Inspector Studio vs HomeGauge
Inspector Studio
vs
8.8
5.6
HomeGauge
HomeGauge has been in the market since 2001, making it one of the oldest inspection software platforms, and it has been a Spectora company since April 2025. Inspector Studio is one of the newest. We compare the cloud-based all-in-one approach against the Windows desktop report writer.
Quick Stats
Inspector Studio
Overall Score
8.8/10
Starting Price
$119/mo
Founded
2023
Free Trial
Yes
Best For
Multi-inspector firms and solo inspectors wanting the most complete platform
HomeGauge
Overall Score
5.6/10
Starting Price
$89/mo
Founded
2001
Free Trial
30 days
Best For
Long-time users comfortable with a Windows desktop workflow
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Inspector Studio | HomeGauge |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting & Templates | ||
| Custom Report Templates Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Hierarchical template editor with sections, groups, items, questions, and triggers
|
Full Support
Full Support
Desktop Report Writer with extensive customization
|
| Pre-Built Templates |
Full Support
Full Support
InterNACHI residential master template plus marketplace templates; 7 built-in report types
|
Full Support
Full Support
Extensive template library
|
| Specialty Inspection Forms Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Wind Mitigation (OIR-B1-1802), 4-Point, Roof Certification, WDO (FDACS-13645), NPMA-33, and TREC REI 7-6
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Some specialty templates available
|
| Conditional Logic in Reports Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Operational decisions hide/show sections based on property characteristics; trigger system for conditional content
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Limited conditional options
|
| Multiple PDF Output Modes |
Full Support
Full Support
Full, summary, and checklist PDFs from the same data, plus TREC REI 7-6 output
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
PDF with some format options
|
| Photo Management |
Full Support
Full Support
Gallery system with device uploads, location tagging, batch operations, entity assignment
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Photo annotation in the Companion app; Photo Locker
|
| Report Macros/Batch Actions |
Partial Support
Partial Support
Flows copy answers and photos between reports; bulk-hide of review items; no one-click item-group macros
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Some batch features in desktop writer
|
| Template Import/Migration |
Full Support
Full Support
Importers for Spectora, Hive, Palmtech 9, HomeGauge, and Inspector Toolbelt templates
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Template import available
|
| Video Support in Reports |
Full Support
Full Support
Video upload and embedding in reports
|
Full Support
Full Support
Video and 360° images in reports
|
| Interactive Report Viewer |
Full Support
Full Support
Web-based interactive report viewer for clients
|
Full Support
Full Support
Dashboard viewer for clients
|
| Diagrams & Illustrations |
Partial Support
Partial Support
Org-wide Reference Images library plus photo annotation tools; no stock illustration set
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Sketch tool
|
| Report Comments/Narratives |
Full Support
Full Support
Pre-written comment library plus Lexi AI-generated narratives
|
Full Support
Full Support
Extensive comment library
|
| AI & Automation | ||
| AI Report Writing Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Lexi generates deficiency, limitation, and narrative text from the finding title, location, and report context, with configurable style and creativity
|
Not Available |
| AI Photo Analysis Key |
Partial Support
Partial Support
Uploaded photos are auto-analyzed for descriptions, search tags, detected findings, and equipment dataplates; results are searchable in the gallery but not written into the report
|
Not Available |
| AI Template Building |
Partial Support
Partial Support
AI restructures imported templates with a guided accept/decline review, and AI Assist writes template comments; no assistant for building from scratch
|
Not Available |
| Automated Email Sequences |
Full Support
Full Support
55 pre-built automations with 120 merge tags, configurable triggers, delays, and attachments
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Time Release Messaging for scheduled follow-up emails
|
| Automated SMS Notifications |
Full Support
Full Support
Automated SMS with scheduling to avoid off-hours delivery
|
Not Available |
| Conditional Automation Rules Key |
