Home » Blog » Best Free DIY Apps 2026
Published February 27, 2026 • 14 min read • by MonkeyRepair
Your smartphone is the most powerful DIY tool you own, and you probably are not using it that way. In 2026, your phone can measure rooms with AR technology accurate to within half an inch, match any paint color from a photo, identify electrical wiring configurations, plan entire renovation projects, and connect you to expert video tutorials for literally any repair you can think of.
The best part: almost all of these tools are completely free. The major hardware brands, paint companies, and home improvement retailers have all invested in free apps because they want you to start projects (and then buy materials from them). Their business model works in your favor.
This guide covers the best free apps and YouTube channels for DIY home repair and improvement in 2026. Every app listed is either completely free or has a free tier that covers everything a typical homeowner needs.
Every iPhone has a free Measure app built in. Point your camera at any surface and tap to set start and end points. It uses LiDAR (on Pro models) or ARKit to calculate distances. Accuracy is within half an inch on LiDAR-equipped phones and within one inch on standard models. It can also auto-detect rectangular objects (tables, frames, screens) and display all dimensions instantly.
Best for: Quick measurements when you do not have a tape measure handy. Measuring furniture to see if it fits a space. Getting rough room dimensions for material estimates.
Android's equivalent uses ARCore technology for augmented reality measurements. Point, tap, and measure. Accuracy varies by device but modern phones with ToF sensors achieve results comparable to iPhone LiDAR. Available on most Android phones manufactured after 2020.
MagicPlan creates professional floor plans by scanning rooms with your phone camera. Walk around a room, tap each corner, and the app generates an accurate floor plan with dimensions. The free tier lets you create floor plans for up to two projects. This is incredibly useful for renovation planning, furniture layout, and getting contractor quotes.
Free features: Create floor plans, add furniture and fixtures, export basic PDFs, measure rooms via AR. Premium features ($9.99/month): Unlimited projects, 3D walkthroughs, material cost estimates, professional PDF exports.
Moasure uses your phone's motion sensors to measure by physically moving your phone from point to point. Walk along a wall holding your phone and it calculates the distance. This works in situations where AR struggles: outdoors in bright sunlight, along curved surfaces, and for measuring fence lines, garden beds, and driveways.
The best paint color matching app available. Point your camera at any surface, fabric, or object and the app instantly identifies the closest Sherwin-Williams paint color. You can also upload photos and explore color palettes. The AR feature lets you "paint" walls in real time through your camera to preview how a color will look in your actual room.
Standout feature: The virtual room painter. Point your phone at a wall and swipe to see how any of Sherwin-Williams' 1,700 colors would look. The lighting adjustments are surprisingly realistic, accounting for shadows, furniture, and natural light.
Benjamin Moore's app offers similar color matching from photos plus curated color palettes from professional interior designers. The "personal color viewer" lets you preview colors on your walls through the camera. The color matching is accurate and references Benjamin Moore's full product line with exact paint codes.
A brand-neutral alternative that works with any paint brand. Take a photo of your room, tap a wall, and select any color to preview it. While the color matching is not as precise as the brand-specific apps (since it is not tied to a specific paint formula database), it is useful for exploring color ideas before committing to a brand.
Explore curated app recommendations, tool guides, and home repair resources for every project.
Explore monkey.repairBeyond shopping, the Home Depot app is a powerful project planning tool. The "Projects" section includes step-by-step guides for hundreds of home improvement projects with material lists, tool requirements, difficulty ratings, and time estimates. You can build shopping lists, check in-store inventory, and scan barcodes for product information and reviews.
Hidden gem feature: The image search. Take a photo of any part, fitting, or hardware and the app identifies it and shows you matching products available at Home Depot. This is invaluable when you need to replace a specific bolt, fitting, or fixture and do not know the name or size.
Similar project planning features with excellent "How-To" video content produced by Lowe's. The app also includes a room designer for kitchens and bathrooms. The "Measure Your Space" AR feature helps calculate material quantities (tile, paint, flooring) by scanning your room.
A full home design tool that lets you create 2D and 3D floor plans with furniture, fixtures, appliances, and finishes. The free tier includes basic room creation and a library of common items. This is excellent for visualizing renovations before starting work. Drag and drop walls, windows, doors, and cabinets to experiment with layouts.
A landscaping design app that uses AR to overlay plants, trees, hardscaping, and outdoor features onto photos of your yard. The free tier includes basic plant placement and AR visualization. Useful for planning garden beds, patio layouts, and outdoor improvements before spending money on materials.
Point your camera at any item, fixture, or material and Google Lens identifies it and shows shopping results with prices from multiple retailers. This is the fastest way to find replacement parts when you do not know the product name. Works on everything from faucet handles to obscure electrical connectors.
When a project exceeds your DIY comfort level, Thumbtack connects you with local contractors and handymen. Get free quotes from multiple pros for any home project. Read reviews, compare prices, and book directly. The cost comparison across multiple providers regularly saves 20 to 40% versus calling the first name in a Google search.
A construction estimating tool that calculates material quantities from your floor plans. Upload a floor plan or sketch and the app calculates how much lumber, drywall, insulation, roofing, or flooring you need. This prevents the common DIY mistake of buying too much or too little material.
YouTube is the single greatest free resource for learning home repair. These channels provide professional-quality instruction for every skill level:
The gold standard. Running since 1979, This Old House produces beautifully shot, expert-led tutorials on every aspect of home repair and renovation. The videos are detailed, professional, and cover both the "how" and the "why" behind each technique. Plumbing, electrical, carpentry, masonry, landscaping, everything.
