Honest comparison for self-employed builders, carpenters, contractors, and work-preparers. When SketchUp wins. When Diaz Editor fits better. Worldwide: one-time payment vs $349/year subscription.
SketchUp Pro is an established 3D modeling platform with a deep extension library (since 2000). Diaz Editor is built for self-employed tradespeople and small construction firms who don't want to keep paying $349/year and prefer everything in one tool (3D + 2D + PDF + DXF + component library). Doing paid construction, installation, or work-preparation? Diaz Editor saves ~€1,500 over 5 years and never expires.
| Feature | Diaz Editor | SketchUp Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 3D building editor | ✓ hierarchical | ✓ free-form |
| 2D CAD module (DXF) | ✓ built-in | — (LayOut: Studio only) |
| Works offline | ✓ (desktop) | ✓ (desktop) |
| Cloud account required | — (none) | ✓ (Trimble ID) |
| Component library | 30+ trade-specific | 3D Warehouse (uncurated) |
| PDF report export | ✓ built-in | — (LayOut: Studio only) |
| DXF import + export | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-language UI (NL/ES/DE) | EN/NL/ES/DE | 15+ languages |
| No subscription | ✓ one-time | — ($349/yr) |
| Telemetry | — (none) | opt-out via Trimble |
Source: SketchUp public documentation and pricing page + Diaz Editor v0.3 changelog. Updated May 2026.
Difference over 5 years: ~€1,500 stays in your pocket. After the 100 founding spots, regular price is €1,000 once — still 40% cheaper than SketchUp over 5 years.
Diaz Editor wins on price and all-in-one. €99 founding versus $1,745 over 5 years isn't a close call. PDF + DXF + component library is built-in — with SketchUp you need Studio ($699/yr) or LayOut. Missing the 3D Warehouse? The curated library in Diaz covers 90% of trade-specific items.
SketchUp Pro stays strong. 20+ years of polish, Studio features (VR, LayOut), 3D Warehouse. Diaz Editor doesn't target this segment — and that's a feature, not a bug.
Yes. SketchUp Pro at $349/year = $1,745 over 5 years. Diaz Editor founding lifetime is €99 once; the regular Pro price is €1,000 once. Even at full price, Diaz Editor is roughly 40% cheaper over 5 years and never expires.
Diaz Editor's 3D building editor uses hierarchical selection (site → building → level → walls → components) and snap-to-grid. SketchUp has 20+ years of polish and a deeper extension ecosystem. For tradespeople doing buildings, installations, and PDF-ready deliverables, Diaz Editor is purpose-built and faster.
Not directly. SketchUp can export to DXF and STL, both of which Diaz Editor reads. A native .skp importer is on the v0.5 roadmap. For most projects, exporting key geometry as DXF and re-tracing in Diaz Editor takes 10-15 minutes.
SketchUp Free is browser-only, lacks DXF/PDF export, and forbids commercial use. For occasional hobby work it is fine. For paid jobs you need Pro ($349/yr) or Studio ($699/yr). Diaz Editor's one-time price avoids the subscription decision entirely.
SketchUp's extension ecosystem is unmatched for niche 3D modeling. Diaz Editor's component library covers 30+ trade-specific items (panels, framing, furniture, inverters, fixtures) out of the box, with no per-extension purchase. For most tradespeople the built-in library is sufficient.
100 founding spots. No subscription. 3 device seats. No credit card needed to view the feature overview.
Claim founding spot — €99One-time. Lifetime. 3 seats. No subscription.
Built for self-employed tradespeople + small teams (1-10 people). Not for architects or utility-scale engineering — AutoCAD and Aurora are better at those.
Regular price (after founding):
€1.000 €99 today
100 spots total. Stripe checkout. Instant download after payment.