Chief Architect / Home Designer
Free trial onlyPro-grade ray-traced home design, but 2026 is subscription-only and the trial can't save.
Free tier & pricing
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.
Last verified Jul 3, 2026. Report a change →
The short answer
Professional-grade software with automated building tools and photorealistic ray tracing. A 2026 reality check: the consumer Home Designer line dropped its old one-time purchase and is now subscription-only ($79/mo or $495/yr), and the free trial disables saving, printing, and exporting. The pro Premier tier runs $1,995/yr. Powerful, but no longer cheap.
The facts
- Pricing
- $79/mo · Free trial only
- Free tier
- No
- Runs in browser
- No
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS
- 2D / 3D
- Photorealistic
- Learning curve
- Moderate
- Export formats
- PNG, JPG, PDF, DWG, DXF
The catch
- Desktop install only — no browser version.
- You must create an account to save or export.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Photorealistic real-time ray-traced output
- Genuine automated building tools for roofs, framing, and foundations
- Smart kitchen and bath cabinet tools
- Free manufacturer catalogs (Kohler, Wayfair, and others)
- Trial never expires so you can fully evaluate the toolset
Cons
- 2026 is subscription-only; the one-time purchase is gone
- Trial is useless for output with no save, print, or export
- Windows and Mac desktop only, no web or mobile editing
- $495/yr is steep for occasional DIY use
- Steeper than pure drag-and-drop planners
Best for
Serious DIY homeowners and remodelers who want professional-grade 3D and construction docs and will commit to a subscription.
Not for
Anyone wanting a free or one-time-purchase tool or a quick browser/phone furniture sketch.
Alternatives to Chief Architect / Home Designer
Live Home 3D
Free, with limitsThe free version limits you to one active project at a time, watermarks all image and video exports, and disables 3D-model export entirely; a one-time Standard purchase removes those limits.
SketchUp
Free, with limitsSketchUp Free is free for personal, non-commercial use in the browser only; you can model and download skp/png/stl, but DWG/DXF/OBJ/PDF export, the desktop app, and extensions all require a paid plan.
Cedreo
Free, with limitsThe free plan gives 1 project and only 5 photorealistic renders that are watermarked and personal-use only, with no blueprint download and no commercial use; everything beyond that requires a paid plan.
Planner 5D
Free, with limitsFree to design unlimited 2D/3D projects, but about half the furniture catalog is locked, you get no proper renders, and DWG/DXF export plus custom 3D import require the Professional plan.
See all Chief Architect / Home Designer alternatives compared →
Head-to-head comparisons
Chief Architect / Home Designer: questions, answered
Is Chief Architect / Home Designer free?
Not really — Chief Architect / Home Designer offers a free trial rather than a lasting free tier. 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. After the trial it costs $79/mo.
What platforms does Chief Architect / Home Designer run on?
Chief Architect / Home Designer is available on Windows, macOS. It is a desktop install with no browser version.
What file formats can you export from Chief Architect / Home Designer?
Chief Architect / Home Designer exports to PNG, JPG, PDF, DWG, DXF. That includes CAD formats, so you can hand files to a contractor or open them in AutoCAD.
Does Chief Architect / Home Designer do 3D and photorealistic renders?
Yes. Chief Architect / Home Designer produces photorealistic 3D renders. Check the free-tier note above, though — several tools watermark or cap free renders.
Is Chief Architect / Home Designer easy to learn?
Moderate to pick up. Serious DIY homeowners and remodelers who want professional-grade 3D and construction docs and will commit to a subscription.
What are the best alternatives to Chief Architect / Home Designer?
Popular Chief Architect / Home Designer alternatives include Live Home 3D, SketchUp, Cedreo and Planner 5D. Compare their free tiers, platforms and export formats on the Chief Architect / Home Designer alternatives page.