Looking for a free way to measure a roof without climbing a ladder? There are several online tools available in 2026 that use satellite imagery to calculate roof dimensions. Here is a breakdown of the free and affordable options and what each one offers.
Enter any US address and get instant roof squares, pitch, facets, and shingle cost estimates. No signup, no credit card.
Measure a Roof FreeGoogle Maps / Google Earth (Free). You can use Google Maps satellite view to manually trace a roof outline and measure distances. Google Earth Pro offers a polygon tool for area calculations. Both are completely free but only measure the flat footprint — they do not account for roof pitch, which means your measurements will be 5-40% short depending on how steep the roof is. Best for rough estimates when accuracy is not critical.
ExactSquares Free Measurement (Free, 1 per visitor). ExactSquares offers one free satellite roof measurement with no signup required at exactsquares.com/get-started. Enter any US address and get instant results including true surface area with pitch accounted for, roofing squares, predominant pitch, number of facets, waste factor calculations, and shingle cost estimates for GAF Owens Corning and CertainTeed. The free measurement includes everything the paid version offers — it is not a limited preview.
Roofr Free Report (Free, limited). Roofr offers a free roof measurement report for homeowners. The report includes basic dimensions and is designed to help homeowners get quotes from contractors. Contractors pay $90+/mo for their professional tools.
DIY Roofs (Per Report). DIYRoofs.com offers satellite measurements for $19 per report. No subscription required but the per-report cost adds up if you are measuring multiple roofs.
| Feature | Google Maps (Free) | ExactSquares Free | ExactSquares Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof area | Footprint only | True area + pitch | True area + pitch |
| Pitch detection | No | Yes | Yes |
| Facet count | No | Yes | Yes |
| Shingle estimates | No | Yes | Yes |
| Waste factors | No | Yes | Yes |
| Segment breakdown | No | Yes | Yes |
| Branded proposals | No | No | Yes |
| PDF reports | No | No | Yes |
| Shareable links | No | No | Yes |
| Measurement history | No | No | Yes |
| Measurements/month | Unlimited | 1 | Unlimited |
| Price | Free | Free | $40/mo |
Homeowners looking for a rough estimate of their roof size for budgeting purposes are well served by free tools. Google Maps or a single free measurement from ExactSquares will give you the numbers you need to start getting quotes from contractors.
Contractors measuring 1-5 roofs per month can likely get by with a combination of free tools and per-report services. But the time spent tracing roofs in Google Maps adds up quickly.
Contractors measuring 5+ roofs per month will save significant time and money with an unlimited subscription. At $40/mo for unlimited measurements, ExactSquares pays for itself after 2-3 roofs compared to EagleView per-report pricing. The speed advantage — 10 seconds vs 10-30 minutes in Google Maps — means you can quote more jobs in less time.
Satellite roof measurements using Google aerial imagery are typically accurate within 5-8% of a manual measurement. This is accurate enough for estimating purposes. The biggest variable is the age and quality of the satellite imagery for a given address. Urban and suburban areas have more recent high-resolution imagery. Rural properties may have older or lower-resolution images which can reduce accuracy.
For comparison, manual tape measurements by different roofers on the same roof typically vary by 3-5%. So satellite measurements are comparable in accuracy to manual methods while being dramatically faster.
One free measurement. No signup. No credit card. Enter any US address and see the results in 10 seconds.
Measure a Roof FreeUnlimited access starts at $40/mo with a 7-day free trial.
Last updated: June 2026.