SketchUp to photorealistic — kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms, rendered with AI
AI rendering for SketchUp turns your model views into photorealistic images without leaving your laptop and without a GPU. The Vizbase SketchUp plugin (included from the Starter plan) captures the active view as an image and shows the render in its panel inside SketchUp; uploaded screenshots work on every plan, including Free. This page covers the full workflow, plugin installation, supported SketchUp versions (2021 and newer), and how Vizbase compares to V-Ray, Enscape and Lumion.
See the SketchUp plugin in action
Capture your SketchUp view from the plugin panel and render it to photoreal without leaving SketchUp.
Interior designer workflow: SketchUp to photorealistic render in 4 steps
Export your interior from SketchUp
Take a screenshot of your kitchen, bathroom, living room, or bedroom design from SketchUp. Any angle works. PNG, JPG, or WebP. You can also use SketchUp's File → Export → 2D Graphic for higher resolution images.
Upload to VizBase
Drag and drop your interior image into VizBase. The AI automatically detects your room type, identifies the elements (walls, cabinetry, countertops, flooring, fixtures, furniture), and generates masks for each one. Ready for customization.
Customize materials for client presentation
Select any element and describe the exact finish you want. "Calacatta marble island countertop", "walnut cabinetry", "light oak hardwood floor", "brass pendant lights" — describe in plain English. Show your client 3 style options: modern, scandinavian, and industrial in minutes.
Present to client or iterate
Pick a render mode and render. Download the result for your presentation deck, change one element with Refine (say the backsplash or cabinet color) without starting over, or export at 4K, 6K or 8K for print-quality marketing materials.
VizBase AI vs traditional SketchUp renderers
Note: Traditional renderers excel at animation, complex lighting setups, and scenes requiring absolute physical accuracy. AI rendering is ideal for fast iteration, early-stage design exploration, and client presentations where speed matters more than animation.
Native SketchUp plugin — render without leaving your model
The VizBase SketchUp plugin captures your current viewport, sends it to VizBase and shows the render in the same panel, ready to download. No exporting, no uploading, no context switching. Available from the Starter plan. Revit plugin coming soon.
GET STARTED FREEQuestions about the Vizbase SketchUp plugin
How does the Vizbase SketchUp plugin work?
The plugin adds a Vizbase panel inside SketchUp (Extensions → Vizbase, or the Vizbase toolbar). It captures your current viewport as an image and sends it to Vizbase; you set materials, pick a render mode, and the photorealistic render comes back in the same panel — no exporting, no browser switching. Available on the Starter plan and above.
Which SketchUp versions are supported?
The plugin supports SketchUp 2021 and newer on macOS and Windows. It installs as a standard .rbz extension through the SketchUp Extension Manager.
Do I need a powerful GPU to use the SketchUp plugin?
No. All rendering runs on Vizbase servers in the cloud. Your SketchUp model stays on your machine; only the exported image is sent to the API. A standard laptop with any GPU is sufficient.
Can I use the plugin offline?
No — Vizbase requires an internet connection because rendering happens in the cloud. The plugin itself installs locally, but each render call needs to reach the Vizbase API.
What is the difference between using the plugin vs uploading a screenshot?
The same render pipeline either way — the plugin sends a flat image of your view, just like an uploaded screenshot. It removes the manual export step and shows the rendered result in the Vizbase panel inside SketchUp, saving a few clicks per iteration.
How does Vizbase compare to V-Ray or Enscape for SketchUp?
V-Ray and Enscape are physically based renderers: you set up materials, lights and render settings in your model, and they run on your own hardware. Enscape adds a real-time view and walkthroughs. Vizbase works from an image of your view instead: you describe materials per element and the render runs in the cloud, with no setup and no GPU needed; in our tests a Gen 3.0 render took 77–151 seconds. Choose V-Ray or Enscape for precise lighting control, animations and walkthroughs; Vizbase suits client-facing stills and quick option studies. See the V-Ray alternative and Enscape alternative pages for full comparisons.
What file formats does the plugin output?
The plugin downloads your render as a PNG at its original size, free. On any paid plan — or after buying a credit pack — you can also export it at 4K, 6K or 8K (3,840, 5,760 or 7,680 px on the long edge) for 0.5, 1 or 1.5 credits.