Software · head to head
Chief Architect vs Buildertrend
Chief Architect
Software
Professional home design and construction software
- From
- $695/perpetual
- Rated
- -
Buildertrend
Software
Construction project management for home builders and remodelers
- From
- $99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Chief Architect chief Architect Premier is $229 per month or $1,995 per year, with the monthly option costing 27% more than annual; Buildertrend pricing is by quote only, with no rate, plan name or minimum published on the pricing page
- They diverge on capability: Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Buildertrend covers Project scheduling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Chief Architect and Buildertrend actually diverge.
| Attribute | Chief Architect | Buildertrend |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $695/perpetual | $99/month |
| Pricing model | one-time | subscription |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 1991 | 2006 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Chief Architect
- 2D and 3D design
- Floor plan creation
- Construction documentation
- Material lists
- Rendering
- Revit
- SketchUp
- CAD
Only in Buildertrend
- Project scheduling
- Customer management
- Financial tracking
- Selections management
- Change orders
- QuickBooks
- Xero
- Zillow
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Chief Architect
- Producing construction documents, elevations and 3D renderings for residential architecturenot Buildertrend
- Automatic generation of framing, roofs and material lists from a building modelnot Buildertrend
- Kitchen and bath design with manufacturer cabinet catalogsnot Buildertrend
Buildertrend
- Running scheduling, budgets, change orders and client communication for a residential construction businessnot Chief Architect
- Giving homeowners a client portal to approve selections and view progressnot Chief Architect
- Consolidating estimating, purchase orders and job costing for custom home builders and remodelersnot Chief Architect
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Chief Architect
- Chief Architect Premier is $229 per month or $1,995 per year, with the monthly option costing 27% more than annual
- Software rentals have been replaced with subscriptions and access to the software ends at the conclusion of the current billing period once cancelled
- The $995 upgrade price for existing legacy licence holders applies to the first year only, after which standard rates apply
Buildertrend
- Pricing is by quote only, with no rate, plan name or minimum published on the pricing page
- Getting a price requires completing a multi-step form declaring builder type and annual construction volume, then booking a call with a sales representative
- The only published discount is 10% off for paying annually upfront
Pricing, plan by plan
Chief Architect
$695/perpetual- Standard$695/perpetual
- 2D and 3D design
- Floor plan creation
- Construction documentation
- Architectural$1595/perpetual
- Advanced architectural tools
- BIM capabilities
- Rendering
Buildertrend
$99/month- Core$99/month
- Project scheduling
- Daily logs
- Photo management
- Pro$299/month
- Everything in Core
- Proposals & estimates
- Customer portal
- Premium$499/month
- Everything in Pro
- Financials
- Time clock
Which should you pick?
Choose Chief Architect if
- You need 2d and 3d design.
- You work on Windows, Mac.
- You also want floor plan creation.
Choose Buildertrend if
- You need project scheduling.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want customer management.
Questions people ask
- Is Chief Architect or Buildertrend better?
- Neither clearly leads. Chief Architect starts at $695/perpetual and Buildertrend at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Chief Architect or Buildertrend?
- Chief Architect starts at $695/perpetual and Buildertrend at $99/month.
- Does Chief Architect or Buildertrend run on more platforms?
- Chief Architect runs on Windows, Mac. Buildertrend runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- What is Chief Architect best used for?
- Chief Architect is most often used for producing construction documents, elevations and 3d renderings for residential architecture, automatic generation of framing, roofs and material lists from a building model, kitchen and bath design with manufacturer cabinet catalogs. Of those, producing construction documents, elevations and 3d renderings for residential architecture and automatic generation of framing, roofs and material lists from a building model are not what Buildertrend is typically brought in for.
- What can Chief Architect do that Buildertrend cannot?
- Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Floor plan creation, Construction documentation, Material lists. Buildertrend covers Project scheduling, Customer management, Financial tracking, Selections management.