Softwr

Construction · head to head

Clearstory vs Kahua

Clearstory logo

Clearstory

Construction

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

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: 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.; Kahua no standard pricing tiers published; all pricing is custom and quote-based
  • They diverge on capability: Clearstory covers Digital time and materials tags, Kahua covers Project management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clearstory and Kahua actually diverge.

Attributes where Clearstory and Kahua differ
AttributeClearstoryKahua
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 Clearstory

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

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.

Clearstory

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

Kahua

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

Where each one falls short

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

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.

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

Clearstory

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

Kahua

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

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Kahua if

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

Questions people ask

Is Clearstory or Kahua better?
Neither clearly leads. Clearstory 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, Clearstory or Kahua?
Clearstory starts at On request and Kahua at $400/month.
Does Clearstory or Kahua run on more platforms?
Clearstory runs on Web, iOS, Android. Kahua runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Clearstory best used for?
Clearstory is most often used for a speciality subcontractor that regularly performs extra work and struggles to get tags signed, a general contractor tired of receiving a stack of disputed tags at project closeout, a project team that needs the value of pending extras visible during the job rather than after it, a contractor standardising change documentation across trades on a large project. Of those, a speciality subcontractor that regularly performs extra work and struggles to get tags signed and a general contractor tired of receiving a stack of disputed tags at project closeout are not what Kahua is typically brought in for.
What can Clearstory do that Kahua cannot?
Clearstory covers Digital time and materials tags, Review and signature routing, Change order log, Cost exposure reporting. Kahua covers Project management, Document control, Collaboration, Issue tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

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
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.

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
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.

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
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