Full Support
Full Support
65 trigger events with And/Or conditions on service, service category, contact tag, inspection status, and agreement signing
|
Not Available |
| Pre-Built Automations |
Full Support
Full Support
55 pre-built automations ready on day one
|
Not Available |
| Merge Tags |
Full Support
Full Support
120 merge tags for emails, SMS, and agreements
|
Full Support
Full Support
Merge fields
|
| Speech-to-Text |
Full Support
Full Support
Built-in voice capture in the mobile app: dictate a finding and match it to template comments
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Device dictation in the Companion app; voice recordings
|
| Scheduling & Booking | ||
| Online Booking Widget |
Full Support
Full Support
Embeddable booking widget with ATTOM property data enrichment
|
Full Support
Full Support
ScheduleNow embeddable online booking
|
| Drive-Time Aware Scheduling Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Google Maps integration for drive-time calculations
|
Not Available |
| Route Optimization |
Partial Support
Partial Support
Daily route map and drive-time totals in scheduled order; no stop-order optimization
|
Not Available |
| Team Calendar |
Full Support
Full Support
Drag-and-drop team calendar
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Multi-inspector calendars
|
| Conflict Detection |
Full Support
Full Support
Overlap and drive-time conflict warnings at booking and assignment
|
Not Available |
| Configurable Availability |
Full Support
Full Support
Per-inspector working hours and blackouts, holiday hours, inspector-to-location assignment, ZIP coverage area
|
Full Support
Full Support
ScheduleNow time slots and time off
|
| Property Data Enrichment Key |
Full Support
Full Support
ATTOM property data auto-fills sq ft, year built, beds/baths on booking
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
BuildFax property-history reports (pay-per-use)
|
| Drag-and-Drop Scheduling |
Full Support
Full Support
Visual drag-and-drop calendar
|
Not Available |
| Booking Confirmations |
Full Support
Full Support
Automated confirmation email, with 24-hour email and 1-hour SMS reminders
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Basic confirmations
|
| Calendar Sync |
Full Support
Full Support
Two-way Google Calendar sync, subscribe to any iCal feed, and a published iCal schedule feed
|
Full Support
Full Support
Google Calendar sync; Outlook and iCal sharing
|
| Client Experience | ||
| Customer Portal Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Guided portal to schedule, sign, pay, and view reports. No account required, token-based access
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Dashboard viewer for buyers
|
| Agent Portal Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Dedicated agent portal for real estate agents to view inspections and download reports
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Agent dashboard view
|
| No-Account Access |
Full Support
Full Support
Per-person token links in emails, individually revocable; optional one-time-code sign-in
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Clients normally log in with a HomeGauge account; a no-login link is available
|
| Digital Signature Capture |
Full Support
Full Support
Drawn or typed signatures plus required initials on agreements
|
Full Support
Full Support
E-signature on online agreements
|
| Payment Gating |
Full Support
Full Support
Require payment before releasing inspection reports
|
Full Support
Full Support
Require payment before documents can be viewed
|
| Post-Inspection Surveys |
Full Support
Full Support
Automated post-inspection survey system
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Customer ratings and website rating widget
|
| Repair Request Lists |
Full Support
Full Support
Repair Planner: clients and agents pick deficiencies, add credits, notes, and photos, then share a link or PDF
|
Full Support
Full Support
Create Request List (CRL) — flagship feature
|
| Mobile-Friendly Reports |
Full Support
Full Support
Fully responsive report viewer
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Somewhat mobile-friendly
|
| Communication | ||
| Unified Inbox Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Threads: unified email, SMS, and website-widget messages with departments, priorities, canned responses, tags, automated replies, and audit log
|
Not Available |
| Live Chat Widget |
Partial Support
Partial Support
Embeddable Website Widget sends visitor messages into Threads; no real-time chat
|
Not Available |
| Canned Responses |
Full Support
Full Support
Pre-written responses within Threads
|
Not Available |
