Quick verdict
Choose layout.rip if…
- You want to see several candidate layouts side by side and pick one yourself
- Fewer saw-fence settings matter to you as much as less waste
- You measure in feet and inches
- You want an open-source tool that works offline
- You only need the layout, not a cabinet or stock workflow around it
Choose cutlistlab if…
- You measure in millimetres, or switch between metric and imperial
- You want to design a cabinet and send its parts straight into the layout
- You keep offcuts and want them used up in the next project
- You need labels, PDF, SVG or DXF, or a CNC nesting mode
- You want real store sheet sizes with prices, or sync across devices
Side by side
Both tools optimize sheet layouts. The table sticks to what each tool states on its own site, so "not listed" means exactly that: we did not find it there, not that it is impossible.
| Feature | layout.rip | cutlistlab |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 100% free, open source | Free, no part limit, no paywall |
| Account | No signup, no email | None needed; optional free account |
| Where it runs | Browser, local, works offline | Browser, calculation runs locally |
| 1D and 2D | 1D, 2D and mixed mode | 2D, plus a separate 1D mode |
| Cut style | Guillotine cut paths only | Guillotine by default; CNC nesting optional |
| Results shown | Top candidates side by side, Pareto scatter | One layout per goal, manual mode |
| Ease-of-cutting score | Yes, distinct saw-fence positions | "Fewest cuts" goal |
| Search time | Quick 1s, standard 10s, thorough 60s | "Search extra layouts" option |
| Kerf and grain | Kerf presets 0 to 1/4", grain direction | Adjustable kerf, grain direction |
| Units | Feet, fractional or decimal inches | Metric and imperial, incl. fractions |
| Cut instructions | Step-by-step, piece breakdown tree | Numbered cut order, "Cut along" mode |
| Import and export | CSV in and out, print with overlay | CSV, paste from Excel; PDF, PNG, SVG, DXF |
| Offcut stock across projects | Not listed on its site | Yes, "Use my offcuts" |
| Store sheet library | Not listed on its site | Yes, 41 country markets with prices |
| Cabinet designer | Not listed on its site | Yes, parametric, 3D view |
| Part labels | Not listed on its site | Printable, grouped per sheet |
Where layout.rip is better
Several layouts, ranked, instead of one answer. layout.rip explores thousands of layout candidates within a compute budget you choose (quick, 1 second; standard, 10 seconds; thorough, 60 seconds) and then shows the top candidates side by side, ranked on material waste and on ease of cutting, with a Pareto scatter to see the trade-off. If you like to look at three or four options and pick the one that suits your saw, that is a genuinely useful way of working. cutlistlab gives you one layout for the goal you chose and a manual mode to adjust it; it does not present a ranked shortlist.
Ease of cutting as a first-class score. layout.rip counts the number of distinct saw-fence positions a layout needs. On a table saw that is a very practical measure: fewer fence settings means fewer chances to set the fence wrong. cutlistlab has a "fewest cuts" goal, which is related but not the same thing.
Offline and open source. The layout.rip site states that it runs entirely locally, uploads nothing, works offline and is open source. cutlistlab also calculates on your device, but you load the page from our site, and the optional account stores projects on our server. If you want to read the code or work with no connection at all, layout.rip is the clearer fit.
A small, focused tool. Sample projects to start from, a piece breakdown tree, step-by-step cut instructions and a print with a visual overlay. There is less to learn because there is less in it.
Where cutlistlab fits better
Metric, imperial and 40 languages. layout.rip's display formats are imperial-oriented (feet, fractional or decimal inches). cutlistlab works in millimetres as well as inches with fractions, and the interface is available in 40 languages.
A cabinet designer that feeds the cut list. Bookcase, cabinet with doors, wardrobe, drawer unit, TV unit, kitchen base and wall cabinets, room divider, attic cabinet with a sloped side: you set the sizes, choose back panel, plinth and shelves, check the front, side and 3D view, and the parts flow straight into the cutting plan and update live. In layout.rip you type the parts yourself.
Offcuts that carry over. The usable leftovers from one project are kept as stock and offered to the next one ("Use my offcuts"), before a new sheet is opened. That stock syncs across devices with the optional account.
Real store sheets and a cost goal. A sheet library with actual store sizes and prices for 41 country markets (Home Depot, Lowe's and Menards in the US, for example), so the "lowest cost" goal can pick the cheapest combination of sheets. You can enter your own sizes and prices as well.
