Comparison

SketchUp vs ArchKit

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

ArchKit

Design, measure, and visualize kitchens directly from your mobile device. Create accurate layouts using LiDAR scanning or manual measurements, with real cabinet dimensions and instant 3D visualizations. Streamline the kitchen design process from initial measurements to professional exportable reports and ordering lists.

Highlights
  • LiDAR room scanning
  • Manual measurement mode
  • Real cabinet dimensions
  • 2D and 3D design tools
  • Professional PDF exports
  • Cabinet lists for ordering
Features
Read full description

ArchKit – Kitchen Design Made Simple Design, measure, and visualize kitchens directly from your iPhone or iPad. ArchKit helps contractors, remodelers, designers, and homeowners create accurate kitchen layouts using real cabinet dimensions, LiDAR room scanning, and powerful 2D and 3D design tools. Whether you're planning a renovation, meeting with a client, or designing your dream kitchen, ArchKit makes it easy to turn ideas into professional layouts and realistic visualizations—without needing a laptop. Key Features LiDAR Room Scanning Capture room dimensions quickly and accurately using supported iPhone and iPad devices. Manual Measurement Mode Create layouts in any space, including unfinished rooms or devices without LiDAR. Real Cabinet Dimensions Design with industry-standard cabinet sizes used by contractors and suppliers. Accurate 2D Layouts Build detailed floor plans and kitchen layouts with precision. Instant 3D Visualization Transform layouts into realistic 3D designs to help clients and homeowners visualize the final result. Professional PDF Exports Export layout drawings and project reports in a professional format. Cabinet Lists for Ordering Automatically generate cabinet lists with sizes, quantities, and product details for pricing and ordering. Job Site Photos Store project photos and important information in one organized location. Perfect For • Kitchen Remodel Contractors • Cabinet Dealers • Interior Designers • Builders • Remodelers • Homeowners Planning Renovations From initial measurements to final layouts and cabinet lists, ArchKit streamlines the kitchen design process and helps bring ideas to life faster. Built for contractors. Simple enough for homeowners. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://archkitdesign.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

SketchUp4 screens
ArchKit4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ArchKit at 100% against SketchUp's 37%. ArchKit also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (16 vs 18.6). SketchUp's advantage is ratings volume (18K vs 2) and chart position (#105 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 ArchKit sells 2 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

ArchKit holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. 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 100% of ArchKit's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SketchUp ships an update every 3 weeks, ArchKit every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
SketchUp versus ArchKit: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSketchUpArchKit
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (18K ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews36.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings18K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#105 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.616 — better
Further details — not scored
Size695 MB51 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTrimble Inc.Archkit Design LLC

Customer experience

SketchUp

All ratings17,929 ratings
Positive86.5%
Neutral3.1%
Negative10.4%
Written reviews1,681 reviews
Positive36.9%
Neutral6.4%
Negative56.6%

ArchKit

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

ArchKit

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
2 purchases

ArchKit

Subscriptions2
  • Regular$9.991 Month
  • Pro$19.991 Month

Questions

Is SketchUp free?
SketchUp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ArchKit free?
ArchKit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SketchUp or ArchKit?
ArchKit is rated higher. SketchUp averages 4.5 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while ArchKit averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do SketchUp or ArchKit have ads?
Neither SketchUp nor ArchKit shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SketchUp or ArchKit?
SketchUp ships an update every 3 weeks, and ArchKit every 6 weeks. Most recently, SketchUp was updated on November 10, 2026 and ArchKit on November 5, 2026.

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