Softwr

Construction & Architecture · head to head

Chief Architect vs Prospect

Chief Architect logo

Chief Architect

Construction & Architecture

Professional home design and construction software

From
$695/perpetual
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Prospect logo

Prospect

Proposal & Quote

VR for architectural visualization

From
$225/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; Prospect no longer available as a standalone product; has been discontinued and replaced by other solutions
  • They diverge on capability: Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Prospect covers BIM visualization.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Chief Architect and Prospect differ
AttributeChief ArchitectProspect
Starting price$695/perpetual$225/month
Pricing modelone-timeUnknown
PlatformsWindows, MacVR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest)
CategoryConstruction & ArchitectureProposal & Quote
Founded19912014

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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
  • CAD
  • Google Drive
  • SSL encryption

Only in Prospect

  • BIM visualization
  • Real-scale viewing
  • Collaboration
  • Annotations
  • Rhino
  • Navisworks
  • Vr support
  • Pc support

Both cover

  • Revit
  • SketchUp

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

Prospect

  • VR Gamingnot Chief Architect
  • AR Marketingnot Chief Architect
  • Virtual Trainingnot Chief Architect
  • 3D Visualizationnot Chief Architect
  • Immersive Experiencesnot 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

Prospect

  • No longer available as a standalone product; has been discontinued and replaced by other solutions
  • Acquisition by The Wild in 2021 resulted in product discontinuation and transition to Workshop XR
  • No ongoing development, bug fixes, or feature updates since acquisition

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

Prospect

$225/month
  • Team$350/month
    • Multiuser VR collaboration
    • Design review tools
    • Voice communication

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 Prospect if

  • You need bim visualization.
  • You work on VR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest).
  • You also want real-scale viewing.
Prospect review

Questions people ask

Is Chief Architect or Prospect better?
Neither clearly leads. Chief Architect starts at $695/perpetual and Prospect at $225/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chief Architect or Prospect?
Chief Architect starts at $695/perpetual and Prospect at $225/month.
Does Chief Architect or Prospect run on more platforms?
Chief Architect runs on Windows, Mac. Prospect runs on VR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest).
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 Prospect is typically brought in for.
What can Chief Architect do that Prospect cannot?
Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Floor plan creation, Construction documentation, Material lists. Prospect covers BIM visualization, Real-scale viewing, Collaboration, Annotations. Both handle Revit, SketchUp.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Prospect: What is Prospect by IrisVR?

Prospect was an immersive VR application that converted 3D design files from Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, and Navisworks into virtual reality walkthroughs with one click. It enabled AEC teams to conduct design reviews, collaborate in VR, and present projects to clients immersively.

Source
Prospect: Is Prospect still available?

No. Prospect by IrisVR was acquired by The Wild in February 2021 and has been discontinued. Autodesk Workshop XR is now the recommended successor for AEC teams migrating from Prospect.

Source
Prospect: How was Prospect priced?

Prospect's Team plan cost approximately $350 per workstation per month when billed annually. Earlier pricing information from 2020 showed starting prices around $225. Custom enterprise pricing was available.

Source
Prospect: What VR headsets did Prospect support?

Prospect was compatible with major VR headsets including Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and later Meta Quest. Support depended on the runtime and connection method available.

Source
Prospect: What was Prospect's biggest advantage?

Prospect's one-click conversion from native design files (Revit, Rhino, SketchUp) into immersive VR experiences was its primary value proposition, enabling non-VR specialists to easily create compelling design reviews and client presentations.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Chief Architect

More on Prospect

Keep looking

Other head to heads