# Compare Chief Architect vs AutoCAD 2026 | Capterra

> Unsure of what to choose? Check Capterra to compare Chief Architect and AutoCAD based on pricing, features, product details, and verified reviews.

Source: https://www.capterra.com/compare/80035-265024/Chief-Architect-vs-AutoCAD

---

# Chief Architect vs AutoCAD Features and Cost Comparison

Last updated March 13th, 2026

Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews  
moderated by our Reviews Verification team.[Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/)

Your comparison:

Chief ArchitectAutoCAD2/4 selected

[Chief Architect](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/)[4.4 (68)](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/reviews/)

[AutoCAD](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/)[4.7 (3,205)](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/reviews/)

[## Chief Architect](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/)[4.4 (68)](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/reviews/)

Starting Price

$3295.00one time

Value-for-Money

4.1

Functionality

4.2

Ease of Use

4

Customer Service

4.3

Reviews Sentiment

TS

Based on [68 reviews](#user-reviews)

Positive

57

Neutral

7

Negative

4

[## AutoCAD](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/)[4.7 (3,205)](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/reviews/)

Starting Price

$250.00/month

Value-for-Money

4.2

Functionality

4.6

Ease of Use

4.1

Customer Service

4.2

Reviews Sentiment

Based on [3,205 reviews](#user-reviews)

Positive

3,111

Neutral

82

Negative

12

## Not a match? Find software alternatives tailored to your priorities.

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of reviewers  
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## Summary

* * *

Features in Floor Plan Software

3 / 32

Best performer

16 / 32

Only AutoCAD

-   Animation
-   API
-   CAD Tools

User satisfaction

User satisfaction

4.4

User reviews[68](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/reviews/)

Ease of use

4.0

Functionality

4.2

Value for money

4.1

Customer support

4.3

User satisfaction

4.7

User reviews[3,205](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/reviews/)

Ease of use

4.1

Functionality

4.6

Value for money

4.2

Customer support

4.2

Price starts from

Price starts from

$3295Flat Rate, One Time

-   Free version
-   Free trial

Price starts from

$250Per User, Per Month

-   Free version
-   Free trial

Best for

Best for

Chief Architect software is designed for professionals, designers, architects, and remodelers. And Home Designer software is designed for the consumer DIY home design market.

Best for

Designed for architects, designers, engineers, project managers, real estate developers, students, construction professionals who want to create precise 2D and 3D drawings.

## User reviews

Pros & cons

TS

Teresa S.

Kitchen and Bath Designer

> "Notes, dimensions, and materials are all easily accessible in the program."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___4777747)

DW

Donna W.

Owner

> "Not being able to bring outside furniture from companies an place inside the drawings."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___5097653)

KR

Kristin R.

Kitchen Designer

> "Renderings are nice, its nice to have control over sizing, colors, etc."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___3985692)

KR

Kristin R.

Kitchen Designer

> "So time consuming and challenging compared to other programs specifically when you are using for Kitchen design, which it is..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___3985692)

Tejshree B.

Manager

> "My clients are really very happy after having a picture real view of their dreams"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___4636490)

SW

Simon W.

Project Manager

> "While great for a homeowner, the ease of creating a drawing also is the downfall as the resultant drawing is not accurate when..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___3028534)

JG

John G.

Principal

> "It has delivered very good, if not photo-realistic renderings when using the raytrace feature, and I can go through the design and..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2273955)

Tejshree B.

Manager

> "Overall chief architect is not the best and easy to use software that I’ve ever use."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___4636490)

CL

Charlie L.

Custom Builder

> "We are a design build firm and it helps us communicate in clear and concise detail with our clients."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2774806)

ML

Mark L.

Principal Architect

> "People developing the software should be people that actually produce drawings for a living not some software geek that has no clue..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2480679)

TR

Tony R.

Senior Designer

> "I love that these isn't a lighting issue like with other software."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2843956)

JG

John G.

Principal

> "Seems like every issue I have isn't in the index or table of contents, and I very much dislike being scooted to a webpage of issues..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2273955)

JP

Jeanette P.

owner

> "Consequently, I don't have too many problems."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2966492)

LM

Luis M.

Owner

> "You have very little room for customization, no phasing, the layout process is completely atrocious."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2712398)

JP

Jeanette P.

owner

> "It's easy to use and relatively quick."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2966492)

ML

Mark L.

