Comparison

TestBal vs Building Start

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Field reporting for testing and balancing
  • Offline data synchronization
  • Include photos in reports
  • Customizable report sheets
  • Automatic calculations
  • Quick lists for repetitive entries
Features
Read 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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read 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

TestBal4 screens
Building Start4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TestBal ships an update every 5 weeks, Building Start monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
TestBal versus Building Start: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTestBalBuilding Start
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2 ratings) — better3.4 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings28 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSikora Data Technology, Inc.Building Start

Customer experience

TestBal

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Building Start

All ratings8 ratings
Positive62.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative37.5%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

TestBal

No in-app purchases

None

Building Start

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TestBal free?
TestBal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Building Start free?
Building Start is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TestBal or Building Start?
TestBal is rated higher. TestBal averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Building Start averages 3.4 from 8 ratings.
Do TestBal or Building Start have ads?
Neither TestBal nor Building Start shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TestBal or Building Start?
TestBal ships an update every 5 weeks, and Building Start monthly. Most recently, TestBal was updated on October 13, 2026 and Building Start on September 24, 2026.

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