Project management for the architect, not the builder.

Procore is the dominant platform in construction management, and deservedly so. It excels at managing the construction process — RFIs, submittals, change orders, daily logs, punch lists, and field coordination. The mobile app is industry-leading for site work. If you’re a contractor or construction manager, Procore is the standard.

Some architecture practices encounter Procore through their builder clients, and wonder if they should use it themselves. For firms that do significant contract administration and need tight integration with the construction side, there’s a real argument for it — being on the same platform as your builder has collaboration benefits.

But for the design side of practice, Procore is a square peg. The workflows are built around construction, not design. You’re managing concept design through to documentation — tracking design deliverables, recording client decisions, billing on fee structures tied to design stages. Procore’s data model doesn’t map well to this.

The interface is built for a foreman on a job site, not an architect in a studio. And the pricing reflects enterprise construction companies with hundreds of users, not a 5-person architecture practice.

Setout is built entirely for the design side. Every feature is designed around how architecture practices work — from concept to contract administration. The project structure follows design stages, not construction phases. The billing supports architecture fee models. The reporting focuses on practice utilisation and project health.

The client experience is also fundamentally different. Procore’s portal is designed for construction stakeholders. Setout’s portal is designed for the architecture client — someone investing in a dream home who wants to see beautiful renders, follow a timeline, and feel part of the design journey.

If your practice does heavy contract administration and needs to be on the same platform as your builders, Procore’s ecosystem is valuable. If your focus is design-side practice management and client experience, Setout is purpose-built for exactly that.