12 Best Home Improvement Apps for Your 2025 Projects
- Justin McCurdy
- Sep 9
- 14 min read
Updated: Sep 12
Welcome! Taking on a home project, whether it's a simple refresh or a major renovation, is an exciting journey. These days, you don't need a massive physical toolbox to get started, just your smartphone. From visualizing a new paint color in augmented reality to finding the perfect contractor or even planning your dream landscape, there's an app for almost everything. This guide will walk you through the very best home improvement apps available, helping you plan smarter, save time, and bring your vision to life with confidence.
We'll dive into practical examples, showing you exactly how these digital tools can make your next project smoother and more successful. Whether you're a new homeowner in Baltimore County looking to personalize your space or a long-time resident in Harford County ready for an upgrade, these tools are for you. Each app on our list includes screenshots and direct links, making it easy to find and download the right one for your specific task.
Here, my goal is to offer clients a unique home-buying experience with hands-on service and access to visualizer tools that help bring your dream space to life. My builder provides high-quality homes, and I take it a step further by helping you customize your space by selecting finishes like flooring, countertops, and cabinets. Having the right tools makes all the difference, which is why I created this resource. Ready to turn your ideas into reality? Let's explore the apps that can help you do just that.
1. Apple App Store – Renovate and Decorate collection
Instead of starting with a single app, let's begin with a curated goldmine. Apple’s “Renovate and Decorate” collection is a hand-picked list of the best home improvement apps available on their platform, regularly updated by their editors. This isn't just one app; it’s a trusted starting point that cuts through the noise of millions of options, saving you precious time.
What makes this collection so valuable is its focus on quality and user experience. Apple tends to feature apps that are not only powerful but also beautifully designed and intuitive to use. For example, you might discover an AR app that lets you see how a new sofa would look in your living room simply by pointing your phone's camera. You’ll find everything from these augmented reality room planners and color-matching tools to project management apps for your bigger renovations. It’s an excellent way to discover highly-rated, secure, and innovative tools you might otherwise miss.
For homeowners in areas like White Marsh or Edgewood, Maryland, this is a fantastic resource. Before you even think about choosing your finishes, you can use these apps to visualize how different flooring or countertop styles will look in your space. This approach helps you make confident design decisions that perfectly match your vision.
Website: Apple App Store – Renovate and Decorate
2. Google Play – House & Home category
For Android users, the counterpart to Apple's curated collection is the dedicated “House & Home” category on Google Play. This hub is the primary destination for discovering the best home improvement apps designed for your device. It functions as a massive, organized library where you can easily find tools for every stage of your project, from initial brainstorming to final execution.
The key advantage here is the sheer breadth of options and the transparency of user feedback. Google Play excels at providing detailed user reviews, app update logs, and screenshots, which helps you vet an app's quality before downloading. For example, you could be looking for a simple room measurement app and quickly see which one has the highest rating and most positive reviews about accuracy. While the curation isn't as editorially-driven as Apple's, its powerful search and ranking algorithms effectively surface the most popular and well-regarded tools.
This is particularly useful for homeowners in Baltimore County and Harford County. Before you finalize selections for flooring, cabinets, or countertops in your new home, you can use one of these top-rated apps to visualize exactly how your choices will look together. It’s an invaluable step that ensures your personalized home truly reflects your unique style.
Website: Google Play – House & Home
3. The Home Depot (official shopping app)
When your project moves from planning to purchasing, The Home Depot's official app becomes an indispensable tool. It’s more than just a mobile storefront; it’s a powerful in-store companion designed to streamline your shopping trips and ensure you get exactly what you need without wandering aimlessly through the aisles. This app bridges the gap between digital browsing and the physical reality of a hardware store.
The app’s standout feature is its Product Locator, which gives you the exact aisle and bay for any item in your local store. Here's a practical example: you need a specific type of screw. Instead of searching for 15 minutes, you type it into the app, and it tells you "Aisle 14, Bay 5." You can also scan barcodes to instantly pull up reviews and product details, or use the image search to identify that mystery part you need to replace. This transforms a potentially frustrating shopping run into an efficient, targeted mission, making it one of the best home improvement apps for hands-on DIYers.
