Hive Inspect vs Home Inspector Pro: Desktop Writer or AI on Phone, Tablet and Web
Home Inspector Pro is a long-running, well-supported report writer: you collect on a phone or tablet, then finish and generate the report in its Windows or Mac desktop program. Hive Inspect finishes the report in the house, with AI that drafts the comment, merges related defects and puts each finding in context. Both are subscriptions now.
- $99/monthHive Inspect, or $999 a year. Every feature and AI tool
- $89/monthHome Inspector Pro, per its pricing page. Annual discounts through sales
Should you choose Hive Inspect or Home Inspector Pro?
Choose Hive Inspect to finish the report in the house: Smart Add matches what you found to your own comments, AI Comment Assist drafts one when nothing fits, AI Comment Merge combines related defects, and the report goes out from your phone or tablet, in English or Spanish, or as a French PDF.
Choose Home Inspector Pro if you want to finish and format reports in an installed Windows or Mac program, call a support line 7 days a week, or translate reports into German, Portuguese or Tagalog. It is also the bigger product: more than 10,000 inspectors by its own count.
The price difference: Home Inspector Pro is $89 a month; Hive Inspect is $99 a month, or $999 a year (about $83 a month). Neither charges per inspection. HIP no longer sells one-time licences.
At a glance
Side by side
| Category | Hive Inspect | Home Inspector Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Hive Inspect: $99/mo or $999/yr, every feature and AI tool included. Extra inspectors $69/mo or $599/yr. New inspectors $39 → $59 → $79, then $99. A ten-report pack is $99. Five free reports, no card. | Home Inspector Pro: $89/mo, one plan; “Annual discounts available” through sales. Multi-inspector firms pay $5 less per inspector after the first five. 30-day free trial, no card. No per-inspection fees on either. |
| How you buy it | Hive Inspect: A subscription, monthly or yearly. | Home Inspector Pro: A subscription. One-time licences ended: since November 30, 2024, HIP issues no new or replacement licences for Desktop v5 and earlier. |
| Where the report gets finished | Hive Inspect: In the house, on the phone or tablet you inspect with, offline if needed (the AI tools need internet). A web app is there if you prefer a desk. | Home Inspector Pro: HIP Mobile collects on site; in HIP’s words, “the HIP Desktop app is used for finalizing and generating full PDF reports.” |
| Platforms | Hive Inspect: iPhone, iPad and Android apps, plus a web app in any browser. Nothing to install on a computer. | Home Inspector Pro: Desktop program for Windows 10+ (64-bit) or Mac, plus iPhone, iPad and Android apps. HIP Office runs in the browser for scheduling, contracts and payments. |
| AI comment writing | Hive Inspect: Smart Add matches what you say or type to your own comments; AI Comment Assist drafts a new one when nothing fits. AI Comment Merge combines related defects. | Home Inspector Pro: Not on its features page or in its release notes as of 5 Oct 2026. HIP Mobile has voice recognition to enter narratives. |
| Other AI | Hive Inspect: Context Layer tells the buyer how common each defect is and how easy it usually is to repair. Edit Templates with AI. | Home Inspector Pro: AI report translation and AI email drafting in HIP Office. |
| Report languages | Hive Inspect: Reports in English and Spanish, PDFs in French. Other languages on request. | Home Inspector Pro: AI translation into English, French, Canadian French, Spanish, German, Portuguese or Tagalog; the report keeps the original language beside the translation, with a disclaimer. |
| Reports and templates | Hive Inspect: Interactive online report and PDF, unlimited photos and video. Texas TREC, NPMA-33 WDI and Florida insurance forms. | Home Inspector Pro: Interactive HTML or PDF. “Dozens” of templates: residential (including TREC 7-6), wind mitigation, 4-point, commercial, mold, radon, septic, pool and more. Video and 360-degree images. |
| Booking, agreements, payments | Hive Inspect: Online booking that offers only open slots, an agreement per service, card, ACH, Affirm and Pay at Close, and a report locked until the client pays and signs. | Home Inspector Pro: HIP Office: online scheduling with fee calculation, contracts per service, online invoices, reports held until paid, automated texts and emails. Cards through Inspection Payments at 2.75% + $0.30. |
