The software I use and why
Software I use for 3D modeling (Home Designer Pro and Chief Architect)
I use Chief Architect to do my 3D modeling but I recommend people start by learning Home Designer Pro.
I teach Home Designer Pro in my Beginner Course because it is made by Chief Architect, has a lot of the same commands, and is less expensive than Chief Architect. The skills you learn in Home Designer will still apply to Chief Architect if you ever decide to upgrade as the 2 programs are made by the same company and have the same user interface.
Chief Architect has extra tools and features that are tailored for professionals. Home Designer Pro has less features, but is still a very powerful tool.
Home Designer Pro is where most people should start as it is less expensive and has a lot of the same features as Chief Architect.
You can download the free trial of Home Designer Pro by clicking here.
If you'd like to learn more about the differences between Chief Architect and Home Designer Pro, you can read this article here and checkout this PDF.
Computer required for 3D modeling in Home Designer Pro or Chief Architect
Home Designer Pro will run on both Mac and Windows. I recommend downloading the the free trial of Home Designer Pro by clicking here to make sure it will run on your computer.
Software I use for rendering (D5 Render)
I use D5 Render for all of my rendering. My full workflow with D5 Render will be taught in my Advanced Course. D5 Render has the best combination of cost, speed, and quality of any rendering software I've used.
If you decide to pay for and subscribe to D5 Render you can use my affiliate link below and save 5% on your subscription.
Computer required for rendering in D5 Render
D5 Render requires a windows computer (will not work on mac). For best performance, the windows computer needs to be relatively new and have a good graphics card (ideally an NVIDIA RTX 4070 or newer). I personally like MSI and Lenovo Legion laptops.
You can read my article about what computers I recommend here.
Software Cost
Home Designer Pro can be rented for $59 a month or purchased outright for $600.
Chief Architect costs $200 a month or $2,000 a year. Chief is best for those who are running an actual business with paying clients. I recommend starting with Home Designer Pro to learn, then upgrade to Chief Architect when you have the business need for the extra features.
Home Designer Pro is where you should start to learn the skills are transferrable to Chief Architect.
D5 Render can be used for free with limited features, and they have a paid version that costs $38 a month or $360 a year which includes full features and a large library.