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Dock design software compared: 9 tools

Most free dock design software comes from dock manufacturers: it draws that maker’s parts, and a dealer prices the result. Brand-neutral tools draw any brand or a wood dock.

Updated

Dock Builder is our product. Every other tool is described from its own public pages, linked below.

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Dock design tools, side by side

Ten questions, answered from each tool’s public pages. “Not stated” means the page doesn’t say; it isn’t a no.
  • Yes
  • Partly, or with conditions
  • No
  • Not stated on the tool’s public pages, or doesn’t apply

On a phone, each tool’s ten answers are in its profile below.

Based on each tool’s public web pages (and, for Dock Blocks, a July 2021 trade-press report), reviewed in October 2026. Product names identify each tool and imply no affiliation. Features and prices change; check the sources before you decide.

How we compared

In October 2026 we read each tool’s public pages (and a 2021 trade-press report for Dock Blocks). We didn’t create accounts or test paid features; “Not stated” means the page doesn’t say.

Any brand or wood
Can you draw a dock that isn’t that maker’s product, including a stick-built wood dock?
Works on a phone
Does the maker say the tool is meant to be used on a phone?
Works offline
Does the tool keep working without a connection, for example at the shoreline?
3D view
Can you look at the dock in 3D, not just a flat plan?
Free to start
Is there a free version or a free trial?
Material list / take-off
Does the tool produce a list of the parts or materials in the drawing?
Permit-style drawings
Dimensioned plan or side views of the kind permit offices ask for (requirements vary).
Quoting
How you get a price: from the tool itself, from a dealer, or from a sales rep.
Lead capture on your website
Can a dock builder run it on their own website to collect quote requests?
Paid price public?
If there’s a paid plan, is its price published?

Spotted something out of date, or make one of these tools? Tell us and we’ll correct it.

What each tool does, and who it’s for

Short, sourced profiles. Each one says when that tool is the right pick, including when it isn’t ours.
Manufacturer configurator

EZ Dock Designer

By EZ Dock

A free 2D and 3D designer for EZ Dock’s modular docks. EZ Dock’s page says you can save your design, share it, and let EZ Dock know you want a quote on it. It also says the tool “is best used on a desktop,” and it doesn’t mention a parts list or prices.

A LightningCAD case study says RoleModel Software built the designer, which configures EZ Dock sections, PWC and boat ports and kayak launches, and matches customers to a local dealer.⁠[1,11]

Choose it if: You’ve decided on EZ Dock and want to see a layout and get a dealer price for it.

Keep in mind: It only draws EZ Dock components, so it won’t help you compare brands or plan a wood dock.

Any brand or wood
No: EZ Dock parts
Works on a phone
Partly: “Best used on a desktop”
Works offline
Not stated
3D view
Yes: 2D and 3D
Free to start
Yes: Free to use
Material list / take-off
Not stated
Permit-style drawings
Not stated
Quoting
Partly: Request a quote from EZ Dock
Lead capture on your website
Does not apply: EZ Dock’s own site
Paid price public?
Does not apply: Nothing to pay
As of October 2026EZ Dock Designer page
Manufacturer configurator

ShoreMaster Dock Builder

By ShoreMaster

ShoreMaster’s online tool (its page title is “Design Your Dock Online | ShoreMaster Dock Builder Tool”) lets you customize the layout, decking and accessories, then connect with a dealer to bring it to life.

The page doesn’t say whether the tool shows a parts list or prices. Despite the name, it’s a ShoreMaster product and isn’t related to Dock Builder (dockbuilder.io).⁠[2]

Choose it if: You’re buying a ShoreMaster dock and want a local dealer to price your layout.

Keep in mind: Brand-specific: the layout uses ShoreMaster products, and pricing comes from the dealer.

Any brand or wood
No: ShoreMaster products
Works on a phone
Not stated
Works offline
Not stated
3D view
Not stated
Free to start
Yes: Free to use online
Material list / take-off
Not stated
Permit-style drawings
Not stated
Quoting
Partly: Connects you with a dealer
Lead capture on your website
Does not apply: ShoreMaster’s own site
Paid price public?
Does not apply: Nothing to pay
As of October 2026ShoreMaster’s Dock Builder page
Manufacturer configurator

Connect-A-Dock “Design A Dock”

By Connect-A-Dock

Lay out Connect-A-Dock modular floating sections and add accessories. Connect-A-Dock says the tool sends you an email of your design and its parts list to take to your nearest dealer, or to customer service if there’s no dealer near you.⁠[3]

Choose it if: You want a Connect-A-Dock modular dock and a parts list to bring to the dealer.

