TestBal vs Building Start
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TestBal
This app allows users to create and manage testing and balancing reports directly on their mobile devices. It supports offline data synchronization, photo inclusion, and customizable report fields for efficient field work.
- Field reporting for testing and balancing
- Offline data synchronization
- Include photos in reports
- Customizable report sheets
- Automatic calculations
- Quick lists for repetitive entries
Read full descriptionHide full description
Take your Testing & Balancing or Commissioning reports into the field with you on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. TestBal is an easy to use app that lets you set up sheets and record readings. TestBal will store your data and let you easily synchronize it with web server so that you can keep working even if you don't have cell phone coverage or WiFi access. Our web based Report Manager will let you edit, print and email your reports. For additional test sheets and a customized set up, contact us at support@sikoradatatech.com Features: ● Automatic calculations. ● Include photos in reports. ● Quick lists for repetitive entries. You can create and add a list to fields on your iPhone. ● Customize sheets on the fly. Report fields are not fixed. You can add a field to the sheets whenever required, or you can hide fields that do not apply to the job you are on. ● Duct traverse hole distances are calculated with normal, log or a fixed number of holes methods. ● Additional sheets available. Deficiencies, General Notes, Checklists, etc.
Building Start
This platform digitizes field testing for construction and engineering projects. It allows for centralized test plan creation and offline execution on field devices, synchronizing data back to the cloud upon completion.
- Centralized test plan authoring
- Push test plans to field devices
- Offline field testing capabilities
- Data synchronization to cloud
- Digital capture of construction projects
- Support for TAB, Building Startup, Commissioning, Energy Audits
Read full descriptionHide full description
Building Start is a field services platform used in construction and engineering to perform centralized test plan authoring and management and push the test plan from the cloud to field devices to perform on-site field testing digitally. Once a field technician has been assigned a project, they can receive the project on their field device and perform the test plan and responses offline and synchronize them back into the cloud when they complete their work for the day. Building Start is widely used in the construction industry with over 30,000 construction projects digitally captured in such efforts as Test, Adjust & Balance (TAB), Building Startup, Building Commissioning (LEED, Green Building,etc) and Energy Audits.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: TestBal at 100% against Building Start's 50%. TestBal also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Building Start's advantage is ratings volume (8 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
TestBal holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of TestBal's written reviews are positive against 50% of Building Start's.
TestBal ships an update every 5 weeks, Building Start monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TestBal | Building Start |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better | 3.4 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 8 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 11 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sikora Data Technology, Inc. | Building Start |
Customer experience
TestBal
Building Start
In-app purchases
TestBal
No in-app purchases
Building Start
No in-app purchases






