Honest comparison. SketchUp + Skelion is strong for complex architecture. Diaz Editor wins on time-to-quote (~15 min vs ~45 min) + workflow simplicity — no plugin stitching. Bonus: Diaz Editor also handles electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and structural work in the same tool — Skelion is PV-only.
SketchUp + Skelion is powerful if you're already a SketchUp pro and need complex architectural geometry. Diaz Editor is faster for daily PV + battery design — all in one workflow without plugin stitching. For most residential installers, Diaz Editor saves hours per project.
| Feature | Diaz Editor | SketchUp + Skelion |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose-built for solar | ✓ | — (general 3D + plugin) |
| 3D roof design | ✓ (solar-optimized) | ✓ (general) |
| Complex architectural geometry | — (basic) | ✓ (excellent) |
| String sizing built-in | ✓ | ✓ (Skelion) |
| Battery system design | ✓ | — |
| PDF permit pack export | ✓ (one-click) | — (manual assembly) |
| Photo-realistic render | — (technical render) | ✓ (V-Ray) |
| Time-to-quote (typical roof) | ~15 min | ~45-60 min |
| Local language UI (NL/ES) | ✓ | ✓ (SketchUp), Skelion EN |
| Lifetime license | ✓ | — (yearly) |
Source: SketchUp + Skelion public pricing + Diaz Editor v0.3 changelog. Updated May 2026.
Beyond price: time-to-quote. SketchUp + Skelion typical ~45-60 min per residential roof. Diaz Editor ~15 min. At 50 roofs/year = ~25 hours per year saved.
Native SKP import is on the v0.5 roadmap (Q3 2026).
Diaz Editor wins on speed + price + workflow simplicity. No plugin stitching, no yearly renewal stress. 25 hours/year saved at 50-roof volume = ~3 extra working days of capacity.
SketchUp + Skelion remains the right choice. For complex geometry, V-Ray rendering, and BIM/IFC integration, SketchUp's flexibility is hard to replace.
SketchUp is a general-purpose 3D modeller. With plugins like Skelion or Solar Pro you can do solar work, but you're stitching tools together. Diaz Editor is purpose-built for solar: panel placement, string sizing, BOM, permit-pack, all in one workflow. Faster from sketch to permit.
SketchUp Studio is $749/year. Skelion plugin starts at $290/year. Total ~$1,040/year per seat. Diaz Editor founding lifetime is €99 once. Even regular Pro at €1,000 is one-year of the SketchUp+Skelion stack.
Diaz Editor accepts DXF/IFC imports as reference geometry. Native SKP import is on the v0.5 roadmap. For now, export from SketchUp as DXF and import as a base layer to trace over.
For very complex architectural geometry that requires Boolean operations and sub-component modelling, SketchUp's flexibility is hard to beat. For 90% of residential roofs (gable, hip, flat, mono-pitch), Diaz Editor's purpose-built roof tools are faster.
SketchUp + V-Ray gives photo-realistic renders. Diaz Editor's render is technical/clean rather than photo-real. For client presentations where photo-realism matters more than speed, SketchUp wins; for technical accuracy and quote-speed, Diaz Editor wins.
100 founding spots. No plugin stitching. No subscription.
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.