Software · head to head
Chief Architect vs Sage 300 Construction

Chief Architect
Software
Professional home design and construction software
- From
- $695/perpetual
- Rated
- -

Sage 300 Construction
Software
Cloud-based construction ERP software
- From
- $400/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; Sage 300 Construction the Internet Archive's capture of Sage's product page on 25 December 2019 confirmed Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate as a distinct 'Other products' entry separate from the mainline Sage 300cloud accounting product, with no price figure published for either.
- They diverge on capability: Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Sage 300 Construction covers Project management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Chief Architect and Sage 300 Construction actually diverge.
| Attribute | Chief Architect | Sage 300 Construction |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $695/perpetual | $400/month |
| Pricing model | one-time | subscription |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac | Web, Windows |
| Founded | 1991 | 1981 |
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 Sage 300 Construction
- Project management
- Accounting
- Job costing
- Payroll
- Equipment management
- QuickBooks
- Microsoft 365
- Stripe
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 Sage 300 Construction
- Automatic generation of framing, roofs and material lists from a building modelnot Sage 300 Construction
- Kitchen and bath design with manufacturer cabinet catalogsnot Sage 300 Construction
Sage 300 Construction
- Financial managementnot Chief Architect
- Job costingnot Chief Architect
- Payrollnot Chief Architect
- Equipment trackingnot 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
Sage 300 Construction
- The Internet Archive's capture of Sage's product page on 25 December 2019 confirmed Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate as a distinct 'Other products' entry separate from the mainline Sage 300cloud accounting product, with no price figure published for either.
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
Sage 300 Construction
$400/month- Professional$400/month
- Project management
- Accounting
- Job costing
- EnterpriseFree
- Equipment management
- Advanced analytics
- Custom workflows
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 Sage 300 Construction if
- You need project management.
- You work on Web, Windows.
- You also want accounting.
Questions people ask
- Is Chief Architect or Sage 300 Construction better?
- Neither clearly leads. Chief Architect starts at $695/perpetual and Sage 300 Construction at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Chief Architect or Sage 300 Construction?
- Chief Architect starts at $695/perpetual and Sage 300 Construction at $400/month.
- Does Chief Architect or Sage 300 Construction run on more platforms?
- Chief Architect runs on Windows, Mac. Sage 300 Construction 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 Sage 300 Construction is typically brought in for.
- What can Chief Architect do that Sage 300 Construction cannot?
- Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Floor plan creation, Construction documentation, Material lists. Sage 300 Construction covers Project management, Accounting, Job costing, Payroll. Both handle Windows support.
Related pages
More on Chief Architect
More on Sage 300 Construction
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