Softwr

Construction · head to head

Buildots vs Clearstory

Buildots logo

Buildots

Construction

Hard hat mounted 360 cameras and computer vision that score build progress against the BIM model

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Clearstory logo

Clearstory

Construction

Digital change order and time and materials tag exchange between subcontractors and general contractors

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Buildots tracking depends on a BIM model maintained at construction level of detail; on a job where the model is stale or was never built for coordination, the comparison degrades and much of the value disappears.; Clearstory value depends on the counterparty using it, so a subcontractor whose general contractors have not adopted it ends up running the digital process and the emailed one at the same time.
  • They diverge on capability: Buildots covers Hard hat 360 capture, Clearstory covers Digital time and materials tags.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buildots and Clearstory actually diverge.

Attributes where Buildots and Clearstory differ
AttributeBuildotsClearstory

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Buildots

  • Hard hat 360 capture
  • Model to as-built comparison
  • Per activity progress scoring
  • Programme deviation alerts
  • Delay forecasting
  • Visual evidence trail
  • Subcontractor performance reporting

Only in Clearstory

  • Digital time and materials tags
  • Review and signature routing
  • Change order log
  • Cost exposure reporting
  • Field mobile capture
  • Document export

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Buildots

  • A residential tower where the same fit-out sequence repeats on forty floors and the contractor wants an objective read on cycle timenot Clearstory
  • A hospital or data centre fit-out where MEP first fix progress is disputed between the main contractor and trades every monthnot Clearstory
  • A developer that wants independent progress evidence before certifying an interim payment applicationnot Clearstory
  • A contractor building a production rate history across projects so future programmes are based on measured output rather than assumptionnot Clearstory

Clearstory

  • A speciality subcontractor that regularly performs extra work and struggles to get tags signednot Buildots
  • A general contractor tired of receiving a stack of disputed tags at project closeoutnot Buildots
  • A project team that needs the value of pending extras visible during the job rather than after itnot Buildots
  • A contractor standardising change documentation across trades on a large projectnot Buildots

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Buildots

  • Tracking depends on a BIM model maintained at construction level of detail; on a job where the model is stale or was never built for coordination, the comparison degrades and much of the value disappears.
  • The data only arrives if someone walks the site every week with the camera, so coverage decays quietly when the site team is under pressure, exactly when the reporting is most needed.
  • Pricing is per project rather than per seat and includes hardware, so a contractor cannot roll it out cheaply across a portfolio of small jobs and it is uneconomic below a certain project value.
  • It reads interior fit-out and repetitive vertical work far better than structure, groundworks or external envelope, so a large fraction of a project's programme is outside what it can score.
  • Making progress objective creates commercial friction with subcontractors whose valuations have historically been negotiated, and contractors who deploy it without addressing that in the subcontract get pushback rather than adoption.

Clearstory

  • Value depends on the counterparty using it, so a subcontractor whose general contractors have not adopted it ends up running the digital process and the emailed one at the same time.
  • It documents extra work but does not settle it; a general contractor determined not to pay is not persuaded by better paperwork, only better positioned to be argued with.
  • Field staff have to complete tags properly for the record to hold up, and the discipline required is the same discipline that was failing on paper.
  • Poor connectivity in basements, plant rooms and lift shafts is exactly where extra work gets documented, so offline reliability needs testing before rollout rather than after.
  • It overlaps with change management already present in Procore and similar platforms, so buyers must be clear about which system holds the authoritative log or they will maintain two.

Pricing, plan by plan

Buildots

On request
  • Buildots$undefined/year
    • Priced per project by size and duration
    • Camera hardware included in the engagement
    • Model onboarding and setup quoted separately

Clearstory

On request
  • Clearstory$undefined/year
    • Digital time and materials tags
    • Change order log
    • Mobile field capture

Which should you pick?

Choose Buildots if

  • You need hard hat 360 capture.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want model to as-built comparison.
Buildots review

Choose Clearstory if

  • You need digital time and materials tags.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want review and signature routing.
Clearstory review

Questions people ask

Is Buildots or Clearstory better?
Neither clearly leads. Buildots starts at On request and Clearstory at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buildots or Clearstory?
Buildots starts at On request and Clearstory at On request.
Does Buildots or Clearstory run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Buildots best used for?
Buildots is most often used for a residential tower where the same fit-out sequence repeats on forty floors and the contractor wants an objective read on cycle time, a hospital or data centre fit-out where mep first fix progress is disputed between the main contractor and trades every month, a developer that wants independent progress evidence before certifying an interim payment application, a contractor building a production rate history across projects so future programmes are based on measured output rather than assumption. Of those, a residential tower where the same fit-out sequence repeats on forty floors and the contractor wants an objective read on cycle time and a hospital or data centre fit-out where mep first fix progress is disputed between the main contractor and trades every month are not what Clearstory is typically brought in for.
What can Buildots do that Clearstory cannot?
Buildots covers Hard hat 360 capture, Model to as-built comparison, Per activity progress scoring, Programme deviation alerts. Clearstory covers Digital time and materials tags, Review and signature routing, Change order log, Cost exposure reporting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Buildots: What does Buildots cost?

It is quoted per project based on size, duration and scope, with camera hardware included. Nothing is published.

Clearstory: Is Clearstory for subcontractors or general contractors?

Both, because the workflow crosses between them. The subcontractor originates the tag, the general contractor reviews it, and adoption works best when the general contractor mandates it.

Buildots: Do I need a BIM model?

Yes. The system scores progress by comparing captured conditions against model objects, so the model quality sets the ceiling on accuracy.

Clearstory: Does it replace change management in Procore?

It can, for time and materials tags and the change order log, but you must decide which system is authoritative. Running both without that decision creates reconciliation work.

Buildots: What kind of projects suit it?

Repetitive vertical work with heavy interior fit-out. Civil, groundworks and external envelope are poorly covered.

Clearstory: What happens on sites without signal?

Tags are captured on the device and synchronised later. Test that path with photographs attached before relying on it.

Buildots: Who does the site walks?

Your own site team, typically once or twice a week. There is no Buildots operator on site.

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