BuildingReports vs ZenFire
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
BuildingReports
Mobile inspection reporting and compliance software for fire, life-safety and security systems
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Best team size
- 5-500
- Free trial
- None listed
ZenFire
Fire inspection software from ZenTrades with NFPA forms, recurring inspections, scheduling and invoicing
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Best team size
- 3-100
- Free trial
- 14 days
What actually separates them
Only the points where our data on BuildingReports and ZenFire differs. A feature or integration missing from one tool's list means our entry does not record it, not that the tool lacks it. Everything they share is further down.
- → Trades served: ZenFire serves Plumbing, Electrical, Restoration. The other tool's entry does not list them.
- → Free trial: ZenFire offers a 14-day free trial. Our data records no free trial for BuildingReports.
- → Integrations listed for one tool only: BuildingReports: salesforce, hubspot, microsoft dynamics, servicetrade; ZenFire: quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, stripe, stax.
- → Features listed for one tool only: BuildingReports: barcode scanning, regulatory compliance, customer portal; ZenFire: recurring scheduling, deficiency tracking, estimates quotes.
Quick verdict
BuildingReports: Fire, life-safety and security inspection companies, facility managers and fire officials that want consistent, device-level inspection reports for commercial and industrial buildings.
ZenFire: Fire protection contractors, from solo inspectors to multi-company groups, that want NFPA forms, recurring inspections, scheduling and invoicing in one system and want to trial it before buying.
Decision matrix: which one is right for you?
Pick BuildingReports if…
- → Your situation matches BuildingReports's target profile: Fire, life-safety and security inspection companies, facility managers and fire officials that want consistent, device-level inspection reports for commercial and industrial buildings
- → You want a longer track record: BuildingReports was founded in 2000, ZenFire in 2015
Pick ZenFire if…
- → Your situation matches ZenFire's target profile: Fire protection contractors, from solo inspectors to multi-company groups, that want NFPA forms, recurring inspections, scheduling and invoicing in one system and want to trial it before buying
- → You want to try before buying: ZenFire offers a 14-day free trial; our data records none for BuildingReports
- → QuickBooks matters: ZenFire lists a QuickBooks integration (QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop); our entry for BuildingReports lists none
- → You serve several trades: ZenFire serves 5 trades in our data, against 2 for BuildingReports
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | BuildingReports | ZenFire |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Custom quote: quote | 1-10 technicians: quote |
| Tier 2 | - | 11-25 technicians: quote |
| Tier 3 | - | 26+ technicians: quote |
| Tier 4 | - | Multi-company / PE: quote |
Neither BuildingReports nor ZenFire publishes a price, so both need a quote before you can compare them. Request quotes for the same team size and feature set, and get what is included (users, integrations, onboarding) in writing.
Pros & cons
BuildingReports
- + Founded in 2000
- − No published pricing
- − The product pages focus on inspection reporting, scheduling and compliance rather than quoting and invoicing
- − QuickBooks is listed as coming soon, not live
- − No QuickBooks integration in our data (ZenFire lists one)
- − No free trial in our data (ZenFire offers 14 days)
ZenFire
- + 14-day free trial
- + QuickBooks integration listed (QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop)
- + Stripe integration listed
- + Serves 5 trades in our data
- + Founded in 2015
- − No published prices (quotes depend on technician and office user counts and the modules you add)
- − ZenTrades serves many trades, so check the depth of the fire forms you rely on
- − Offline use is not described on its feature pages
- − No published price: you need a quote
Feature comparison
Features as listed in our entries. The lists use different words for similar features, so check a feature you need on both vendors' sites.
Listed for BuildingReports only
- + barcode scanning
- + regulatory compliance
- + customer portal
- + asset management
Listed for both
- ✓ inspection checklists
- ✓ compliance tracking
- ✓ mobile app
- ✓ scheduling
- ✓ dispatching
- ✓ reporting
Listed for ZenFire only
- + recurring scheduling
- + deficiency tracking
- + estimates quotes
- + invoicing
- + payment processing
- + inventory
- + job costing
- + photo documentation
- + gps tracking
Integrations
Listed for BuildingReports only
- + salesforce
- + hubspot
- + microsoft dynamics
- + servicetrade
- + irol
Listed for both
- ✓ the compliance engine
Listed for ZenFire only
- + quickbooks online
- + quickbooks desktop
- + stripe
- + stax
- + gravity
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | BuildingReports fit | ZenFire fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 7 / 10 | 7 / 10 | Tie |
| Fire Protection & Life Safety | 10 / 10 | 10 / 10 | Tie |
Vertical-fit scores (1-10) rate how well each tool is built for the trade, checked against the trades the vendor's own pages say it serves. See methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, BuildingReports or ZenFire?
It depends on your trade, team size and budget. BuildingReports is best for fire, life-safety and security inspection companies, facility managers and fire officials that want consistent, device-level inspection reports for commercial and industrial buildings. ZenFire is best for fire protection contractors, from solo inspectors to multi-company groups, that want NFPA forms, recurring inspections, scheduling and invoicing in one system and want to trial it before buying. See the decision matrix above, and the trade-by-trade fit table if you work in one trade.
Is BuildingReports cheaper than ZenFire?
Neither publishes a price. Request quotes from both for the same team size and features.
Can BuildingReports and ZenFire integrate with QuickBooks?
Our entry for BuildingReports lists no QuickBooks integration. ZenFire lists QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. Check which way each sync runs, and on which plans, in each tool's full review before you buy.
Do BuildingReports or ZenFire offer a free trial?
BuildingReports: no free trial in our data. ZenFire: a 14-day free trial.
Can I move from BuildingReports to ZenFire (or the other way)?
Our data does not record migration support for either tool. Ask both vendors which records they import and export (customers, jobs, invoices, recurring agreements, price books), in which file format, and whether they help with the import.
BuildingReports vs ZenFire: which has better customer support?
Our data does not record support channels or response times for either tool. Ask each vendor which support comes with the plan you would buy. Each full review links to G2 and Capterra, where you can read current user reviews.
Which suits a solo contractor, and which a growing team?
Our data puts BuildingReports's best team size at 5-500 and ZenFire's at 3-100. BuildingReports's entry price is no published price (quote only); ZenFire's is no published price (quote only). Price both at the team size you expect to have, not only today's.
Need a deeper look?
See our full reviews with each tool's pricing tiers, integrations and weaknesses.
Should your product be in this comparison?
We check BuildingReports and ZenFire against their own websites and list the cons next to the pros. If you build a competing product that is not listed here, you can submit it for editorial review. An evaluation can end with or without a listing.
Listings are free. We do not accept payment for inclusion, for placement, for a score, or to remove a documented con. Read this page first and decide whether you want that.