Softwr

Construction · head to head

Kahua vs Shortcut

Kahua logo

Kahua

Construction

Cloud platform for construction and capital projects

From
$400/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shortcut logo

Shortcut

Technology

Project management for software teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Shortcut has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Kahua no standard pricing tiers published; all pricing is custom and quote-based; Shortcut limited reporting compared to Jira
  • They diverge on capability: Kahua covers Project management, Shortcut covers Stories & epics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kahua and Shortcut actually diverge.

Attributes where Kahua and Shortcut differ
AttributeKahuaShortcut
Starting price$400/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux
CategoryConstructionTechnology
Founded20072014

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Kahua

  • Project management
  • Document control
  • Collaboration
  • Issue tracking
  • Microsoft 365
  • Box
  • Procore
  • SOC 2 compliance

Only in Shortcut

  • Stories & epics
  • Iterations (sprints)
  • Kanban boards
  • Roadmaps
  • Docs
  • API & webhooks
  • Mobile apps
  • GitHub

Both cover

  • Reporting
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Kahua

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

Shortcut

  • Sprint planningnot Kahua
  • Bug trackingnot Kahua
  • Feature developmentnot Kahua
  • Product roadmappingnot Kahua
  • Team collaborationnot Kahua

Where each one falls short

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

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

Shortcut

  • Limited reporting compared to Jira
  • Designed specifically for software teams, not general project management
  • Can experience slow loading times with very large projects

Pricing, plan by plan

Kahua

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

Shortcut

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Kanban boards
    • Sprints
    • Roadmaps
  • Team$8.5/user/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Advanced reports
    • WIP limits
  • Business$12/user/month
    • Unlimited workspaces
    • OKRs
    • Advanced custom fields
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Volume discounts
    • SSO/SCIM
    • Premier support

Which should you pick?

Choose Kahua if

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

Choose Shortcut if

  • You need stories & epics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want iterations (sprints).
Shortcut review

Questions people ask

Is Kahua or Shortcut better?
Neither clearly leads. Kahua starts at $400/month and Shortcut at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kahua or Shortcut?
Shortcut has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $400/month for Kahua and Free for Shortcut.
Does Kahua or Shortcut run on more platforms?
Kahua runs on Web, Ios, Android. Shortcut runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use Shortcut for free?
Yes. Shortcut has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kahua starts at $400/month.
What is Kahua best used for?
Kahua is most often used for acting as the system of record for a capital construction program across the asset lifecycle, public agencies and program managers tracking portfolios of projects, general contractors standardising project delivery and cost control across active projects, specialty contractors managing crews, work orders and project financials. Of those, acting as the system of record for a capital construction program across the asset lifecycle and public agencies and program managers tracking portfolios of projects are not what Shortcut is typically brought in for.
What can Kahua do that Shortcut cannot?
Kahua covers Project management, Document control, Collaboration, Issue tracking. Shortcut covers Stories & epics, Iterations (sprints), Kanban boards, Roadmaps. Both handle Reporting, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Shortcut: Does Shortcut have a free plan?

Yes, Shortcut offers a free plan for up to 10 users with core features like kanban boards, roadmaps, sprints, and reports. Paid plans start at $8.50 per user per month.

Source
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
Shortcut: Does Shortcut integrate with GitHub?

Yes, Shortcut has native GitHub integration that automatically syncs pull requests and commits to stories, and includes GitLab and Bitbucket support as well.

Source
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
Shortcut: Can I use Shortcut for non-technical projects?

Shortcut is built for software teams, though you can customize workflows for other use cases. Linear and Asana may be better suited for non-technical project management.

Source
Shortcut: Does Shortcut support SSO and SCIM?

Yes, SSO and SCIM support are available on the Enterprise plan, allowing centralized identity management for large organizations.

Source
Shortcut: What's the difference between Shortcut and Jira?

Shortcut is lighter and faster with less setup required, while Jira offers deeper customization and enterprise features. Shortcut works better for modern software teams wanting simplicity; Jira suits enterprises needing extensive configuration.

Source
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