Yardcast vs Planner 5D
Planner 5D is an interior floor plan app with limited outdoor support. Yardcast is purpose-built for outdoor landscaping — AI photo transformation, plant lists, cost estimates, and contractor PDFs from $29.99.
$29.99 one-time Design Pack · One free redo included
Why Planner 5D Falls Short for Outdoor Design
Planner 5D started as a floor plan and furniture placement app for interior spaces. While it's added some outdoor features over time, landscaping isn't its core use case — and it shows.
You won't find a plant database, scientific plant names, quantity lists, or cost estimates. You won't get AI that transforms a real photo of your yard into a photorealistic design. And you definitely won't get a contractor-ready PDF ready to hand to your landscaper.
Planner 5D is great if you want to drag and drop furniture into a room. It's the wrong tool if you want to redesign your front or backyard.
Yardcast was built from day one for one thing: helping homeowners visualize, plan, and build better outdoor spaces.
Upload a photo. Choose a style. Get one photorealistic AI design in ~40 seconds. Then download a full plant list, cost estimate, and contractor PDF — or share a link with your landscaper.
Yardcast also renders your design in both bed options — keep your bed's shape, or a new bed — and includes one free redo so you get the yard you actually want.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Yardcast$29.99 one-time | Planner 5D$9.99–$29/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $29.99 per Design Pack (1 design + 1 free redo) | Free / $9.99–$29/mo |
| One-Time Purchase | ✅ $29.99 Design Pack | ❌ Subscription model |
| AI Photo Transformation | ✅ Real yard → AI design | ❌ Manual drag-drop only |
| Built for Outdoor Yards | ✅ 100% outdoor-focused | ❌ Interior + exterior mix |
| Speed | ✅ Results in ~40 seconds | ❌ Manual design = hours |
| No Design Skill Required | ✅ Upload photo → done | ⚠️ Moderate learning curve |
| Both Bed Options | ✅ Keep bed or new bed | ❌ Not available |
| Contractor-Ready PDF | ✅ printable professional PDF | ❌ Basic floor plans only |
| Full Plant Lists | ✅ Scientific names + costs | ❌ No plant database |
| Cost Estimates | ✅ Per-plant + total budget | ❌ Not included |
| Shareable Link | ✅ Public URL | ✅ Share project link |
| Mobile Friendly | ✅ Full phone support | ✅ iOS + Android apps |
| 3D Room/Floor View | ❌ Photo-realistic only | ✅ Full 3D floor plan |
| Plant Quantity Lists | ✅ Per-species quantities | ❌ Not available |
| Irrigation Zone Map | ✅ Included in PDF | ❌ Not available |
| Phase Implementation Plan | ✅ Year 1/3/5 breakdown | ❌ Not available |
| Free Tier | None — $29.99 paid up front | ✅ Free plan available |
| Cancel Anytime | ✅ No contracts | ✅ Optional upgrade billing |
| Score | 12 | 6 |
Comparison based on publicly available pricing and features as of March 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Planner 5D design outdoor landscapes?
Planner 5D can create basic outdoor floor plans — decks, patios, and garden areas — but it is primarily built for interior design and room planning. It doesn't include AI photo transformation, plant databases, landscape-specific PDFs, cost estimates for landscaping, or features like the both-bed-options render and free redo that Yardcast provides.
How is Yardcast different from Planner 5D?
Yardcast is built exclusively for outdoor landscape design. You upload a real photo of your yard, and AI generates photorealistic landscape designs in approximately 40 seconds — no design skills needed. Yardcast also generates a full plant list with scientific names and quantities, cost estimates, irrigation zone maps, and a contractor-ready PDF. Planner 5D offers none of these outdoor-specific features.
Is Planner 5D free?
Planner 5D has a limited free tier, but most useful features (high-res rendering, unlimited rooms, etc.) require a paid subscription ranging from $9.99 to $29/month. Yardcast has no free tier: it is a $29.99 one-time Design Pack (one design on your own photo, plant list, install guide, care calendar and PDF, with one free redo) and no subscription.
Does Planner 5D include plant lists?
No. Planner 5D does not include a plant database or plant recommendations. Yardcast's Design Pack includes a full plant list with scientific names, common names, quantities, per-plant cost estimates, and companion planting notes — everything your landscaper needs.
Which is better for curb appeal projects?
Yardcast is significantly better for curb appeal and front/backyard landscaping projects. You upload a photo of your actual yard, choose a style, and get photorealistic designs showing exactly what your property could look like — with real plant recommendations for your climate zone.
The Right Tool for Outdoor Landscaping
Stop trying to fit a floor plan tool into a landscaping workflow. Yardcast is built for yards — upload a photo and get professional designs in seconds.
Design My Yard — Upload Your Photo$29.99 one-time Design Pack · One free redo included · No subscription