Softwr

Construction · head to head

Chief Architect vs Sitemark

Chief Architect logo

Chief Architect

Construction

Professional home design and construction software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sitemark logo

Sitemark

Construction

Drone-based progress tracking, quality control and commissioning built specifically for solar farms

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; Sitemark it only does solar, so a mixed renewables portfolio still needs a second platform for wind, storage and substations, and the consolidation argument for buying it collapses.
  • They diverge on capability: Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Sitemark covers Construction progress tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Chief Architect and Sitemark differ
AttributeChief ArchitectSitemark
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 Sitemark

  • Construction progress tracking
  • As-built versus design comparison
  • Thermographic inspection
  • Defect localisation
  • Commissioning workflows
  • Ticketing and work management
  • Portfolio dashboards
  • Drone and robotics ingestion

What people use each for

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

Chief Architect

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

Sitemark

  • An EPC contractor on a multi-hundred-megawatt ground-mount plant that must report weekly installed counts to a lender and cannot do it by walking the rowsnot Chief Architect
  • An asset owner accepting a plant at provisional acceptance who needs documented evidence that what was built matches the issued design before signingnot Chief Architect
  • An operations team running annual thermographic inspection across a portfolio, wanting defects mapped to module positions so a technician goes straight to the faultnot Chief Architect
  • A developer comparing defect and underperformance rates across contractors and module suppliers to inform the next procurement roundnot 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

Sitemark

  • It only does solar, so a mixed renewables portfolio still needs a second platform for wind, storage and substations, and the consolidation argument for buying it collapses.
  • Pricing is quoted on site count and unpublished variables, which penalises owners of many small distributed assets relative to one operator of a single large plant with the same total capacity.
  • You still need someone to fly the site, and Sitemark does not remove the drone operator cost, permits or airspace constraints; it monetises the data after the flight.
  • Automated progress counting depends on a clean, current design layout, and on projects where the layout changes weekly the comparison generates false deviations that erode trust in the numbers.
  • Thermographic defect detection needs the plant producing at sufficient irradiance, so inspection windows in northern latitudes are narrow and a missed window pushes findings into the next season.

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

Sitemark

On request
  • Sitemark Construction$undefined/year
    • Priced on number of sites and other variables
    • Progress tracking across construction activities
    • As-built versus design quality control
  • Sitemark Operations$undefined/year
    • Thermographic inspection and defect detection
    • Ticketing and work management
    • Portfolio dashboards

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 Sitemark if

  • You need construction progress tracking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want as-built versus design comparison.
Sitemark review

Questions people ask

Is Chief Architect or Sitemark better?
Neither clearly leads. Chief Architect starts at Free and Sitemark at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chief Architect or Sitemark?
Chief Architect has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chief Architect and On request for Sitemark.
Does Chief Architect or Sitemark run on more platforms?
Chief Architect runs on Windows, Mac. Sitemark 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. Sitemark 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 Sitemark is typically brought in for.
What can Chief Architect do that Sitemark cannot?
Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Floor plan creation, Construction documentation, Material lists. Sitemark covers Construction progress tracking, As-built versus design comparison, Thermographic inspection, Defect localisation.

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
Sitemark: Is Sitemark priced per megawatt?

No. Sitemark states pricing is based on number of sites and other variables. Ask explicitly how a portfolio of small sites is treated, because per-site pricing is unkind to distributed assets.

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
Sitemark: Do we have to use Sitemark drone pilots?

No. It accepts data from third-party drone operators, which lets you keep an existing flight contractor.

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
Sitemark: Does it cover anything other than solar?

No. It is built specifically around solar plant structures and defect types.

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
Sitemark: Can we export our data?

Yes, orthomosaics, defect lists and reports export. Confirm the format and whether historical inspections remain accessible after a subscription lapses.

Sitemark: Where is the company based?

Leuven, Belgium, with customers across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas.

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