Designers and architects now have plenty of tools at their disposal. For one, there are plenty of choices for landscape design software for Mac, with each product offering different pricing, features, design elements, and ease of use.
If you are a designer, architect, or hobbyist using a mac, then you should have the right tools to meet your client’s demands, scale your business or practice your new skills.
Here’s a list of premium and free Mac landscape design software that you can consider.
13 Mac Landscape Design Software [Free & Premium]
1. Cedreo
Price: Free or $119 per month.
Best for: Those who want to make 3D designs and also for remodelers.
Cedreo is cloud-based design software that lets users render a complete 3D home and landscape design within two hours.
You can design in 2D and 3D and add details such as trees, pools, porches, patios and so much more.
Pros
- Easy and quick to use.
- Realistic-looking 3D drawings.
- Lets you manage all projects in a single platform.
- Comes with remodeling tools and fully furnished designs.
Cons
- The paid version is quite pricey.
- Hard to put in roofs when designing.
2. SketchUp
Price: Free or $119/$299 per year.
Best for: Those who want to easily create 3D models and rely heavily on other people’s models.
Considered one of the best free landscape design software for Mac, SketchUp lets you create 3D models with its “push and pull” feature that’s easy to use even for beginners.
It offers easy camera movements and lets users use models created by others.
Pros
- Easy to use even for beginners.
- Easy to drag and edit designs.
- Camera movements are allowed in 3D plans.
- It Lets users use plans made by others.
Cons
- Pricey paid version.
3. iScape: Landscape Design App
Price: Free or $29.99 per month.
Best for: Designers who want to show their models to clients easily.
iScape Landscape is a Design App for mobile phones or tablets. It is like photoshop for landscape designers as it lets them create in 2D or augmented reality.
It also allows users to share their design models easily even with clients.
Pros
- Allows sharing of designs with others.
- Easy to use.
Cons
- The free version limits the number of plants designers can put.
- Issues with updating the version.
- Doesn’t provide a Desktop version.
4. Live Home 3D
Price: Free, $29.99 or $49.99.
Best for: Those designing both interiors and landscapes.
This landscape design software for Mac lets users create design plans both in 2D and 3D and allows them to easily switch from either format.
It has a good collection of exterior objects in its library and even allows for the export of objects from other sources.
Pros
- Easy 3D rendering.
- Allows for easy switching between 2D to 3D models.
- Plenty of exterior objects.
- Plans can be saved in the cloud.
Cons
- Hard to use walkthrough mode.
5. Punch! Home & Landscape Design Essentials
Price: $49.99.
Best for: Those who like plenty of home element options and want 2D and 3D views.
This software offers designs in 2D and 3D views and offers plenty of design tools. It has a massive library of more than 4,700 home objects and more than 4000 in its plant library list.
They also offer software for home and interior designs.
Pros
- Split 2D and 3D views.
- Plenty of viewing options.
- Can generate material pricing list.
- Large design library like home elements, plants, and furniture.
Cons
- Options can be overwhelming.
- The interface is not that intuitive.
Do you do landscape design for a living? Then you need to have a proper portfolio. Check out these architecture portfolio websites and get some ideas for yours.
6. Chief Architect Home Designer
Price: Free or Starting at $199 per month.
Best for: Those who want 3D automatic rendering, and CAD engine.
A landscape design software for Mac that offers a powerful CAD engine and 3D automatic rendering.
It allows users to export and share their 3D model plans as well as embed these plans on their websites. This software also has a materials list and cost estimate.
Pros
- CAD Engine.
- Speeds up the design process.
- 3D rendering and visualization function.
- File import and export feature.
Cons
- The paid version is expensive.
7. Home Designer Suite 2021
Price: Free or Starting at $129.
Best for: those who want to provide both floor and interior designs and those who want live 3D and panoramic views
This free landscape design software for Mac is a home design and floor plan application that lets users generate 2D, 3D, and live 3D floor plans.
Users can also easily create their interior design plans with the home designer app.
Pros
- Offers 2D, 3D, and live 3D floor plans.
- Home designer app for interior planning.
- Panoramic 360 views.
Cons
- The interface is not intuitive.
- The paid version is pricey.
8. Sweet Home 3D – Landspace Design Software for Mac [Free]
Price: Free.
Best for: Entry-level or wannabe designers.
