HI vs. HomeGauge, Spectora & Palm-Tech
HI is an independently developed, cloud-native home inspection platform — built on the same engine already running real inspections for AltusPath's RV product. Here's a sourced, side-by-side look at how it compares.
HI is a cloud-native SaaS platform from AltusPath for home inspectors and home inspection businesses. It runs on the same inspection, collaboration, and reporting engine already used in production for AltusPath's RV inspection product, configured with home-inspection templates and workflow — not a first-version tool guessing at what inspectors need. HI imports HomeGauge (.ht5) templates directly, generates polished PDF reports, and sends the inspection agreement (contract) and invoice from the same platform — owners collect payment online, with no separate tools required.
- Category: Cloud-native SaaS, home inspection software
- Built for: Professional home inspectors, independent inspection businesses, and multi-inspector teams
- Independent: Developed by AltusPath, not affiliated with the Spectora/HomeGauge group
- Includes natively: Field inspection capture, the Template Overlay & Recipe System, direct HomeGauge import, real-time multi-inspector collaboration, PDF report generation, contracts, invoicing, and online payments
Feature & Platform Comparison
Compiled from each vendor's own public site. See sources and verification date below the table.
| Capability | HI | HomeGauge | Spectora | Palm-Tech |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership / independence | Independently developed by AltusPath | Acquired by Spectora, April 2025; operates independently | Acquired HomeGauge, April 2025 | Independent, 25+ years in home inspection software |
| Platform architecture | Cloud-native: real-time sync across phone, tablet, and desktop | Desktop Report Writer + mobile Companion app ("collect in the field, edit on desktop") | Web-based + mobile report writer | Report writer + mobile app (Palm-Tech Plus), AI-assisted writing |
| Direct HomeGauge (.ht5) import | Yes — categories, checklist items, and comment libraries import automatically | Native format | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Template customization | Template Overlay & Recipe System: stackable additions, version control, locking, saved one-click recipes | Custom templates & comment libraries (user-built; no described versioning/branching) | Downloadable, modifiable templates (no described versioning/branching) | Customizable checklist templates: logos, categories, ratings, sections |
| Real-time multi-inspector collaboration | Yes — multiple inspectors on one report simultaneously, with an activity log | Not advertised | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Contracts / inspection agreements | Built in — sent from the same platform | Yes — online agreements | Yes — part of back-office tools | Yes — part of business management features |
| Invoicing & online payments | Built in — invoice and collect payment from the same platform | Yes — online payments included | Yes — "Financial Solutions" included | Yes — payment collection included |
| Billing model | $49/mo unlimited, or Pay Per Inspection: $10/mo + $25/inspection, capped at $79/mo total | $89/month flat (30-day free trial) | $109/month or $1,090/year flat (+$99/mo per additional inspector) | $50/user/month or $500/user/year flat |
HomeGauge, Spectora, and Palm-Tech all charge a flat monthly rate regardless of how many inspections you run. HI's Pay Per Inspection plan ($10/mo + $25/inspection) is cheaper than all three at one inspection a month — about $35, versus $50 (Palm-Tech), $89 (HomeGauge), or $109 (Spectora). From 2 inspections a month, HI's Monthly plan at $49 is the better fit and still undercuts all three, including Palm-Tech's flat $50/month. Pay Per Inspection alone tops out at $79/month, which is still below HomeGauge and Spectora but above Palm-Tech. Full breakdown with sources: pricing.html.
Sources (verified 2026-09-21): HomeGauge pricing, HomeGauge product page, Spectora pricing, Palm-Tech pricing, Palm-Tech features, Spectora/HomeGauge acquisition announcement. Competitor pricing and features change over time and may have been updated since this page was last verified — always confirm current details directly with the vendor.
Every claim about HomeGauge, Spectora, and Palm-Tech above is drawn directly from that company's own public website, not from secondary listicles. Where we couldn't confirm a capability from the vendor's own site, we marked it "Not advertised" rather than asserting it doesn't exist. HI's Pay Per Inspection plan costs more than Palm-Tech's flat $50 once you run 2 or more inspections a month, and we say so plainly; at that volume the $49 Monthly plan is the better fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HI the same company as HomeGauge or Spectora?
No. HI is developed independently by AltusPath. Spectora acquired HomeGauge in April 2025, so those two are now under common ownership even though they continue to operate as separate branded products; HI is not part of that group.
Does HI run on the same platform as RVi?
Yes. HI runs on the same inspection, collaboration, and reporting engine already used in production for AltusPath's RV inspection product (RVi), configured with home-inspection templates and workflow. It's not a first-version product — it's a proven engine already handling real inspections, pointed at a new vertical.
Can I import my existing HomeGauge template into HI?
Yes. HI imports HomeGauge .ht5 files directly, including categories, checklist items, and comment libraries, so switching doesn't mean rebuilding years of template work from scratch.
How does HI's pricing compare to HomeGauge, Spectora, and Palm-Tech?
HomeGauge ($89/month), Spectora ($109/month), and Palm-Tech ($50/user/month) all charge a flat rate regardless of volume. HI offers Pay Per Inspection at $10/month plus $25/inspection, which beats all three at low volume (around $35 for a single inspection in a month), and from 2 inspections a month HI's unlimited Monthly plan is $49/month, less than HomeGauge, Spectora, or Palm-Tech at any volume. Pay Per Inspection itself never costs more than its $79/month cap. See the full pricing table above.
Is HI cloud-based or desktop software?
HI is cloud-native: data is written to the cloud in real time from any phone, tablet, or desktop. This differs from HomeGauge's Desktop Report Writer, where inspections are collected in the field and then edited on a desktop application.
Are HomeGauge and Spectora the same company?
Spectora acquired HomeGauge in April 2025, but as of this writing the two continue to operate as separate, independently branded products with their own software and pricing.
See the Template Overlay & Recipe System for yourself
Import your existing HomeGauge template and run your next inspection on HI.