App comparison
Fixie vs WoodSense
WoodSense and Fixie are both woodworking apps with cut lists, but they start from different questions. WoodSense starts from wood you already have: what species is this, what style is this piece, how do I restore it. Fixie starts from something you want to build, designs it in 3D and plans the build. We make Fixie. For WoodSense, this page repeats what its App Store listing and website say and what we saw using the app, and links to both.
Updated
The short answer
Pick WoodSense to identify a wood species or a furniture style from a photo, or to restore a piece you already own. Pick Fixie to design a new piece for your space and build it, with a 3D model, a cut list in your own units and steps written for the tools you have, whether it is your first build or you already have a shop.
Side by side
| Feature | Fixie | WoodSense |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Design a new piece and plan the build | Identify wood and furniture style; guide repairs and restorations |
| From a photo | Designs a piece like the one in your photos, sized for your space | Identifies the wood species, grain, joinery and probable period |
| Custom designs | From a description or up to six photos, with changes on request | Custom cut lists, joinery dimensions and finish guides for your projects |
| 3D model | Yes, with AR placement in your room for supported designs | No 3D model in the plan we opened: a photo, then static exploded drawings |
| Measurements | In your own system: inches in the US, metric elsewhere, never both | Centimetres and millimetres in the plan we opened, on a US iPhone |
| Cut list | Every part and every board, in the lumber sizes you can buy | A checkable cutting list with numbered parts; cut-list exports |
| Build steps | Illustrated assembly steps written for the tools you own, with 3D views | Step-by-step drawings with a line or two of text; a PDF and a video for each project |
| Restoration and repair | Not covered | Repair and refinishing instructions with tools, adhesives and safety notes |
| Shopping list | Materials and hardware with store links; skips the tools you already own | Yes, added in a recent update |
| Devices | iPhone; also runs on iPad | iPhone, iPad and Android |
| Free on the web | Free project plans and a cut list calculator on fixie.help | Not mentioned |
Different starting points
WoodSense is built around identification. Snap a photo of a board or a piece of furniture and it tells you the wood species, the grain, the joinery and the style or period it probably comes from. Its Tools tab holds Wood ID, Craft ID, Valuation and Repair Tips, and its Home tab has a library of projects with guides and videos.
Fixie is built around making something new. Describe the piece you want, with rough sizes and where it goes, or add photos of one you like. Fixie designs it and gives you a 3D model, a cut list, a shopping list and assembly steps.
What we saw in WoodSense
On September 29, 2026 we opened a WoodSense project, a slatted wooden storage crate, on an iPhone set to the US. The plan shows a photo of the finished crate, then a cutting list and steps as static exploded drawings with numbered parts, in the style of flat-pack instructions. Its sizes were in centimetres and millimetres ("Cut sixteen 1x2 pine slats to 610 x 19 x 38 mm"), next to US board names. The steps name the fastener, and each project has a PDF and a video.
Seeing the design before you cut
Every Fixie design comes as a 3D model you can turn and zoom, with its dimensions and parts, and supported designs can be placed in your room with AR to check the size. Fixie shows every measurement in your own system: inches and board names in the US, metric where you use metric.
Steps for the tools you have
Fixie asks which tools you own and writes the steps for them, and its shopping list leaves out the tools you already have. If a detail is missing from your description, it asks a few questions before it designs. First-time builders get steps they can follow; experienced builders get a complete plan without drawing it themselves.
Which one should you try?
Restoring a dresser you found, or wondering whether a table is oak or ash? WoodSense is made for that. Want a nightstand that fits a narrow gap, a bench for the entryway or a small shed for the garden? Start with Fixie. Your first custom design is free, and every catalog project is free.
FAQ
What is a good alternative to WoodSense for designing furniture?
Fixie. Describe the piece you want or add a photo, and Fixie designs it with a 3D model, a cut list, a shopping list and step-by-step build instructions for the tools you own.
Can Fixie identify wood species?
No. Fixie designs new pieces and plans the build. To identify wood from a photo, WoodSense is made for that.
Does Fixie show a 3D model of my design?
Yes. Every design comes as a 3D model you can turn and zoom, and supported designs can be placed in your room with AR.
Is Fixie only for beginners?
No. First-time builders get steps written for the tools they have, with 3D views of every step. Experienced builders who already have a shop use it to get a complete plan fast: a cut list for every board, the hardware, and a shopping list that leaves out the tools they own.
Does Fixie work on Android?
Not yet. Fixie is on iPhone, and it also runs on iPad. Its project plans and cut list calculator are free on fixie.help in any browser.
Turn your idea into a build plan
Describe the piece you want or add a photo, and Fixie designs it with a 3D preview, cut list, materials, and step-by-step instructions. Your first design is free.
Download Fixie on the App StoreSources
- WoodSense: Wood Plans & Guides on the App Store
- WoodSense on Google Play
- WoodSense website
- Our use of the WoodSense iPhone app on September 29, 2026: the Slatted Wooden Storage Crate project and the Tools tab
- Fixie 2.0: Design Your Own Build
- Fixie home page and FAQ