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Construction · head to head

eSUB vs Propeller Aero

eSUB logo

eSUB

Construction

Cloud-based mobile construction management platform

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Propeller Aero logo

Propeller Aero

Construction

Drone survey processing and earthworks volume measurement for sites that measure stockpiles weekly

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: eSUB limited to commercial subcontractors; not suitable for general contractors or non-construction industries; Propeller Aero platform pricing is not published and is scoped by sites and users, so a contractor with many short-lived sites can be quoted very differently from one with a few long ones, and neither can benchmark against a list price
  • They diverge on capability: eSUB covers Mobile task management, Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which eSUB and Propeller Aero actually diverge.

Attributes where eSUB and Propeller Aero differ
AttributeeSUBPropeller Aero
Starting price$49/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionHardware purchase plus a quoted platform subscription
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2010Unknown

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 eSUB

  • Mobile task management
  • Timesheet tracking
  • Photo documentation
  • Job costing
  • Field notes
  • QuickBooks
  • Sage
  • Procore

Only in Propeller Aero

  • Photogrammetric processing
  • AeroPoints ground control
  • Volume measurement
  • Design surface comparison
  • Progress timeline
  • Machine telemetry
  • Corrections network

What people use each for

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

eSUB

  • Project management for commercial construction subcontractorsnot Propeller Aero
  • Daily reports, RFIs, submittals and change orders from the fieldnot Propeller Aero
  • Crew time capture on mobile devicesnot Propeller Aero
  • Labour, job cost, equipment and material reportingnot Propeller Aero
  • Centralised drawing and document managementnot Propeller Aero

Propeller Aero

  • A quarry that reconciles stockpile inventory monthly for its accounts and wants the volume evidence to survive an auditnot eSUB
  • An earthworks contractor claiming progress payments on cubic metres moved who needs an independent measurement the client will acceptnot eSUB
  • A civil site checking whether a subgrade is within tolerance of the design before the surfacing crew arrivesnot eSUB
  • A mine that wants weekly volume reporting without a survey crew on the ground every weeknot eSUB

Where each one falls short

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

eSUB

  • Limited to commercial subcontractors; not suitable for general contractors or non-construction industries
  • Custom pricing with no transparent public pricing makes budget planning difficult for prospective customers
  • Narrow candidate list with only one direct competitor (Procore) in the space
  • May have smaller feature set compared to enterprise construction platforms

Propeller Aero

  • Platform pricing is not published and is scoped by sites and users, so a contractor with many short-lived sites can be quoted very differently from one with a few long ones, and neither can benchmark against a list price
  • The corrections network is free only while you hold a current platform licence, so cancelling the platform subscription reintroduces a 1,000 dollar per year per group hardware cost that many buyers do not model
  • AeroPoints are a hardware purchase at 1,000 dollars each and most sites need several, so the true entry cost includes several thousand dollars of equipment on top of a subscription
  • It measures rather than designs, so a contractor still needs Civil 3D, Trimble Business Center or an equivalent to produce and revise the design surfaces the measurement is compared against
  • Accuracy depends on flight planning, ground control placement and weather, and a poorly flown survey produces a confident wrong volume, so an organisation still needs someone who understands survey error rather than only a drone pilot

Pricing, plan by plan

eSUB

$49/month
  • Starter$49/month
    • Mobile task management
    • Timesheet tracking
    • Document management
  • Professional$99/month
    • Advanced scheduling
    • Accounting integration
    • Custom workflows

Propeller Aero

On request
  • AeroPoint ground control unit$1000/one-time
    • Single solar-powered GNSS ground control marker
    • Includes 12 months of the Propeller Corrections Network
    • Network renewal 1,000 USD per year per AeroPoint group
  • Propeller Platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted by number of sites, users and survey volume
    • Not published
    • Processing turnaround and support level vary by agreement

Which should you pick?

Choose eSUB if

  • You need mobile task management.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want timesheet tracking.

Choose Propeller Aero if

  • You need photogrammetric processing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want aeropoints ground control.

Questions people ask

Is eSUB or Propeller Aero better?
Neither clearly leads. eSUB starts at $49/month and Propeller Aero at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, eSUB or Propeller Aero?
eSUB starts at $49/month and Propeller Aero at On request.
Does eSUB or Propeller Aero run on more platforms?
eSUB runs on iOS, Android, Web. Propeller Aero runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is eSUB best used for?
eSUB is most often used for project management for commercial construction subcontractors, daily reports, rfis, submittals and change orders from the field, crew time capture on mobile devices, labour, job cost, equipment and material reporting. Of those, project management for commercial construction subcontractors and daily reports, rfis, submittals and change orders from the field are not what Propeller Aero is typically brought in for.
What can eSUB do that Propeller Aero cannot?
eSUB covers Mobile task management, Timesheet tracking, Photo documentation, Job costing. Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing, AeroPoints ground control, Volume measurement, Design surface comparison.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

eSUB: What is eSUB designed for and who is the primary user?

eSUB is a mobile-first construction management platform built exclusively for commercial subcontractors. It connects the field to the office through mobile apps and web interfaces for creating, tracking, and managing documents and daily activities.

Source
Propeller Aero: How much does Propeller cost?

The platform is quoted and not published. AeroPoints are 1,000 US dollars each, with the corrections network included for twelve months and thereafter free while a platform licence is current, otherwise 1,000 dollars a year per group.

eSUB: What key features does eSUB Cloud include?

eSUB includes submittals, change orders, RFIs, daily reports, mobile app functionality, email integration, field notes, time cards, project management, document management, time tracking, and job costing capabilities.

Source
Propeller Aero: Do I need AeroPoints?

No, you can use conventional surveyed ground control, but the AeroPoints workflow is the main reason contractors choose Propeller over generic photogrammetry.

eSUB: Does eSUB offer a free trial?

Yes. eSUB offers a 14-day free trial as well as customized demos. The demo includes a 45-minute guided walkthrough in a staged demo project.

Source
Propeller Aero: Is it survey grade?

Propeller states centimetre-level accuracy with correct ground control. Whether that satisfies a contract depends on your specification and on how the survey was flown, not on the software alone.

eSUB: How does eSUB pricing work?

eSUB Cloud pricing depends on user count and modules required; quotes are provided on a customized basis. No implementation fees apply for standard scopes, and no per-job charges are assessed. Updates are included in the subscription.

Source
Propeller Aero: Who owns the data?

You retain your survey data and can export surfaces and point clouds, but check the export formats and retention terms in your contract before closeout, because bulk historical export is not a self-service one-click operation.

eSUB: What platforms does eSUB support?

eSUB offers mobile apps for both iOS and Android, as well as a web interface. The platform is designed mobile-first with field-focused functionality.

Source
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