The Best Open Source SketchUp AlternativesTop 3D Modelers & CAD Software like SketchUp
The best open source alternative to SketchUp is Blender. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to SketchUp and many of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to SketchUp are Sweet Home 3D, FreeCAD, Wings 3D and MakeHuman.
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SketchUp alternatives are mainly 3D Modelers but may also be CAD Software or Interior Design Apps. Other popular filters includes iPad + Free and Mac + Free. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of SketchUp.- 3D Modeler
- Freemium • Proprietary
1643 likes154 Blender alternativesA comprehensive open-source 3D software suite for modeling, UV unwrapping, texturing, rigging, and animating. It supports renderings, simulations including fluid and cloth dynamics, complex compositing, video editing, and Python scripting, running across all major operating systems.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- Flathub
- PortableApps.com
- Haiku
- Steam
- Flatpak
Blender VS SketchUp
Is Blender a good alternative to SketchUp?
294 likes65 Sweet Home 3D alternativesSweet Home 3D is a free interior design Java application that helps you draw the plan of your house, arrange furniture on it and visit the results in 3D.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Solaris
Sweet Home 3D VS SketchUp
Is Sweet Home 3D a good alternative to SketchUp?Comments about Sweet Home 3D as an Alternative to SketchUp
Comment summary: Users highlight that SketchUp is considered more versatile and suitable for a variety of 3D modeling tasks, including detailed designs. In contrast, Sweet Home 3D excels in home and furniture design but lacks the robust features necessary for broader CAD applications. Some appreciation exists for Sweet Home 3D's ease of use and assets library, but it remains a niche tool for specific design projects, rather than a comprehensive CAD solution.If you are looking for something related to home design, SweetHome3D is an excellent solution. But it is not a general purpose cad suite.
22Sketchup is far more generic and can be used for creating 3D printing models. Sweet Home 3D is a targeted application designed for laying out house designs.
38Its not general purpose, its to specific to be an alternative to virtually any other CAD program
5
429 likes110 FreeCAD alternativesFreeCAD is a general purpose parametric 3D CAD modeler. The development is completely Open Source (LGPL License). FreeCAD is aimed directly at mechanical engineering and product design but also fits in a wider range of uses around engineering, such as architecture or other...
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- PortableApps.com
- Flathub
- Flatpak
- Snapcraft
FreeCAD VS SketchUp
Is FreeCAD a good alternative to SketchUp?Comments about FreeCAD as an Alternative to SketchUp
Comment summary: SketchUp is praised for its ease of use, making it ideal for quick 3D drawings. However, it is not suitable for detailed blueprints or parametric modeling, unlike FreeCAD. Users acknowledge FreeCAD's capabilities in creating professional mechanical designs, despite its steep learning curve and lack of intuitiveness compared to SketchUp. Some comments highlight the difficulty in comparing these tools as they serve different purposes and audiences.Love this software for 3d printing.
6ph softSketchup is for quick drawing, to think in 3D. Not for blueprints or super accurate things. Freecad can resolve constraints but is anything but intuitive of fast. They can't be compared.
5FreeCAD is a rich program for mechanical components or structures. There is more of a learning curve than Sketchup but can create professional drawings, analysis, simulation, assemblies, and more.
3
114 likes54 Wings 3D alternativesWings 3D is a subdivision modeler inspired by Nendo and Mirai from Izware.
It is possible to assign materials, vertex color, UV coordinates and textures, but there will be improvements in those features before Wings goes 1.0.
There is no support in Wings for doing animations.
Wings 3D VS SketchUp
Is Wings 3D a good alternative to SketchUp?
131 likes50 MakeHuman alternativesMakeHuman is an interactive modelling tool for creating realistic 3D human characters. These models can be exported to several computer graphics and animation platforms including Blender, Unity 3D, Unreal Engine, OpenSim and Second Life.
MakeHuman Features
MakeHuman VS SketchUp
Is MakeHuman a good alternative to SketchUp?Comments about MakeHuman as an Alternative to SketchUp
Completely different scope. SketchUp is a general modeller with a hard surface / architecture focus while MakeHuman is strictly for creating realistic human models.
4Makehuman makes 3D human models only whereas sketchup is intended for 3D objects like furniture or buildings.
1
163 likes112 LibreCAD alternativesLibreCAD is an open source 2D CAD application for Windows, Apple and Linux. It is based on Qt, which is a leading cross-platform application and UI development framework.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- PortableApps.com
LibreCAD VS SketchUp
Is LibreCAD a good alternative to SketchUp?Comments about LibreCAD as an Alternative to SketchUp
LibreCAD is a 2D CAD software. Sketchup is a 3D software.
36Not 3D. Otherwise, fine program.
6Good 2D drawing, has isometrics as well, reads DXF but isn't an alternative to a 3D CAD software assembling blocks. FreeCAD is better but a difficult to make the parts.
2
55 likes73 BRL-CAD alternativesBRL-CAD is a powerful cross-platform open source solid modeling system that includes interactive geometry editing, high-performance ray-tracing for rendering and geometric analysis, image and signal-processing tools, a system performance analysis benchmark suite, libraries for...
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
BRL-CAD Features
BRL-CAD VS SketchUp
Is BRL-CAD a good alternative to SketchUp?Comments about BRL-CAD as an Alternative to SketchUp
The manner in which you draw a shape, enter dimensions, and push/pull a flat plane shape are the most similar to the SketchUp workflow of any 3D/CAD program I have used.
-5
Comments about Blender as an Alternative to SketchUp
Good generic 3D modeller, but not as suited for quick space modelling.
Sketchup has useful features for designing houses, furniture and similar objects quickly. It has an intuitive, simplified CAD UX and you can easily add measurements of important parts. Blender is very complex and intended for 3D CGI, not quickly designing objects. I'm sure Blender has plugins for putting measurements in and so on but it has a huge learning curve.
Although it seems like it has progressed a lot and there are plugins to reduce the gap with sketchup, it is not an alternative unless you already use Blender all the time. Sketchup is like paint for 3D: perhaps not the most powerful, but it does not get in your way. Blender complexity does not solve Sketchup limitations (accuracy, constraints, etc). Freecad would be better for that.