Softwr

Construction · head to head

Buildots vs Navisworks

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
Navisworks logo

Navisworks

Construction

Project review software for construction professionals

From
$145/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.; Navisworks sold in two named editions, Navisworks Simulate and Navisworks Manage, each licensed for install on up to 3 computers per subscription (Internet Archive capture, 7 January 2023)
  • They diverge on capability: Buildots covers Hard hat 360 capture, Navisworks covers Clash detection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buildots and Navisworks actually diverge.

Attributes where Buildots and Navisworks differ
AttributeBuildotsNavisworks
Starting priceOn request$145/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWindows
FoundedUnknown1982

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Navisworks

  • Clash detection
  • 4D scheduling
  • Model aggregation
  • Quantification
  • Visualization
  • Revit
  • AutoCAD
  • BIM 360

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

Navisworks

  • Clash detectionnot Buildots
  • Construction sequencingnot Buildots
  • Project coordinationnot Buildots
  • Cost analysisnot 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.

Navisworks

  • Sold in two named editions, Navisworks Simulate and Navisworks Manage, each licensed for install on up to 3 computers per subscription (Internet Archive capture, 7 January 2023)

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

Navisworks

$145/month
  • Navisworks Manage$145/month
    • Clash detection
    • 4D simulation
    • Model aggregation
  • Navisworks Simulate$100/month
    • 4D simulation
    • Model aggregation
    • Rendering

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 Navisworks if

  • You need clash detection.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want 4d scheduling.
Navisworks review

Questions people ask

Is Buildots or Navisworks better?
Neither clearly leads. Buildots starts at On request and Navisworks at $145/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buildots or Navisworks?
Buildots starts at On request and Navisworks at $145/month.
Does Buildots or Navisworks run on more platforms?
Buildots runs on Web, iOS, Android. Navisworks runs on Windows.
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 Navisworks is typically brought in for.
What can Buildots do that Navisworks cannot?
Buildots covers Hard hat 360 capture, Model to as-built comparison, Per activity progress scoring, Programme deviation alerts. Navisworks covers Clash detection, 4D scheduling, Model aggregation, Quantification.

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.

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.

Buildots: What kind of projects suit it?

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

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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