| Customer support | Hive Inspect: 7 days a week by chat, screen share, video call or email, answered by the Hive team. A one-on-one onboarding call. | Home Inspector Pro: Phone, email, chat and help desk, 7 days a week: weekdays 5am–9pm PT, weekends 8am–5pm PT. Free training and webinars. |
| Where your inspections live | Hive Inspect: In your Hive account, synced across phone, tablet and web. | Home Inspector Pro: “Stored locally on your computer”; HIP recommends your own on-site and off-site backups. Delivered PDFs are stored in the cloud by HIP Office. |
| Ratings and size | Hive Inspect: 2,500+ inspectors. App Store 4.9 from 32 ratings; Google Play 5.0 from 18. | Home Inspector Pro: “More than 10,000 home inspectors” (its figure). App Store 4.3 from 75; Google Play 4.2 from 205, 10K+ downloads; Capterra 4.5 from 134. |
| Company | Hive Inspect: AI home inspection software, independently owned. | Home Inspector Pro: Home Inspector Pro Software Inc., “a Porch.com, Inc. business” (its privacy policy). Porch also owns ISN and Palmtech. |
Home Inspector Pro facts from its own pricing, features and sample-report pages, help center, privacy policy and payments page, and from its App Store, Google Play and Capterra listings, all checked 5 Oct 2026. Their plans change and ours do too. Sources: pricing · features · syncing HIP Mobile · pre-version 6 licences · report translation · system requirements · App Store · Google Play · Capterra. Out of date? Email support@hiveinspect.com and we'll correct it.
Common ground · Verdict: Tie
Where the two are the same
Both are complete enough to run an inspection business: phone and tablet apps that work offline; interactive web reports and PDFs; Texas TREC and Florida insurance forms; online booking, agreements and payments, with reports held until the client pays; automated texts and emails; no per-inspection fees; free help moving from your old software. Anyone telling you a competitor lacks the basics is selling you something.
How you pay · Verdict: Home Inspector Pro, by $10 a month
One-time licence or subscription? Both are subscriptions now
Home Inspector Pro used to sell permanent desktop licences, and many inspectors still think of it that way. Since November 30, 2024 it has issued no new or replacement licences for Desktop v5 and earlier, and today it sells one plan.
Home Inspector Pro
- $89 a month, with “annual discounts available” through sales.
- Desktop, mobile, HIP Office, AI translation and all future upgrades in the one plan.
- 30-day free trial, no credit card or contract.
Hive Inspect
- $99 a month, or $999 a year (about $83 a month).
- Every feature and AI tool on every plan, with no usage cap.
- Five free reports, no card. New inspectors pay $39, $59, $79, then $99.
On the monthly sticker, Home Inspector Pro is $10 cheaper. Hive’s yearly price is published and works out lower than HIP’s monthly one; HIP’s yearly price is not published.
Extra inspectors, part-timers, payments, and old v5 licences
Extra inspectors: Hive is $69 a month or $599 a year per inspector. HIP does not publish a per-inspector price; its features page says a multi-inspector business pays $5 less per inspector after the first five.
Part-time inspectors: Hive’s ten-report pack is $99 for ten reports, for single-inspector businesses. HIP lists no per-report option.
Card payments: HIP Office takes cards through Inspection Payments at 2.75% plus $0.30 a transaction, with no monthly fee.
Still on a permanent v5 licence? HIP says it gets no new updates apart from urgent security fixes, functionality on future operating systems is not guaranteed, and a lost licence file cannot be replaced. So the choice is no longer licence against subscription, but which subscription.
Where the report gets finished · Verdict: In the house, or at the desk
Can you finish the report in the house?
This is the difference you feel on day one. HIP’s own help center describes a three-step flow: collect on the phone or tablet, finish on the desktop, deliver from HIP Office. Hive was built so the report is finished where you inspect.
Home Inspector Pro (quoted from its help center)
- HIP Mobile lets you “perform inspections and capture photos on the go.”
- “The HIP Desktop app is used for finalizing and generating full PDF reports.”
