# Page 4 | Design Flex Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 4 - Is Design Flex the right Architecture solution for you? Explore 357 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/218525/2020-Design-Live/reviews --- Design Flex 4.3 (357) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/218525/2020-Design-Live/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Page 4 - Reviews of Design Flex ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 76-100 of 357 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use IH Iryna H. Director Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Good, can be better" March 30, 2023 4.0 Pros Relatively easy to learn how to use. A lot of functions, options. Easy to instal and tweak. Allows a lot of customisations. Cons Very hardware demanding. Big designs crash program even with good hardware. Reason for choosing Design Flex Got used to it Review Source SB Sherri B. Kitchen Designer Specialist Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Use the tools provided to you to give the best service you can give. " March 28, 2023 5.0 My experience with 20/20 Design Live has been positive so far. It offers a lot of things that I haven't even started to dig into. Everyday I learn something when I use it. Pros I am always blown away be how well it runs. So many of these types of programs go very slow lag freeze up. The Design Live actually for me works very well. Cons More affordable training. With sales slowing down there really isn't enough money to spend to learn how to actually use the program to it's full potential. You offer the classes in large towns but the cost to get there and then the cost of the training. It puts it out of reach for the people who could really benefit. Review Source CT Charlotte T. Product Specialist Consumer Goods Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "2020 - One of the major players in the Kitchen & Bath design industry. Love/Hate relationship!" March 28, 2023 3.0 Over the years ups and downs, but I typically prefer using 2020 to design layouts and renders (over sketchup, Chief Architect, ProK) as I like the interface and look of the program, and various content available (manufacturer catalogs). Certain things like details for millwork you have to go to CAD, but I do appreciate that you could build something in SketchUp and import if you want.As a manufacturer, the development team is a friendly group and works with you as much as possible to meet your needs. It's not perfect but having communication and a team that cares goes a long way in my book. 2020 (not that they are merged to be Cyncly) seems to really care about their future, as well as the input of Designers/Manufacturers for what features will be added to the program, or what works/what doesn't work. Big kudos to them for taking that seriously b/c that's what makes/breaks a product. Pros A program that can Design/Price (and auto-show you 3D) all at the same time, while giving you dimensions?HUGE. Has content readily available from all major appliance vendors, many plumbing, materials (counters) & hardware? EVEN BETTER. Cons Can be buggy and tedious no matter how well you know the program. Need to be able to turn functions off in order to achieve best rendering results or avoid slow-downs.Better start-up tutorials for beginners (as a manufacturer I am constantly having to give them the 'basics of 2020'). Some features that should be killer by now are still very behind (how dimensions function, certain settings, legend function, etc). Manufacturer is a bit at the mercy of the development teams. Would be helpful to have a 'Manufacturer Guide' that everyone gets so they are aware of best practices for creating and maintaining a catalog, along with what's possible and what's not possible for the team to build into the catalog. Reason for choosing Design Flex Familiarity is the big one. But overall the way the program functions has most of the best of all worlds. Sometimes it's not the program for what you need, but that's why AutoCAD exists :)It is a big expense and a commitment, but I find that 2020 typically has the support behind the expense to justify it. Review Source RH Robin H. Lead CAD Designer Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Critical, but honest. " March 28, 2023 4.0 Overall, we've customized it to be what we need it to be. The manufacturers that we work with regularly are all supported, so that makes things a little easier for us. I love that you can quote directly from the program for most manufacturers and I love that most manufacturers recognize and will upload a 2020 file into their pricing programs for ease of order. Pros I love the 3D features. It's nice to see the design come to life, and the catalog accessibility is why our company switched to 2020. Cons I don't like that customization is limited. We created and embedded our own title block, and unfortunately, that causes a lag of about 16-18 seconds when loading drawing layout pages. I wish manufacturers would update catalogs more frequently and efficiently (Blanco and Stanisci are two main ones for me) I don't like the frequent crashes, and I wish there were better guidelines set in place for computer needs to adequately run the program. Minimum requirements should not be on the website. Recommended requirements should be what is needed to run the program with lighting, and decorative items added in. Also, when we try to print directly from the program, we've found our lines are not dark enough, so we've had to commit to printing everything as a PDF first. It's a bit of a pain, and requires Adobe Acrobat in addition to 2020,which in my opinion, is an expense we should not have the burden of carrying. It shouldn't be a requirement to make our lives easier. Switched from [SolidWorks Premium](https://www.capterra.com/p/93121/SolidWorks-Premium/) Due to more manufacturers being available through 2020. