The Sandbox tools (and a couple of other ones) are still marked as "Pro only" features in the SU Guide for version 6 but that's obsolete and for some reason, they have never changed the "Pro only" tags although almost all those features are available in the free version, too (see below). Note that you may need to activate the Sandbox tools (and some more) in Window > Preferences > Extensions. In version 5 (when there was an original, @Last SU Pro and Google came out with its free "Beta" version after the acquisition), these features were different - i.e. "Pro only" (I know, I started with that): Sandbox tools 2D raster image output larger than screen resolution Print to scale Animation export 3D and 2D vector export formats (other than Google Earth kmz) In version 6 everything but the last (vector exports) was made free but then LayOut and Style Builder was added as Pro only In version 7 it's still the same as 6 except the additional possibility to edit Dynamic Components. Now as for Plugins not working in the fre version,I had such experience with ado by Didier but that was back in version 5 where the features of the free version didn't allow some of those (OR I was too lame to make it work). I haven't tried ever since but that was the only one that didn't work for me.