Google believes that the $495 price of the Pro version is justified for users who need those features, and that the pricing for the Pro version is more or less on par with this class of professional CAD programs.
In addition, the Pro version manages import and export exchange with CAD formats that are not supported in the free version. While the free version allows you to generate QuickTime movies, modelers creating professional presentations will need the 2-D output (for print or digital display) available only in the Pro edition. SketchUp’s pricing scheme is unusual, but for the most part it makes sense. LayOut works smoothly with SketchUp, and I found it easy and intuitive to freeze a 2-D perspective, and to generate a slide or printed view from it. The included 2-D presentation program, LayOut, allows you to rotate and adjust a model and apply effects before freezing a view as a 2-D slide. But for many professionals, the added features in the Pro version-the ability to export to professional CAD programs, as well as the ability to generate 2-D presentations-are essential. The fundamental tools in SketchUp Pro 6 are available in the free version. You can also export your model from SketchUp to Google Earth to share with others. SketchUp imports geographic context (aerial photos and terrain) from Google Earth, and you can draw on top of that context. Has fascinating potential for people presenting real estate projects, for example. SketchUp’s ability to plop a building down onto a location in
While Google promotes SketchUp as an all-purpose 3-D modeling package, I suspect that the folks who will put the time and energy into mastering its features will likely be generating architectural renderings. SketchUp is for drawing models, not blueprints-the drawing features don’t support the level of precision scaling available in CAD programs, or in Adobe Illustrator, but are sufficiently precise for creating models, mock-ups, and demonstrations. Google recommends SketchUp for all kinds of 3-D drawing projects, and its available libraries (from Google’s 3D Warehouse) include objects for plumbing, interior design, industrial design, and more. If, for example, you want to create a set of printed displays for a kiosk, or to present to a client, you need SketchUp Pro. You’ll need LayOut if you want to print 2-D views of a SketchUp 3-D model (or if you want to project a 2-D slide on a computer screen). The other is the bundled LayOut program (still in beta). One is an expanded set of export formats that allow SketchUp modelers to work closely with architects using CAD software. The free version features the application’s powerful 3-D functionality, while the pro version adds two main features necessary for professional modelers. Google’s SketchUp Pro 6 is an enhanced version of its free SketchUp 6 program.