For homeowners in communities across Baltimore County and Harford County, this app is a weekend project game-changer. Imagine you've picked your perfect flooring and cabinets with us. Now you can use the app to quickly build a shopping list for all the necessary tools and supplies, check stock at your nearest store, and have everything ready for pickup. It removes the guesswork and helps you get your project started faster.
Website: The Home Depot on the App Store
4. Lowe’s (official shopping app)
Sometimes the best home improvement apps aren't just for planning; they’re for getting the job done. The official Lowe’s app is a powerful shopping and project management tool that bridges the gap between your digital inspiration and the physical products you need. It goes beyond a simple online store, integrating features that are genuinely useful when you're in the middle of a project.
What makes this app stand out is its in-store functionality. If you've ever wandered aimlessly looking for a specific item, you'll appreciate the feature that tells you the exact aisle and shelf location in your selected store. A practical example is its augmented reality (AR) tool. You can be standing in your kitchen and use the app to place a 3D model of a new refrigerator to see exactly how it will look and fit in your space before you commit.
For homeowners in communities like White Marsh or Edgewood, Maryland, this is a must-have for weekend projects. Imagine customizing your new home's selections, like flooring and countertops with us, and then using the Lowe's app to instantly find the perfect complementary paint or decor items. The app streamlines the entire shopping process, from creating a project list at home to a quick mobile checkout in the store.
Website: Lowe’s App Download
5. Houzz – Home Design & Remodel
Houzz is an all-in-one powerhouse that combines design inspiration, product shopping, and professional connections into a single platform. It’s less like a single tool and more like an entire home improvement ecosystem in your pocket. You can browse millions of high-resolution photos for ideas, save them to "Ideabooks," and even use an augmented reality feature to see how furniture and decor will look in your own space before you buy.
What truly makes Houzz one of the best home improvement apps is its ability to take you from a vague idea to a finished project. For instance, you could see a photo of a kitchen with navy blue cabinets and a marble backsplash that you love. From there, you can use the app's "View in My Room" AR feature to project a similar cabinet color onto your own kitchen walls and then find local contractors who specialize in kitchen remodels. The app’s massive community forum is also a great place to ask questions and get advice from both homeowners and professionals.
For homeowners in Baltimore County or Harford County, this is invaluable. It streamlines the entire process, helping you make confident, informed decisions for your home.
Website: Houzz - Home Design & Remodel
6. Thumbtack – Find local home service pros
When your DIY ambitions meet a project that requires a professional touch, Thumbtack is the digital Rolodex you need. This platform isn't just an app; it's a bustling marketplace connecting you with vetted local professionals for virtually any home service imaginable. From plumbing and electrical work to full-scale remodeling, it streamlines the often-daunting process of finding, vetting, and hiring qualified help.
What sets Thumbtack apart is its user-centric approach. Here's a practical example: you need your new hardwood floors installed. You simply describe the project—including the square footage and type of wood—and the app matches you with available pros. You'll receive cost estimates, reviews, and profiles to compare, eliminating the need to make dozens of phone calls. All communication, scheduling, and even payment can be handled directly within the app, creating a transparent and organized record of your project.
For homeowners in communities like Prince George's County or Harford County, this means you can easily find local, trusted contractors. Whether you need a painter or a landscaper, Thumbtack is one of the best home improvement apps for connecting with the right people for the job. Before hiring, you can use our guide to designing your dream home to clarify your vision.
Website: Thumbtack
7. Angi (formerly Angie’s List) – Find Local Home Services
When a project is too big to DIY, finding a trustworthy professional is the next critical step. Angi, the modern evolution of Angie's List, is a powerful platform designed to connect homeowners with a vast network of vetted local service pros. It moves beyond simple listings, allowing you to request quotes, compare prices based on real project data, and manage the entire process right from your phone.
