Cut list optimizer: free online sheet & linear calculator

Many searches use “cut list calculator” and “cut list optimizer” interchangeably. A calculator often stops at quantities and sizes. A true optimizer arranges parts on stock, removes kerf from each cut, and helps you visualize the cut layout before you touch the saw.

Cutlistor targets both intents: you get immediate diagram-style layouts and documents you can take to the shop floor.

When dimensions change, manually redrawing layouts breaks momentum. Free cut list optimizer tools should update quickly, keep kerf honest, and keep stock lists consistent so you can iterate without spreadsheet fatigue.

If you are nesting rectangles on panels, start with the sheet optimizer. If you are cutting fixed lengths from bars, sticks, or pipe, use the linear optimizer. Both are free to try in the browser with optional accounts for saved projects and higher limits.

Spreadsheets excel at tracking quantities and pricing, but they do not auto-nest parts on sheets or bars. Traditional desktop optimizers often require installation and batch recalculation when dimensions change. Cutlistor updates layouts in real time in the browser, exports kerf-aware PDFs and DXF for CNC handoff, and supports CSV/XLSX import plus AI plan scanning and 3D CAD import on paid plans.

Start with a real panel list. For a single 610 mm wide base unit in 18 mm birch ply on 2440×1220 mm stock, you might enter: sides 1829×610 qty 2, bottom 568×610 qty 1, shelf 568×610 qty 3, drawer front 356×140 qty 1.

Open the free sheet cut list optimizer, add stock 2440×1220 mm, set kerf to your measured blade loss (often near 3.2 mm on a thin-kerf rip setup), and run the layout. Read sheet count and yield before buying.

Switch layout methods to match production. Rips & rows if the panel saw crew wants straight bands; Fewest sheets / least waste if material cost dominates; Router / CNC layout if you need denser packs with spoilboard spacing. Export the PDF when the diagram matches shop habits, or export DXF when CNC needs solver-native geometry.

If the designer changes shelf depth from 568 mm to 584 mm, edit the row and recalculate. The optimizer refreshes nesting immediately instead of rebuilding a spreadsheet sketch by hand.

Anonymous free-tool use includes 3 calculations per day and up to 20 part rows per session. That is enough to prove yield on a kitchen run or a trim package before you start a paid trial.

Create an account when the same stock sizes, customers, and part libraries return every week. Pro adds saved projects (up to 50), stock inventory, and monthly AI plan import plus 3D CAD import quotas. Business raises caps further, including unlimited AI plan scans per month.

Split mixed jobs logically: panels in the sheet optimizer, sticks in the linear optimizer. Paid saved projects keep both under one customer record even though each material form uses its own calculator.

Import CSV or XLSX from the samples at /samples/cutlist-import/ when Excel already holds your quantities. Paid AI scanning can draft rows from PDF plans or sketches, but always verify dimensions against the contract set before cutting.

Explore material-specific landing pages: plywood cut calculator, 4×8 plywood calculator, cabinet cut list calculator, lumber and pipe calculators, and guides on cutting list optimization, 1D cutting, and 2D nesting.