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Construction · head to head

Chief Architect vs Trimble Pay

Chief Architect logo

Chief Architect

Construction

Professional home design and construction software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Trimble Pay logo

Trimble Pay

Construction

Subcontractor billing and lien waiver automation, formerly sold as Flashtract

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; Trimble Pay the Flashtract name is being retired in favour of Trimble Pay, so existing documentation, comparison articles and integration listings are split across two names and buyers should confirm which contract entity and which support channel applies
  • They diverge on capability: Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Trimble Pay covers Automated pay applications.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chief Architect and Trimble Pay actually diverge.

Attributes where Chief Architect and Trimble Pay differ
AttributeChief ArchitectTrimble Pay
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 Trimble Pay

  • Automated pay applications
  • State-specific lien waivers
  • Waiver release on payment
  • Compliance tracking
  • Lower-tier tracking
  • Payments
  • ERP posting

What people use each for

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

Chief Architect

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

Trimble Pay

  • A general contractor whose accounts payable team rejects a third of subcontractor billings each month for arithmetic or form errorsnot Chief Architect
  • A contractor working across several states that needs the right statutory waiver language selected automatically rather than from a shared template foldernot Chief Architect
  • A company that has been quoted Oracle Textura and wants to compare the total cost when the fee falls on the contractor rather than on the tradesnot Chief Architect
  • A contractor that needs the unconditional waiver to be released only after funds clear, so it is not holding a waiver that a court would treat as ineffectivenot 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

Trimble Pay

  • The Flashtract name is being retired in favour of Trimble Pay, so existing documentation, comparison articles and integration listings are split across two names and buyers should confirm which contract entity and which support channel applies
  • Pricing is not published, and because it is bought by the general contractor rather than charged to subcontractors, the whole cost lands in one budget line rather than being distributed across the supply chain
  • It is billing and compliance only, so a contractor still needs a project management system for drawings and RFIs and a construction ERP for the general ledger, and the value depends heavily on the quality of those two integrations
  • Lien waiver correctness is a legal question, and the system generates forms rather than giving advice, so a contractor operating in an unusual jurisdiction still needs counsel to confirm the templates match current statute
  • Under Trimble the product now sits alongside other Trimble construction financial assets, and buyers signing multi-year terms should ask directly how it is positioned against Viewpoint and the rest of the Trimble construction portfolio

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

Trimble Pay

On request
  • Trimble Pay$undefined/year
    • Bought by the general contractor, typically priced by project volume or contract value under management
    • Subcontractors are not charged a per-project usage fee
    • ERP integration and onboarding scoped separately

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 Trimble Pay if

  • You need automated pay applications.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want state-specific lien waivers.
Trimble Pay review

Questions people ask

Is Chief Architect or Trimble Pay better?
Neither clearly leads. Chief Architect starts at Free and Trimble Pay at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chief Architect or Trimble Pay?
Chief Architect has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chief Architect and On request for Trimble Pay.
Does Chief Architect or Trimble Pay run on more platforms?
Chief Architect runs on Windows, Mac. Trimble Pay 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. Trimble Pay 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 Trimble Pay is typically brought in for.
What can Chief Architect do that Trimble Pay cannot?
Chief Architect covers 2D and 3D design, Floor plan creation, Construction documentation, Material lists. Trimble Pay covers Automated pay applications, State-specific lien waivers, Waiver release on payment, Compliance tracking.

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
Trimble Pay: Is Flashtract still sold under that name?

No. Trimble acquired Flashtract and now sells it as Trimble Pay. The flashtract.com content redirects into the Trimble product pages.

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
Trimble Pay: Do subcontractors pay to use it?

No. The general contractor buys it. This is the main commercial difference from Oracle Textura, where subcontractors are billed a percentage of their contract value per project.

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
Trimble Pay: Does it replace my accounting system?

No. It generates and approves the billing and the waivers, then posts to your construction ERP. You still need the ledger.

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
Trimble Pay: Does it handle lower-tier subcontractors?

Yes, it tracks sub-tier amounts and sworn statements against the prime commitment, which is the usual source of surprise lien exposure.

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