What truly sets Angi apart is its "Happiness Guarantee," which provides protection on projects booked and paid for through their platform. For example, if you hire a handyman to assemble furniture and aren't satisfied with the work, Angi can help resolve the issue. This offers peace of mind when hiring someone for a major job. The ability to read verified reviews and see what others in your area paid for similar work helps eliminate the guesswork and ensures you're getting a fair price.
For homeowners in communities like Harford County or Baltimore County, this is an invaluable tool. After you’ve chosen your perfect flooring and countertops with us, you can use Angi to quickly find a qualified and highly-rated installer to bring your vision to life, confident that you’re hiring a professional backed by a solid guarantee. This makes it one of the best home improvement apps for finding reliable help.
Website: Angi – Find Local Home Services
8. magicplan – Floor plans, estimating, and documentation
magicplan takes floor plan creation to a whole new level, moving beyond simple sketches into the realm of professional-grade documentation. Using your phone's camera and augmented reality, you can scan a room in seconds to generate an accurate floor plan. This isn't just a drawing; it’s a detailed digital twin of your space, complete with dimensions.
What makes magicplan one of the best home improvement apps is its ability to attach crucial details directly to your plan. For instance, you could be planning a kitchen remodel. After scanning the room to create the floor plan, you can tap on a wall to add a photo of the current plumbing and a note for your contractor saying, "Move this outlet 2 feet to the left." It’s an all-in-one tool for planning a renovation or simply keeping a precise record of your home’s layout. If you want to dive deeper into how modern floor plans are changing home design, you can learn more about next-gen home floor plans.
For homeowners in communities like White Marsh, Maryland, this app is perfect for mapping out which rooms to update first. Before you even think about picking finishes, you can have a precise plan to share with contractors or use for your own DIY budgeting.
Website: magicplan
9. iScape – Landscape design with AR
When it comes to home improvement, curb appeal is just as important as your interior design. iScape brings your outdoor vision to life before you ever break ground or buy a single plant. This powerful landscape design app uses augmented reality (AR) to let you visualize exactly how different plants, mulch, hardscaping, and outdoor furniture will look in your own yard. It's an indispensable tool for planning your perfect outdoor oasis.
What makes iScape one of the best home improvement apps is its intuitive "try-before-you-buy" approach. As a practical example, you can stand on your front lawn, point your phone at the empty space by your walkway, and virtually "plant" different shrubs and flowers from the app's library to see which ones you like best. You can layer virtual elements onto a photo of your yard or use the live AR view to walk around your future garden. It helps you avoid costly mistakes and experiment with different layouts risk-free, which is especially helpful when you want to explore some inspiring new home landscaping ideas.
For homeowners in communities like Baltimore County or Harford County, Maryland, iScape allows you to plan a landscape that complements your home’s aesthetic perfectly. It's a small investment for the confidence it brings to your outdoor projects.
Website: iScape
10. Planner 5D – Cross-platform home and room design
Planner 5D is an incredibly accessible and powerful tool that lets you design your dream home from the ground up, right on your computer or mobile device. It strikes a great balance between user-friendly features for beginners and advanced capabilities for those who want more detail. You can start with a 2D floor plan and then instantly switch to a 3D model to visualize your space realistically.
What makes Planner 5D one of the best home improvement apps is its versatility. For example, you can create a 2D layout of your master bedroom, then drag and drop furniture from its huge catalog to test different arrangements. Once you're happy, switch to 3D mode and apply different wall colors and flooring textures to see how the combinations look. Its AI Designer and Smart Wizard tools can even generate layout ideas for you, which is perfect for overcoming creative blocks.
For homeowners in communities like White Marsh or Prince George's County, Maryland, this app is a game-changer. When you're choosing finishes like flooring or cabinets, you can use Planner 5D to create a virtual replica of your room. This allows you to test your ideas before committing, ensuring the final result is exactly what you envisioned for your new home.
Website: Planner 5D
11. Homestyler – Interior design and 4K rendering
Homestyler takes digital home planning to a new level, moving beyond simple floor plans into the realm of photorealistic visualization. This powerful web and mobile tool allows you to draw your layout, furnish rooms from a vast library of 3D models, and then generate stunning, high-quality 4K renders. It's an ideal platform for anyone who wants to see exactly how their design choices will look before committing a single dollar.
