SketchUp
Raya adds an AI rendering panel right inside SketchUp. Capture your current view, describe the look you want, and get client-ready visualizations back in under a minute.
How does the Raya AI visualization plugin for SketchUp work?
Raya for SketchUp is a free AI rendering plugin that turns your SketchUp views into photorealistic visualizations in under a minute. Instead of exporting files or switching to a separate render engine, you send the current SketchUp view straight to Raya from a panel docked inside SketchUp, describe the scene in plain words, and get high-quality images back - with materials, lighting and surroundings handled by AI. It works with SketchUp 2020+ on Windows / macOS, uses your free Raya account, and shares the same credits as the Raya web app and every other Raya plugin. Ideal for architects, interior and product designers who need fast concept visuals and client-ready renders directly from SketchUp.
Photorealistic AI visualizations in SketchUp - examples of the Raya plugin in use
AI rendering in SketchUp without complex setup
To get a photorealistic visualization in SketchUp you normally need a separate render engine such as V-Ray. On top of that come light and material setup and the wait for every render, which takes anywhere from a few to several dozen minutes depending on the scene and your computer, sometimes longer. Raya works differently: this render plugin for SketchUp captures your current model view and turns it into a finished visualization in under a minute. You do not set material or lighting parameters and you do not need an expensive computer, because the AI render happens in the cloud. In the panel you pick the type of lighting and click Generate. You can steer the scene in several ways. With a reference photo you point to a specific piece of furniture you want in it, or to the fabric texture that should end up on the sofa. Separately you decide whether a person or a pet should appear in the room, and you add your own comment.
What you can do?
Generate visualizations
Capture the current SketchUp view and generate photorealistic visualizations without exporting files or leaving the program.
Edit precisely
Select part of the visualization and describe the change - Raya updates only the chosen area and keeps the rest of the frame.
Create AI video
Turn a finished visualization into a short animation or camera fly-through - video ready to present.
Why use Raya in SketchUp?
Faster visualizations
Instead of setting up a scene and waiting for a render, you get an image in under a minute. You can show the concept to your client in the same meeting where it was created.
Design variants without extra work
In moments you can make different versions of the same shot: in sunshine, under a cloudy sky, at golden hour, at dawn or after dark. You can refine each version with other materials and colours, and your SketchUp model stays untouched.
Photorealism without configuring a renderer
You do not set up lights, materials or renderer parameters. Photorealistic visualizations from SketchUp are built from your current view, and you pick 2K or 4K quality with one click.
Faster visualizations in SketchUp for architects and designers
A render plugin for SketchUp pays off wherever the model is built quickly and the visualization is needed right away.
Interior designers
From a single SketchUp model you prepare a full set of materials for the client: a moodboard with inspirations, visualizations of several views of the same room kept consistent by style matching, and home staging for empty interiors. You show the layout, colours and materials before the detailed design exists.
Architects
From a concept model you get a visualization of the building in its surroundings and see how it looks at different times of day and year, from morning light to after dark. For an investor meeting you can prepare several views of the same building and refine each one before the presentation.
Design studios
Photorealistic visualizations are made in house by the same person who models. There is no need to outsource rendering or wait for a free slot, and the time and budget you save stay with the design work. A change requested by the client goes in right away, without another round of briefing.
Concepts and quick presentations
Even a rough model with no materials or lights is enough to see what the idea really looks like. Instead of describing the concept in words, you show the investor an image and try a few directions on it together. The decision comes earlier, so you do not spend time refining a model nobody has approved yet.
3D models from a photo right inside SketchUp
Raya does not stop at images. In the same panel you upload a photo of a piece of furniture or an object and get a 3D model from it, ready to place in your scene. A single front shot is enough, and a more accurate model comes from four photos: the front, both sides and the back. Generation takes about 1-2 minutes, and from SketchUp 2025 the Insert into scene button puts the finished model straight into your project with textures applied. In earlier versions you download the file as FBX, GLB or OBJ and import it by hand. That way you place the exact armchair or lamp from the client's catalogue instead of hunting for a substitute in a library.
See how 3D model generation works →
Video from an AI visualization in SketchUp
You animate a finished visualization in the same panel. You pick the length, resolution and aspect ratio, and either describe the motion in your own words or take one of the ready presets: furniture reveal, furniture from a box, or a shift in the time of day. A clip of a few seconds costs from 5 credits and needs no animation software, no camera setup and no rendering of a frame sequence. That kind of material goes on Instagram or into a presentation for a client who cannot always read the scale of a room from a still render.
See how video generation works →Requirements
- Software
- SketchUp 2020+
- Operating system
- Windows / macOS
- Account
- Raya
- Price
- Free
How to install
- 1Download the Raya for SketchUp extension (.rbz file) from this page.
- 2In SketchUp, open the Extensions menu → Extension Manager.
- 3Click “Install Extension”, select the downloaded .rbz file and confirm.
- 4Open the Raya panel from the Extensions menu, sign in with your Raya account and start generating.
Generate, don't render!
Download the plugin and start generating with your Raya account.
Download the Raya pluginFrequently asked questions
Is the Raya plugin for SketchUp free?
Yes. The plugin is free to download and install. You use it with a free Raya account and it runs on Raya credits - new accounts start with free credits, and you can top up later.
Which SketchUp versions are supported?
Raya works with SketchUp 2020+ on Windows / macOS.
Do I need an account and internet connection?
Yes. Raya renders in the cloud, so you need an internet connection and a Raya account. Sign in with the same account you use on raya.design.
Does Raya change my SketchUp model?
No. Raya only captures your current view as an image to render from - it never modifies your SketchUp model or project files.
Does Raya replace a traditional render engine for SketchUp?
It depends on the project. Raya builds the image from your model view, so it does not give you the control over every detail that V-Ray or Enscape does, and it does not guarantee pixel-level repeatability. It works well for concepts, variants and client presentations, where time matters. It works just as well for final client visualizations, and many people use it instead of a classic engine. Reach for V-Ray or Enscape where the image has to match the model down to the detail, for example in documentation of a specific material solution.
Do I need an additional renderer to use Raya?
No. The plugin needs no render engine and no powerful computer, because generation happens in the Raya cloud. You need SketchUp 2020 or newer, an internet connection and a Raya account.
Is Raya suitable for photorealistic interior visualizations in SketchUp?
Yes, that is its main use. You get the best results from a clear model view with basic materials applied, because the AI then has the shapes and textures laid out for it. You can generate in 2K or 4K, and fix individual elements later in the editor by selecting an area on the image.
Is Raya a render plugin for SketchUp or a separate program?
Raya installs in SketchUp like any other rendering plugin, but the image is computed in the cloud. You need no separate render program for SketchUp and no powerful graphics card: the plugin sends the model view and the finished visualization comes back in the panel.
Does the SketchUp plugin work on a Mac?
Yes. It is the only Raya plugin that also runs on macOS: it supports SketchUp 2020+ on Windows and on the Mac.
Are my views and visualizations used to train AI?
No. The view captured from SketchUp, your description and the finished visualization are not used to train or fine-tune models, neither ours nor our providers'.
Can I use visualizations from the plugin commercially?
Yes. You hold commercial rights to the generated images whether you are on free credits or a paid plan. You can use them in projects run in SketchUp, in offers and in marketing materials.
What happens if a generation fails?
If a visualization fails for a technical reason, the credits return to your account automatically. You do not have to ask for them or recover them by hand.
