2020 Design Live vs SketchUp: Which Should You Use?
The verdict
2020 Design Live and SketchUp are both home & construction design tools, compared here side by side. 2020 Design Live is paid ($2495/yr) and is a desktop install with no browser version; SketchUp is free, with limits ($129/yr) and runs in any web browser with nothing to install. The main difference is where they run: SketchUp works in the browser with nothing to install, while 2020 Design Live is a desktop app.
Free tiers & pricing last verified Jul 3, 2026.
Pick 2020 Design Live if…
PaidKitchen/bath dealers and pros producing high volumes of branded-cabinet designs.
Pick SketchUp if…
Free, with limitsHobbyists, students, and makers doing personal 3D models or 3D-printing in the browser for free.
Side by side
2020 Design Live
PaidNo free tier; it's a paid professional license, with legacy 2020 Design Live around $166-$235/month and its successor Design Flex running roughly $1,895-$2,995 per year depending on tier and manufacturer-catalog access.
SketchUp
Free, with limitsSketchUp Free is free for personal, non-commercial use in the browser only; you can model and download skp/png/stl, but DWG/DXF/OBJ/PDF export, the desktop app, and extensions all require a paid plan.
Read the full reviews
2020 Design Live
No free tier; it's a paid professional license, with legacy 2020 Design Live around $166-$235/month and its successor Design Flex running roughly $1,895-$2,995 per year depending on tier and manufacturer-catalog access.
SketchUp
SketchUp Free is free for personal, non-commercial use in the browser only; you can model and download skp/png/stl, but DWG/DXF/OBJ/PDF export, the desktop app, and extensions all require a paid plan.
2020 Design Live vs SketchUp: questions, answered
What is the main difference between 2020 Design Live and SketchUp?
The main difference is where they run: SketchUp works in the browser with nothing to install, while 2020 Design Live is a desktop app.
Is 2020 Design Live or SketchUp free?
2020 Design Live is paid and SketchUp is free, with limits. 2020 Design Live: No free tier; it's a paid professional license, with legacy 2020 Design Live around $166-$235/month and its successor Design Flex running roughly $1,895-$2,995 per year depending on tier and manufacturer-catalog access. SketchUp: SketchUp Free is free for personal, non-commercial use in the browser only; you can model and download skp/png/stl, but DWG/DXF/OBJ/PDF export, the desktop app, and extensions all require a paid plan.
Can you export CAD files from 2020 Design Live or SketchUp?
2020 Design Live exports PDF, PNG, JPG, DWG; SketchUp exports SKP, PNG, STL, DWG, DXF, OBJ, PDF. Both can produce CAD (DWG/DXF) files.