What truly sets Homestyler apart is its rendering capability. A practical example would be designing your new kitchen. After choosing your cabinet style, countertop material, and light fixtures, you can click "render" and the app will produce an image that looks like a real photograph, complete with realistic lighting and shadows. This is incredibly useful for homeowners in communities like Baltimore County or Harford County who are customizing their new homes. It helps you confidently select flooring, cabinets, and countertops by providing a nearly real-life preview of how they will all come together in your space.
While the platform has a free version, its most impressive features, like the highest quality renders, are part of its paid subscriptions. However, for a serious renovation or home customization project, the investment can be well worth the clarity and confidence it provides.
12. CubiCasa – Fast floor plans (free lite tier)
Before starting any major renovation, you need an accurate floor plan, and creating one used to be a tedious task. CubiCasa completely changes the game by letting you generate a detailed 2D floor plan with accurate measurements just by taking a five-minute video scan of your home with your smartphone. It’s an incredibly simple yet powerful tool for any homeowner.
What makes CubiCasa one of the best home improvement apps is its sheer accessibility. For example, all you do is open the app and walk through your home, pointing the camera at the walls. Within hours, you receive an email with a professional-looking floor plan. This is perfect for planning furniture layouts, getting quotes from contractors, or mapping out new flooring. While originally popular in real estate, its practical use for remodel planning is undeniable.
For homeowners in communities across Baltimore County and Harford County, this is a perfect first step. Imagine being able to send an exact layout of your kitchen to a contractor to get a precise quote for new cabinets or countertops. This simple app removes the guesswork and helps you start your project with confidence, ensuring every decision is based on accurate data.
Website: CubiCasa – 2D & 3D Floor Plans
Top 12 Home Improvement Apps Comparison
Bringing Your Vision to Life, Your Way
So there you have it, a complete toolkit right on your phone for tackling just about any home improvement project you can dream up. We've navigated the digital aisles of The Home Depot and Lowe's, explored the vast inspirational libraries of Houzz, and seen how apps like Planner 5D and Homestyler can turn your design ideas into stunningly realistic 3D renderings. From mapping out your living room with magicplan to hiring the perfect pro on Thumbtack, the power to plan, visualize, and execute is literally at your fingertips.
These aren't just apps; they are confidence boosters. They demystify the renovation process, making complex tasks like creating a floor plan or visualizing a new landscape with iScape feel accessible and even fun. The key takeaway is that you no longer have to guess what a change will look like. You can see it, tweak it, and perfect it digitally before you ever pick up a paintbrush or hammer. This digital-first approach saves you time, money, and a whole lot of potential headaches.
How to Choose Your Perfect App Combination
The real magic happens when you combine these tools. Don't feel like you need to pick just one. Instead, build your own project management suite based on your specific needs. Here’s a quick guide to get you started:
For Major Remodels: Start with Houzz for inspiration and professional connections. Use magicplan or CubiCasa to create an accurate floor plan. Then, bring it all to life with Planner 5D or Homestyler before finding contractors on Angi or Thumbtack.
For DIY Decorating: Your go-to combo might be the Home Depot or Lowe’s app for shopping and product visualization, paired with Homestyler to test out paint colors and furniture layouts.
For a New Home: If you're starting with a blank slate, especially in areas like Baltimore County or Harford County, Maryland, an app like Planner 5D is invaluable. It lets you experiment with layouts and finishes, helping you communicate your exact vision.
Ultimately, the best home improvement apps are the ones that align with your project's scope and your personal style. The goal is empowerment. These tools give you the control to make informed decisions and ensure the final result is a true reflection of you. This philosophy of empowerment and personalization is exactly what we champion. We believe that buying a home is a collaborative process, where your vision is the most important part of the blueprint.
At Customize Your Home, we take this concept a step further. Instead of just visualizing changes in an app, we help you build them into your brand-new home from the very start in our Maryland communities. Explore our process and see how you can select your own flooring, countertops, cabinets, and tile to create a home that is uniquely yours, without the stress and high cost of a full ground-up custom build.
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