Roundup, updated October 2026

The best DIY apps in 2026

"DIY app" covers four different jobs: planning a project, diagnosing a repair, picturing a room, and finding ideas. The right app depends on which one you need. Here is what each popular app does, what it costs, and where it falls short.

Disclosure: we make Blueprint (DIYProject.ai), which is on this list. Ratings are App Store totals across 13 storefronts; prices come from the US App Store listings, checked October 23, 2026. Prices change, so check the listing before you subscribe.

At a glance

AppKindRatingsPrice (US)Last update
Blueprint (DIYProject.ai)AI planner and home record2$7.99/mo or $49.99/yr, 7-day free trial on the annual plan2026-09-08
RepairBuddyAI repair diagnosis7,324$2.99 to $9.99/wk, $39.99/yr2026-10-20
Renovate AIAI room visualizer13,017$9.99/wk, $39.99 to $139.99/yr2026-10-08
FixieAI build plans12$5.99/mo, $29.99/yr2026-10-20
HomeCraftDIY project ideas2,787$29.99 premium2026-10-13
HometalkDIY idea feed7,822Free (ads)2022-05

1. AI planner and home record · ours

Blueprint (DIYProject.ai)

Best for: Planning a project from a one-line description and keeping it tied to your home's records

2 ratings · $7.99/mo or $49.99/yr, 7-day free trial on the annual plan

  • Describe a project in words and get steps, tools and materials
  • Material quantities from the same formulas as our free calculators
  • The only app we checked that ties plans to your home's records (rooms, appliances, maintenance)
  • Nameplate and room scan by photo
  • Only 2 App Store ratings so far, so there is little public track record
  • English only
  • Cost estimates are partial, not a full quote

Try the plan preview

2. AI repair diagnosis

RepairBuddy

Best for: Snapping a photo of something broken and getting a diagnosis

7,324 ratings · $2.99 to $9.99/wk, $39.99/yr

  • Full photo diagnosis
  • Safety steps, with a note when to call a pro
  • Available in 10 languages
  • Starts from a photo; reviewers ask for a way to describe the problem in words
  • Materials lists and cost estimates are partial
  • Weekly pricing

3. AI room visualizer

Renovate AI

Best for: Seeing what a room could look like before you commit to a style

13,017 ratings · $9.99/wk, $39.99 to $139.99/yr

  • The most-rated app in the category
  • Visual redesigns of a room from a photo
  • A visualizer, not a planner: no step list, materials list or cost estimate
  • About half of its 1 and 2 star reviews we sampled are about trials and billing

4. AI build plans

Fixie

Best for: Woodworking-style builds where a cut list matters

12 ratings · $5.99/mo, $29.99/yr

  • Describe a project and get a build plan
  • Cut lists
  • Available in 3 languages
  • Lowest yearly price here
  • Very few ratings so far
  • No cost estimate
  • Photo input is partial

5. DIY project ideas

HomeCraft

Best for: Browsing a catalog of DIY project ideas

2,787 ratings · $29.99 premium

  • Project catalog to browse
  • One-time premium price
  • Available in 2 languages
  • You pick from a catalog rather than describing your own project
  • Materials lists are partial; no cost estimate
  • Half of the small sample of negative reviews we read were about trials and billing

6. DIY idea feed

Hometalk

Best for: Scrolling DIY and decor ideas for inspiration

7,822 ratings · Free (ads)

  • Free
  • Large community idea feed
  • The app has not been updated since May 2022
  • Reviewers report crashes and missing features

How to pick a DIY app

  • You have a project in mind and want steps, tools, materials and a budget: a planner such as Blueprint or Fixie. Try our free plan preview first.
  • Something is broken and you want to know what: a photo diagnosis app like RepairBuddy, or our free Is This a DIY Job? checker to decide whether to fix it at all.
  • You want to see a new look before you buy anything: a visualizer like Renovate AI.
  • You want inspiration: an idea feed or catalog like Hometalk or HomeCraft.

Watch the trial terms

Weekly plans are common at the top of this category, and in the 1 and 2 star reviews we read for Renovate AI and HomeCraft, about half were about trials and billing. Before you start any trial, check when it ends and what it renews at. Blueprint's only trial is 7 days on the annual plan.

Or use a free chatbot?

A general chatbot explains techniques well, and for a one-off question it may be all you need. Where a DIY app earns its keep is continuity: a plan you can check off, quantities from real formulas, and a record of what you did. We compare the options in the best AI for DIY projects. For the numbers alone, the free DIY calculators need no app at all.

How we made this list

We counted App Store ratings for each app across 13 storefronts, read samples of their 1 and 2 star reviews, and took prices from the US App Store listings on October 23, 2026. Features come from each app's listing. We left out apps that are no longer available. See also the best home maintenance apps and all our comparisons.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best app for DIY home improvement?

It depends on the job. For planning a project from a description, a planner like Blueprint or Fixie. For diagnosing a repair from a photo, RepairBuddy. For seeing a redesigned room, Renovate AI. For ideas, Hometalk or HomeCraft. We make Blueprint.

Are there free DIY apps?

Hometalk is free with ads, though it has not been updated since May 2022. Most AI apps here are paid subscriptions. Our calculators, cheat sheets and DIY job checker on diyproject.ai are free with no account.

How much do DIY apps cost?

From free to about $140 a year in our list. RepairBuddy and Renovate AI sell weekly plans, Fixie is $29.99 a year, HomeCraft is a $29.99 premium purchase, and Blueprint is $7.99 a month or $49.99 a year with a 7-day trial on the annual plan.