PaperPlan

PaperPlan · Home

Online Deck Designer: No Download, No CAD

Browser-based deck design for homeowners and contractors. Upload a backyard photo, mark the deck area, pick a material, and render the finished deck in seconds.

By Monty, Founder, PaperPlan · Updated July 15, 2026

Try PaperPlan free: render the finished deck on your own backyard photo in about 15 seconds.

Why this page exists

Runs in your browser

No app store. No installer. Open the URL on a phone or laptop and start designing.

Photo-first input

Use a phone photo of the actual backyard. No measurements, no modeling, no software training.

Photorealistic output

The render shows real material textures and lighting on the actual yard, not a stylized 3D model.

Free to try

Two free renders after sign-in. Pro unlocks full volume and the complete material library at $99/mo, or $70/mo billed annually.

How it works

  1. Upload a backyard photo. Use any phone photo of the build site. No measurements, no CAD file.
  2. Mark the deck area. Drag to outline where the deck goes. Add stairs or a railing line if you want them.
  3. Choose material and design. Pick composite, PVC, cedar, or pressure-treated. Compare looks on the same photo.
  4. Generate the render and share. Get a photorealistic render in seconds. Send it to the homeowner or attach it to a proposal.

Online Deck Designer: No Download, No CAD

An online deck designer should be online, not a desktop app pretending to be online. PaperPlan runs entirely in the browser on iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and Linux. No download, no install, no plugin.

  • Pure browser app. Works on Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. No installer, no extension. Just the URL.
  • Phone-friendly. Built mobile-first. The whole design loop runs on a phone in the field.
  • Project saving. Sign in with Google. Your projects and renders are saved automatically and survive across devices.
  • Sharable links. Publish a project to a link and send it to the homeowner. They view it without signing in.
  • No subscription to start. Free includes 2 lifetime renders and 41 materials. Pro is $99/mo (down from $149), or $70/mo billed annually.
  • Works offline-tolerant. Photos buffer locally during upload so a flaky connection doesn’t lose a sales call.

Common questions

Do I need to install anything?

No. PaperPlan is a browser app. Open the URL on any modern phone or computer and you’re in.

Does it work on iPhone and Android?

Yes. PaperPlan is built mobile-first. iOS Safari and Android Chrome are both first-class.

Can I save my designs?

Yes. Sign in with Google and every render saves automatically to your projects. You can revisit, share, or duplicate any project.

Can I share with homeowners who don’t have an account?

Yes. Publish a project to a public link, and anyone with the link can view the render and the materials. They never need to sign in.

Keep researching

  • Deck Design Software, Built for the Sale: Deck design software built for small contractors. Photo-first, mobile-first, and engineered for the sales workflow: render the deck, share it, and export a branded proposal.
  • Deck Visualizer for Real Backyards: A deck visualizer that uses your real backyard photo. Compare composite, PVC, cedar, and pressure-treated decking on the actual yard before you commit.
  • Deck Material Calculator: Estimate boards, joists, fasteners, and railing for any deck size with our deck material calculator. Pair the estimate with a photorealistic render of the finished build.
  • A Trex Deck Designer Alternative Built for the Driveway: Looking for a Trex Deck Designer alternative? PaperPlan is mobile-first, photo-based, and built for contractors who need a render in 15 seconds, not a 3D model in 30 minutes.
  • Deck Ideas for Real Backyards: Deck ideas for every backyard: small, ground-level, raised, pool-side, covered, and modern composite. Render any of them on your real yard photo before you build.

All deck planning guides