- Lighting design tools side by side
- Ten lighting design tools
- Lighting tools by the kind of project
- Why the average lux level isn't enough
- Architectural or entertainment lighting software?
- What to check before you choose a lighting tool
- Signs a project needs lighting software
- My plain advice on lighting design software
- Frequently asked questions
Lighting design software helps you plan where light goes and prove it works, either by calculating light levels in a building or by visualising a show before the rig goes up. Architectural tools focus on lux levels and luminaires, stage tools on plots, paperwork and pre-visualisation. Ten options follow in no particular order.
A room can look bright in a render and still leave a desk in shadow. A stage can look perfect on paper until the first focus call, when half the lights are pointing at the wrong spot.
Lighting software is how designers catch both problems early. The ten tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. For why light matters to customers, my piece on the role of lighting in retail is a good companion.
Lighting design tools side by side
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free account, a free edition or an open source release. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGi32 | Lighting calculation software | Detailed photometric calculations | Not stated |
| Capture | Stage lighting visualiser | Pre-visualising concerts and shows | Not stated |
| DIALux | Lighting design and calculation software | Free architectural lighting plans | Yes |
| ElumTools | Lighting calculations inside Revit | Calculations without leaving Revit | Not stated |
| Lighting Reality | Exterior and area lighting design | Street and car park lighting | Trial only |
| LightStanza | Cloud lighting and daylighting analysis | Daylighting alongside electric light | Trial only |
| Lightwright | Theatre lighting paperwork software | Keeping a rig's paperwork straight | Trial only |
| Vectorworks Spotlight | Stage and lighting design software | Lighting plots and rigging | Trial only |
| Visual | Lighting plugin and design software | Quick layouts with a Revit plugin | Not stated |
| WYSIWYG | Lighting design and pre-visualisation | Long-running show pre-visualisation | Not stated |
Ten lighting design tools
AGi32
Best for: Lighting engineers who need detailed photometric calculations for interiors, roads and sites from a long-standing specialist.
Capture
Best for: Stage and concert lighting designers who want to pre-visualise a rig and programme before anyone is in the venue.
DIALux
Best for: Architects and planners who want free lighting design and calculation software with luminaire data from many makers.
ElumTools
Best for: Engineers working in Autodesk Revit who want point-by-point lighting calculations without exporting the model elsewhere.
Lighting Reality
Best for: Designers of street, car park and area lighting who want to work on irregular sites, with a free trial and webinars.
LightStanza
Best for: Teams who want cloud-based electric lighting and daylighting analysis that works with Revit and CAD workflows.
Lightwright
Best for: Theatre electricians and designers who want the paperwork behind a lighting rig organised, with free viewing for others.
Vectorworks Spotlight
Best for: Entertainment designers who want lighting plots, rigging analysis and AV design in one CAD package, with a free trial.
Visual
Best for: Specifiers who want straightforward lighting layouts and calculations, including a lighting plugin for Autodesk Revit.
WYSIWYG
Best for: Production and touring designers who want lighting design, paperwork and pre-visualisation from CAST Software.
Lighting tools by the kind of project
- Free architectural lighting plans: DIALux.
- Detailed photometric calculations: AGi32.
- Calculations inside Revit: ElumTools or Visual.
- Street and car park lighting: Lighting Reality.
- Daylight alongside electric light: LightStanza.
- Stage plots and rigging: Vectorworks Spotlight.
- Show pre-visualisation: WYSIWYG or Capture.
- Theatre lighting paperwork: Lightwright.
Why the average lux level isn't enough
The Health and Safety Executive's guide HSG38, Lighting at work, recommends an average illuminance of 200 lux and a minimum measured illuminance of 100 lux for work requiring perception of detail, such as offices. It warns that using only the average illuminance may leave lower light in some parts of a work area.
That's the reason calculation software checks a grid of points rather than one room number. A layout can hit its average and still leave a desk by the wall too dim. HSG38 also suggests limiting how sharply light levels change between adjacent areas, which matters at doorways and corridors.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Architectural or entertainment lighting software?
Architectural tools are built around luminaire data files, light levels and reports that an engineer or client signs off. They're about proving a space is lit well enough and efficiently.
Entertainment tools are about the look and the logistics: where every fixture hangs, what it's patched to and how a cue will appear from the audience.
A few designers need both, but most work clearly in one world. Pick tools from the world you're in.
What to check before you choose a lighting tool
- Does it read luminaire data from the makers you specify?
- Can it calculate on a grid and show the minimum, not just the average?
- Will it work inside your CAD or BIM software?
- Does it handle daylight as well as electric light?
- Can it produce reports clients and inspectors accept?
- For shows, does it connect to your lighting console?
Outdoor lighting often goes hand in hand with a new deck, and this list of deck design tools covers planners for the layout.
Signs a project needs lighting software
- Clients ask for light levels. Calculate and report them.
- Desks by walls feel dim. Check the minimum, not the average.
- Focus calls run late. Pre-visualise the rig.
- Paperwork is in five places. Keep it in one file.
Do you make lighting design software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on lighting design software
Re-run the lighting for a space you've already finished, using the real luminaires, and compare the software's minimum light levels with what a light meter reads on site. If the two agree, you can trust the tool on the next job.
Good light is part of a good workplace, and my piece on creating stimulating workplaces looks at the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What is lighting design software?
It's software for planning lighting and checking it works, either by calculating light levels in buildings or by visualising stage and event lighting before it's rigged.
Is there free lighting design software?
Yes. At least one widely used architectural lighting calculation tool is free to download. Check the free plan column above.
How much light does an office need?
HSE's HSG38 recommends an average of 200 lux and a minimum measured 100 lux for work requiring perception of detail, such as offices.
Can lighting software work inside Revit?
Yes. Some tools run as plugins inside Autodesk Revit, so you can calculate light levels without exporting the model.
What is lighting pre-visualisation?
It's building a show's lighting in software first, so designers can program and preview cues before they get into the venue.
Do lighting tools include daylight?
Some do. Daylighting analysis shows how natural light changes through the day, which helps when planning electric lighting around it.
