Skip to main content

Sketchup Version List ✦ < AUTHENTIC >

A browser-based version for personal projects. It’s the easiest entry point but lacks the plugin support and offline capabilities of desktop versions.

Google acquired SketchUp in March 2006 to build a "Geographic Information System" (GIS) for everyone. They released a free version (SketchUp Free) to populate Google Earth with 3D buildings.

The branding changed instantly. The free version was now called . sketchup version list

A pivotal moment marking the retirement of the desktop "Make" version in favor of SketchUp Free , a browser-based platform. The Modern & AI Era

Looking at the "SketchUp version list" reveals a software that has evolved from a simple Google-owned tool into a powerful, tiered ecosystem under Trimble Inc.. While the core "push-pull" simplicity remains, the modern version list reflects a shift toward subscription-based, specialized workflows. Current Version Tiers A browser-based version for personal projects

Focus shifted to sharing.

A massive speed boost and UI cleaning. Google added (e.g., a fence that automatically lengthens when you stretch it). They released a free version (SketchUp Free) to

Newer versions can always open older .skp files seamlessly.

The transition year. The interface remained largely the same, but the backend changed.

SketchUp was born in 1999 as a start-up project by Brad Schell and Joe Esch in Boulder, Colorado. The team’s vision was simple: create a 3D modeling tool that was . The first public release came in August 2000.

Trimble Navigation (now Trimble Inc.) bought SketchUp in June 2012. Trimble focused on professional construction workflows (BIM), interoperability with GNSS (GPS), and killing the perpetual license.