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Interior Designer - Kitchen and Bath Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "2020 Review " March 28, 2023 5.0 We use this everyday for cabinetry design, proposals, and presentations. It is very nice and pretty user friendly. I like that it is almost like a one stop shop program. Pros The features that we use the most is the ability to use the catalogs to our actual cabinet providers. We also draw and quote various times a day along with presenting. The ability to print of floor plans and elevations with ease is a great feature. It is a very easy program to learn and integrate. Cons Features that could be improved is being able to dimension elevations that could be in hidden view before printing. Also being able to make an elevation without a wall. Review Source SB Simone B. Kitchen Designer Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "2020 Kitchen Design " March 28, 2023 1.0 3D rendering for clients to show their kitchen and being able to price it, otherwise I hate being forced to use it. We hate the cloud browser. It crashes all the time. Lags all the time. Can't manipulate items to look for accurate or panel ready appliances. I'd give it a 2.5/10. Pros 3D rendering and our cabinet lines have their cabinetry that we're able to somewhat accurately show and price. Cons I honestly am frustrated daily having to use it. We HAVE to use it because of our cabinetry lines and pricing, but other than that I honestly do not like it. I absolutely cannot stand the cloud browser. You can't manipulate things if needed. There's panel ready appliances and yet you can't change it to reflect the color of the cabinets you're designing. The appliances in the cloud browser to actually put in an appliance cabinet takes FOREVER because you have to keep guessing where its going to land within the cabinet and then keep manipulating the cabinet to get to look remotely close vs when it was appliance catalogs in the local browser and it accurately attached to it. Sometimes the appliance in the drawing is floating somewhere else on the floor plan, but it's in the cabinet so you have to place it somewhere close and figure out where it actually is showing accurately in the cabinet. The decorative items and lighting sucks compared to before. Once you put a few cloud items in a drawing it repeatedly crashes or gets super laggy. You can't look at a 3D rendering and draw simultaneously because it lags so much. Placing items in the drawing will like swing in and out vs snapping to where it's suppose to go so for me to put in a soffit and move it in and out is nearly impossibly and takes forever to get it back into place. If there's internet issues and a drawing has cloud items, you literally cannot work within it because the cloud items don't load...the list goes on. Review Source AB Adrian B. Project Manager/Kitchen & Bath Design Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "2020 Design Review" March 28, 2023 4.0 Without having used other design programs, my experience is based solely on just this product. Bugs and glitches in software are my biggest headache, material choices for designs are limited and confusing. After using this product for 5 years, I have learned how to manipulate things and use work-arounds to get my designs to where they are to an acceptable standard for our business. Pros Overall a very good product, like all design programs it has its quirks, but I find it easy to use and has been effective for my role as a sales/design/project manager Cons Program crashes 1-2 times a week, renderings for small areas are dark and hard to see, lighting options are confusing and don't work great, bugs in software that generate different textures in floor and ceiling. Not enough flooring/countertop material colors to reflect todays designs Reason for choosing Design Flex Never tried Pro Kitchen, may look into it in the future though Review Source CS Charlie S. Manager Building Materials Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Southern Materials Company" July 8, 2024 5.0 We have seen a good return on investment on our subscription and will continue using 2020 Design Live going forward Pros 2020 Design Live allows our design staff to quickly and accurately design out kitchen and bathroom cabinetry for our customer base. Cons We would like an easier way to answer questions when having troubles configuring difficult cabinetry situations. Review Source CT Craig T. Owner/Kitchen Designer Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Its good-could be better" March 28, 2023 3.0 2020 has been a very important member of my small business. Pros 2020 design lives helps me draw kitchens quickly and accurately and allows my customers to envision what their space will look like. 2020 has lots of youtube videos that help you learn, and learn how to use new features. Cons I wish the program would allow us to more easily dimension our drawings, and I wish it wouldn't crash quite as much as it does...though much better than it used to be. Reason for choosing Design Flex 2020 is who my main cabinet supplier uses. So that is why I went with 2020. Review Source MV Martha V. owner Building Materials Used the software for: 2+ years ### "2020 review" March 30, 2023 3.0 overall good. worst is the login in/out and lighting. Pros i like the ability to visualize the design with 3-d renderings. i appreciate cabinet catalogs include pricing to be able to price, design and visualization simultaneously. Cons support hours are too limited, most of us work weekends. logging out isn't always effective. often work at showroom them come home to work and though i believed i was logged out, it didn't complete so im stuck causing me to be behind. VERY frustrating. There should be a way to be able to access and override being login on another device without have to call during east coast hours to get logged out of device. Reason for choosing Design Flex I've been using 2020 for over 20 years and just the transition from one product over another is worrisome in regard to learning curve of another product. Review Source BP Brian P. Designer Building Materials Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "I love 2020 Design Live" March 28, 2023 4.0 I really like the software and enjoy the creativity level the software gives us in a way which can be displayed to our customers. Pros I like how intuitive the software is and the ability to freely design and layout things in a manner that my customer