Most area calculators handle a handful of basic shapes and stop there. This area calculator covers 18 standard shapes, from squares and circles through trapezoids, annuluses, and L-shapes, plus a Draw Custom mode for any irregular shape you can trace on a grid, all with instant unit conversions.
How to use this area calculator
- Select your Unit (m², cm², ft², in², yd², or km²).
- Choose a shape from the grid: Square, Rectangle, Circle, Triangle, Trapezoid, Ellipse, Parallelogram, Rhombus, Pentagon, Hexagon, Octagon, Sector, Semicircle, Annulus, Segment, Regular Polygon, L-Shape, or Draw Custom.
- Enter the required dimensions for your chosen shape (these change automatically depending on which shape you picked).
- For Draw Custom, set your Grid Scale, then click the grid to place each corner in order; the starting point turns gold once you have at least 3 points, click it again (or press “Close Shape & Calculate”) to finish.
- Click “Calculate Area.”
- Review your Area result, the Formula used, and the Unit Conversions panel showing your result in every other supported unit.
- Export as PDF, PNG, CSV, or TXT, share via WhatsApp, or check View History.
What this area calculator does
Each of the 18 standard shapes uses its own specific geometric formula, applied directly to whatever dimensions you provide. Draw Custom works differently: rather than relying on a formula for a fixed shape, it calculates area directly from the coordinates of the points you place on the grid, using the shoelace formula, which works for any simple polygon regardless of how irregular it is.
Formulas for the standard shapes
| Shape |
Formula |
| Square |
side² |
| Rectangle |
length × width |
| Circle |
π × radius² |
| Triangle |
½ × base × height |
| Trapezoid |
½ × (base1 + base2) × height |
| Ellipse |
π × semi-major axis × semi-minor axis |
| Parallelogram |
base × height |
| Rhombus |
½ × diagonal1 × diagonal2 |
| Regular Polygon (Pentagon, Hexagon, Octagon, or N-sided) |
½ × perimeter × apothem |
| Sector |
½ × radius² × angle (radians) |
| Semicircle |
½ × π × radius² |
| Annulus |
π × (outer radius² − inner radius²) |
| Segment |
Sector area − triangle area formed by the chord |
| L-Shape |
Sum of two rectangles making up the L |
Draw Custom: area for any irregular shape
When a shape doesn’t match any standard formula, an irregular plot boundary, an oddly shaped room, a custom garden bed, Draw Custom lets you trace it directly. Setting the Grid Scale first (what one grid square equals in your chosen unit) is what makes the resulting area accurate rather than just visually proportional. Once you’ve placed at least 3 points and closed the shape, the calculator computes area from those exact coordinates, no matter how irregular the resulting polygon is. You can drag any point to adjust it, double-click to delete a point, or edit a specific edge’s length directly in the list below the canvas.
Reading the Formula card and Unit Conversions
Alongside your numeric result, the Formula card shows exactly which equation and values were used to reach it, useful for checking your work or understanding why changing one dimension affects the area the way it does. The Unit Conversions panel then shows that same area expressed in every other supported unit simultaneously, so a result calculated in square feet can be checked in square meters, or vice versa, without re-entering anything.
Frequently asked questions
Which shape should I use for an irregular room or plot?
Use Draw Custom. Set your Grid Scale to match your actual measurements, then trace the boundary point by point on the grid. This calculates area directly from the shape you draw rather than requiring it to match one of the 18 standard geometric formulas.
How does the calculator find the area of a custom drawn shape?
It uses the shoelace formula, a standard method that calculates a polygon’s area directly from the coordinates of its corners, in the order they were placed. This works for any simple (non-self-intersecting) polygon, regardless of how irregular its shape is.
Can I see my result in a different unit than what I entered?
Yes. Once you calculate, the Unit Conversions panel shows your result converted into every other supported unit automatically, so you don’t need to run a separate conversion calculation.