Comparison

Hive Inspection Software vs PermitTrace

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

Head to head
About

Hive Inspection Software

Streamline your home inspection business with a comprehensive app for report writing, scheduling, and payments. Utilize AI-powered comment drafting and photo markup to create professional reports quickly. Manage your entire business workflow, from client booking to team schedules, all in one place.

Highlights
  • AI-powered report drafting
  • Photo and video markup
  • Offline report writing
  • Online booking and e-signatures
  • Automated client communication
  • Team scheduling
  • Property details from Zillow
Read full description

Hive Inspect is complete home inspection software and business tools in one app. Write the report on your phone, see your whole schedule in one place, get paid, and let AI draft your comments. WRITE REPORTS FASTER • Smart Add: take photos or video, type or dictate a quick note, and Hive turns it into a finding in the right section. It finds the closest comment in your own library, or drafts a new one with Hive Comment Assist. • Check every AI draft before it goes in the report. Edit the observation and recommendation in your own words. • Mark up photos with boxes, arrows and labels. • Templates with sections for information, limitations and defects. • Works offline in crawlspaces, attics and rural areas. Hive syncs when you're back online. REPORTS CLIENTS CAN READ • A clear online report plus PDF, with marked-up photos and recommendations. • Translate reports into Spanish. RUN YOUR BUSINESS • Calendar with day, week and month views. • Online booking, agreements with e-signature, and payments. • Automated emails and texts to clients and agents. • Property details filled in from Zillow when you add an inspection. • Teams: see every inspector's schedule. HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT • Chat with the Hive team right from the app. Start with a free trial, then choose a plan at hiveinspect.com. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

PermitTrace

Research recorded property work history across the United States by address. Review permit status, scope, and contractors, and get estimated ages for major home systems. Save and share findings, or scan equipment data plates for more details.

Highlights
  • Search US permit history by address
  • Review permit status and scope
  • Estimate home system ages
  • Scan equipment data plates
  • Save and share property findings
  • View aerial property context
Read full description

Permit searches, made simple. Enter a U.S. property address and explore available building-permit history in one clear, easy-to-read profile. PermitTrace helps home inspectors, buyers, homeowners, real estate professionals, and contractors find records without digging through separate municipality databases. FROM ADDRESS TO ANSWERS • Find an address with autocomplete and search its available permit history. • Review permit numbers, work descriptions, statuses, and dates, plus contractor and valuation details when available. • See estimated roof, HVAC, and water-heater ages based on completed permit records. • View aerial property context, save properties, revisit previous searches, and share findings. • Report a missing permit or incorrect result directly from the app. START WITH A FREE ACCOUNT Use PermitTrace Pitch for live surface slope and angle readings, then save annotated photos to your camera roll. Browse the manual Equipment Library for HVAC and water-heater age references. Neither tool requires a Pro subscription. The welcome screen clearly explains what is free and what is included with Pro. MORE WITH PRO Scan HVAC and water-heater data plates to help determine manufacture dates, or preview room updates from a photo. Photo Equipment Decoder and Room Visualizer require Pro. HVAC Size Estimator — Beta testing gives Pro members a rough estimate of a home’s cooling need. Enter an address for county climate references or choose a climate manually, then answer guided home questions. Review the assumptions and scenario details. This unvalidated screening tool is not a Manual J load calculation or an equipment recommendation. A qualified HVAC professional should complete a full load calculation and confirm equipment sizing. CHOOSE HOW YOU SEARCH Use pay-as-you-go credits or PermitTrace Pro. In the U.S., one report credit is $1.99. Pro is $24.99 per month and includes 50 successful permit searches, 50 equipment photo readings, and 10 room visualizations. Active Pro members can purchase an additional search for $0.99 after using their included allowance. Purchased credits do not expire. Zero-result and repeat unlocked-address searches do not use a credit. See the app for local pricing. Keep your searches organized whether you are checking one home or researching properties throughout the workday. Business users can share an organization's Pro allowance through individual employee accounts. An account is required for live searches and the free tools. Explore the sample profile before signing in. Pro renews automatically unless canceled and can be managed in your Apple subscription settings. IMPORTANT COVERAGE INFORMATION PermitTrace searches available records nationwide, but not every municipality maintains an online database. Coverage and historical depth vary; results may be incomplete. Address spelling differences can also affect results. A no-record result does not prove that no permits exist. Verify important findings with the issuing authority. System ages are estimates based on recorded completed permits, not guarantees of installation date or condition. Equipment dates and room visualizations should be independently confirmed. PermitTrace is an independent research service, not a government agency. Privacy: https://www.getpermittrace.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Hive Inspection Software4 screens
PermitTrace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hive Inspection Software at none against PermitTrace's 2. Hive Inspection Software also leads on ratings volume (32 vs 3). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. PermitTrace sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. Hive Inspection Software asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Hive Inspection Software against 5.0 for PermitTrace. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hive Inspection Software has 32 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hive Inspection Software ships an update every 2 days, PermitTrace every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Hive Inspection Software versus PermitTrace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHive Inspection SoftwarePermitTrace
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (32 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews96.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings32 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size82 MB8 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperSynapse Mobility IncFlorida Property Group LLC

Customer experience

Hive Inspection Software

All ratings32 ratings
Positive96.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive96.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.3%

PermitTrace

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Hive Inspection Software

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

PermitTrace

Subscriptions1
  • PermitTrace Pro$24.991 Month
One-time1
  • 1 Permit Report Credit$1.99

Questions

Is Hive Inspection Software free?
Hive Inspection Software is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PermitTrace free?
PermitTrace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hive Inspection Software or PermitTrace?
PermitTrace is rated higher. Hive Inspection Software averages 4.9 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while PermitTrace averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Hive Inspection Software or PermitTrace have ads?
Neither Hive Inspection Software nor PermitTrace shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hive Inspection Software or PermitTrace?
Hive Inspection Software ships an update every 2 days, and PermitTrace every 3 days. Most recently, Hive Inspection Software was updated on November 12, 2026 and PermitTrace on October 31, 2026.

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