It might not have the features of its higher-end rivals, but then it doesn't have their price tag either.

But as a tool for designing relatively simple structures, for planning interior changes or just for working out what furniture is going to work best where, it's a little bargain. Let's be honest: you're not going to use Sweet Home 3D to design a mansion or a skyscraper, or even to do a very detailed set of plans for a home build. Exporting these can be a little slow, painfully so if you're exporting in large pixel sizes at 'Best' picture quality – think minutes instead of moments – but they do give a very good idea of how your room(s) will look in reality. You can also create a video walkthrough in 3D view at a resolution ranging from a microscopic 176 x 132 to a massive 7680 x 4320 pixels, or create high-res photos based on points of view such as the building entrance or specific room.

The 2D export is in SVG format, appropriate for most image programs, and the 3D object is exported as an OBJ file for 3D graphics apps. If you want to share your plan with others, you can save it as a Sweet Home 3D document or export your 2D or 3D objects. Hi-res images take a while but they do give you a really good idea of how your designs will look in real life (Image credit: Carrie Marshall)

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