Principal Architect

> "It is terrible in creating details and its x-ref and layout procedures are absolutely terrible. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2480679)

SB

Suzi B.

Designer/Owner

> "The graphics are good, better than hand drawing."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2692266)

AP

Allee P.

Designer

> "Some catalogs unavailable and "free" modeling was not as simple as other programs."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2424629)

CA

Corry A.

Drafter

> "Unlike the Auto cad program, Chief Architect is a user friendly program that is easy to use."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2222940)

VR

Verified Reviewer

Owner

> "Even when I upgraded I found they changed some simple things and made it harder to accomplish which was disappointing. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#Capterra___2460056)

[View Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/reviews/)

WJ

Walter J.

Sr Project Manager MEP

> "Even as architectural disciplines shift toward Revit and BIM software, AutoCAD remains essential, seamlessly integrating with the Autodesk suite and standing tall as..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6810354)

VR

Verified Reviewer

Electrical Engineering Student

> "Sometimes, even in simple files (like a small house plan), placing a single object/block causes the software to freeze indefinitely, forcing me to restart my entire..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___7071099)

Saara P.

Interior Designer

> "floorplans, elevations, electrical drawing, ceiling drawing, false ceiling drawing. Once the drawing is properly detailed it can be very hassle free to execute it in..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___7012847)

WJ

Walter J.

Sr Project Manager MEP

> "there is very little easy ways to fix it if you make an error early on , newer version cannot understnad when you are using an old version what AEC object are and..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6810354)

VR

Verified Reviewer

Electrical Engineering Student

> "For my electrical engineering projects, the layer management is perfect for separating lighting circuits from the architectural floor plan."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___7071099)

WJ

Walter J.

Sr Project Manager MEP

> "the thing i used to hate the most was when an error occured and you could spend 100 hours making this plan that looks so great and one error will keep it from..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6810354)

WJ

Walter J.

Sr Project Manager MEP

> "Viewports allow for real-world-scale drawings that can be effortlessly resized for print in any metric or imperial format."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6810354)

WJ

Walter J.

Sr Project Manager MEP

> "Those masters engineers may know how to solve the real problem in the field or have the deepest understanding of the code and those people get the hardest problems..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6810354)

SS

Steven S.

Show Manager

> "In my opionion it is the pinnacle of software for technical creation that needs to be finite in details or measurements."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___7099858)

JS

Jalal S.

Optical Engineer

> "AutoCAD lacks specialized optical simulation tools, so it won’t handle lens design, ray tracing, or optical performance analysis."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6492422)

Jose L.

Salesman - Engineering

> "What I like most about AutoCAD is the ability to create blueprints for architectural designs and create 3D images of an engineering product / idea."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6473310)

Caleb T.

Mechanical Engineer

> "The only other thing is that it does not use the native file explorer very well, and sometimes it is a little tricky to find files on your computer inside the..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___7012159)

Jose L.

Salesman - Engineering

> "I really like AutoCAD because it allows me to create drawings for my machine shop and helps the machinist see exactly what needs to be done with visual dimensions."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6473310)

VR

Verified Reviewer

Project Manager, Architectural Technician

> "At first, there was a bit of a learning curve to AutoCAD. As it can be a big program, my computer had a bit of a hard time operating efficiently while running..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6595744)

WH

Waleed H.

Freelance Writer

> "With its fully packed toolset and effective drafting abilities, AutoCAD brings out even the smallest details in your 2D and 3D design."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6526746)

MGK

Muhammad Ghufran K.

Documents Controller

> "These cons suggest that while AutoCAD is a powerful and versatile software, it may not be the best fit for everyone, particularly those who require real-time..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6240039)

Caroline B.

Bachelor in Supply Chain Management

> "This design software has saved me time by being able to create 3D and 2D drawings in a very perfect way, which completely eliminated the need to make manual drawings..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6510370)

M

Marek Ž.

Service Team Leader

> "When we were zooming in/out while drawing into the schemas, we had some strange bugs that the screen went white on upper half and grey on the lower."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6402612)

VR

Verified Reviewer

DESIGNER

> "Auto Cad is an indispensable tool for professionals in various industries, offering versatility, precision, efficiency, collaboration, customization, and innovation..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6268382)

JA

Jana A.