can understand what I'm designing. Cons The price would be my biggest complaint, but apart from that, I hate that if I have a large project I either have to create new drawings for other rooms on the same project. I would love to have room tabs at the bottom of the software that would allow us to design in a new space but in the same file. I also am irritated how a construction line is so easily selected. If I have a construction line near what I'm trying to grab, it always picks the line even when your mouse is hubberd over something else our trying to pick if the line if close. Review Source SC Steve C. Sales Support/Design Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "If you are in the Cabinet Industry... how can you not have 2020? " July 6, 2023 5.0 I can't imagine being in the Cabinet Industry, and not being set up on 2020. There are other products on the market, but I don't find anything to be as beneficial as 2020 Design is. Pros The renders and the accuracy of the drawings makes the product an invaluable tool in the retail side of the equation. When your customer looks at the drawings, and says, 'Wow'... it's all worth it. Cons Honestly, there isn't anything I don't like. There are some things that are quirks, but its just fussy fine tuning things. Reason for choosing Design Flex Years of satisfaction with the product... I don't feel there is really any alternatives. Review Source CR Cindy R. Designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "2020 could be better" March 28, 2023 3.0 When I started in the remodeling business, it was the first design program I learned and was fairly intuitive and easy to use. Since then I have used Chief Architect and while you need to know your cabinetry lines pretty well to know what you can and can't do, putting together a design and finishes are super easy and fast. Lighting effects are easier to control and the renderings are considerably better. Pros I have used 2020 for several years, not because I want to but because it is what my employer provides for our CAD program. I used to be very comfortable using it and hesitated using other programs. Teh customer support is very good and gets used several times a year. They are always quick to find the problem and correct it. Cons Too many steps to change a color or texture. Leaves weird shapes sometimes when you add walls to an already existing plan. Lighting is difficult to adjust to get good printed color images. Decorative and light fixtures items offered are odd, old and antiquated. System crashes too often. I have yet to figure out how to do the panoramic 360 views in the most recent version of the program. Duplication of items is cumbersome. Review Source DV Dan V. Designer Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "2020Live was in part designed to enforce payment or they cut you off. " September 10, 2022 3.0 A software supplier is your partner in business. Who wants a partner you can't trust. Historically the software has not been rebuilt on current plateforms. It has been very buggy with catistrophic crashes. The company dominates the millwork market by catering to manufactures needs over end users. You have to use this product because your manufactures catalogs are made for this plateform. Pros The price is good, and the rendering very realistic if the manufacture has a catalog that has doors and trims that accurately represent what they have. Cons They wanted use to join the cloud and surrender our dongle keys. I asked if they would use the cloud to cut us off if renewal payment was late. I was wondering why they wanted the dongles shipped back. Answer: "Oh no, we work with our customers we would never cut you off. " Don't test that promise. No trust here. If they had been transparent with their intent I could have respect that. Review Source TP Theresa P. Design & Sales Administration Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "2020 Design Live Review" March 28, 2023 3.0 Overall, 2020 Design Live is just like 2020 Design. I started using this program thirty-two years ago and many aspects have never changed which is disappointing. I would have thought that some features could have been improved by now. Some features are not working at all. Although my auto save is on and although I periodically save on my own, I do experience crashing on occasion and when I do, my design completely disappears. Very frustrating. Pros I have always found 2020 easy to use and was concerned that Design Live would bring a whole new program, learning curve and challenges, but that is not the case. If you can use 2020 Design, transitioning to Design Live is absolutely no problem. Cons I do not like being forced to use manufacturer catalogs for non-cabinetry items. I rarely know selections, like appliances for example, so it's very difficult to make a random selection. The room catalogs are so limited, outdated, or now eliminated and that's frustrating. It's like I'm being forced to create a very specific drawing, without actually having the specifics. That results in a misleading rendering. Review Source CJ Christa J. Owner Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "2020 Design Live is crucial for my business" March 28, 2023 5.0 Pros 2020 Design Live allows me to present my customers with plans for their kitchen remodeling projects complete with beautiful and realistic 3d renderings which assures that the customer gets exactly what they want and avoids costly mistakes. Cons The quoting system produces outdated, bulky quotes. If I could save all of my quotes through 2020 Live it would be a great asset, but as it is I find it better to generate my own quotes. Review Source JT Jamie T. Owner, Kitchen & Cabinetry Designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great for Cabinetry Designers" July 7, 2023 4.0 I've been using 2020 my entire career 15+ years. As a kitchen designer specializing in cabinetry design, It's great software for cabinetry.... factory cabinetry that have their catalogs uploaded. The renderings have improved but are still lacking compared to what else is on the market. 