- The finished report goes back up to HIP Office to share with the client.
- Desktop: Windows 10 or later (64-bit) or Mac.
Hive Inspect
- Write, review and deliver on the phone or tablet you inspect with.
- Works without signal; the AI tools need internet, and the report syncs when you are back online.
- A full report editor in the web browser if you prefer a big screen.
- Nothing to install on a computer, and nothing tied to one machine.
Neither way is wrong. If you like a desk and a large monitor for the final pass, HIP’s desktop is built for it. If you want the report done before you leave the driveway, that is what Hive is for.
Where your inspection files are kept
HIP’s system-requirements article: “Your inspections created in Home Inspector Pro are stored locally on your computer, along with your template, your license, and all customizations.” It strongly recommends an on-site backup such as an external drive plus an automatic off-site backup. Delivered PDFs are stored in the cloud by HIP Office; the editable inspection file is uploaded only if you choose.
In the field, HIP Mobile needs a data connection only to download a template or upload an inspection, per the same article.
On Hive, inspections live in your account and sync across phone, tablet and web, so a lost laptop is not a lost archive.
AI · Verdict: Hive for writing the report; HIP for translation
What does the AI actually do?
Both have AI. They point it at different jobs. HIP uses it to translate the finished report and to draft emails. Hive uses it to write the report itself, and to help the buyer read it.
Home Inspector Pro
- AI report translation into English, French, Canadian French, Spanish, German, Portuguese or Tagalog.
- The translated report keeps the original language beside it, with a disclaimer.
- AI email drafting in HIP Office.
- Voice recognition in HIP Mobile to enter narratives.
Hive Inspect
- Smart Add: say or type what you found and see up to three of your own comments, with a match score.
- AI Comment Assist drafts a new comment, following your company’s writing prompt, when nothing fits.
- AI Comment Merge combines up to three related defects into one comment.
- Context Layer tells the buyer how common each defect is and how easy it usually is to repair.
As of 5 Oct 2026, HIP’s features page and release notes show no AI that writes inspection comments. Inspectors report that Smart Add saves them 25–30 minutes per inspection.
Languages, and how to test the AI yourself
Hive delivers reports in English and Spanish, and PDFs in French; other languages on request. If you need German, Portuguese or Tagalog today, HIP’s translation covers more languages.
HIP notes that its AI translation cannot translate inserted PDF documents, and that a translated report takes longer to generate because it holds both languages.
The fair test takes five minutes: pick a defect you have written a hundred times, pull your own HIP narrative for it, then describe the same defect to Hive and read the two side by side. If Hive’s draft does not read like you, do not buy it.
Reports · Verdict: Tie; HIP lists more specialty templates
What the client receives
Both deliver an interactive web report and a PDF, with photos and video, and both handle the Texas and Florida forms. HIP has been building templates for over 20 years; Hive adds context for the buyer.
Home Inspector Pro
- Interactive HTML or PDF reports.
- “Dozens” of templates: residential (including TREC 7-6), wind mitigation, 4-point, commercial, mold, radon, septic, pool, fire door, accessibility.
- Embedded video and 360-degree images, pop-up glossaries, auto-filled PDF forms.
- A design team for custom covers and report designs.
Hive Inspect
- Interactive online report and PDF, with unlimited photos and video.
- Texas TREC, NPMA-33 WDI and Florida insurance forms.
- Context Layer on each defect, which you can turn off per template or report.
- Repair requests for agents, and an agent portal.
Booking, agreements and payments · Verdict: Tie
Running the business
Both put booking, agreements, payments and automated messages in the same plan as the report writer. On HIP that is HIP Office, in the browser; on Hive it is the same app you write in.
Home Inspector Pro (HIP Office)
- Online scheduling that calculates fees and shows driving distances.
- A contract for each service, signed online by one or two clients.
- Invoices paid online before the inspection; reports held until paid.
- Integrations with ISN, Secure24, HomeBinder, RecallChek and Zapier.
Hive Inspect
- Online booking that only offers open slots.
- A different agreement for each service.
- Card, ACH, Affirm and Pay at Close; the report stays locked until the client pays and signs.