Student

> "It takes time to learn,especially for beginners some tools are very not intuitive at first and it can be heavy on weak devices"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6837673)

JS

Jamal S.

safety officer

> "AutoCAD developed by autodisk,is a highly versatile and powerfull computer aided design software used by proffesional accross various industries including..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6417740)

VB

Virginia B.

Security Specialist

> "I'm not totally happy with its cost and licensing plan, quite complex and not so intuitive sometimes. Although it is very suitable also for simple designs, in this..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6395918)

SS

Steven S.

Show Manager

> "From updating to the newest software each year to keeping it up and going on multiple devices working in tandem, I never once had a software issue. "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___7099858)

LS

Leila S.

Research Scientist

> "the file sizes are too large and some functions take very long time to process if the computer that you are using is not a high speed one."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6452560)

PK

Pradeep K.

Assistant Professor

> "Supports 2D as well as 3D modeling, which makes it more comprehensive in handling different users' requirements at different stages in a project."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6544789)

IA

Ian A.

Student

> "The processor requirements for AutoCAD are quite high for those who do not have a specific computer built for handing the software."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6500676)

JS

Jalal S.

Optical Engineer

> "I'm an optical engineer and AutoCAD excels in precision drafting, making it suitable for designing mechanical and optical systems with exact dimensions."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6492422)

VR

Verified Reviewer

team manager

> "Large projects and 3D work require a lot of power from your computer, and can be slow on some lower-end PCs."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6645923)

AT

Aniruddha T.

Operations Support

> "I have been using this software since 2021 and upgraded to AutoCAD 2023 version last year and it has helped me work on my facility layout projects with ease and..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6506180)

VR

Verified Reviewer

Product Marketing Manager

> "It takes a lot of computer memory to install and it is unsuitable for small RAM Laptops and then it didnt work properly"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6615545)

SA

Subhan A.

Assitant professor

> "Its intuitive interface and vast library of features support efficient workflows, especially with 2D drafting and 3D modeling."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6581175)

MAN

Muhammad Abid N.

Renewal Specialist

> "It can be resource-intensive, requiring a powerful computer for optimal performance, which can be a barrier for some users."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6496626)

HE

Henry E.

Waste Manager

> "I mainly use AutoCAD to produced 2D detailed floor plan drawings and for this purpose it is extremely good, I find it extremely useful in my day-to-day work life and..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6281323)

GA

Greyson A.

Research Scientist

> "I've had to completely start from scratch more than a handful of times which can be frustrating. Once you find out the things that tend to bog it down, there's work..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6408549)

JD

Jacob D.

designer

> "I like how easy it is to go from a digital model to a 3D print—just export to STL and you're good to go. Plus, it automatically updates things like the bill of..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6771703)

PK

Pradeep K.

Assistant Professor

> "It sometimes becomes too messy when designing something but it can't be helped with, I guess as the complexity of the tasks demands it."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6544789)

JA

Jana A.

Student

> "Very precise and professional.i like hpw it allows me to draw electrical diagrams with high accuracy and flexibility."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6837673)

AT

Aniruddha T.

Operations Support

> "Still some glitches which causes me to close entire application before I can work back normally."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6506180)

NS

Nicole S.

Project Manager

> "AutoCAD is essential to our structure and design capabilities with 3D modeling and understanding our jobs in detail."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6464271)

Vishal G.

BIM Dynamo Specialist

> "Its not good for 3d modelling. When working with 3d and blocks, I have observed that it gets slow sometimes."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6244588)

WJ

Walter J.

Sr Project Manager MEP

> "OSNAP instantly snaps to precise locations, ensuring every connection is clean and mathematically perfect."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6810354)

Gowtham S.

Manufacturing Engineering

> "The only con i saw in this software is that you cannot section view the drawing created and also we cannot assemble the drawing to analysis the assembly"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___4827909)

AA

Ana A.

Estagiário de Investigação

> "The precision drawing tools are perfect for creating detailed architectural plans and technical layouts."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6700856)

NV

Nitin V.

Student

> "Sometimes AutoCAD can be a bit frustrating to use as it might be a little less intuitive to use than other CAD softwares."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6517834)

AS

Adam S.