| Department Routing |
Full Support
Full Support
Route messages to departments or team members
|
Not Available |
| VOIP/Call Integration Key |
Partial Support
Partial Support
Call Sync screen-pop shows the caller's CRM record and history on ring; no telephony integration; enabled on request
|
Not Available |
| SMS Messaging |
Full Support
Full Support
Send and receive SMS within Threads
|
Not Available |
| Email Integration |
Full Support
Full Support
Email within Threads unified inbox
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Basic email
|
| Auto-Responders |
Full Support
Full Support
Thread-triggered automated replies with editable content
|
Not Available |
| Communication History |
Full Support
Full Support
Complete audit trail of all communications per client
|
Not Available |
| Business Operations | ||
| Payroll Module Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Web and mobile time clock, 5-level pay split hierarchy (percentage, flat, hourly), configurable time rounding, mileage reimbursement, override approvals, CSV export (no disbursement)
|
Not Available |
| Multi-Location Support Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Per-location branding on reports, invoices, and emails, timezone, and inspector assignment; per-location pricing and tax apply to online bookings only
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Some multi-user features
|
| Time Clock |
Full Support
Full Support
Web and mobile time clock; mobile punches need a connection
|
Not Available |
| Mileage Tracking |
Full Support
Full Support
Daily mileage derived from scheduled routes with reimbursement calculation; no GPS trace
|
Not Available |
| Team Management |
Full Support
Full Support
Inspector profiles, assignments, permissions, location assignment
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Basic team features
|
| Custom Analytics Dashboard Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Configurable Insights dashboard with number, bar, line, area, pie, table, and gauge panels
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Basic dashboard
|
| Revenue Reports |
Full Support
Full Support
Insights panels over invoices and payments by period, method, service, agent, and inspector, plus margins; no A/R aging report
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Business Insights revenue reports
|
| Canadian Support |
Partial Support
Partial Support
Per-location CAD display, GST/PST-style dual tax labels, and Canadian postal codes; card charges are processed in USD only
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
HomeGauge Payments is US-only
|
| Pricing & Payments | ||
| Stripe Integration |
Full Support
Full Support
Full Stripe payment processing
|
Not Available
Not Available
Card payments run through HomeGauge Payments (US only), not Stripe
|
| Square Integration |
Full Support
Full Support
Square online card payments and refunds
|
Not Available |
| PayPal Integration |
Full Support
Full Support
PayPal payment processing
|
Not Available |
| ACH/Bank Transfer |
Not Available
Not Available
No ACH; card payments only, with Zelle recorded manually
|
Not Available |
| Pay-at-Close | Not Available | Not Available |
| Dynamic Pricing Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Per-unit, threshold, range, and match modifiers on property fields and distance, with ZIP coverage areas
|
Not Available |
| Service Bundling |
Full Support
Full Support
Combo services at package prices, add-ons, and automatic cheaper-combo suggestion at booking
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Service groups and discount line items
|
| Tax Configuration |
Partial Support
Partial Support
Org-wide sales tax rate with per-service taxable flag; per-location tax rates apply to online bookings only
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Basic tax
|
| Invoicing |
Full Support
Full Support
Professional invoice generation
|
Full Support
Full Support
Invoicing with tax rate and refunds
|
| QuickBooks Integration |
Full Support
Full Support
QuickBooks Online: one-way push of customers, invoices, and payments
|
Unknown
Unknown
No vendor documentation found
|
| FreshBooks Integration | Not Available | Not Available |
| Xero Integration | Not Available | Not Available |
| Contracts & Agreements | ||
| Digital Contracts |
Full Support
Full Support
Rich-text contracts with merge tags
|
Full Support
Full Support
Online agreements
|
| E-Signature Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Drawn or typed signature with required initials; remote or in-person signing
|
Full Support
Full Support
E-signature on online agreements
|
| Contract Templates |