- Automations, an agent portal and repair requests for agents.
Support · Verdict: Home Inspector Pro, if you want a phone line
Who picks up when something breaks
Both answer 7 days a week. HIP is the one to pick if you want to phone: it calls its hours “the most accessible support hours in the industry.” Hive does not offer phone support; a person on the Hive team answers by chat, screen share, video call or email.
Home Inspector Pro
- Phone, email, live chat and help desk.
- Weekdays 5am–9pm PT; weekends 8am–5pm PT.
- Free training and webinars, remote-help sessions, a Facebook user group.
Hive Inspect
- 7 days a week, including Saturday and Sunday.
- Chat, screen share, video call or email, answered by a person on the Hive team.
- A one-on-one onboarding call when you start.
Switching · Verdict: Free both ways
Moving from Home Inspector Pro to Hive
Your HIP templates can come straight in: Hive’s importer reads HIP templates, and contacts come in from a CSV. Our team moves your agreements, services and settings for you, free.
What you do
- Export your HIP templates and a contact CSV.
- Keep HIP running until your Hive templates have been through a real inspection.
- If you are on an old v5 licence, keep your licence file safe: HIP will not replace it.
What we do
- Import your templates and contacts, or check your own import.
- Move agreements, services and settings.
- A one-on-one onboarding call. Setup steps take about 90 minutes.
What moves, and how long it takes
If we move your data, switching is done within about an hour of a mock inspection; doing it yourself takes 2–3 hours. Most inspectors are on a real inspection within a few days.
What can move depends on what your HIP account lets you export. We look at your account first and tell you what moves, what we rebuild and what will look different in Hive.
Going the other way is free too: HIP’s plan includes “free conversion from other report writers.”
Desktop and one payment · Verdict: Home Inspector Pro
When Home Inspector Pro is the better choice
Choose Home Inspector Pro if these matter more to you than finishing the report in the house and AI that writes the comment. It is also $10 a month cheaper on sticker, and far more inspectors use it.
- You want to finish and format reports in an installed Windows or Mac program, with your inspection files on your own computer.
- You want a phone line 7 days a week, 5am to 9pm Pacific on weekdays.
- You need reports translated into German, Portuguese or Tagalog.
- You do a lot of specialty work its templates cover: commercial, mold, radon, septic, pool.
- You want the larger user base: more than 10,000 inspectors by its count, and more app-store and Capterra reviews than Hive.
Those are real advantages, and plenty of good inspectors weigh them first.
Choose Hive Inspect if
- You want the report finished and delivered in the house, not on a desktop afterwards.
- You want AI that matches what you found to your own comments, and drafts in your style when nothing fits.
- You want related defects merged, and market context on every finding for the buyer.
- You want your inspections in an account that syncs across phone, tablet and web, not on one computer.
- You want a published yearly price ($999), a $99 ten-report pack or a ramp for new inspectors.
- You would rather your software company was independently owned.
“When there is an issue it is resolved very quickly because you actually talk to a human rather than an AI bubble… When needed, the Hive team will actually get on a video call with you to help resolve issues.”
Hive Inspect and Home Inspector Pro: common questions
Something else? Ask customer support, 7 days a week, including Saturday and Sunday, by chat, screen share, video call or email.
What is Hive Inspect?
Hive Inspect is AI home inspection software. Its AI matches what you say or type to comments in your own template, and drafts a new one only when nothing fits. One subscription covers scheduling, agreements, payments, automations, CRM and a client and agent portal. It runs on iOS, Android and web, works offline (the AI tools need internet), and costs $99/month or $999/year however many inspections you do, every feature and AI tool included.
What is the main difference between Hive Inspect and Home Inspector Pro?
Where the report gets finished. Home Inspector Pro’s help center says its mobile app is for collecting on site and “the HIP Desktop app is used for finalizing and generating full PDF reports” on Windows or Mac. Hive Inspect finishes and delivers the report on the phone or tablet you inspect with, with AI that matches your own comments, drafts new ones, merges related defects and adds market context for the buyer.
Is Home Inspector Pro still a one-time purchase?