Keep in mind: The parts list covers Connect-A-Dock components only; the page doesn’t mention prices.

Any brand or wood
No: Connect-A-Dock parts
Works on a phone
Not stated
Works offline
Not stated
3D view
Not stated
Free to start
Yes: Free to use online
Material list / take-off
Yes: Emails a parts list
Permit-style drawings
Not stated
Quoting
Partly: Take the list to a dealer
Lead capture on your website
Does not apply: Connect-A-Dock’s own site
Paid price public?
Does not apply: Nothing to pay
As of October 2026Connect-A-Dock’s design page
Questionnaire + sales call

Jet Dock dock finder

By Jet Dock

Not a drawing tool: you answer questions about your watercraft and your site, then Jet Dock calls you. Its page points you to its Dock Advisors by phone for advice and a quote.⁠[4]

Choose it if: You’d rather describe what you need and have a rep design and price it.

Keep in mind: You don’t get a drawing you can take to other sellers.

Any brand or wood
No: Jet Dock products
Works on a phone
Does not apply: Web form, no drawing
Works offline
Does not apply: Web form, no drawing
3D view
Does not apply: No drawing
Free to start
Yes: Free
Material list / take-off
Not stated
Permit-style drawings
Not stated
Quoting
Partly: A Dock Advisor calls you
Lead capture on your website
Does not apply: Jet Dock’s own site
Paid price public?
Does not apply: Nothing to pay
As of October 2026Jet Dock’s dock finder
Manufacturer configurator

Dock Blocks Configurator

By Dock Blocks

Trade press reported in July 2021 that Dock Blocks’ Configurator renders custom modular docks in 3D from CAD files, rotates them to any angle, and calculates the materials needed automatically. It was named a Boating Industry 2021 Top Product.

We didn’t find a public version to try in October 2026, so we can’t say how it works today or who can use it.⁠[5]

Choose it if: You’re buying Dock Blocks; ask a dealer whether they use the Configurator.

Any brand or wood
No: Dock Blocks parts
Works on a phone
Not stated
Works offline
Not stated
3D view
Yes: 3D (2021 report)
Free to start
Not stated
Material list / take-off
Yes: Calculates materials (2021 report)
Permit-style drawings
Not stated
Quoting
Not stated
Lead capture on your website
Not stated
Paid price public?
Not stated
As of October 2026The 2021 report
Ready-made quoting app for contractors

Dock Designer App (LightningCAD)

By LightningCAD (RoleModel Software)

A browser-based design and estimating app for marine contractors and salespeople in the field, with no CAD skills needed. It turns field measurements into 2D and 3D visuals and prices the dock by square footage, with separate prices for accessories such as ladders, cleats and gangways.

It costs $329 a month (one plan, extra users as an add-on) after a 7-day free trial with no credit card. Its FAQ calls it a standalone quoting and visualization tool and points to Dock Designer Custom for a bill of materials or ERP/CRM links.⁠[6,8,12]

Choose it if: You already price docks by the square foot and want 3D visuals and a published monthly price you can sign up for today.

Keep in mind: No material list or integrations in the App; its FAQ points to Dock Designer Custom for those.

Dock Designer App vs Dock Builder
Any brand or wood
Yes: Not tied to one brand
Works on a phone
Browser app; phones not stated
Works offline
Not stated
3D view
Yes: 2D and 3D
Free to start
Partly: 7-day trial, no card
Material list / take-off
No: No bill of materials (its FAQ)
Permit-style drawings
Partly: 2D/3D visuals
Quoting
Yes: Square-foot + accessory pricing
Lead capture on your website
Not stated; a Custom feature
Paid price public?
Yes: $329/month
As of October 2026Dock Designer App page
Custom software for dock companies

Dock Designer Custom (LightningCAD)

By LightningCAD (RoleModel Software)

Software built around one company’s products and engineering rules. LightningCAD describes bills of materials, installation guides and manufacturing detail from a single design, ERP and CRM integration, and deployment to dealers and to customers on the company’s own website.

Its case studies include a permit package with top and side views and dimensions for Coastal Pier and Dock, parts lists for Oasis Boat Docks, and dealer matching and lead tracking for EZ Dock. Pricing is the customization work plus a platform subscription, scoped in a consultation.⁠[7,9,10,11]

Choose it if: You’re a manufacturer or large builder that wants software built around your own catalog, engineering rules and back-office systems, with the budget for custom work.

Keep in mind: Custom work means custom pricing and a project timeline; features vary by build.

