Softwr

Construction · head to head

Chief Architect vs Kojo

Chief Architect logo

Chief Architect

Construction

Professional home design and construction software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kojo logo

Kojo

Construction

Materials procurement and inventory for speciality trade contractors

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Chief Architect has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Chief Architect no free tier after trial; Kojo benefits depend on distributors providing electronic catalogues and pricing, and a contractor whose main supplier will not participate is left keying quotes by hand.
  • They diverge on capability: Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Kojo covers Field material requests.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Chief Architect and Kojo differ
AttributeChief ArchitectKojo
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, MacWeb, iOS, Android
Founded1991Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

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 Kojo

  • Field material requests
  • Multi-supplier quoting
  • Purchase order management
  • Inventory and warehouse
  • Committed cost visibility
  • Enterprise resource planning integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Chief Architect

  • Home design and architectural planningnot Kojo
  • Kitchen and bathroom designnot Kojo
  • Interior design and remodelingnot Kojo
  • Professional building designnot Kojo

Kojo

  • An electrical or mechanical contractor where materials are close to half of job cost and buying happens dailynot Chief Architect
  • A trade contractor that cannot see committed material cost against a job until the invoice arrivesnot Chief Architect
  • A contractor consolidating purchasing across branches to negotiate better distributor pricingnot Chief Architect
  • A subcontractor tracking warehouse stock and job transfers that currently live in a spreadsheetnot Chief Architect

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Chief Architect

  • No free tier after trial
  • Monthly subscription at $229/month is significantly higher than annual equivalent ($166.25/month)
  • Trial download available but duration and features not specified
  • No mention of team or multi-user plans

Kojo

  • Benefits depend on distributors providing electronic catalogues and pricing, and a contractor whose main supplier will not participate is left keying quotes by hand.
  • It serves speciality trade contractors; general contractors procure subcontracts rather than materials and get almost nothing from it.
  • Enterprise resource planning integration quality varies by system and version, so confirm the depth for your exact configuration rather than accepting the logo on the website.
  • Field adoption is the whole game, and foremen who lose signal in a plant room or basement revert to phoning the office within days unless offline capture genuinely works.
  • It changes purchasing process as well as software, so contractors whose buying authority is informal have to formalise who can commit money before the system produces clean data.

Pricing, plan by plan

Chief Architect

Free
  • Monthly Subscription$229/month
    • Software upgrades
    • Premium catalog downloads
    • Priority technical support
  • Annual Subscription$1995/year
    • 27% savings vs monthly
    • All monthly benefits included
  • Legacy License Upgrade$995/year
    • 50% discount first year
    • Then $1,995/year
    • For existing Chief Architect users

Kojo

On request
  • Kojo$undefined/year
    • Materials procurement workflow
    • Supplier quoting and purchase orders
    • Inventory tracking

Which should you pick?

Choose Chief Architect if

  • You need 2d and 3d design.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac.
  • You also want floor plan creation.
Chief Architect review

Choose Kojo if

  • You need field material requests.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want multi-supplier quoting.
Kojo review

Questions people ask

Is Chief Architect or Kojo better?
Neither clearly leads. Chief Architect starts at Free and Kojo at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chief Architect or Kojo?
Chief Architect has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chief Architect and On request for Kojo.
Does Chief Architect or Kojo run on more platforms?
Chief Architect runs on Windows, Mac. Kojo runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Chief Architect for free?
Yes. Chief Architect has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kojo starts at On request.
What is Chief Architect best used for?
Chief Architect is most often used for home design and architectural planning, kitchen and bathroom design, interior design and remodeling, professional building design. Of those, home design and architectural planning and kitchen and bathroom design are not what Kojo is typically brought in for.
What can Chief Architect do that Kojo cannot?
Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Floor plan creation, Construction documentation, Material lists. Kojo covers Field material requests, Multi-supplier quoting, Purchase order management, Inventory and warehouse.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Chief Architect: How much does Chief Architect cost?

Chief Architect costs $229/month on a monthly subscription, or $1,995/year ($166.25/month equivalent) for annual billing, representing a 27% discount.

Source
Kojo: Is this for general contractors?

No. It is built for speciality trade contractors buying materials. General contractors procure subcontracts and would get little from it.

Chief Architect: Is there a free trial available?

Yes, a free trial download is available for prospective customers to evaluate Chief Architect before purchase.

Source
Kojo: What if our suppliers will not connect?

You lose most of the quoting benefit and keep only the internal workflow. Check distributor participation before purchase, because it determines the return.

Chief Architect: Is there a discount for existing Chief Architect license holders?

Yes, legacy license holders can upgrade to an annual subscription for $995 the first year (50% discount), then $1,995/year thereafter.

Source
Kojo: Does it work without signal on site?

Field requests are designed for site use, and offline behaviour should be tested with your own crews in your worst locations, because that is where adoption is won or lost.

Chief Architect: What is included in the subscription?

Chief Architect subscription includes software upgrades, premium catalog downloads for design assets, and priority technical support.

Source
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