About OptimalLayout
OptimalLayout is a free, browser-based cutting list optimizer for plywood, MDF, melamine, chipboard, HPL and other sheet materials. We help cabinet makers, small workshops, sign makers, kitchen fitters and DIY builders cut parts from full sheets with the least possible waste — saving material, time and money on every project.
Why we built it
If you have ever stood in front of a fresh 2440 × 1220 sheet with a stack of cabinet parts to cut, you know the problem. Do it by eye and you waste an extra half-sheet you did not need to buy. Do it by hand on paper and you spend an hour drawing rectangles when you could be at the saw. And the professional nesting software that solves this properly is either bolted onto an expensive CAD package, locked to a Windows desktop, or priced for full production shops.
We wanted something in between: a tool that runs in any browser on any device, needs no install, gives you a real optimized layout in under a second, and stays free for the small jobs. That is what OptimalLayout is. Type in your sheet size, add the parts you need to cut, hit optimize, and get back a diagram you can print or take to the saw on your phone.
Who we built it for
OptimalLayout is used by hobbyist woodworkers cutting one wardrobe carcass on the weekend, by one-person cabinet shops fitting kitchens, by sign makers cutting Dibond and acrylic panels, by shopfitters building retail interiors, and by makerspaces and school workshops. If you cut rectangles from bigger rectangles and want less waste, this tool is for you.
How it stays free
The free version is supported by small display ads and includes a light watermark on PDF exports. Pro subscribers pay €8 per month or €72 per year and get an ad-free experience, no watermark, unlimited saved projects with cloud sync, branded PDFs with their own logo, and priority email support. That paying handful of pros lets us keep the free tier genuinely useful — no fake trial, no request cap, no forced sign-up.
Our principles
No install, no lock-in. Your work runs in the browser and your data is yours to export. No dark patterns. The free version is fully functional; upgrading is optional. Metric and imperial, side by side. Switch at any time; both are first-class. Real optimization. We use a proper cutting-stock algorithm, not a naive first-fit — so the numbers you see reflect what a good sawyer would actually cut.
The team
Team OptimalLayout is a small group of makers and optimization engineers based in the Netherlands. Between us we have spent years in workshops, on CNC benches, and writing scheduling and packing software. We write every guide on this site from that hands-on experience — no AI slop, no rewritten Wikipedia. If a tip is here it is because one of us has cut a stack of parts and learned it the hard way.
Get in touch
We love hearing from users — bug reports, feature requests, weird edge cases, photos of finished projects. Write us at info@optimallayout.com. We typically reply within two business days.