2020 is not for the general contractor or design build firm. It's for the cabinetry designers. Pros The most impactful features of 20/20 is the integration of factory line cabinets. From changing out the doorstyle & color to being able to quote and order. Cons There is a learning curve. Bugs need to be fixed before rolling out more features. I learn more about 2020 from a Facebook support group . Alternatives considered [Mydoma Studio](https://www.capterra.com/p/155585/Mydoma-Studio/) Reason for choosing Design Flex I've been using 2020 for 15 years. I'm extremely proficient in it. I don't have time to learn another program. Review Source EC Erick C. Cabinet Designer Architecture & Planning Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Cabinetry design has never been easier." March 28, 2023 5.0 I started learning this program on October 2022, and I can confidently say I've become really fast and sort of an expert in this time (I use it on a daily basis) I keep discovering features and shortcuts, but I love the program and what it brings to the table. Pros I love that it has a similar interface to REVIT but it adapts to our necessities and we can use the cabinetry catalogues available on the market. Cons It tends to crash a lot when rendering. other than that it works great. Review Source RS Randy S. Cabinet Design and Sales Specialist Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "2020 Design Live best option for designing and selling cabinets" March 28, 2023 5.0 Overall experience with the program is great. I wouldn't use anything else. Pros easy to learn and use. Full of features. Cons Doesn't import AutoCad files as well as it should. Review Source AS Amy S. Sales and Marketing Consultant Building Materials Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Still Most Versatile " June 6, 2023 4.0 Overall program is easy to use, still most versatile program shy of CAD. Some updates are very beneficial while others are not. Pros Ease of basic functions of design. Program is simple with overall process including walls, windows, cabinet placement, etc. Cons Current Cloud Browser, lighting for renderings & inabilty to work from multiple computers. The cloud browser can be challenging when searching for items. Renderings are difficult to manipulate and generally show poorly compared to older versions. When working on multiple computers it is frustrating to not have ability to log on to more than one computer at a time. This is especially frustrating when one forgets to log off one system and try to log on to another. Cost of live is also much more expensive in log run from original annual fees for key renewal. Review Source MS Mark S. Designer/ Sales Construction Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "2020 Designer Review" March 28, 2023 5.0 There are no real business problems here to resolve, however if work from home was needed or directed, then LIVE would serve us very well Pros I liked that the transition was very user friendly from the USB to online... so far so good... remote login would also be a benefit, should there be a day I need to consider a day or more working from home Cons The other day there was a bit of trouble with the server at 2020 and I was out of use for a few days... with the USB, I would have not missed a beat Review Source TR Tanya R. Owner Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "ARJ Cabinets and Design LLC" June 28, 2024 5.0 Overall I enjoyed using it and it was fairly easy to learn. Pros Very straightforward software. There was a variety of videos online to show how to navigate the software. It allowed me to present clear visual projects to clients. I loved the 3D portion of it to show the client what to expect. Cons It would lag a lot. Sometimes if not most of the time it would crash and I would lose my project. I had my computer up to date with all necessary software. The app itself would crash and freeze. Reason for choosing Design Flex Most cabinet companies I work with use this software. Switched from [SketchUp](https://www.capterra.com/p/211798/SketchUp/) I needed a more proficient software. I needed something that was easier for me to design in front of the customer. By having my catalogs in one place I was able to design the cabinet portion of a kitchen within my 1 hour customer sit down. Review Source SJ Stephen J. Kitchen Designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Needs TLC" March 28, 2023 4.0 Pros The great feature with 2020 Design Live is the ease to swap cabinet styles/colors with a couple of clicks. Adding modifications to cabinets work most of the time. Cons The missing links with 2020 are the lack of manufactures appliance catalogs. The importing of objects is easy, but due to lack of a library (catalog), or access to Sketchup, really limits the overall look of the renderings. The camera is not easy to set up or to get good images within a constructed floorplan. The program does clichy things at random moments, shutting down, freezing, or features responding and alternating settings within the effected cabinets. Review Source KC Kelly C. Designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "just so..so to be honest" March 28, 2023 3.0 Pros What I like about 2020 is the interface between the cabinet manufacturers and the software. Cons What I dislike the most is the graphics. I feel like they are very far behind in this category, and could use a ton of improvement. If time was not so precious, I would definitely learn another design software.....which takes time. Review Source CC Cathie C. Interior Designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Not perfect but definitely a necessity when selling cabinets." August 10, 2023 4.0 Overall, working in 2020 Design Live is great once you have a decent understanding of the limitations within the program. Pros I like the pricing aspect the most. It is also important to have cabinets and aspects that can be modified to show client nice, realistic renderings. Cons I do like when cabinets, countertops, or lighting are not able to be modified to make the design more realistic. Switched from [AutoCAD](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/) Change in employment Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Related categories [Architecture](https://www.capterra.com/architecture-software/)