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Construction · head to head

Sitemark vs Topcon MAGNET

Sitemark logo

Sitemark

Construction

Drone-based progress tracking, quality control and commissioning built specifically for solar farms

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: Sitemark it only does solar, so a mixed renewables portfolio still needs a second platform for wind, storage and substations, and the consolidation argument for buying it collapses.; 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: Sitemark covers Construction progress tracking, Topcon MAGNET covers MAGNET Field.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Sitemark and Topcon MAGNET differ
AttributeSitemarkTopcon MAGNET
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWindows, 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 Sitemark

  • Construction progress tracking
  • As-built versus design comparison
  • Thermographic inspection
  • Defect localisation
  • Commissioning workflows
  • Ticketing and work management
  • Portfolio dashboards
  • Drone and robotics ingestion

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.

Sitemark

  • An EPC contractor on a multi-hundred-megawatt ground-mount plant that must report weekly installed counts to a lender and cannot do it by walking the rowsnot Topcon MAGNET
  • An asset owner accepting a plant at provisional acceptance who needs documented evidence that what was built matches the issued design before signingnot Topcon MAGNET
  • An operations team running annual thermographic inspection across a portfolio, wanting defects mapped to module positions so a technician goes straight to the faultnot Topcon MAGNET
  • A developer comparing defect and underperformance rates across contractors and module suppliers to inform the next procurement roundnot Topcon MAGNET

Topcon MAGNET

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

Where each one falls short

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

Sitemark

  • It only does solar, so a mixed renewables portfolio still needs a second platform for wind, storage and substations, and the consolidation argument for buying it collapses.
  • Pricing is quoted on site count and unpublished variables, which penalises owners of many small distributed assets relative to one operator of a single large plant with the same total capacity.
  • You still need someone to fly the site, and Sitemark does not remove the drone operator cost, permits or airspace constraints; it monetises the data after the flight.
  • Automated progress counting depends on a clean, current design layout, and on projects where the layout changes weekly the comparison generates false deviations that erode trust in the numbers.
  • Thermographic defect detection needs the plant producing at sufficient irradiance, so inspection windows in northern latitudes are narrow and a missed window pushes findings into the next season.

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

Sitemark

On request
  • Sitemark Construction$undefined/year
    • Priced on number of sites and other variables
    • Progress tracking across construction activities
    • As-built versus design quality control
  • Sitemark Operations$undefined/year
    • Thermographic inspection and defect detection
    • Ticketing and work management
    • Portfolio dashboards

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 Sitemark if

  • You need construction progress tracking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want as-built versus design comparison.
Sitemark 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 Sitemark or Topcon MAGNET better?
Neither clearly leads. Sitemark 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, Sitemark or Topcon MAGNET?
Sitemark starts at On request and Topcon MAGNET at On request.
Does Sitemark or Topcon MAGNET run on more platforms?
Sitemark runs on Web, iOS, Android. Topcon MAGNET runs on Windows, Android, Web.
What is Sitemark best used for?
Sitemark is most often used for an epc contractor on a multi-hundred-megawatt ground-mount plant that must report weekly installed counts to a lender and cannot do it by walking the rows, an asset owner accepting a plant at provisional acceptance who needs documented evidence that what was built matches the issued design before signing, an operations team running annual thermographic inspection across a portfolio, wanting defects mapped to module positions so a technician goes straight to the fault, a developer comparing defect and underperformance rates across contractors and module suppliers to inform the next procurement round. Of those, an epc contractor on a multi-hundred-megawatt ground-mount plant that must report weekly installed counts to a lender and cannot do it by walking the rows and an asset owner accepting a plant at provisional acceptance who needs documented evidence that what was built matches the issued design before signing are not what Topcon MAGNET is typically brought in for.
What can Sitemark do that Topcon MAGNET cannot?
Sitemark covers Construction progress tracking, As-built versus design comparison, Thermographic inspection, Defect localisation. Topcon MAGNET covers MAGNET Field, MAGNET Office, MAGNET Enterprise, Machine control model preparation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Sitemark: Is Sitemark priced per megawatt?

No. Sitemark states pricing is based on number of sites and other variables. Ask explicitly how a portfolio of small sites is treated, because per-site pricing is unkind to distributed assets.

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.

Sitemark: Do we have to use Sitemark drone pilots?

No. It accepts data from third-party drone operators, which lets you keep an existing flight contractor.

Topcon MAGNET: Is pricing published?

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

Sitemark: Does it cover anything other than solar?

No. It is built specifically around solar plant structures and defect types.

Topcon MAGNET: Is the cloud service included?

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

Sitemark: Can we export our data?

Yes, orthomosaics, defect lists and reports export. Confirm the format and whether historical inspections remain accessible after a subscription lapses.

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.

Sitemark: Where is the company based?

Leuven, Belgium, with customers across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas.

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