KetchUp – Open-source SketchUp alternative built with Rust and WebGPU

Re:KetchUp – Open-source SketchUp alternative built with Rus... by mastermage on Monday November 09, 2026 @02:13AM (#50422123)

I am generally happy to pay for my software that I use. However I do not have the money to shell out for some of the professional grade software just for a hobby. And I also do not enjoy paying hundreds in subscription fees acumulated for things i use once a month. So these AI Clones popping up are realy helping me, as I do not need the full featureset of the original usualy and these AI Clones are close enough for my hobby applications. Additionaly these tools all run on linux which makes my move to Linux etch closer into the present. Some of the tools were a reason I was not switching.

I will still continue to pay for the things i truly get value out of and are in my opinion reasonably priced. To support the creators.

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Re:KetchUp – Open-source SketchUp alternative built with Rus... by pseudony on Monday November 09, 2026 @02:23AM (#50422194)

So, no money for the modeling tool but enough for a range of dewault/milwaukee/makita tools and the raw resources (wood, screws, glue) etc ? :)

If it was crocheting, I would get it, but woodworking is not an inexpensive hobby where the software becomes the top line item.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:KetchUp – Open-source SketchUp alternative built with Rus... by mastermage on Monday November 09, 2026 @02:53AM (#50422444)

I am not doing woodworking though? Privately I do 3D Printing.

This here I would also use at my job whera I am a bit of a Jack of all trades so once a quarter I need to sketch some model of something to see if it would fit or not. Example would be right now i need to sketch a simple collision protection for a outdoor cable tray (for Solar Pannel Strings). Gonna not take me longer than an hour. I do not use it enough to justify spending 40 Bucks a Month 4 times a year.

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Re:KetchUp – Open-source SketchUp alternative built with Rus... by pseudony on Monday November 09, 2026 @03:06AM (#50422544)

Ah, cool. Never mind then :)

Its just that often times, even us programmers seem reticent to pay for software even though we happily throw dollars across the counter for a sugary coffee somewhere.

I know of sketch up primarily from DYI magazines, hence the assumption.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:KetchUp – Open-source SketchUp alternative built with Rus... by reagent on Wednesday November 11, 2026 @01:01AM (#50450168)

It's true that tools and materials are expensive with woodworking, but I end up designing a new piece of furniture (pretty much variations on a box) maybe 1-2 times a quarter. I'd much prefer using a native desktop application over the clunky web-based Sketchup UI, but at ~$33/mo it just doesn't provide enough value to me as a hobbyist.

KetchUp/BenchUp seems promising -- I was able to import a file from Sketchup Free and navigate around, but the polish just isn't quite there yet. This should improve quickly I think.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:KetchUp – Open-source SketchUp alternative built with Rus... by lifeisloving on Monday November 09, 2026 @02:26AM (#50422215)

Are you using them? They all seem to be broken and UI (so they can post on HN/twitter) is the only thing that matters.

Seems unlikely that people are going to spend their Claude sub every month maintaining the thing either. They'll move onto the next cheap LLM project and dedicate their tokens to that.

Im sure that's not every project, but Id rather just have something reliable with a reputation. AI clones are killing open source's reputation for me, I just dont trust anything now.

Not to mention how easy it would be to get a malicious PR request approved into a public repo who's maintainer relies solely on the competency of a cheap llm.

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Re:KetchUp – Open-source SketchUp alternative built with Rus... by mastermage on Monday November 09, 2026 @02:48AM (#50422396)

there are some I actualy use semi regularly these are mainly GeoLibre and Open CAD Studio. Completely fine for all I need with it. I am currently trying SolidCraft but still deliberating.

ArtCraft is also pretty cool but I have my Affinity Photo 2 Licenses so I do not realy need these currently.

[ Parent | on HN ]