Founder

> "Even though we don't use this software as close to its full potential, it helped us convey ideas into realistic 3D models instead of pitching them in the form of..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6345219)

MM

Maverick M.

Electrical Engineer

> "If you havent used a CAD platform before, its very difficult to learn all the different options with AUTOCAD."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6483052)

JD

Jacob D.

designer

> "It handled the layout and precision really well, which made it easy to manage spacing, measurements, and alignment."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6771703)

SY

Saurabh Y.

student

> "Interface can be visually cluttered and overwhelming due to the sheer number of options"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6450009)

JD

Jacob D.

designer

> "I liked how detailed I could get, especially when working with layers and snapping tools—it kept everything clean and organized."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6771703)

VR

Verified Reviewer

Traffic Engineer

> "The software cannot handle the large CAD files/"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6453221)

EC

Edwin C.

Technical Designer

> "Overall Autocad is fantastic for simple Line Drawings, however can be very time consuming for larger projects as one drawing does not correlate with one another."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6585328)

Basanta T.

owner

> "Some features and workflows feel outdated or clunky compared to modern software"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6616830)

GA

Greyson A.

Research Scientist

> "It's really an industry standard for a reason, and is incredibly powerful when it comes to land development and other civil and environmental engineering design..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6408549)

KS

Kevin S.

BIM Manager

> "I think I least like the 3D aspect of AutoCAD, mostly because there are other Autodesk products that does this better."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6657835)

JT

Jake T.

IT System Administrator

> "AutoCAD is a very useful tool for engineers to be able to do their design work and prototype."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6775052)

ME

Marcelo E.

Student

> "The number of features can be overwhelming at first, and it takes time to understand how everything works together."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6491347)

Caleb T.

Mechanical Engineer

> "There is basically no learning curve, and even if you do get stuck, it has a convenient search bar that works well."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___7012159)

SA

Subhan A.

Assitant professor

> "Additionally, it’s resource-intensive, requiring a powerful system and can be costly for individual users."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6581175)

TM

Thandwa M.

Draughtsman

> "I also allows a flexible space in making inorganic shapes too ,not only a very geometric work space."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6602452)

VR

Verified Reviewer

team manager

> "High license fees can be prohibitive for individual users or small businesses."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6645923)

AE

Ali E.

Purchasing Manager

> "The best application that can be used for drawing in projects, there is no other program that can replace it from the past to the present."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6500697)

PS

PARNEET S.

ARCHITECT

> "There are two things i want to mention first the pricing its expensive for a fresher architect its impossible to buy it sometimes."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6592166)

Nilesh C.

BIM Lead

> "It is the lighter variant of the AutoCAD Programming, and hence, it's working, and execution is excessively smooth and useful, particularly the individuals who work..."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6312716)

KS

Kevin S.

BIM Manager

> "These types of projects usually do not need a 3d model developed."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6657835)

AE

Ali E.

Purchasing Manager

> "We use it for electrical projects, it is a program that we can use to run our business more cleanly and easily."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6500697)

UA

Usman A.

Lecturer in Engineering

> "D modelling within AutoCAD is slightly messy."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6568260)

TM

Thandwa M.

Draughtsman

> "It has allowed for me to utilize tools that have made tons of my projects quicker compared to ,having used tools and hands."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6602452)

SM

Saravanakumar M.

Engineering manager

> "Changes in new version may affect the previous version so its hard to use sometime."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6637521)

Xavier C.

Plan Drawer and administration

> "besides the design options that have been great for a number of versions, maintaining quality, and coherence for commands and user interaction"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6631379)

PR

Pranita R.

Freelancing

> "The software interface is little more complex and confusing to the beginners."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6380380)

FF

Fahed F.

Senior Electrical Engineer

> "Its strengths lie in its precision, extensive toolset, and ability to handle both 2D and 3D projects."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6555792)

MT

MICHAEL T.

Design Engineer

> "occasional freezes, trouble with printing to pdf"

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6334752)

TT

Tommy T.

AV Technician

> "The amount of features and ability to design from wiring diagram to product design itself is amazing."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6562613)

VR

Verified Reviewer

Engineering Intern

> "steep learning curve which can prevent usage of its full potential."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6469894)

CB

Chris B.