Any brand or wood
Partly: Built around your products
Works on a phone
Not stated
Works offline
Not stated
3D view
Yes: 2D and 3D
Free to start
No: Consultation first
Material list / take-off
Yes: BOM from the design
Permit-style drawings
Partly: Permit packet in one named build
Quoting
Yes: Pricing from your product rules
Lead capture on your website
Yes: On your site, as a custom build
Paid price public?
No: Build cost + subscription
As of October 2026Dock Designer Custom page
General-purpose 3D modeling

General CAD: SketchUp, FreeCAD

By Trimble (SketchUp) · FreeCAD project

General 3D modelers can draw any dock, down to each joist, if you’re willing to model it. SketchUp Free runs in a web browser. Paid SketchUp plans are listed from $10.75 a month (Go, billed yearly, iPad and web) and $33.25 a month (Pro, billed yearly, adds desktop).

FreeCAD is free and open source, with no licensing fees, and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. Neither is built for docks: there’s no dock parts library, material take-off or quote built in, so you count materials yourself or look for add-ons.⁠[13,14,15]

Choose it if: You want full control of a one-off design, already know CAD, or need detailed framing models for an engineer.

Keep in mind: Expect a learning curve, and count every board yourself.

Any brand or wood
Yes: Draw anything
Works on a phone
Partly: SketchUp web & iPad; FreeCAD desktop
Works offline
Partly: FreeCAD is desktop software
3D view
Yes: Full 3D modeling
Free to start
Yes: SketchUp Free; FreeCAD
Material list / take-off
No: Count it yourself
Permit-style drawings
Partly: You draw them yourself
Quoting
No: No
Lead capture on your website
No: No
Paid price public?
Yes: SketchUp paid from $10.75/mo
As of October 2026SketchUp plans and pricing
Dock design & quoting softwareOur product

Dock Builder

By Dock Builder (dockbuilder.io), the publisher of this page

A dock design and quoting app: draw the dock once, and the material take-off, the quote and the PDF drawings come from the same plan. The designer is free with no account (any number of sections, the aerial map, a 3D view, one project saved in your browser). A free account adds the take-off with a cut list, quotes with labor, margin and tax, proposals and permit drawings as PDFs from the Proposal Builder, and share links.

Limits: the paid plans have no public price and no self-serve checkout. The material list is built for wood-framed docks, and the floating-dock float layout is a geometric grid, not a buoyancy calculation, so a builder should check both. There’s no e-signature or online quote acceptance, and permit requirements vary by jurisdiction.

Choose it if: You’re a dock builder who wants the take-off, quote and drawings from one plan, plus a branded designer on your website, or a homeowner who wants a to-scale plan for any brand or a wood dock.

Keep in mind: A manufacturer’s own catalog, price book and dealer quoting are set up together with us on the Enterprise plan, not out of the box.

Create a free accountAll features
Any brand or wood
Yes: Any brand or stick-built wood
Works on a phone
Yes: Phone, tablet or computer
Works offline
Yes: After your first visit
3D view
Yes: 2D plans + 3D view
Free to start
Yes: Free designer + free account
Material list / take-off
Yes: Cut-list take-off (free account)
Permit-style drawings
Yes: Plan, profile, site, aerial PDFs (free account)
Quoting
Yes: Itemized; price it yourself (free account)
Lead capture on your website
Yes: Branded designer (Pro plan)
Paid price public?
No: Paid plans: talk to us
As of October 2026How the free designer works

Pick by what you’re trying to do

The right tool depends less on features than on whether you’ve already chosen a brand, and whether you’re building one dock or quoting many.

You build docks for a living

Get the take-off, quote and drawings from one plan.

Dock Builder does all three on a free account; Pro adds your branding and a designer on your website. Dock Designer App ($329 a month) prices by the square foot instead.⁠[6]

You’re a manufacturer or dealer network

Weigh custom software against a configured platform.

LightningCAD’s Dock Designer Custom is software built around your catalog and back office.⁠[7,11] Dock Builder’s Enterprise plan is configured with you (dealer quoting, price book import, a lift configurator); neither publishes a price.

You’re buying a specific brand

Use that brand’s configurator.

EZ Dock, ShoreMaster and Connect-A-Dock have free online tools, and the dealer prices exactly the parts you drew. If you’re still choosing, sketch the site in a brand-neutral tool so every dealer quotes one layout.

You’re comparing brands or builders

Draw one plan in a brand-neutral tool and give it to everyone.

Dock Builder’s free designer needs no account, and a free account adds a printable plan and a share link builders open without signing up. Compare what comes back with our dock quote checklist.

You’re building a wood dock yourself

Get a material list, not just a picture.