Dustin focuses on repairs that homeowners actually encounter. No flashy renovations. Just practical, step-by-step fixes for running toilets, leaky faucets, drywall patches, and squeaky floors. The pacing is slow enough to follow along in real time while you do the repair.
Leah presents home repair and maintenance tutorials with exceptional clarity and a beginner-friendly approach. She excels at breaking down intimidating repairs into simple, manageable steps. Particularly strong on plumbing, painting, and tool technique.
Scott covers carpentry, framing, trim work, and woodworking with a teaching-focused approach. His videos explain the reasoning behind techniques, not just the steps. Excellent for anyone who wants to understand why things are done a certain way.
Focused on finish carpentry: trim, molding, built-ins, and detailed woodwork. High production quality with clear close-up shots of techniques. Best for intermediate DIYers who want to level up their trim and finish work.
The digital companion to the long-running magazine. Thousands of articles and guides covering every category of home repair, improvement, and maintenance. Searchable by project type, room, or skill level. The photography and diagrams are excellent.
Originally designed for electronics and gadget repair, iFixit has expanded to include appliance repair guides. Detailed, step-by-step teardown and repair instructions for washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and more. Community-written guides cover specific models, which is invaluable when your particular appliance has a known issue.
Several free apps provide residential electrical wiring diagrams for common configurations: three-way switches, GFCI outlets, ceiling fans with switches, and more. These are essential reference tools when you are standing in front of an electrical box trying to figure out which wire goes where. Search "home electrical wiring" in your app store for the highest-rated free option.
If you are doing outdoor projects in summer heat, this app from OSHA calculates the heat index for your location and provides safety recommendations: when to take breaks, how much water to drink, and warning signs of heat-related illness. Essential for roofing, landscaping, and exterior painting projects.
Step-by-step first aid instructions for cuts, burns, eye injuries, and other common DIY accidents. Pre-loaded content works without internet. Keep this on your phone before starting any project involving power tools, sharp objects, or chemical products.
Most municipalities have online portals or apps for checking building permit requirements. Before starting any significant project (deck building, bathroom remodel, electrical additions), check your local building department's website. Permits protect you and ensure your work meets safety codes. Unpermitted work can cause insurance and resale problems.
Sets up and manages Google Nest devices, smart lights, thermostats, cameras, and compatible third-party smart home devices. The app walks you through installation step by step. Creating automations (lights on at sunset, thermostat adjusts when you leave) is intuitive and requires no technical knowledge.
Manages HomeKit-compatible devices. The interface is clean and organizing devices by room is straightforward. Automation setup through "scenes" and "automations" is well-designed for non-technical users.
Manages Echo devices and Alexa-compatible smart home products. The routines feature lets you chain multiple actions together (say "good morning" and the lights turn on, thermostat adjusts, and your morning briefing plays). Setup for each device is guided and typically takes under five minutes.
Find more tool recommendations, app guides, and repair tutorials to tackle any home project.
Visit monkey.repairApple Measure (built into every iPhone) is the best for quick measurements. For detailed floor plans, MagicPlan creates professional-grade layouts by scanning room corners with your camera. Both are free and accurate within half an inch on modern phones with LiDAR sensors.
Yes. Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap Visualizer and Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio both identify paint colors from photos and let you preview colors on your walls through AR. The color matching is accurate enough for touch-up work and color selection. Always buy a sample before committing to a full gallon.
This Old House is the gold standard for comprehensive, professional-quality tutorials. Home Mender focuses on common repairs with a follow-along pace. See Jane Drill is excellent for beginners. Use all three depending on the specific repair you are tackling.
For rough measurements and material estimates, yes. AR measurement apps are accurate within 0.5 to 1 inch on modern phones. For precision work like cabinet installation, countertop fitting, or tile layout, always verify with a physical tape measure. Use the phone app for quick checks and a real tape measure for final dimensions.
Extremely useful. Beyond shopping, it includes step-by-step project guides with material lists, in-store inventory checking, product image search (photograph a part to find it), barcode scanning for reviews, and aisle-specific navigation in your local store. The Lowe's app offers similar functionality.
Google Lens is the best tool for identifying unknown hardware, fittings, and parts. Point your camera at any item and Google identifies it and shows matching products available for purchase. The Home Depot app also has an image search feature that finds matching products in their inventory.
Several free apps provide residential wiring diagrams for common configurations. Search your app store for "home electrical wiring" for the top-rated options. YouTube channels like This Old House and Home Mender also have excellent electrical tutorial series. Always reference the National Electrical Code for safety standards.
iFixit provides detailed step-by-step teardown and repair guides for appliances, electronics, and gadgets. Community-written guides cover specific models of washers, dryers, dishwashers, and refrigerators. If your particular appliance model has a known issue, iFixit likely has a repair guide with photos and tools lists. Completely free to use.
The apps on this list replace hundreds of dollars in specialized tools and professional consultations. An AR measurement app replaces a laser distance measurer. A paint matching app replaces a trip to the paint store with a color chip. YouTube replaces a handyman for most common repairs.
Download the apps that match your current project, watch the tutorials before you start, and use your phone as the DIY assistant it was born to be. The technology is free. The knowledge is free. The only cost is your time, and you will save far more of that than you spend.
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