Why people look for a CutListOptimizer alternative
CutListOptimizer.com has been the default free cut list calculator since roughly 2015. The algorithm works. But the free tier puts a cooldown timer between optimizations, projects live in browser cookies (clear them and your saved jobs are gone), the interface is a dense 2015-era Angular app that fights you on a phone, and the premium tier has a consistent trail of billing complaints across Reddit and Facebook woodworking groups.
None of that is fatal if you have a working routine there. But if you searched "cutlist optimizer free" because the cooldown or the part juggling got old, this page is the head-to-head.
CutListCalc vs CutListOptimizer
| Feature | CutListOptimizer | CutListCalc |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes, with cooldown timer | Yes - everything, no cooldowns |
| Paid tier | ~$10/year, recurring billing complaints | None - free, no paid tier |
| Interface | 2015-era Angular | Modern, single-screen |
| Mobile | Cramped | Fully responsive |
| Data storage | Browser cookies | Free account + cloud sync |
| 1D linear stock (lumber, trim) | No dedicated mode | Built-in 1D mode |
| Project templates | None | Kitchen cabinet, bookshelf, garage shelves, workbench, more |
| Edge banding | Yes | Yes, free: per edge, tape length to buy, cut size net of tape |
| Grain direction | Orientation lock | Per-part grain lock |
| PDF export | Basic | Color-coded by part, kerf shown |
| Algorithm | 2D bin-packing with rotation | First Fit Decreasing with rotation, guillotine-aware |
What "free" actually means here
No cooldown timer. Run the optimizer as many times in a row as you want while you tweak the parts list. CutListOptimizer's free tier makes you wait between runs.
No part caps. A full kitchen with 80 parts optimizes the same as a 6-part bookshelf. Nothing nags you to upgrade, because there is nothing to upgrade to.
No card, optional account. The first optimization needs no signup at all. A free account only enters the picture when you want to save a project to the cloud and reopen it on another device - something CutListOptimizer's cookie storage cannot do at any price.
No bait. There is no paid tier and none is promised on any timeline. If one ever appears, it will only cover advanced extras, and existing users keep their free access.
The honest gaps
CutListCalc is months old, not a decade. Grain locks per part but is not matched across an assembly - for that, MaxCut is the tool. There is no native phone app, just a responsive site. Edge banding gives the tape length to buy, but unlike MaxCut it does not add the tape's cost to the job estimate. If those gaps matter, a Windows desktop tool like MaxCut is the honest answer - see our MaxCut comparison.
Other alternatives worth knowing
OptiCutter - the most natural sideways move: another web optimizer with a tidier interface, but the free tier caps parts per job (~30) and real cabinet work pushes you to $19-49/year plans. Full breakdown in the OptiCutter comparison.
MaxCut - Windows desktop, free Community Edition with feature caps and commercial-use restrictions; full grain alignment and edgebanding costing in the Business Edition ($20/month or $200/year per device). The upgrade path for cabinet shops running volume. See the MaxCut comparison.
CutList Plus - the old-guard Windows desktop tool, one-time purchase ($99-320), fully offline, cabinet-aware top tier. Right for a US hobbyist who prefers desktop software; wrong for anyone on Mac or mobile.
Switching takes minutes
There is no project import - CutListOptimizer keeps jobs in browser cookies nothing external can read. Practical migration: open a project template close to your job or start blank, set your stock sheets, then add the parts. Paste a list from Excel, Google Sheets or a CSV file with Paste a list or open a CSV under the parts table, or type it in (5-10 minutes for a typical cabinet job, and only once). Then save to a free account.
FAQ
Is CutListCalc really free?
Yes - the optimizer, color-coded PDF export, saved projects, templates, and the 1D linear-cut mode all carry no charge and no card. There is no paid tier and none is promised on any timeline.
Is there a free version of CutList Optimizer?
CutListOptimizer.com has a free tier with a cooldown timer between optimizations. CutListCalc is a free alternative without the cooldown, the part caps, or the cookie-only storage.
Can I import my CutListOptimizer projects?
Not the projects themselves: CutListOptimizer keeps jobs in browser cookies that nothing external can read. If your parts list is also in a spreadsheet or a CSV file, paste it in with the "Paste a list or open a CSV" button under the parts table: every row it can read comes in at once, and any it cannot stays in the box to fix. Stock sheets you set yourself; without a spreadsheet the parts are typed in too - 5-10 minutes for a typical cabinet job.
Does CutListCalc handle lumber and trim, not just sheets?
Yes - a built-in 1D linear mode optimizes boards, trim, pipe and bar stock in the same tool, a mode CutListOptimizer never added.
Does CutListCalc work on a phone?
The site is fully responsive and tested on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. There is no native app yet; most people open the color-coded PDF on a phone at the saw.