Free inventor tools
Free tools for inventors and product development teams
9 free product development tools, plus 6 partner tools, built by a working engineering and prototyping team — US patent search, an AI invention idea analyzer, federal trademark search, a product name generator, prototype and development cost calculators, and an AI prototype build planner. No subscription and no sales call required.
The short answer
What free inventor tools do you need?
Before you spend money on an invention you need four answers: does it already exist, is the idea worth pursuing, can you own the name, and what will a prototype cost. LA NPDT publishes a free tool for each — a US patent search, an AI invention idea analyzer, a federal trademark and domain check, and cost calculators built on our own completed project history. Every one runs in the browser, returns a result in about a minute, and costs nothing.
These are the same checks we run in week one of a paid engagement. We opened them up because the questions do not need a consultant, and because an inventor who arrives with a patent search and a budget band already done gets a far better first conversation than one who does not.
- Tools published
- 9 in-house, 6 partner
- Cost
- Free — no subscription
- Typical result time
- Under 2 minutes
- Built by
- LA NPDT, Ruston, Louisiana
- Founded
- 2015
Which tool first
The order most inventors work through them
If you are at the very start, run them in this sequence. Each step tells you whether the next one is worth doing.
- 1
Check whether it already exists
Search granted US patents and published applications for the mechanism you have in mind. If someone patented it in 2009, you want to know that today, not after you have paid for CAD.
Run a US patent search - 2
Get an honest read on the idea
Score the concept across novelty, market, feasibility, value and risk, and see the closest patents alongside three next steps you can take yourself.
Analyze my invention idea - 3
Lock down a name you can own
Generate name directions or check the one you already have against live and pending federal trademark records and domain availability.
Search US trademarks - 4
Put a number on it
Answer a short questionnaire and get a cost and lead-time band for a prototype, the design phase, or the whole idea-to-production program.
Estimate prototype cost - 5
Turn it into a build plan
Describe the product or upload a sketch and get prototype type, processes and materials per part, equipment, vendors and a rough bill of materials.
Plan the build
Full catalog
Every free tool, grouped by the job it does
Each tool answers one question and hands you something you can act on the same day. Partner tools sit on InventDraft, our invention-documentation platform, and are free with an account there.
Name and brand
2 toolsLand on a name you can actually own before it goes on packaging.
- Product Name Generator“What should I call my product, and is the name free?”Six distinct name directions for one brief, each screened for domain availability across seven extensions and against live USPTO records.About 1 minuteFreeYou have the product but not the name.Open the tool
- Free US Trademark Search“Is this brand name already trademarked in the US?”Live and pending federal trademark records for your term — owner, status, class and serial number — plus domain availability.Under 1 minuteFreeYou have a name and need to know if it is taken.Open the tool
Validate and protect
3 toolsPressure-test the idea and see what already exists before you spend.
- AI Invention Idea Analyzer“Is my invention idea any good, and is it new?”A score out of 100 across novelty, market, feasibility, value and risk, with similar granted patents and three concrete next steps.About 2 minutesFreeYou want an honest first read on whether the idea is worth money.Open the tool
- US Patent Search“Does my invention already exist as a patent?”Granted US patents and published applications matching your keywords, with title, assignee, filing date and a link to the full document.Under 1 minuteFreeYou want to see the prior art in your space yourself.Open the tool
- AI Product Idea Generator“What product could I invent in this market?”Fresh product concepts for a market or problem you name, each with the user, the mechanism and why it could sell.About 1 minuteFreeYou want to build something but have not settled on what.Open the tool
Plan and budget
3 toolsGet a defensible number before you talk to anyone about money.
- Prototype Cost Calculator“How much does a prototype cost?”A cost and lead-time band for your prototype from a short questionnaire, based on our own completed project history.5–8 questionsFreeYou need to know what a working prototype costs.Open the tool
- Product Design Cost Calculator“How much does product design cost?”Phase-by-phase design cost ranges for your product category and complexity.About 2 minutesFreeYou are budgeting the design stage.Open the tool
- Product Development Cost Calculator“What does it cost to take a product from idea to production?”End-to-end development budget: research, design, engineering, prototyping, tooling and first production.About 2 minutesFreeYou are budgeting the whole program.Open the tool
Build
1 toolTurn a description or a sketch into an actual build plan.
Partner tools on InventDraft
6 toolsDeeper AI tooling on InventDraft, our invention-documentation platform. Free accounts, separate site.
