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Construction · head to head

Siteline vs Topcon MAGNET

Siteline logo

Siteline

Construction

Pay application and billing workflow built only for speciality subcontractors

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Topcon MAGNET logo

Topcon MAGNET

Construction

Field, office and cloud software for surveying and civil construction, built around Topcon instruments

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Siteline it serves subcontractors only, so a general contractor evaluating it is looking at the wrong side of the transaction entirely.; Topcon MAGNET mAGNET is built around Topcon and Sokkia hardware, so a firm running mixed instrument brands will not get the field workflows it expects and is better served by manufacturer-independent field software.
  • They diverge on capability: Siteline covers Pay application generation, Topcon MAGNET covers MAGNET Field.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Siteline and Topcon MAGNET actually diverge.

Attributes where Siteline and Topcon MAGNET differ
AttributeSitelineTopcon MAGNET
PlatformsWebWindows, Android, Web

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 Siteline

  • Pay application generation
  • Lien waiver management
  • Compliance document tracking
  • Billing status visibility
  • Accounting system integration
  • Accounts receivable reporting

Only in Topcon MAGNET

  • MAGNET Field
  • MAGNET Office
  • MAGNET Enterprise
  • Machine control model preparation
  • Mass haul and earthwork
  • Point layout and stakeout
  • Live field to office link
  • Standard format exchange

What people use each for

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

Siteline

  • A trade contractor whose billing team rebuilds the same pay application in four different general contractor formats each monthnot Topcon MAGNET
  • A subcontractor losing a billing cycle to rejected applications over missing lien waiversnot Topcon MAGNET
  • A finance director trying to forecast collections across dozens of general contractors and retention balancesnot Topcon MAGNET
  • A growing subcontractor whose billing process depends entirely on one person and a spreadsheetnot Topcon MAGNET

Topcon MAGNET

  • A civil contractor running Topcon grade control that needs design models prepared and pushed to machines from one environmentnot Siteline
  • A survey crew doing construction layout with Topcon total stations and wanting field data to reach the office without a memory cardnot Siteline
  • An earthworks estimator producing takeoff quantities and mass haul plans from engineering drawingsnot Siteline
  • A firm standardising on one manufacturer end to end to reduce the number of software packages its crews have to learnnot Siteline

Where each one falls short

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

Siteline

  • It serves subcontractors only, so a general contractor evaluating it is looking at the wrong side of the transaction entirely.
  • It does not do job costing, project management or payroll, so it is an addition to your systems rather than a consolidation of them.
  • Value depends on a clean integration to your construction accounting system, and contractors with heavily customised or elderly installations should confirm the connection before signing.
  • General contractor portals and billing formats change without warning, and although the vendor absorbs that maintenance you still feel it as occasional friction in a month-end window with no slack.
  • The billing team has to adopt it fully in the first month-end or they revert to spreadsheets under deadline pressure, which makes the implementation timing more delicate than the software suggests.

Topcon MAGNET

  • MAGNET is built around Topcon and Sokkia hardware, so a firm running mixed instrument brands will not get the field workflows it expects and is better served by manufacturer-independent field software.
  • Topcon does not publish a rate card and sells through dealers, so two customers can pay materially different prices for the same licences depending on region and negotiation.
  • Cloud connectivity through MAGNET Enterprise is commonly bundled for the first year and then charged, which surprises firms that budgeted only for the licence.
  • Office capability is spread across modules and disciplines rather than sold as one product, so getting from data collection to machine control model preparation can require more than one purchase.
  • The office desktop software is Windows only and the wider line has been reorganised more than once, so buyers should confirm which specific product name their dealer is quoting and how long it will be supported.

Pricing, plan by plan

Siteline

On request
  • Siteline$undefined/year
    • Pay application workflow
    • Lien waiver and compliance tracking
    • Accounting system integration

Topcon MAGNET

On request
  • MAGNET Field$undefined/year
    • Data collector licence
    • Sold through Topcon dealers
    • Annual service plan renewals available
  • MAGNET Office$undefined/year
    • Desktop licence with modules by discipline
    • Includes cloud connectivity for a first year
    • Renewal quoted separately
  • MAGNET Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Cloud project storage and field to office exchange
    • Subscription renewed annually
    • Bundled initially with Office licences

Which should you pick?

Choose Siteline if

  • You need pay application generation.
  • You also want lien waiver management.
Siteline review

Choose Topcon MAGNET if

  • You need magnet field.
  • You work on Windows, Android, Web.
  • You also want magnet office.
Topcon MAGNET review

Questions people ask

Is Siteline or Topcon MAGNET better?
Neither clearly leads. Siteline starts at On request and Topcon MAGNET at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Siteline or Topcon MAGNET?
Siteline starts at On request and Topcon MAGNET at On request.
Does Siteline or Topcon MAGNET run on more platforms?
Siteline runs on Web. Topcon MAGNET runs on Windows, Android, Web.
What is Siteline best used for?
Siteline is most often used for a trade contractor whose billing team rebuilds the same pay application in four different general contractor formats each month, a subcontractor losing a billing cycle to rejected applications over missing lien waivers, a finance director trying to forecast collections across dozens of general contractors and retention balances, a growing subcontractor whose billing process depends entirely on one person and a spreadsheet. Of those, a trade contractor whose billing team rebuilds the same pay application in four different general contractor formats each month and a subcontractor losing a billing cycle to rejected applications over missing lien waivers are not what Topcon MAGNET is typically brought in for.
What can Siteline do that Topcon MAGNET cannot?
Siteline covers Pay application generation, Lien waiver management, Compliance document tracking, Billing status visibility. Topcon MAGNET covers MAGNET Field, MAGNET Office, MAGNET Enterprise, Machine control model preparation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Siteline: Does it replace our accounting system?

No. It reads from Sage 300 CRE, Vista, Foundation and similar systems and handles the billing workflow those systems handle poorly.

Topcon MAGNET: Does MAGNET work with Trimble or Leica instruments?

Not as a practical daily workflow. It exchanges standard file formats but the field software is designed for Topcon and Sokkia hardware.

Siteline: What should we measure in a trial?

Days sales outstanding and the number of rejected or delayed pay applications. The case is about cash timing, not headcount.

Topcon MAGNET: Is pricing published?

No. MAGNET is sold through Topcon dealers with quotes varying by region and configuration.

Siteline: Is it useful for general contractors?

No. It is built for the party submitting pay applications, not the party receiving them.

Topcon MAGNET: Is the cloud service included?

Typically for a first year with a licence, then renewable as a paid subscription.

Topcon MAGNET: Can I get my data out at project closeout?

Yes, through LandXML, DXF and standard survey exchange formats, though field-specific configuration does not transfer to a competitor.

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