An OpenCutList alternative when you do not use SketchUp

Quick verdict

Side by side

The rows below are the ones that matter when deciding between a SketchUp extension and a standalone browser optimizer.

Based on each vendor's own website, checked September 2026. Plans and limits change; check the vendor's current pricing page.

Where OpenCutList is better

It reads the model. If you have drawn your piece in SketchUp, every component already has a size, a material and an orientation. OpenCutList picks those up directly. There is no retyping and no risk of a typo between the drawing and the cut list. cutlistlab has no SketchUp integration and no 3D or CAD import, so you would export a CSV and paste it in.

It covers more material types. OpenCutList handles solid wood, sheet goods, dimensional lumber, veneers, edge bandings and accessories in one parts list, and it gives cost and weight estimates. cutlistlab does sheet goods and linear stock, with cost but not weight.

It is open source. OpenCutList is released under the GNU GPLv3 by L'Air du Bois and funded through OpenCollective. You can read the code, and the project does not depend on one company's pricing decisions. cutlistlab is free, but not open source.

Exploded views from the real model. OpenCutList can produce exploded views of what you actually drew. cutlistlab's exploded view exists only inside its cabinet designer, for the cabinet shapes it knows.

Where cutlistlab fits better

No SketchUp needed. OpenCutList only runs inside desktop SketchUp; it does not work in the free web version. If you do not model in SketchUp, or you only use it in the browser, cutlistlab is a standalone optimizer you can open on anything with a browser.

Phone at the saw. cutlistlab runs on a phone or tablet, with a full-screen "Cut along" mode that walks through the cuts one by one. A SketchUp extension is a desktop workflow; you would print the diagrams first.

A cabinet without a model. cutlistlab's cabinet designer turns a few dimensions into a bookcase, wardrobe, drawer unit or kitchen cabinet, with front, side and 3D views, and the parts flow straight into the cutting plan. For a standard box that is often quicker than modelling it.

Offcut stock and store sheets. Leftover pieces are kept as stock across projects and used before a new sheet. The sheet library has real store sizes and prices for 41 country markets, so the lowest-cost goal can work with what your local store actually sells.

Pricing and free plan

Both tools are free. OpenCutList is open source under the GNU GPLv3 and funded via OpenCollective; there is no paid tier. It does require desktop SketchUp (2022 to 2026), and extensions do not run in the free web version, so whatever SketchUp costs you is the real price of the workflow.

cutlistlab is free as well: the whole optimizer, with no part limit, no daily calculation cap, no watermark and no paywall. 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 local in your browser, with a project file export for backups.

Pricing checked: September 2026. Plans and limits change; check the vendor's current pricing page.

Workflow comparison

If your project starts in SketchUp

Use OpenCutList. The parts list, materials, grain and edge banding come from the model, and the cutting diagrams and labels follow from that. Moving the same data into another tool would only add a step.

If you have a spreadsheet with 80 parts

cutlistlab takes a paste from Excel or CSV and gives you a layout right away, with grain, edge banding and quantity per part. OpenCutList can import CSV too, but you would first need a SketchUp session to run it in.

If you build a cabinet once every few months

Learning SketchUp well enough to model a cabinet is worth it if you draw often. If you only need a box with shelves or doors now and then, cutlistlab's cabinet designer gets you to a cut list and shopping list from a handful of dimensions.

If you are standing next to the saw with your phone

cutlistlab opens on the phone and shows the cuts step by step. With OpenCutList you would print the diagrams and labels from SketchUp before heading to the workshop, which works fine, just not from the phone.

If you cut on a CNC router

Both export DXF. OpenCutList exports from the model; cutlistlab has an optional CNC mode with tighter non-guillotine nesting and a DXF export of the layout.

Who should choose which?

• SketchUp users: OpenCutList. It is free, open source and reads your model directly.
• No SketchUp, sizes on paper or in a spreadsheet: cutlistlab.
• Mac, Windows desktop with SketchUp installed: either; pick by where your parts come from.
• Phone, tablet, Chromebook or Linux: cutlistlab, since OpenCutList needs desktop SketchUp.
• Standard cabinets without modelling: cutlistlab's cabinet designer.
• Solid wood, veneers and weight estimates in one list: OpenCutList.

Frequently asked questions

Sources checked. Competitor information checked against the vendor's official website in September 2026: extensions.sketchup.com (OpenCutList), docs.opencutlist.org, github.com/lairdubois.

Product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. cutlistlab is not affiliated with the products compared here.