Full Support
Full Support
Reusable templates with 99 merge tags and Spectora placeholder compatibility
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Basic templates
|
| Auto-Attach to Services |
Full Support
Full Support
Automatically attach relevant contracts to booked services
|
Not Available |
| Multi-Party Signing |
Partial Support
Partial Support
One client signature per agreement; no second signer
|
Not Available |
| Marketing & Reputation | ||
| Google Review Management Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Pulse: Google Business integration with review sync and replies, automated requests, sentiment check-in, AI-drafted responses, outreach tracking
|
Not Available |
| Automated Review Requests |
Full Support
Full Support
Automated review requests on report publish, with reminders
|
Not Available |
| Sentiment-Based Routing |
Partial Support
Partial Support
Sentiment question sends unhappy clients to a private survey and alerts staff; public review links are always shown (no gating)
|
Not Available |
| AI Review Responses |
Full Support
Full Support
AI-drafted replies with tone settings; a person approves before posting to Google
|
Not Available |
| SEO-Ready Website |
Partial Support
Partial Support
Hosted landing page on a platform subdomain, plus a paid website design and hosting service
|
Full Support
Full Support
Website service from $69/mo plus setup fee
|
| Email Marketing Integration |
Full Support
Full Support
Mailchimp: customers sync one-way to an audience
|
Not Available |
| Referral Tracking |
Full Support
Full Support
Referral source on every booking, tracking links with click and booking counts, Insights by source, agent, and agency
|
Not Available |
| Integrations & Platform | ||
| Zapier Integration |
Partial Support
Partial Support
No listed Zapier app; signed outbound webhooks for inspection events can feed a Zapier catch hook
|
Unknown
Unknown
No vendor documentation found
|
| Open API |
Not Available
Not Available
No public API; signed outbound webhooks only
|
Not Available |
| Mobile App (iOS) |
Full Support
Full Support
iOS app with offline report writing and photo sync
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Companion app for field data collection; reports are finished in the desktop writer
|
| Mobile App (Android) |
Full Support
Full Support
Android app with offline report writing and photo sync
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Companion app for field data collection; reports are finished in the desktop writer
|
| Offline Capability Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Reports, specialty forms, photos, and notes work offline and sync on reconnect; signing, time clock, and publishing need a connection
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Desktop writer and Companion app both work offline
|
| Cloud-Based Platform |
Full Support
Full Support
Fully cloud-based, accessible from any device
|
Partial Support
Partial Support
Cloud dashboard and report delivery only; the cloud Web Writer was retired in September 2025
|
| Desktop Application |
Not Available
Not Available
Web-based, no desktop app
|
Full Support
Full Support
Desktop Report Writer — core product (Windows only)
|
| ISN Integration | Not Available |
Full Support
Full Support
ISN appointment sync
|
| Permit Research Integration Key |
Full Support
Full Support
Permit Hunt: built-in permit research, with auto-search on booking once a Permit Hunt account is connected
|
Not Available |
Pricing Comparison
Inspector Studio
Pay As You Go
Contact for pricing
- All features included
- No monthly commitment
- Pay only when you inspect
- Best for part-time inspectors
Solo
Popular
$119/mo
$1,190/mo billed annually
- All features included
- Unlimited inspections
- 1 inspector
Teams
$218/mo
$2,180/mo billed annually
- All features included
- Unlimited inspections
- 2 team members included
- $59/additional team member
HomeGauge
HomeGauge
$89/mo
- Desktop Report Writer (Windows)
- Companion app for iOS and Android
- ScheduleNow online booking
- CRL feature
- 30-day free trial
The Verdict
Our Verdict
Inspector Studio offers a cloud-based platform with AI writing, automation, a unified inbox, and business tools that HomeGauge does not have. HomeGauge's strengths are its long history, extensive template library, Create Request List, and a desktop writer that works fully offline. Its cloud Web Writer was retired in September 2025, the desktop writer is Windows only, and the mobile app handles field collection rather than full report writing. For inspectors who are not committed to a Windows desktop workflow, Inspector Studio is the more complete option.