SketchUp

[Mark Gibney]

I want to purchase SketchUp Pro, but I do not want to connect my computer to the cloud.

The Sketchup website has this graphic for it's Pro model -

466428

Before I click on "subscribe" can anyone tell me if I will be able to download and use this version without being on the cloud?

I've googled this question a lot but I don't get an answer that I can understand enough to go ahead with.

Any and all advice welcome! Mark

[Kevin Jenness]

Yes, but you will have to be on the web from time to time so the program can check your subscription status. You can keep your data on your hard drive. I have switched over to Rhino in part to get away from Sketchup's subscription model as I don't have an internet connection in my shop and I hate to pay for yearly maintenance. Plus Rhino is much more capable but that's another story.

[Jim Becker]

Most subscription models provide for local install (Microsoft 365, Adobe Creative Cloud, etc) and you run them just as you would have used perpetual licenses in the past. This provides the best performance, etc., As Kevin notes, occasionally, the system needs to "phone home" to verify the subscription as well as to check for updates. One of the major benefits of the subscriptions is that your software is kept current with fixes and new features.

[Paul F Franklin]

As Kevin said, Sketchup will ask you to log in periodically to verify your license; that is done via the web, but once you log in you can disconnect until the next time it wants to check...seems to be every couple of weeks. You need web access to access the 3D warehouse to get models others have done (for example, there are models of many woodworking machines and such for laying out a workshop, and I found models for all my kitchen cabinets for doing my kitchen design.) Also need the web to download extensions to sketchup, which is where a lot of useful functions for woodworking can be found. Once a model or extension is downloaded, you can disconnect. The cloud is needed if you wish to collaborate with others on a model that is in process, where multiple users will be working on on modifying a model and you need it to be synchronized between multiple users or computers; although I suspect that is used mostly by professional users. I do use that capability to share in-process models between my desktop and laptop. For "normal" use, you don't need to connect to the cloud features at all.

[Tim Lanier1]

Software engineering manager at SketchUp here. These are good answers. Thanks guys for giving good advice. The only thing I'll add is that if you can't connect the machine to the internet monthly to renew your entitlements (and of course if you don't need all the online content and features), our customer support folks can get you a license that works offline. You'd just fill out this form to start the process: https://help.sketchup.com/en/contact-support/billing-question/form

[Mark Gibney]

Thanks all for the advice and information on Sketchup.
My computer will be online while I use Sketchup, it just won't be connected to the cloud.

[Malcolm McLeod]

Thanks all for the advice and information on Sketchup.
My computer will be online while I use Sketchup, it just won't be connected to the cloud.

"The Cloud" is just someone else's computer.

[Rich Engelhardt]

My computer will be online while I use Sketchup, it just won't be connected to the cloud.Actually - yes you will be "on the cloud".
If you connect to just about anything these days - you are on the cloud.

[Mark Gibney]

Unfortunately you are more right than wrong. I get three pop-ups every time I sit at my computer asking me to connect to the cloud, which I decline.