing to download, no need to input a credit cards, and also no email list to subscribe to.
Here's a sample of a quick pool I made in their web browser based application.
It's Ok, and it serves the purpose. I created the image using a square pool template, a sun shelf, 2 bubblers, a round spa, and an arc waterfall. You can drag and drop the items and rotate them or increase the sizing to create your desired look.
Granted that it doesn't look as good as Pool Studio, as a free option with no strings attached, I would recommend.
Best Pool Design App
The honorable mention goes to NPT for their Swimming Pool Design App. It wins best in show for being easy to use but isn't necessarily customizable. It had me frustrated with the lack of options and less than realistic looks.
NPT Backyard requires you to download from the App Store, make a profile, and then click through a tutorial. It ended up feeling like I wasted 5 to 10 minutes of my life and then I deleted the app shortly after and continued looking for something better.
3D Pool Design Online Pricing
If you're looking to get serious and use 3D pool design software online, the price point may end up hurting your wallet just a bit. If you're using it daily or even once per week it may be worth the. money, but for just 1 pool design a month or less, the monthly recurring subscription pricing may seem a bit steep. In these cases, it may be easier to just hire a company on demand when you require pool design or pool rendering services.
1.) Structure Studios "Pool Studio": $147 Per User, Per Month with a $60 Activation Fee.
This is by far the best software on the market to date and you can get a 30 day free trial. However, there are dangers with forgetting to cancel and you may find yourself getting hit with the bill even if you don't use it. Pool Studio Has great graphics and is somewhat easy to use after doing the tutorials. There is a learning curve that takes about 8 to 10 hours to get the hang of. Free Form Pool Designs and anything will an elevation may be tricky for beginners to understand.
Here is a 3D Pool plan I created in Pool Studio recently.
You can see that the water, depths and details look quite good. I enjoy working in pool studio despite it's bugs, crashes, and random errors that have to be figured out.
2.) AutoCAD
AutoCAD is $235 per month and is not user friendly at all. If you're an engineering student, you'll have a free access to this software license but likely you'd need to be an engineer to use it. Here's a video of how to build a swimming pool in AutoCAD.
3.) PoolSpaBuilder: $495 One Time Fee https://www.poolspabuilder.com
This is a good price point to offer some outdated 3D modeling and graphics. Reminds me of an old PS2 game or like an early version of the SIMS. Might be a good starting point if you're on a budget.