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Construction · head to head

Adaptive vs Topcon MAGNET

Adaptive logo

Adaptive

Construction

AI-assisted project accounting, job costing and payments for construction contractors

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: Adaptive revenue-band pricing means a company with high turnover and thin margins, such as a materials-heavy trade, pays as if it were far more profitable than it is, and there is no seat-count lever to bring the cost down.; 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: Adaptive covers AI invoice capture, Topcon MAGNET covers MAGNET Field.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Adaptive and Topcon MAGNET differ
AttributeAdaptiveTopcon 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 Adaptive

  • AI invoice capture
  • Job costing
  • Approval routing
  • Lien waiver collection
  • Outbound payments
  • Owner billing
  • WIP reporting
  • Accounting sync

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.

Adaptive

  • A specialty contractor drowning in vendor invoices that need coding to cost codes, where the bookkeeper is the bottleneck on closing the monthnot Topcon MAGNET
  • A general contractor with dozens of project managers who all need to approve costs, and for whom per-seat construction ERP pricing is the reason field approval never got rolled outnot Topcon MAGNET
  • A company that has outgrown QuickBooks for job costing but is not ready to spend a year implementing Sage 300 or Viewpointnot Topcon MAGNET
  • A contractor whose lender or bonding agent wants a monthly WIP schedule that reconciles to the ledger without a two-day spreadsheet exercisenot Topcon MAGNET

Topcon MAGNET

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

Where each one falls short

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

Adaptive

  • Revenue-band pricing means a company with high turnover and thin margins, such as a materials-heavy trade, pays as if it were far more profitable than it is, and there is no seat-count lever to bring the cost down.
  • Back charge handling is a recurring complaint; contractors that routinely back charge subcontractors find the workflow does not model it cleanly and end up tracking it outside the system.
  • Budget structures are rigid relative to a full construction ERP, so companies that need to restructure cost codes mid-project or run multiple budget versions hit walls.
  • The QuickBooks sync has documented gaps, and because Adaptive sits alongside rather than replaces the ledger, any sync failure produces two sets of numbers that someone has to reconcile by hand.
  • It is a young company on a month-to-month contract with a Series A behind it, which cuts both ways: easy to leave, but the buyer carries the risk that a core accounting dependency changes ownership or direction.

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

Adaptive

On request
  • Adaptive$undefined/month
    • Priced by annual revenue band and workflow scope
    • Unlimited users included
    • Month-to-month billing

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 Adaptive if

  • You need ai invoice capture.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want job costing.
Adaptive 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 Adaptive or Topcon MAGNET better?
Neither clearly leads. Adaptive 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, Adaptive or Topcon MAGNET?
Adaptive starts at On request and Topcon MAGNET at On request.
Does Adaptive or Topcon MAGNET run on more platforms?
Adaptive runs on Web, iOS, Android. Topcon MAGNET runs on Windows, Android, Web.
What is Adaptive best used for?
Adaptive is most often used for a specialty contractor drowning in vendor invoices that need coding to cost codes, where the bookkeeper is the bottleneck on closing the month, a general contractor with dozens of project managers who all need to approve costs, and for whom per-seat construction erp pricing is the reason field approval never got rolled out, a company that has outgrown quickbooks for job costing but is not ready to spend a year implementing sage 300 or viewpoint, a contractor whose lender or bonding agent wants a monthly wip schedule that reconciles to the ledger without a two-day spreadsheet exercise. Of those, a specialty contractor drowning in vendor invoices that need coding to cost codes, where the bookkeeper is the bottleneck on closing the month and a general contractor with dozens of project managers who all need to approve costs, and for whom per-seat construction erp pricing is the reason field approval never got rolled out are not what Topcon MAGNET is typically brought in for.
What can Adaptive do that Topcon MAGNET cannot?
Adaptive covers AI invoice capture, Job costing, Approval routing, Lien waiver collection. Topcon MAGNET covers MAGNET Field, MAGNET Office, MAGNET Enterprise, Machine control model preparation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Adaptive: How is Adaptive priced?

By annual revenue band and the scope of workflows automated, billed monthly, with unlimited users. Adaptive does not publish a rate card; third-party listings have quoted entry points in the several hundred to one thousand dollars a month range, but the figure is negotiated.

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.

Adaptive: Does it replace QuickBooks or Sage?

No. It sits on top of your general ledger and syncs to it. You keep the accounting system you have.

Topcon MAGNET: Is pricing published?

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

Adaptive: Is it a full construction ERP?

No. There is no payroll, equipment costing or inventory. It targets accounts payable, job costing, billing and payments.

Topcon MAGNET: Is the cloud service included?

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

Adaptive: Who is it aimed at?

Construction companies roughly between $5m and $1bn in annual revenue, both general and specialty contractors.

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.

Adaptive: What happens to our data if we leave?

Adaptive syncs to your ledger, so the accounting record persists there. Extract documents and approval history before cancelling; month-to-month terms mean access ends quickly.

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