Comparison

SketchUp vs Project Preview

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SketchUp

This platform offers intuitive 3D modeling tools for design enthusiasts and professionals. Visualize concepts, create photorealistic visuals, and even use AI to generate design ideas. Scan real-world spaces and view your creations in augmented reality.

Highlights
  • 3D modeling tools
  • Generative AI designs
  • Room planner & space design
  • Photorealistic visuals
  • Scan-to-design
  • Augmented reality (AR) visualization
  • DWG compatibility
Features
Read full description

Experience the world's leading 3D design platform with a free 7-day Go trial! Without a subscription, you can still view 3D projects for free. Go offers essential 3D design tools, including SketchUp for iPad and SketchUp for Web. Created for design enthusiasts, architects, interior designers, contractors, home remodelers, construction professionals, and set designers, our intuitive tools streamline the creative process, allowing you to effortlessly craft 3D models and visualize concepts. Whether you're planning a home renovation, designing interiors, or creating a detailed architectural model, SketchUp helps bring your visions to life through 3D design. Go Features: - Work seamlessly across devices: Create 3D models on your iPad and computer using SketchUp.com. - Generative AI Designs: Harness the power of AI to create stunning visuals for architectural and home designs. Generate images that inspire your creative process and support your design narrative. - Room Planner & Space Design: Experiment with different layouts and design options to find the perfect fit for your space. Model your space with designer fixtures and furniture. - Real-time, realistic visuals: Create stunning photorealistic visuals by integrating environments and customizable real-world materials. - Scan-to-Design: Use our 3D scanning feature to capture real-world spaces, which AI intelligently transforms and organizes into editable 3D models. - Augmented Reality (AR): Visualize your designs in the real world with our AR capabilities. - DWG Compatibility: Import and export DWG files seamlessly, ensuring compatibility with other CAD software. - Import real-world information: Import images to textures, satellite imagery, 3D terrain, 3D buildings, and location information to power your designs with real-world context. Why Go? - Architects & Contractors: Transform your architectural visions into reality with intuitive 3D modeling tools. Quickly visualize and iterate design concepts and present ideas to clients and stakeholders. - Interior Designers & Home Remodelers: Visualize your ideas in 3D and AR, ensuring your designs meet expectations. Use AI image generation to inspire additional finishes and layouts. - Landscape Designer: Plan and visualize outdoor spaces, from planters to parks, with our 3D landscape tools, like real-time shadow studies, geo-locating satellite imagery, and 3D terrain. - DIYer: Whether you're planning a small remodel or a complete home renovation, SketchUp provides the tools you need to design and execute your projects with confidence. Without a subscription: - Switch between perspective and orthographic camera views. - Control the visibility of parts of your model. - Adjust the look and feel of your model by controlling Edge and Face styles, Shadows, Hidden Geometry, Section Planes, and Section Cuts. - Take measurements and get information about edge lengths, the area of faces, the volume of solids, and component and group definitions. - View models in augmented reality. IMPORT/EXPORT -Import: SKP, SKE, SKM, HDR, EXR, PNG, JPG, PDF, DWG, DXF, STL -Export: Images (PNG), Animations (MP4), SKP, USDz, PDF, DWG, DXF, OBJ, STL, MP4 REQUIREMENTS Requires iOS 17 or higher with a minimum of 1024Mb of RAM. For additional info, please visit help.sketchup.com. The AR model viewing feature uses ARKit and is compatible with iPhone 6s and newer, iPad Pro, or any 2017 iPad or newer. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Create 3D designs with a free 7-day Go trial. Payment will be charged to your Apple Account on confirmation of purchase. Your subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before your subscription expiration date. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before your subscription expiration date. After completing your initial purchase, you can manage your subscription and/or turn off auto-renew by visiting your Apple Account Settings.

About

Project Preview

Visualize your custom Iron Works projects before they're built. This app lets you preview gates, fences, and doors on your own project site photos, offering over 50 designs and the ability to submit your own. Save and share your design ideas with ease.

Highlights
  • Real-time project previews
  • Variety of gate, fence, and door designs
  • Upload your own project site photos
  • Stretch designs to fit
  • Save and share design previews
  • Submit custom designs
Features
Read full description

Project Preview enables you to preview your finished Iron Works Project in real time! Choose from a variety of different designs of gates, fence, doors, and breezeways in order to assemble your dream project. You also have the ability to submit your own designs! Put in your own picture of your project site and assemble your project with ease. Features include: - Use multiple designs placed on one picture to create a full Fence and Gate set. - Stretch designs to fit the height of the gate/fence area. - Save a copy of the preview to share your design ideas. - More than 50+ Designs available!

Screenshots

SketchUp4 screens
Project Preview3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SketchUp at 4.5 against Project Preview's 3.0. SketchUp also leads on review sentiment (37% vs 0%) and ratings volume (18K vs 2). Project Preview's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 18.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SketchUp sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month and Project Preview sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SketchUp holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SketchUp has 18K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 37% of SketchUp's written reviews are positive against 0% of Project Preview's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SketchUp ships an update every 3 weeks, Project Preview every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
SketchUp versus Project Preview: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSketchUpProject Preview
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (18K ratings) — better3.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews37.1% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings18K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#125 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.68.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size695 MB86 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTrimble Inc.omar garcia

Customer experience

SketchUp

All ratings17,929 ratings
Positive86.5%
Neutral3.1%
Negative10.4%
Written reviews1,675 reviews
Positive37.1%
Neutral6.4%
Negative56.5%

Project Preview

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

SketchUp

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Login and account creation problems
  • Crashes and freezes when opening large models
  • Inability to hide/unhide components
  • Inconsistent behavior with Apple Pencil
  • Outdated model not updating properly

Requested features

5 requests
  • 2D drawing and 3D model integration
  • More intuitive navigation and controls
  • Improved file management and syncing
  • Offline mode and reduced dependency on internet
  • Affordable pricing options for casual users

Project Preview

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

SketchUp

Subscriptions3
  • SketchUp AI Monthly$11.991 Month
  • SketchUp Go Monthly7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • SketchUp Go Yearly7 Days trial$129.001 Year
3 purchases

Project Preview

Subscriptions3
  • All Features - One Month3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • All Features - Six Months$49.996 Months
  • All Features - One Year$79.991 Year

Questions

Is SketchUp free?
SketchUp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Project Preview free?
Project Preview is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SketchUp or Project Preview?
SketchUp is rated higher. SketchUp averages 4.5 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while Project Preview averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.
Do SketchUp or Project Preview have ads?
Neither SketchUp nor Project Preview shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SketchUp or Project Preview?
SketchUp ships an update every 3 weeks, and Project Preview every 2 months. Most recently, SketchUp was updated on October 10, 2026 and Project Preview on September 29, 2026.

Other comparisons