No. As of November 30, 2024, Home Inspector Pro stopped issuing new or replacement licences for Desktop version 5 and earlier. Existing v5 licences still run, but get no new updates apart from urgent security fixes. Today HIP sells one plan at $89 a month, with annual discounts available through its sales team.
How much does Home Inspector Pro cost compared to Hive Inspect?
Home Inspector Pro is $89 a month per its pricing page (checked 5 Oct 2026), with annual discounts through sales, a 30-day free trial and no per-inspection fees. Hive Inspect is $99 a month or $999 a year, with extra inspectors at $69 a month or $599 a year, a $99 ten-report pack, a $39/$59/$79 ramp for new inspectors, five free reports and no per-inspection fees. On the monthly sticker, HIP is $10 cheaper.
Does Home Inspector Pro have AI?
Yes, for translation and email. HIP’s AI report translation turns a report into English, French, Canadian French, Spanish, German, Portuguese or Tagalog, keeping the original language beside it with a disclaimer, and HIP Office can draft emails with AI. As of 5 Oct 2026, its features page and release notes show no AI that writes inspection comments. Hive Inspect’s Smart Add, AI Comment Assist, AI Comment Merge and Context Layer are on every plan with no usage cap.
Can you finish a Home Inspector Pro report on a phone or tablet?
HIP’s own recommended workflow is: create the order in HIP Office, complete the inspection in HIP Mobile, upload it to HIP Desktop “for final edits and adjustments”, then upload the finished report back to HIP Office for the client. Its help center says the desktop app is used for finalizing and generating full PDF reports. On Hive Inspect you finish and deliver on the phone or tablet, with a web app if you prefer a desk.
Does Home Inspector Pro run on a Mac?
Yes. HIP Desktop runs on Windows 10 or later (64-bit) and on Mac, and HIP Mobile runs on iPhone, iPad and Android. Hive Inspect needs no installed desktop program: it runs on iPhone, iPad, Android and in any web browser.
Who owns Home Inspector Pro?
Porch. Home Inspector Pro’s privacy policy (updated January 8, 2026) describes the company as “Home Inspector Pro Software Inc., a Porch.com, Inc. business.” Porch also owns ISN and Palmtech. Hive Inspect is independently owned.
Can I import my Home Inspector Pro templates into Hive Inspect?
Yes. Hive’s importer reads HIP templates directly, and contacts come in from a CSV. Our team moves agreements, services and settings for you at no cost, with a one-on-one onboarding call. Keep HIP running until your Hive templates have been through a real inspection.
Who answers support at Hive Inspect and at Home Inspector Pro?
Home Inspector Pro offers phone, email, live chat and a help desk 7 days a week: weekdays 5am to 9pm Pacific, weekends 8am to 5pm Pacific. Hive Inspect has no phone line; customer support is 7 days a week by chat, screen share, video call or email, and a person on the Hive team answers.
Where is Home Inspector Pro the better choice?
If you want to finish reports in an installed Windows or Mac program with your files on your own computer, if you want a phone line 7 days a week, if you need translation into German, Portuguese or Tagalog, or if you do a lot of commercial, mold, radon, septic or pool work its templates cover. It is also $10 a month cheaper and used by far more inspectors. If finishing the report in the house and AI that writes the comment matter more, Hive Inspect is the better buy.
Last reviewed: 5 Oct 2026. We revisit this page when either product changes. Verify competitor details with them too, since their plans move on their schedule, not ours. Comparing more than two? See the 2026 roundup of 11 tools.
Keep reading
If you are still working out which platform fits, these go deeper on the parts this page only summarises.
- Best home inspection software in 202611 tools side by side, Home Inspector Pro among them, with dated prices.
- Switching to HiveWhat migration involves, and what we move for you at no cost.
- Hive Inspect vs HomeGaugeThe other long-running desktop report writer, compared directly.
- All comparisonsHive Inspect against Spectora, HomeGauge, ISN, Palmtech, and others.
Run five real reports before you decide
Start with 5 free reports, no credit card. We move your templates, agreements, services, contacts and settings, and set up your account so it’s ready to run your business, free.