SketchUp can model anything. That's the problem.
Forum wisdom says: learn SketchUp, find a van model in the 3D Warehouse, build everything from scratch. Weeks later you have a drawing — and still no idea what it weighs or costs.
| VanPlot | SketchUp | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to first layout | Minutes — drag furniture into a real van | Hours to weeks of learning curve |
| Van interiors | 29 vehicles / 197 variants built-in, arches & taper | Hunt the 3D Warehouse, hope it's accurate |
| Camper furniture | Beds, kitchens, showers, tanks — parametric | Model everything yourself |
| Weight & axle loads | Live payload, axle split, centre of mass | Not a concept SketchUp has |
| Power & cost | Autonomy sizing, itemised budget, running costs | Separate spreadsheet |
| Cut list | Stud-by-stud from your framing | Plugins, Pro only |
| Price | $39 once | Free tier (limits) · Go $129/yr · Pro $399/yr |
| Model literally anything | Vans and what goes in them | Yes — it's general-purpose CAD |
SketchUp pricing (Free / Go $129/yr / Pro $399/yr) as published for 2025–26, checked September 2026. SketchUp is a trademark of Trimble Inc.
The honest verdict
SketchUp is superb general-purpose CAD, and its free web tier is real. But for a van build it hands you a blank universe: you model the van (or trust a stranger's Warehouse upload), you model every cabinet, and it will never tell you your rear axle is over its limit or your battery dies on night two.
VanPlot is the opposite trade: it only does vans, which is why the first usable layout takes minutes instead of a weekend, and why weight, power and cost are checked continuously instead of never.
When SketchUp is the right tool
If you're designing genuinely custom curved furniture, CNC parts, or anything beyond a van interior — use SketchUp (or Fusion 360), it's built for that. Plenty of builders sketch the layout in VanPlot, then detail one tricky cabinet in CAD.
Where SketchUp and Fusion 360 van models come from, and how to check one →
Questions people actually ask
Can I use SketchUp to plan a van conversion?
Yes, and its free web tier is real — but you model the van and every cabinet yourself, and it will never tell you what the build weighs, how the axles load, or what it costs.
Is VanPlot easier than SketchUp?
For a van, yes: you drag real furniture into one of 29 real vans and have a first layout in minutes, with weight, power and cost checked continuously. SketchUp's learning curve is hours to weeks, and van-specific checks don't exist.
When is SketchUp the better tool?
Custom curved furniture, CNC parts, anything beyond a van interior. Plenty of builders sketch the layout in VanPlot and detail one tricky cabinet in SketchUp or Fusion 360.
Other comparisons
Skip the learning curve. Keep the weekend.
Who makes this
I'm Vladimir. I'm planning my own conversion, and none of the tools I tried could tell me whether a layout would fit or what it would do to the rear axle, so I made this one. I work on it alone. If something's wrong or missing, write to me — the address goes to my inbox.
Vladimir Šterjoski