- AI Patent Search“Has anyone patented something close to my idea?”AI-assisted prior-art search with relevance ranking and claim-level summaries.Free InventDraft accountFree, partner siteYou need a deeper novelty read than a keyword search.Open on InventDraft (opens in a new tab)
- AI Market Research“Who buys this, and how big is the market?”Market size, competitors and buyer segments for your product concept.Free InventDraft accountFree, partner siteYou need the market case in writing.Open on InventDraft (opens in a new tab)
- AI Feasibility Analysis“Can this actually be manufactured?”Technical feasibility review of the mechanism, materials and manufacturing route.Free InventDraft accountFree, partner siteYou want to know whether it can be made.Open on InventDraft (opens in a new tab)
- AI Branding & Marketing“How do I position and market this product?”Positioning, brand direction and go-to-market messaging for a new product.Free InventDraft accountFree, partner siteYou are preparing to launch.Open on InventDraft (opens in a new tab)
- AI Idea Licensing“Can I license my idea instead of making it?”Licensing route analysis: target companies, deal structures and pitch materials.Free InventDraft accountFree, partner siteYou would rather license than manufacture.Open on InventDraft (opens in a new tab)
- Free 3D CAD Viewer“How do I open a STEP or STL file without CAD software?”View and share STEP, STL and other CAD files in the browser, no software install.Free InventDraft accountFree, partner siteYou were sent a CAD file and cannot open it.Open on InventDraft (opens in a new tab)
Compare
Question to tool, at a glance
The question a searcher usually types, and the tool that answers it.
| If you are asking | Use | You get | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| What should I call my product, and is the name free? | Product Name Generator | Six distinct name directions for one brief, each screened for domain availability across seven extensions and against live USPTO records. | About 1 minute |
| Is this brand name already trademarked in the US? | Free US Trademark Search | Live and pending federal trademark records for your term — owner, status, class and serial number — plus domain availability. | Under 1 minute |
| Is my invention idea any good, and is it new? | AI Invention Idea Analyzer | A score out of 100 across novelty, market, feasibility, value and risk, with similar granted patents and three concrete next steps. | About 2 minutes |
| Does my invention already exist as a patent? | US Patent Search | Granted US patents and published applications matching your keywords, with title, assignee, filing date and a link to the full document. | Under 1 minute |
| What product could I invent in this market? | AI Product Idea Generator | Fresh product concepts for a market or problem you name, each with the user, the mechanism and why it could sell. | About 1 minute |
| How much does a prototype cost? | Prototype Cost Calculator | A cost and lead-time band for your prototype from a short questionnaire, based on our own completed project history. | 5–8 questions |
| How much does product design cost? | Product Design Cost Calculator | Phase-by-phase design cost ranges for your product category and complexity. | About 2 minutes |
| What does it cost to take a product from idea to production? | Product Development Cost Calculator | End-to-end development budget: research, design, engineering, prototyping, tooling and first production. | About 2 minutes |
| How do I actually build a prototype of this? | AI Prototype Engineer | A structured build plan: prototype type, processes and materials per part, equipment and vendors, rough bill of materials, cost and time band. | About 2 minutes |
Good to know
Free inventor tools: common questions
What free tools does an inventor actually need?
Four, in this order: a patent search to see whether the idea already exists, an idea analyzer for an honest read on novelty and market, a US trademark search before you commit to a name, and a cost calculator so you know what a prototype costs before you talk to anyone. LA NPDT publishes all four free at lanpdt.com/tools/.
How do I check if my invention already exists?
Search the US patent register by keyword and by the function of your device rather than the name you gave it — patents are written in functional language. Our free US Patent Search returns granted patents and published applications with title, assignee, filing date and a link to the full document. Follow it with the AI Invention Idea Analyzer, which surfaces the closest patents to your written description.
How much does it cost to develop a product?
It depends on part count, materials, electronics and how close to production you need to get. Rather than quote a single number, we published three calculators built on our own completed project history: prototype cost, design cost, and full idea-to-production development cost. Each returns a band and the assumptions behind it.
Are these tools really free?
Yes. Every tool on lanpdt.com runs free. Some ask for an email address before they release the full result so we can send you a copy — there is no payment step and no subscription.
Do you keep the ideas I type into them?
We do not publish, sell or share what you enter. Inputs are sent to the search index or AI model needed to produce your result, and we keep a record so we can answer questions if you follow up with us. Do not paste anything you consider a trade secret into any online tool, including ours.
Is any of this legal advice?
No. LA NPDT is a product development firm, not a law firm. The trademark and patent tools search public registers and report what is there. A patentability, freedom-to-operate or trademark clearance opinion requires a registered practitioner.
What happens after I run a tool?
Nothing automatic. Every result ends with the next step you could take on your own. If you want us involved, book a consultation or send the result to our team and we will tell you what it actually means for your project.
Next step
Ran the tools and want a human read?
We are a cross-functional product development team in Ruston, Louisiana — concept design, engineering, prototyping and short-run manufacturing under one roof since 2015. Send us what a tool gave you and we will tell you what it means for your project.