SketchUp
Push-pull 3D modeler used by architects worldwide for massing studies, site context models, and client presentations; available as a web app, iPad app, and Windows/Mac desktop.
Made by Trimble, public (TRMB, $12.4B)
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3.6 /5 composite score
C1 5/5 reflects published pricing from $129/yr with a trial, C3 5/5 reflects the web, desktop, and iPad surface, and C5 4/5 reflects Revit, ARCHICAD, Lumion, Enscape, V-Ray, and Trimble Connect integrations. Exchange includes SKP plus DWG, DXF, IFC, FBX, OBJ, STL, and DAE, while C2 1/5 reflects no public CLI or MCP surface; firm-size fit is solo to growing.
Solid
Rubric Scorecard
| Criterion | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Value for the price | 5/5 | Subscription, from $129 |
| Agent Friendliness | 1/5 | API: Ruby API (SketchUp SDK) for desktop extensions; read-only web API |
| Ease of adoption | 5/5 | gentle learning curve |
| Portability & lock-in | 3/5 | 8 file formats Source → |
| Interoperability | 4/5 | 6 integrations |
Pricing
ModelSubscription
Entry price$129
Free tierno
Free viewerno
Trialyes
How we verified this: we checked SketchUp against its live site and an independent source — capterra.com. Nothing on this page is listed from memory. See how we grade. Verified 2026-06-30.
Evidence
File formats
| Format | Direction | Support |
|---|---|---|
| SKP | native | full |
| DWG | both | partial -- Import (Go/Pro/Studio tiers only) loses dimensions, text, XREFs, and proprietary ADT/ARX objects; export is a lossy triangulated-polyface conversion. |
| DXF | both | partial -- Same translator and caveats as DWG. |
| IFC | both | partial -- Native IFC2x3/IFC4 importer/exporter, but vendor notes some SketchUp entities may not export, and IFC2x3 export is Windows-only while IFC4 export is the only option on Mac. |
| FBX | export | unknown -- Export documented (Pro tier); vendor does not document FBX import. |
| OBJ | export | partial -- Vendor: outputs polygon faces only (no NURBS), and only a flat set-membership hierarchy is preserved, not a tree hierarchy. |
| STL | both | unknown |
| DAE | both | partial -- Vendor: COLLADA export does not support text, dimensions, scenes, section planes, shadows, or rendering options. |
Integrations
Revit ARCHICAD Lumion Enscape V-Ray Trimble Connect
Adoption
Learning curvegentle
Sources
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