Softwr

Construction · head to head

Buildots vs Kahua

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
Kahua logo

Kahua

Construction

Cloud platform for construction and capital projects

From
$400/month
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.; Kahua no standard pricing tiers published; all pricing is custom and quote-based
  • They diverge on capability: Buildots covers Hard hat 360 capture, Kahua covers Project management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buildots and Kahua actually diverge.

Attributes where Buildots and Kahua differ
AttributeBuildotsKahua
Starting priceOn request$400/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
FoundedUnknown2007

Identical on both: 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 Kahua

  • Project management
  • Document control
  • Collaboration
  • Issue tracking
  • Reporting
  • Microsoft 365
  • Slack
  • Box

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

Kahua

  • Acting as the system of record for a capital construction program across the asset lifecyclenot Buildots
  • Public agencies and program managers tracking portfolios of projectsnot Buildots
  • General contractors standardising project delivery and cost control across active projectsnot Buildots
  • Specialty contractors managing crews, work orders and project financialsnot 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.

Kahua

  • No standard pricing tiers published; all pricing is custom and quote-based
  • Pricing varies by organization type, program or construction scale, selected package, and deployment environment
  • Implementation costs for data migration, integrations, training, and configuration scoped separately and included in quote

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

Kahua

$400/month
  • Professional$400/month
    • Project management
    • Document control
    • Collaboration
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Advanced analytics
    • Custom workflows
    • API access

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 Kahua if

  • You need project management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want document control.
Kahua review

Questions people ask

Is Buildots or Kahua better?
Neither clearly leads. Buildots starts at On request and Kahua at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buildots or Kahua?
Buildots starts at On request and Kahua at $400/month.
Does Buildots or Kahua run on more platforms?
Buildots runs on Web, iOS, Android. Kahua runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 Kahua is typically brought in for.
What can Buildots do that Kahua cannot?
Buildots covers Hard hat 360 capture, Model to as-built comparison, Per activity progress scoring, Programme deviation alerts. Kahua covers Project management, Document control, Collaboration, Issue tracking.

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.

Kahua: How much does Kahua cost?

Kahua does not publish standard pricing. Costs vary by organization type (Owners/Program Managers, General Contractors, Specialty Contractors), program scale, selected package, deployment environment, and implementation requirements. Customers must request pricing quotes.

Source
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.

Kahua: What package options does Kahua offer?

Kahua offers three main package categories: Owners and Program Managers, General Contractors, and Specialty Contractors. Additional specialty apps and suites including capital planning, analytics, asset management, and safety can extend the base solution.

Source
Buildots: What kind of projects suit it?

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

Kahua: Are implementation and integration costs included in Kahua pricing?

Implementation details including data migration, integrations, training, and configuration are scoped based on requirements and clearly identified in the custom quote provided.

Source
Buildots: Who does the site walks?

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

Share

Related pages

More on Buildots

More on Kahua

Keep looking

Other head to heads