Lighting Design Software
Design My Lights
Truly freeCompletely free with no account; upload a house photo, drag lights along the roofline and get a photorealistic nighttime preview.
Trunetto Smart Home Floor Planner
Truly freeCompletely free with no signup; place smart lights/devices on a floor plan, see light-ambiance previews and export a PDF with a real-product shopping list.
Visual Interior Tool
Truly freeCompletely free web lumen-method calculator for a rectangular room; gives average illuminance and fixture spacing only, not full point-by-point analysis.
Artillumin
Free, with limitsFree to start designing festive illumination on a project photo with multiple garland types and export to JPG/PNG; heavier professional use moves to paid plans.
CHUBIC
Free, with limitsFree plan allows one project with AI lighting configuration, 3D preview and PDF plan export; more projects and full export need a $39/mo plan.
DIALux evo
Free, with limitsFull professional lighting calc/visualization is free forever; only luminaires from non-member manufacturers and IFC/BIM and Office export require the paid DIALux Pro subscription.
ReluxDesktop
Free, with limitsFree for personal, educational and commercial use with member luminaires; using non-member products needs a paid ReluxThirdParty license.
FX Luminaire My Design
Free, brand-lockedFree with a brand account; design nighttime landscape renderings on a property photo and export PDF proposals, but products are FX Luminaire-only.
LEDVANCE Lighting Layout Tool
Free, brand-lockedFree web tool to set target foot-candles, room size and reflectances and get a fixture distribution; only LEDVANCE luminaires.
Light ARchitect
Free, brand-lockedFree web and mobile app for instant outdoor/sports lighting layouts and photometrics, but only using Cooper/Signify fixtures.
Philips Hue app
Free, brand-lockedFree app with AR preview, 2.5D entertainment-area placement and SpatialAware room mapping; only plans and controls Philips Hue hardware.
e-conolight Lighting Layout Tool
Free, brand-lockedFree web indoor/outdoor layout calculator with printable summaries; models e-conolight's own fixtures only.
AGi32
Free trial onlyFully functional 30-day self-serve trial download; after that it requires a paid subscription (around $1,307/yr).
Garden Light LED Lighting Designer
Free trial onlySelf-serve 30-day free trial (after creating an account) to design outdoor plans, simulate effects and quote; then $29.95/mo, using only Garden Light products.
Lumineer
Free trial onlyEvery plan starts with a self-serve 7-day trial (no card) with full Operator access; then $29-$129/mo.
Strandr
Free trial onlySelf-serve 7-day free trial (no card) to design Christmas/permanent light mockups with measurements and watermark-free export; then $197/yr.
Visual Lighting
Free trial onlyFree self-serve 30-day trial on download; afterward it drops to a limited DEMO mode and full use needs an annual subscription.
What to look for in lighting design software
Lighting design software ranges from simple fixture planners to full photometric engines. For a home project, you mainly want to place recessed lights, lamps, and fixtures on a floor plan and preview the look in 3D. For professional work, you need lux and footcandle calculations, IES photometric files from manufacturers, and accurate light-spread simulation. Landscape and outdoor lighting add their own fixtures and beam patterns. Below we compare every lighting tool in the directory by pricing, free tier, platform, photometric capability, and 3D rendering, so you can match a tool to a single room or a code-compliant lighting plan.
Photometric (lux/footcandle) calculations. Real lighting design needs measurable light levels, not just a pretty render; look for lux and footcandle output.
IES file support. IES photometric files from fixture makers let the software simulate exactly how a real product distributes light.
Fixture and lamp libraries. A broad library of recessed cans, pendants, sconces, and LED fixtures speeds layout and keeps it realistic.
Realistic 3D light rendering. Accurate shadows, glow, and color temperature help you judge mood and avoid over- or under-lighting.
Indoor vs outdoor coverage. Landscape and facade lighting use different fixtures and beam patterns than interior ceiling layouts.
Free tier limits. Free plans often skip photometric calculations or IES import, which are the features that distinguish design from decoration.
Questions, answered
Is there free lighting design software?
Yes, some tools are free or offer a free tier, but free versions often omit photometric calculations and IES import. For placing fixtures and previewing a look, free is fine; for code-compliant light levels you'll usually need a professional tool.
What is photometric lighting software?
Photometric software calculates actual light levels (lux or footcandles) across a space using IES files that describe how each fixture distributes light. It tells you whether a room meets a target brightness, not just how it looks, which is essential for professional and code-driven design.
Can I plan recessed lighting at home?
Yes. Several consumer-friendly tools let you place recessed cans on a floor plan, set spacing, and preview the result in 3D. They won't give you exact lux numbers, but they're great for getting layout and spacing right before you cut into the ceiling.
Does lighting design software work for landscape lighting?
Some tools include outdoor and landscape fixtures with their own beam patterns for paths, facades, and trees. Check the best-for column above, since many indoor-focused tools lack the exterior fixture libraries that outdoor lighting needs.