Edge banding and exports. Edge banding per side with automatic size correction, printable part labels grouped per sheet, a shopping list, and export to PDF, PNG, SVG and DXF. A CNC mode does a tighter non-guillotine nesting for a router.
Pricing and free plan
There is no paid plan to compare on either side.
layout.rip describes itself as "100% free, no signup, no email required, no upload". It runs locally in the browser and is open source.
cutlistlab is free in full: no part limit, no daily calculation cap, no watermark and no paywall, and no account is needed. An optional free account saves projects on the server and syncs projects and offcut stock across devices. Without an account everything stays in your browser, with a project file export and import for backups and a share link.
Workflow comparison
If you want to compare a few layouts before you cut
layout.rip is built for this. Set the compute budget, look at the top candidates side by side, and pick the one with the balance of waste and fence positions you like. In cutlistlab you would run the optimizer with a different goal (least waste, fewest cuts, lowest cost) and compare those results yourself.
If you are standing next to the saw with your phone
Both run in a phone browser without installing anything. layout.rip gives you step-by-step cut instructions and a piece breakdown tree. cutlistlab has a full-screen "Cut along" mode that walks through the numbered cuts one at a time, plus labels you can print beforehand to keep the pieces sorted. Neither needs a signup at the workbench.
If you build a cabinet once every few months
cutlistlab's cabinet designer turns a few sizes into a parts list, and its offcut stock remembers what was left last time. Both are things you would otherwise track by hand between projects. layout.rip auto-saves to browser storage, but a cross-project offcut library is not listed on its site.
If you work in millimetres
cutlistlab is the easier fit: enter everything in mm, or switch to inches with fractions when a plan is in imperial. layout.rip's listed display formats are feet and inches.
If you have a spreadsheet with 80 parts
Both import CSV. cutlistlab also takes parts pasted straight from Excel. Either way you will do the import once and then tweak in the tool.
Who should choose which?
- Table saw, imperial, wants to pick from ranked layouts: layout.rip.
- Wants an open-source tool that works fully offline: layout.rip.
- Metric user, or needs one of 40 interface languages: cutlistlab.
- Designing a cabinet and cutting it from store-bought sheets: cutlistlab.
- Keeps offcuts and wants them used automatically next time: cutlistlab.
- Needs labels, DXF or CNC nesting: cutlistlab.
- Just wants a quick, free layout with no extras: either one; try both.
Try it yourself. Already have a cut list? Put the same parts into both tools and compare the drawings. Open cutlistlab: free, no sign-up, nothing to install.
Frequently asked questions
Is layout.rip really free, or is there a catch?
According to its own site, layout.rip is 100% free, needs no signup or email, uploads nothing and is open source. We have no reason to doubt that. cutlistlab is also free with no account, no part limit and no paywall, so price is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Which tool produces the better layout?
We do not claim that cutlistlab wastes less material than layout.rip. Both optimize sheet layouts with guillotine-style cuts. layout.rip shows you several ranked candidates so you can choose; cutlistlab gives you one layout for the goal you picked (least waste, fewest cuts or lowest cost) and lets you adjust it by hand. The honest test is to put the same parts into both and look at the drawings.
Do I need an internet connection for either tool?
layout.rip states on its site that it runs entirely locally and works offline. cutlistlab also does the calculation on your device in a background worker, not on a server, but you load the page from our site and the optional account features store projects on our server. If working fully offline is a hard requirement, layout.rip is the clearer choice.
Can I use millimetres in layout.rip?
The display formats listed on the layout.rip site are imperial-oriented: feet, and fractional or decimal inches. Its kerf presets run from 0 to 1/4 inch. cutlistlab works in metric and in imperial, including fractions, and has 40 interface languages, so it fits better if you measure in millimetres.
Does layout.rip remember my offcuts for the next project?
An offcut library that carries over between projects is not listed on the layout.rip site; it does auto-save your work to browser storage. cutlistlab keeps leftover pieces as stock across projects and uses them before it opens a new sheet, and that stock syncs across devices if you use the optional free account.
Can I move a parts list from one tool to the other?
Both tools import and export CSV, so a parts list can travel in either direction. Expect to check the column order once. cutlistlab also accepts parts pasted straight from Excel or a spreadsheet.
Sources checked. Competitor information checked against the vendor's official website in September 2026: https://layout.rip/.
Product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. cutlistlab is not affiliated with the products compared here.