House Manager & Planner alternative: DIYProject.ai vs House Manager
House Manager & Planner is a capable indie iPhone app that covers much of the same ground as a home record: an inventory, maintenance, projects with budgets and checklists, paint colors, warranties, PDF reports and sharing. It is already ahead of us on ratings (around 54 in the US), so it is doing something right. Its App Store listing shows a $14.99 Premium and a $39.99 Lifetime unlock, though its website lists no price, so confirm the figure before buying. DIYProject.ai does the record too, then adds the parts House Manager does not have: AI project plans, photo diagnosis, contractor quote leveling, daily CPSC recall checks, owner's-manual lookup, appliance age from the serial number, a full ZIP or CSV export, and a web app. Pro is $49.99/yr or $7.99/mo with a 7-day free trial on the annual plan. Pricing shown is each vendor's published rate as of November 2026; confirm the current number on their site before buying.
Free to sign up, and your first AI project plan is included. Pro is $7.99/mo or $49.99/yr after that.
Pricing at a glance
Every calculator and cheat sheet is free to use. Pro unlocks AI planning, property tracking, and maintenance, with a 7-day free trial on the annual plan.
An indie iPhone app that mirrors much of a home record: inventory, maintenance, projects with budgets and checklists, paint, warranties, PDF reports and sharing. Around 54 US ratings.
Your records outlast your subscription
Cancel and your records stay in your account. You can still open them and export them as CSV or JSON.
Family sharing included
Up to 5 people, including the owner, share one Pro plan at no extra cost.
Feature comparison
| Feature | DIYProject.ai | House Manager & Planner |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Pro $49.99/yr · $7.99/mo | Free; Premium $14.99, Lifetime $39.99 (App Store listing; site lists no price) |
| AI project planning | Yes: AI project plans (Claude) | No |
| Photo diagnosis | Photo of a problem: likely cause, severity, next steps, then a project plan in one tap | No |
| Material calculators | 48+ built-in material calculators | None |
| Projects with budgets & checklists | Yes, with steps you check off and a running budget | Yes, projects with budgets and checklists |
| Contractor quotes | Bids lined up scope by scope, with missing items and outlier prices flagged | Project budgets, no quote leveling |
| Appliance records & manuals | Appliances, warranties, model/serial, docs, suggested maintenance | Inventory and warranties, no manual lookup or serial-number age |
| Product recall checks | Appliances checked daily against CPSC recalls, shown on each appliance | No |
| Maintenance reminders | Recurring tasks with push and email reminders, or one daily digest | Yes |
| Insurance / resale PDF | PDF home report: insurance view by room with serials, photos, values and totals, or a resale view | PDF reports |
| Full data export | Full ZIP or CSV export, even after a plan lapses | No export described |
| Share link & buyer transfer | Read-only link you can expire or turn off; transfer to your buyer (they accept on the web) | Sharing, no buyer transfer |
| Web app | Yes, on the same account | iPhone only |
| Platform | iPhone + full web app | iPhone |
Which one is right for you?
DIYProject.ai is best for…
- DIYers who want AI to plan the project, not just hold the inventory.
- Anyone who wants contractor quotes lined up scope by scope.
- Owners who want manuals, appliance age, and daily recall checks on their appliances.
- People who want a web app alongside the iPhone app.
- Anyone who wants a full export and a buyer transfer when they sell.
House Manager & Planner is best for…
- People who want a straightforward home record on iPhone and nothing more.
- Anyone who prefers a one-time Lifetime unlock to a subscription.
- Owners happy with inventory, maintenance and simple projects in one app.
Bottom line: House Manager & Planner is a tidy, well-reviewed home record for iPhone, and its Lifetime unlock is appealing if you want to pay once. DIYProject.ai keeps the same record and adds what it lacks: AI project plans, photo diagnosis, quote leveling, recall checks, manual lookup, serial-number age, a full export, and a web app.
Frequently asked questions
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AI project plans, 48+ free calculators, and maintenance that syncs to your calendar. 7-day free trial.