Sketchup - No Longer a Free Version?

[Mike Ontko]

My PC restarted itself after installing the latest set of Windows updates last night, and when I signed back in I found that I was unable to open my Sketchup 2014 install without being prompted to either add the full license ($590) or install a trial version of Sketchup Pro 2015 (see image). Have I been running the wrong software (trial version maybe) or did the usage and licensing model for this product recently change?

SketchUp.jpg

[Bill Huber]

I think you want SketchUp Make, it is still free and it is version 2015.

http://www.sketchup.com/products/sketchup-make

[Jamie Buxton]

I'm still running SU 2013, free. When I start it up, it gives me a screen that tries to get me to upgrade to newer versions. For a while it was trying to get me to upgrade to 2014, and now it is pushing for 2015. But I have a slightly different startup screen than yours, and I still have the option of starting the old version.

[Jim Becker]

What Bill said...the name has changed for the "free" software with the 2015 version. (This is true on MacOS, too)

[Pat Barry]

I'm still using Sketchup Version 8.0 for free

[Dave Richards]

Mike, it looks like you downloaded SU2015 from the wrong link but it shouldn't affect your SU2014 installation. They install as entirely separate programs. Make sure the shortcut you are using for SU2014 actually points at the right exe file. If you want to use SU2015 Make (the free version), uninstall SU2015 pro, download the free version from sketchup.com and install it instead.

There are a number of good reasons to use the current version but ver 8 was last one which the EULA doesn't prevent you from using the free version for commercial use.

[Mike Ontko]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Dave, I know you're the SU guru, but it sounds like you'd also do well in the IT industry if you ever need to pick up a little work on the side

[Dave Richards]

Thanks Mike. Are you offering?

Actually, my day job seems to be turning into more IT work than I expected when I started.

[David B Thornton]

You can also get old versions of Sketchup. It's been a while since I've used the site, but would assume it's still safe, etc.
http://www.oldversion.com/windows/google-sketchup/

[Dave Richards]

It would be safer to get them directly from SketchUp instead although you can't get anything pre-SU2013. On June 1st, 2015, SketchUp 8 and SketchUp 2013 will no longer be able to access several web-features including 3D Warehouse and Add Location. If those web-based features are things you use, you should at least be running SU2014.

[William Adams]

Sketchup Make isn’t exactly free though, one can’t use it to make anything for sale — see the license. http://www.sketchup.com/license/b/sketchup-make

Trimble Navigation Limited and/or its affiliates ("Trimble") gives you a personal, worldwide, royalty-free, non-assignable and non-exclusive license to use the executable version of the Software for non-commercial use only. Non-commercial use means: you may not sell, rent, lease or lend the output of the Software or the Services. If you are a for-profit organization of any kind, or an employee of a for-profit organization using the Software or Services in that capacity, you are engaged in commercial activity; therefore, in order to use the Software and Services, you must purchase a SketchUp Pro license.

[Dave Richards]

SketchUp Make is indeed free. There is no cost to the user to use it.

It is perfectly reasonable of Trimble to expect that if you are making money with SketchUp, you should be paying for it. It's like any other tool in your shop. Would you expect Delta or Jet to give you a tablesaw for free so you can run your business? Why expect that of Trimble?