#Get Software# (https://www.sweethome3d.com/download.jsp)
It’s an entry-level free landscape design software for Mac with its one window application divided into four panes.
It offers basic design tools and 3D views. Users will have access to a furniture catalog with 1500 objects but these are mostly limited to indoor objects.
Pros
- Easy and intuitive to use.
- Has cost estimator.
- Allows users to export blueprints.
Cons
- Too simple for experienced designers.
- Limited tools and objects for landscape design.
9. SmartDraw
Price: Free or $5.99 per month for each feature**.**
Best for: Great for 2D sketching.
SmartDraw offers more than 70 diagram templates ranging from floor plans to flowcharts.
It can easily be integrated with other tools such as Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and Jura.
It has an engineering power module that lets users draw and print engineering and architectural diagrams to scale.
Pros
- Great for non-landscape design apps.
- Can be integrated with commonly used workspace tools.
- Import and export options.
Cons
- Not for advanced landscape designers.
- No advanced 3D modeling.
10. AutoCAD for Mac
Price: Free or $235 per month.
Best for: Those who require accuracy and precision in planning.
#Get Software# (https://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad/overview?term=1-YEAR&tab=subscription)
AutoCAD is one of the most popular Mac landscape design software allowing users to produce professional and accurate drawings and drafts.
It lets users generate plans in 2D and 3D as well as convert file formats and share them with others.
It’s popular for its accuracy in details and measurement.
Pros
- Can be used by professionals in different fields and industries.
- High accuracy.
- Customizable.
- Task automation.
Cons
- 3D capabilities are limited to full AutoCAD purchases.
- Not intuitive to use.
- The paid version is pricey.
11. Garden Planner
Price: Free or $29.
Best for: Those who incorporate plenty of plants in their outdoor landscape design.
This free landscape design software for Mac offers a variety of generic plant shapes and many tools to create fences, paving, and paths to make garden designing faster and easier.
If you are an architect, make sure to also check out the best architect software for Mac too.
It allows users to come up with their own library of plants and generate reports.
Pros
- Professional-looking plan prints.
- Intuitive interface.
- Large collection of generic plant shapes.
- Report generation of all plants and objects in the garden.
Cons
- Not for advanced landscape architects/designers.
12. Garden Puzzle Mac Landscape Design Software
Price: Free or Starting at $19.
Best for: Those looking for simple design software specifically for outdoor gardens.
Garden Puzzle is another landscape design Mac software primarily created for the simple planning of an outdoor garden.
It comes with a comprehensive plant library and other decorative objects and lets users upload their own photos.
Pros
- Intuitive interface.
- Lets you use your personal garden photos.
- Wide selection of plants, veggies, shrubs, and yard furniture.
- Syncs offline changes.
Cons
- No topography— only for flat landscape design.
- Basic dimension planning.
- No “redo” feature after you “undo” any changes.
13. DreamPlan Home Design Software
Price: Free or $39.99.
Best for: Those who are doing a home improvement project or a new house design.
It’s an advanced interior and landscape design software offering floor plans, and 2D and 3D views.
Users can either choose to start designing from scratch or use a pre-made blueprint or sample.
It also allows downloading of additional content and the uploading of 3D models.
Pros
- Easy to use.
- 3d rendering.
- Creating plans from start is easy.
Cons
- The object library is limited.
- Limited features.
Do Landscape Designers Use AutoCAD?
Yes, some landscape designers use AutoCAD because of its wide range of applications. Designers can use this software for luxury residential projects to large commercial landscape projects.
AutoCAD also lets designers have control over the presentation of their drawings as well as easily share their files with others.
What Are The 7 Principles of Landscape Design?
Below are the seven principles of landscape design:
- Simplicity. Prioritizing what is essential and keeping out what’s not.
- Balance. The visual weight in the design must feel even throughout.
- Variety. Diversity in size, shape, and form.
- Emphasis. Using form, texture, or color to lead the eye to the design.
- Unity. Ensuring that everything works together.
- Scale/Proportion. The size of the objects and how they all relate to each other.
- Sequence. Transitions in the elements of plants’ shape, size, and texture.
The Right Landscape Design Mac Software For Your Needs
Designers, architects, or enthusiasts have varying needs and skill levels.
It’s then important to find the right Mac landscape design software that would match your requirements.
If you know what you want and need in landscape design software, then there are plenty of options for you to choose from.
