Comparison

BE vs Datawatch DirectConnect

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

Head to head
About

BE

Manage property maintenance, work orders, inspections, and incidents directly from your mobile device. Attach photos and access all your data, even when offline.

Highlights
  • Work order management
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Inspections
  • Incident tracking
  • Photo attachments
  • Offline access
Features
Read full description

BE Mobile provides key property management features in the palm of your hand! Manage work orders, preventive maintenance tasks, inspections, incidents and much more. Attach photos to any record and view associated files on your iPhone. Work offline with access to all of your data.

About

Datawatch DirectConnect

This app provides a virtual key for access control, enabling touchless entry, mobile access, and area density management. It allows for secure and convenient access to buildings, elevators, and amenity facilities using your mobile device.

Highlights
  • Touchless access for elevators and doors
  • Mobile swipe to open doors
  • Area density control and space usage data
  • Amenity facility access
  • Location-based access permissions
  • Dynamic elevator map
  • QR code scanning for access
Features
Read full description

DirectConnect from Datawatch is virtual key to access control system app built on the cutting-edge mobile and cloud technologies. Cutting-edge features including touchless capabilities, mobile access, frictionless access, area density control, amenity access, location-based services, dynamic elevators map and scanning ability for virtual readers. Touchless Access Revolutionize your workplace to call the elevators or open doors by using your personal buttons. Mobile Access Swipe to open non-BLE doors. Frictionless Access Anti-tailgating for secured elevator floors by pressing your personal elevator button shown on your mobile device. Area Density Control See real time space usage data and the customized role-based restrictions of space such as amenity facilities, parking garages, etc. Amenity Access Allow temporary access to amenity facilities. Location-based Service One registered credential, many buildings. The access permission is enabled by location service for easy use and security enhancement. Dynamic Elevators Map Display the elevator’s map dynamically based on your device orientation. Scanning Ability Supports the most cost effective QR solution for access control. DirectConnect is free to download and is self-registered. It also can be administered by your card/key administrator via the Datawatch DirectAccess web portal. Please download to get started.

Screenshots

BE4 screens
Datawatch DirectConnect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: BE at 2.3 against Datawatch DirectConnect's 1.8. BE also leads on review sentiment (21% vs 0%) and ratings volume (135 vs 10). Datawatch DirectConnect's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

BE holds the better App Store score, 2.3 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BE has 135 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 21% of BE's written reviews are positive against 0% of Datawatch DirectConnect's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BE ships an update every 2 months, Datawatch DirectConnect every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
BE versus Datawatch DirectConnect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBEDatawatch DirectConnect
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.3 (135 ratings) — better1.8 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews21.3% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings135 — better10
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBuilding EnginesDatawatch Systems

Customer experience

BE

All ratings135 ratings
Positive27.4%
Neutral7.4%
Negative65.2%
Written reviews47 reviews
Positive21.3%
Neutral4.3%
Negative74.5%

Datawatch DirectConnect

All ratings10 ratings
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

BE

Reported bugs

19 issues
  • Have to log out/in multiple times or reinstall to gain access
  • Work orders don't always load
  • Only able to upload one photo at a time
  • Everything gets stuck pending
  • App fails, all data lost
Show 14 more
  • Update screwed up app operation
  • Tech support never responds
  • App won't let you log in
  • App doesn't communicate with network
  • Entries do not link between app and desktop
  • Acknowledgement pending issues never resolved
  • New update changed 'work order by Building' to 'work order by location'
  • New version is slower and not user friendly
  • No access to PMs for weeks
  • Stuck on 'synchronization'
  • Work order creation from phone never appears in system
  • Timer starts when work order begins but pauses upon completion
  • Comment box moves off screen when typing
  • App crashes when typing comments

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add resource management
  • Add day view and approve/deny for resource management
  • Disable notifications when staff is off the clock
  • Edit frequency for PMs
  • Allow scheduling
Show 1 more
  • Swipe to go back gesture

Datawatch DirectConnect

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

BE

No in-app purchases

None

Datawatch DirectConnect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BE free?
BE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Datawatch DirectConnect free?
Datawatch DirectConnect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BE or Datawatch DirectConnect?
BE is rated higher. BE averages 2.3 out of 5 from 135 ratings, while Datawatch DirectConnect averages 1.8 from 10 ratings.
Do BE or Datawatch DirectConnect have ads?
Neither BE nor Datawatch DirectConnect shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BE or Datawatch DirectConnect?
BE ships an update every 2 months, and Datawatch DirectConnect every 5 months. Most recently, BE was updated on October 6, 2026 and Datawatch DirectConnect on October 1, 2026.

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