SDR - Sales Development Rep

> "Used this software for many years and has delivered for us in every part of our design business."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6821535)

SG

Shan G.

CTO

> "The implement can be a little too complex with other platforms."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6624553)

VR

Verified Reviewer

project manager

> "It is great for both 2D drafting and 3D modelling, though it can be a bit heavy on system resources."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6546595)

ME

Marcelo E.

Student

> "On the downside, the learning curve can be steep, especially for beginners."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6491347)

CJ

Chris J.

Operations Engineering Intern

> "Perhaps my favorite feature was the ability to customize shortcuts and tools, which made things so much faster! "

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6564050)

WJ

Walter J.

Sr Project Manager MEP

> "I didnt go to any college for engineering , i had no degree ."

[See full review](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#Capterra___6810354)

[View Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/reviews/)

## User interface

[Chief Architect](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/)

4.37 (68)

[AutoCAD](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/)

4.65 (3,205)

### Features

Chief Architect

3/32

-   2D/3D Designing
-   360-Site Stream
-   AI Copilot
-   Animation
-   API
-   CAD Tools
-   Collaboration Tools
-   Component Library
-   Customizable Templates
-   Data Import/Export
-   Data Synchronization
-   Design Management
-   Diagramming
-   Drafting
-   Drag & Drop
-   File Sharing
-   For 3D Printing
-   For AEC Industry
-   For Real Estate
-   For Training/Education
-   Functions/Calculations
-   Generative AI
-   Image Editing
-   Mobile Access
-   Multiple File Format Support
-   Project Management
-   Rendering
-   Room Visualization
-   Site Analysis
-   Sketching and Annotation Tools
-   Third-Party Integration
-   Workflow Management

[See all features](https://www.capterra.com/p/80035/Chief-Architect/#features)

AutoCAD

Top features

16/32

-   2D/3D Designing
-   360-Site Stream
-   AI Copilot
-   Animation
-   API
-   CAD Tools
-   Collaboration Tools
-   Component Library
-   Customizable Templates
-   Data Import/Export
-   Data Synchronization
-   Design Management
-   Diagramming
-   Drafting
-   Drag & Drop
-   File Sharing
-   For 3D Printing
-   For AEC Industry
-   For Real Estate
-   For Training/Education
-   Functions/Calculations
-   Generative AI
-   Image Editing
-   Mobile Access
-   Multiple File Format Support
-   Project Management
-   Rendering
-   Room Visualization
-   Site Analysis
-   Sketching and Annotation Tools
-   Third-Party Integration
-   Workflow Management

[See all features](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/#features)

### Recognition

No recognitions have been awarded to Chief Architect

No recognitions have been awarded to AutoCAD

### Deployment & support

Chief Architect

Deployment

-   Cloud, SaaS, Web-Based
-   Desktop Mac
-   Desktop Windows
-   Desktop Linux
-   On-Premise Windows
-   On-Premise Linux
-   Desktop Chromebook
-   Mobile Android
-   Mobile iPhone
-   Mobile iPad

Support

-   Email/Help Desk
-   FAQs/Forum
-   Knowledge Base
-   Phone Support
-   24/7 (Live rep)
-   Chat

Training

-   In Person
-   Live Online
-   Webinars
-   Documentation
-   Videos

AutoCAD

Deployment

-   Cloud, SaaS, Web-Based
-   Desktop Mac
-   Desktop Windows
-   Desktop Linux
-   On-Premise Windows
-   On-Premise Linux
-   Desktop Chromebook
-   Mobile Android
-   Mobile iPhone
-   Mobile iPad

Support

-   Email/Help Desk
-   FAQs/Forum
-   Knowledge Base
-   Phone Support
-   24/7 (Live rep)
-   Chat

Training

-   In Person
-   Live Online
-   Webinars
-   Documentation
-   Videos

### Company Details

Chief Architect

-   By Chief Architect
-   Located in United States
-   Founded in 1992

AutoCAD

-   By Autodesk
-   Located in United States
-   Founded in 1982

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[AutoCAD](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/)[4.65 (3,205)](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/reviews/)

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Ease of Use

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[View full comparison](https://www.capterra.com/compare/164681-265024/Onshape-vs-AutoCAD)

[AutoCAD](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/)[4.65 (3,205)](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/reviews/)

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