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Software · head to head

Chief Architect vs InEight

Chief Architect logo

Chief Architect

Software

Professional home design and construction software

From
$695/perpetual
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
InEight logo

InEight

Software

Enterprise construction software platform

From
$1000/month
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; InEight a wide set of separate modules, including Control, Contract, Estimate, Schedule, Document and Model, so a working setup means choosing several
  • They diverge on capability: Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, InEight covers Project controls.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Chief Architect and InEight differ
AttributeChief ArchitectInEight
Starting price$695/perpetual$1000/month
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
PlatformsWindows, MacWeb, Windows
Founded19912006

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 InEight

  • Project controls
  • Planning and scheduling
  • Risk management
  • Financial reporting
  • Document management
  • Oracle EBS
  • SAP
  • Procore

Both cover

  • Windows support

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

InEight

  • Cost control and forecasting on large capital projectsnot Chief Architect
  • Estimating and bid preparationnot Chief Architect
  • Contract and change order managementnot Chief Architect
  • Field progress and completions trackingnot Chief Architect
  • Document control across an engineering projectnot 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

InEight

  • A wide set of separate modules, including Control, Contract, Estimate, Schedule, Document and Model, so a working setup means choosing several
  • Prices are not published; enterprise deals are custom and per-user purchasing goes through a separate portal
  • Built for capital projects in construction, energy and mining rather than general project work

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

InEight

$1000/month
  • Professional$1000/month
    • Project controls
    • Planning
    • Risk management
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Advanced analytics
    • Custom workflows
    • Multi-project support

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 InEight if

  • You need project controls.
  • You work on Web, Windows.
  • You also want planning and scheduling.
InEight review

Questions people ask

Is Chief Architect or InEight better?
Neither clearly leads. Chief Architect starts at $695/perpetual and InEight at $1000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chief Architect or InEight?
Chief Architect starts at $695/perpetual and InEight at $1000/month.
Does Chief Architect or InEight run on more platforms?
Chief Architect runs on Windows, Mac. InEight runs on Web, Windows.
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 InEight is typically brought in for.
What can Chief Architect do that InEight cannot?
Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Floor plan creation, Construction documentation, Material lists. InEight covers Project controls, Planning and scheduling, Risk management, Financial reporting. Both handle Windows support.
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