Chief Architect / Home Designer vs ProKitchen: Which Should You Use?
The verdict
Chief Architect / Home Designer and ProKitchen are both home & construction design tools, compared here side by side. Chief Architect / Home Designer is free trial only ($79/mo) and is a desktop install with no browser version; ProKitchen is paid ($1795/yr) and runs in any web browser with nothing to install. The main difference is where they run: ProKitchen works in the browser with nothing to install, while Chief Architect / Home Designer is a desktop app.
Free tiers & pricing last verified Jul 3, 2026.
Pick Chief Architect / Home Designer if…
Free trial onlySerious DIY homeowners and remodelers who want professional-grade 3D and construction docs and will commit to a subscription.
Pick ProKitchen if…
PaidIndependent kitchen/bath designers and dealers wanting cloud access and ordering.
Side by side
Chief Architect / Home Designer
Free trial onlyThere's no free tier, only a non-expiring trial that disables saving, printing, exporting, and walkthrough recording, so you can explore in 3D but can't get any work out without a paid subscription.
ProKitchen
PaidNo free tier, only a 7-day trial; paid licenses run about $1,795/year without manufacturer catalogs or $2,395/year with all branded catalogs (roughly $158-$208/month paid annually).
Read the full reviews
Chief Architect / Home Designer
There's no free tier, only a non-expiring trial that disables saving, printing, exporting, and walkthrough recording, so you can explore in 3D but can't get any work out without a paid subscription.
ProKitchen
No free tier, only a 7-day trial; paid licenses run about $1,795/year without manufacturer catalogs or $2,395/year with all branded catalogs (roughly $158-$208/month paid annually).
Chief Architect / Home Designer vs ProKitchen: questions, answered
What is the main difference between Chief Architect / Home Designer and ProKitchen?
The main difference is where they run: ProKitchen works in the browser with nothing to install, while Chief Architect / Home Designer is a desktop app.
Is Chief Architect / Home Designer or ProKitchen free?
Chief Architect / Home Designer is free trial only and ProKitchen is paid. Chief Architect / Home Designer: There's no free tier, only a non-expiring trial that disables saving, printing, exporting, and walkthrough recording, so you can explore in 3D but can't get any work out without a paid subscription. ProKitchen: No free tier, only a 7-day trial; paid licenses run about $1,795/year without manufacturer catalogs or $2,395/year with all branded catalogs (roughly $158-$208/month paid annually).
Can you export CAD files from Chief Architect / Home Designer or ProKitchen?
Chief Architect / Home Designer exports PNG, JPG, PDF, DWG, DXF; ProKitchen exports PDF, PNG, JPG. Only Chief Architect / Home Designer exports CAD (DWG/DXF).