SketchUp Alternatives (Real Limits Compared)
SketchUp is a solid choice, but people look for alternatives because of the fine print: SketchUp Free is free for personal, non-commercial use in the browser only; you can model and download skp/png/stl, but DWG/DXF/OBJ/PDF export, the desktop app, and extensions all require a paid plan. On top of that, free tier is non-commercial and browser-only. Strong options to compare include Sweet Home 3D, Planner 5D, and Live Home 3D. Below we line up the real free limits of each — what it exports, what it watermarks, and which platforms it runs on — so you switch for the right reason.
Alternatives at a glance
Sweet Home 3D
Truly freeCompletely free and open-source for personal and commercial use with no feature paywall; the only real limit is that the online and mobile versions can't import custom 3D models or export OBJ, which the desktop app handles.
Planner 5D
Free, with limitsFree to design unlimited 2D/3D projects, but about half the furniture catalog is locked, you get no proper renders, and DWG/DXF export plus custom 3D import require the Professional plan.
Live Home 3D
Free, with limitsThe free version limits you to one active project at a time, watermarks all image and video exports, and disables 3D-model export entirely; a one-time Standard purchase removes those limits.
Switch to one of these if…
Each card leads with its pricing and free-tier reality — pick the one whose limits you can live with.
Sweet Home 3D
Truly freeCompletely free and open-source for personal and commercial use with no feature paywall; the only real limit is that the online and mobile versions can't import custom 3D models or export OBJ, which the desktop app handles.
Planner 5D
Free, with limitsFree to design unlimited 2D/3D projects, but about half the furniture catalog is locked, you get no proper renders, and DWG/DXF export plus custom 3D import require the Professional plan.
Live Home 3D
Free, with limitsThe free version limits you to one active project at a time, watermarks all image and video exports, and disables 3D-model export entirely; a one-time Standard purchase removes those limits.