Field Service · head to head
BigChange vs Percepto
BigChange
Field Service
UK job management with vehicle tracking built in, acquired by Simpro Group in 2024
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Percepto
Field Service
Drone-in-a-box inspection with the AIM software that runs the missions and reads the results
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: BigChange simpro Group bought BigChange in October 2024 and also owns Simpro, AroFlo and ClockShark, so a UK buyer comparing BigChange with Simpro is choosing between two products whose roadmaps are set by the same owner.; Percepto aIM is built for Percepto aircraft and base stations, so buying the software is buying the fleet, and a site that already owns DJI or other drones cannot bring them into it.
- They diverge on capability: BigChange covers Built-in vehicle tracking, Percepto covers Drone-in-a-box base station.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which BigChange and Percepto actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Field Service).
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 BigChange
- Built-in vehicle tracking
- Job scheduling
- Mobile worker app
- Financial workflow
- Customer portal
- Digital forms builder
- Stock and equipment
- Driver compliance
Only in Percepto
- Drone-in-a-box base station
- Autonomous scheduled missions
- AIM mission management
- Optical gas imaging payload
- Thermal and visual inspection
- Change detection
- Alarm-triggered response
- Georeferenced asset history
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
BigChange
- A UK facilities maintenance contractor with sixty vans that wants engineer location and job progress on one screen instead of a tracking portal and a scheduling toolnot Percepto
- A plant hire business that needs delivery, collection and service jobs planned against actual vehicle positions and driver hoursnot Percepto
- A commercial HVAC firm producing statutory service certificates on site and invoicing the same day from the job recordnot Percepto
- A waste and drainage operator that must evidence daily vehicle checks and driver behaviour to satisfy an insurer or an operator licencenot Percepto
Percepto
- A refinery replacing manual methane leak detection rounds with scheduled optical gas imaging flightsnot BigChange
- A remote mine site that cannot economically station inspection crews and needs weekly stockpile and infrastructure surveysnot BigChange
- A utility substation network needing thermal inspection of switchgear on a fixed cycle with an auditable recordnot BigChange
- A port or tailings facility that wants an automatic aerial response when an alarm fires at three in the morningnot BigChange
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
BigChange
- Simpro Group bought BigChange in October 2024 and also owns Simpro, AroFlo and ClockShark, so a UK buyer comparing BigChange with Simpro is choosing between two products whose roadmaps are set by the same owner.
- The telematics is bundled rather than optional, so businesses that do not run a van fleet, or that are locked into an existing tracking contract, pay for capability they cannot use or duplicate.
- Nothing is priced publicly and the vehicle hardware brings an equipment element into the contract, so total cost depends on van count as well as user count and cannot be estimated before a sales call.
- Contracts have historically been multi-year with hardware attached, which makes leaving mid-term expensive and reduces your leverage at renewal.
- The product is built around UK operating practice, accounting packages and compliance documents, so it is a weak fit for North America and needs configuration work in mainland Europe.
Percepto
- AIM is built for Percepto aircraft and base stations, so buying the software is buying the fleet, and a site that already owns DJI or other drones cannot bring them into it.
- Everything depends on beyond-visual-line-of-sight regulatory approval, which is strong in the United States and patchy elsewhere, so a European or Asian site may face a materially different operating envelope for the same money.
- Pricing is a per-site annual programme covering hardware, software and support, with no published rates, so comparing it against hiring an inspection contractor requires a full proposal.
- The base station is fixed infrastructure requiring power, connectivity and a site survey, which means a linear asset such as a pipeline needs several installations rather than one system.
- Weather, wind limits and airspace restrictions still ground flights, so the inspection schedule an operator plans around is a best case, and manual fallback procedures still have to exist.
Pricing, plan by plan
BigChange
On request- BigChange JobWatch$undefined/month
- CRM, quoting and invoicing
- Scheduling and dispatch
- Mobile worker app with custom forms
Percepto
On request- Percepto AIM programme$undefined/year
- Base station and aircraft
- AIM software subscription
- Site survey, installation and regulatory support
Which should you pick?
Choose BigChange if
- You need built-in vehicle tracking.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want job scheduling.
Choose Percepto if
- You need drone-in-a-box base station.
- You also want autonomous scheduled missions.
Questions people ask
- Is BigChange or Percepto better?
- Neither clearly leads. BigChange starts at On request and Percepto at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, BigChange or Percepto?
- BigChange starts at On request and Percepto at On request.
- Does BigChange or Percepto run on more platforms?
- BigChange runs on Web, iOS, Android. Percepto runs on Web.
- What is BigChange best used for?
- BigChange is most often used for a uk facilities maintenance contractor with sixty vans that wants engineer location and job progress on one screen instead of a tracking portal and a scheduling tool, a plant hire business that needs delivery, collection and service jobs planned against actual vehicle positions and driver hours, a commercial hvac firm producing statutory service certificates on site and invoicing the same day from the job record, a waste and drainage operator that must evidence daily vehicle checks and driver behaviour to satisfy an insurer or an operator licence. Of those, a uk facilities maintenance contractor with sixty vans that wants engineer location and job progress on one screen instead of a tracking portal and a scheduling tool and a plant hire business that needs delivery, collection and service jobs planned against actual vehicle positions and driver hours are not what Percepto is typically brought in for.
- What can BigChange do that Percepto cannot?
- BigChange covers Built-in vehicle tracking, Job scheduling, Mobile worker app, Financial workflow. Percepto covers Drone-in-a-box base station, Autonomous scheduled missions, AIM mission management, Optical gas imaging payload.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
BigChange: Who owns BigChange?
Simpro Group, which acquired it from Great Hill Partners in October 2024. Simpro is backed by K1 Investment Management and also owns Simpro, AroFlo and ClockShark.
Percepto: Can I use Percepto AIM with drones I already own?
No. The system is designed around Percepto's own aircraft and base station.
BigChange: Is the vehicle tracking a separate purchase?
No. Telematics hardware and data are part of the BigChange subscription, which is the main reason it is chosen over job management tools that integrate a third-party tracker.
Percepto: Do I need a pilot on site?
Not in jurisdictions where beyond-visual-line-of-sight operation is approved. Confirm the approval position for your country before committing.
BigChange: Does BigChange publish pricing?
No. Pricing is quoted after a demo and depends on user numbers, vehicle numbers and contract length.
Percepto: What does it cost?
Percepto does not publish pricing. Expect an annual per-site programme covering hardware, the AIM subscription and support.
BigChange: Is it usable outside the UK?
It is sold mainly in the UK and Ireland with some European deployment. Accounting integrations and compliance content assume UK practice.
Percepto: Can it detect gas leaks?
Yes, with an optical gas imaging payload, which is one of the main reasons oil and gas operators buy it.
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