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Software · head to head

Chief Architect vs Fulcrum

Chief Architect logo

Chief Architect

Software

Professional home design and construction software

From
$695/perpetual
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fulcrum logo

Fulcrum

Software

Field operations management for installing, inspecting and maintaining physical work

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Fulcrum requires a minimum of five user licenses per organization

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chief Architect and Fulcrum actually diverge.

Attributes where Chief Architect and Fulcrum differ
AttributeChief ArchitectFulcrum
Starting price$695/perpetualOn request
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
PlatformsWindows, MacWeb
Founded1991Unknown

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 Fulcrum

Nothing recorded that Chief Architect does not also cover.

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 Fulcrum
  • Automatic generation of framing, roofs and material lists from a building modelnot Fulcrum
  • Kitchen and bath design with manufacturer cabinet catalogsnot Fulcrum

Fulcrum

No use cases recorded yet. See the Fulcrum review.

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

Fulcrum

  • Requires a minimum of five user licenses per organization
  • Monthly billing is only available during a customer's first 12 months, after which annual billing applies

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

Fulcrum

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Fulcrum review.

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.
Chief Architect review

Choose Fulcrum if

Nothing in the data separates Fulcrum from Chief Architect on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Fulcrum review

Questions people ask

Is Chief Architect or Fulcrum better?
Neither clearly leads. Chief Architect starts at $695/perpetual and Fulcrum at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chief Architect or Fulcrum?
Chief Architect starts at $695/perpetual and Fulcrum at On request.
Does Chief Architect or Fulcrum run on more platforms?
Chief Architect runs on Windows, Mac. Fulcrum runs on Web.
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 Fulcrum is typically brought in for.
What can Chief Architect do that Fulcrum cannot?
Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Floor plan creation, Construction documentation, Material lists.
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