With a free account, Dock Builder counts lumber, decking, floats and hardware and packs boards into stock lengths; confirm spans and connections. SketchUp or FreeCAD model every joist, but you count materials yourself.

Dock design software questions

What is the best free dock design software?

It depends on what you’re buying. If you’ve chosen a brand, that maker’s free configurator is the best fit, because the dealer prices exactly those parts. For any brand or a wood dock, with a printable plan and a material list, a brand-neutral tool such as Dock Builder’s free designer is free to start. For general 3D modeling, SketchUp Free runs in a browser.⁠[14]

Does the EZ Dock Designer work on a phone?

EZ Dock’s own page says the tool “is best used on a desktop.”⁠[1] It doesn’t say phones are blocked. Dock Builder’s designer runs in a phone’s browser and keeps working offline after your first visit.

What is a good EZ Dock Designer alternative?

If you’re buying EZ Dock, its own designer is the right tool. To plan a dock for any brand or a wood dock, use a brand-neutral tool such as Dock Builder or general CAD. For other modular brands, use that maker’s configurator, such as ShoreMaster’s or Connect-A-Dock’s.

Which dock design tools give you a material list?

Connect-A-Dock’s tool emails a parts list of its components.⁠[3] Dock Blocks’ Configurator was reported in 2021 to calculate materials automatically.⁠[5] LightningCAD’s Dock Designer Custom generates a bill of materials from the design; its Dock Designer App doesn’t, and its FAQ points to Custom for that.⁠[7,6] Dock Builder’s free account produces a take-off with a cut list for a wood-framed build (how it works). With CAD you count materials yourself.

Is SketchUp good for designing a dock?

It’s a capable general 3D modeler with a free web version, and paid plans are listed from $10.75 a month, billed yearly.⁠[14,13] It has no dock parts, take-off or quote built in, so you model and count everything yourself. That suits a one-off design if you already know CAD.

Can dock design software make permit drawings?

Some can. LightningCAD describes a custom build that generates a permit package with top and side views and dimensions.⁠[9] Dock Builder’s free account exports permit drawings: plan, profile, site and aerial pages at set scales. With CAD you draw them yourself. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, and some require an engineer’s stamp; see how to draw a dock plan.

How much does dock design software cost?

Manufacturer configurators are free to use. SketchUp has a free web version, with paid plans listed from $10.75 to $71.58 a month, billed yearly.⁠[13] FreeCAD is free.⁠[15] LightningCAD’s Dock Designer App costs $329 a month after a 7-day free trial; Dock Designer Custom is priced per project plus a platform subscription.⁠[6,7] Dock Builder’s designer and free account cost nothing; paid plans have no public price, so you talk to us. See pricing.

Can I put a dock designer on my own website?

Yes, two ways. Custom software such as LightningCAD’s Dock Designer Custom can run on a company’s own site.⁠[7] Dock Builder’s Pro plan runs its designer on your branded subdomain, and Business on your own domain; customers’ drawings land in your Leads inbox with a take-off summary. See a dock designer for your website.

Sources

  1. 1.EZ Dock — EZ Dock Designer (accessed Oct 2026)
  2. 2.ShoreMaster — Design Your Dock Online | ShoreMaster Dock Builder Tool (accessed Oct 2026)
  3. 3.Connect-A-Dock — Design Your Own Dock (accessed Oct 2026)
  4. 4.Jet Dock — Find your dock (interactive dock finder) (accessed Oct 2026)
  5. 5.Houseboat Magazine — Dock Blocks Configurator tool named a 2021 Top Product (July 2021) (accessed Oct 2026)
  6. 6.LightningCAD — Dock Designer App (product page, FAQ) (accessed Oct 2026)
  7. 7.LightningCAD — Dock Designer Custom (product page, FAQ) (accessed Oct 2026)
  8. 8.LightningCAD — Dock Designer App (case study) (accessed Oct 2026)
  9. 9.LightningCAD — Coastal Pier and Dock (case study) (accessed Oct 2026)
  10. 10.LightningCAD — Oasis Boat Docks (case study) (accessed Oct 2026)
  11. 11.LightningCAD — EZ Dock (case study) (accessed Oct 2026)
  12. 12.Dock Designer App — Terms and Conditions (accessed Oct 2026)
  13. 13.Trimble — SketchUp plans and pricing (accessed Oct 2026)
  14. 14.Trimble — SketchUp Free (accessed Oct 2026)
  15. 15.FreeCAD — FreeCAD: your own 3D parametric modeler (accessed Oct 2026)

Try it on your next dock.

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Dock builders: give your customers this designer with your name on it