Best AI for interior design
What is the best AI for interior design?
ChatGPT is the best everyday AI for interior design: upload a photo of your room and it suggests layouts, colour palettes and a shopping list, then creates a mock-up image. Gemini does the same well for free, and Canva is best for turning ideas into a mood board. Measure everything yourself before buying.
Our shortlist
| # | Tool | Best for | Free plan? | Paid from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ChatGPT | Best overall | Yes | US$8/month (Go, may include ads) |
| 2 | Gemini | Best free alternative | Yes | US$4.99/month (Google AI Plus, in 160+ countries) |
| 3 | Canva (Magic Studio) | Best for mood boards | Yes | US$144/year (Pro, one person) in the US |
1. ChatGPT – best overall
Can read your room photo, suggest designs and generate a mock-up image (image creation is limited on the free plan).
Free plan: Free plan: everyday text chats with fair-use limits, plus limited uploads, image creation, voice and deep research. Full ChatGPT profile →
2. Gemini – best free alternative
Free with a Google account, including image generation and editing.
Free plan: Free with a Google account, including Deep Research, Gemini Live and image generation, with lower usage limits. Full Gemini profile →
3. Canva (Magic Studio) – best for mood boards
Free plan with templates and limited AI uses; Pro is US$144/year in the US.
Free plan: Free plan includes up to 20 uses of standard or premium AI tools; more on paid plans. Full Canva (Magic Studio) profile →
Try it now: step-by-step guides
Each guide has a copy-and-paste prompt you can use with any of the tools above.
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Things to watch out for
- Mock-ups aren't to scale.
- Crop out personal items before uploading photos.
- Don't paste passwords, bank details or other people's private information into any AI tool.
How we chose
These are editorial picks by Amara Lewis, based on what each tool's free and paid plans include, how easy it is for a beginner, and how well it suits this task. We have not run formal benchmark tests for this page, and no company paid to be listed. Read how we review.
Frequently asked questions
Can AI design a room from a photo?
Yes – it can suggest ideas and create mock-ups, but sizes and proportions are often off. Treat it as inspiration.
Is there a free AI interior design tool?
ChatGPT and Gemini both have free plans that can do this, with limits on images.
Can AI pick paint colours?
It can suggest palettes, but colours look different in real light – always test a sample pot.
Not sure where to start?
Take our 60-second quiz to get a personal AI starter kit for your life.