SketchUp comes with a wide array of tool sets and though it may seem a bit overwhelming at first to a new user, it's actually very easy to navigate once you understand where they sit in your SketchUp tool palette. For your easy reference, the following tables highlight the core features for each tool and which tool set they come under:
-
Analysis Tool Set
-
Scanning Tool Set
-
Modeling Tool Set
-
Viewer Tool Set
-
Rendering Tool Set
-
Collaboration Tool Set
Analysis Tool Set
| Usage | Analysis Tool Set | |
| PreDesign | Sefaira (EDU only) | |
| Collect Real World Data | ✓ | ✓ |
| Generate Ideas | ✓ | |
| Geolocation and Terrain | ✓ * | |
| Available in : | ||
| SketchUp Studio | ✓ | |
| SketchUp Pro | ✓ | |
| SketchUp EDU | ✓ | ✓ |
* Site Location and Climate Data
Scanning Tool Set
| Usage | Scanning Tool Set | ||
| Scan Essentials | Scan-to-Design (iPad) | ||
| Collect Real World Data | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Generate Ideas | ✓ | ||
| Import Data | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Work with Point Cloud | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Create 3D Models | ✓ | ||
| Geolocation and Terrain | ✓ | ||
| Work On the Go | ✓ | ||
| Available in : | |||
| SketchUp Studio | ✓ | ✓ | |
| SketchUp Pro | ✓ | ||
| SketchUp Go | ✓ | ||
| SketchUp EDU | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Free Download | ✓ | ||
Modeling Tool Set
| Usage | Modeling Tool Set | |||||||
| SketchUp Pro | Sandbox Tools | SketchUp for iPad | 3D Warehouse | Live Components | LayOut | Ambient Occlusion | Add Location | |
| Collect Real World Data | ✓ | |||||||
| Generate Ideas | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Import Data | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Export Data | ✓ | ✓* | ✓ | |||||
| Work with Point Cloud | ✓** | |||||||
| Create 2D Drawings | ✓ | |||||||
| Create 3D Models | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Geolocation and Terrain | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Enhance Visualisation | ✓ | |||||||
| Share Files | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Work On the Go | ✓ | |||||||
| Improve Workflows | ✓ | |||||||
| Available in : | ||||||||
| SketchUp Studio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SketchUp Pro | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SketchUp Go | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| SketchUp EDU | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
* Ability to upload models to 3D Warehouse
** For viewing Point Clouds only
Viewer Tool Set
| Usage | Viewer Tool Set | ||||
| Viewer for Desktop | Mobile Viewer | Viewer for Meta Quest | Trimble Connect Visualizer | AR/VR Extension for Desktop | |
| Communicate Your Designs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Enhance Visualisation | ✓ | ✓* | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Share Files | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Work On the Go | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Available in : | |||||
| SketchUp Studio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SketchUp Pro | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SketchUp Go | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| SketchUp EDU | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free Download | ✓ | ✓ | |||
* Allows experiential design review
Rendering Tool Set
| Usage | Rendering Tool Set | ||
| V-Ray (Studio only) | Diffusion | Trimble Connect Visualizer | |
| Generate Ideas | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Communicate Your Designs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Enhance Visualisation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Share Files | ✓ | ||
| Work On the Go | ✓ | ||
| Available in : | |||
| SketchUp Studio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SketchUp Pro | ✓ | ✓ | |
| SketchUp Go | ✓ | ✓ | |
| SketchUp EDU | ✓ | ✓ | |
Collaboration Tool Set
| Usage | Collaboration Tool Set | |||
| Revit Importer (MS Windows only) | Trimble Connect Business | SketchUp for iPad | Extension Warehouse | |
| Generate Ideas | ✓ | |||
| Import Data | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Create 3D Models | ✓ | |||
| Communicate Your Designs | ✓ | |||
| Share Files | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Work On the Go | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Improve Workflows | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Available in : | ||||
| SketchUp Studio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SketchUp Pro | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| SketchUp Go | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| SketchUp EDU | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |