Hover vs Propeller (2026): Pricing, Features & Verdict
Propeller is our pick, scoring 6.8/10 against 6.5/10 for Hover on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria. Its biggest advantage: higher Analytics score (8/10 vs 5/10). Only Hover has a free plan.
Last updated: November 2026
Hover
6.5/10
Hover turns smartphone photos of a building into a measured 3D model. Exterior contractors, builders and insurance adjusters use it to measure, design, estimate and document claims.
Propeller
6.8/10
Propeller is a cloud 3D mapping and survey analytics platform. It turns drone and GNSS data into measurable site models for earthworks, construction, mining and aggregates teams.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 |
| Integration | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Security | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Support | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Customization | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Scalability | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Features | ||
| Digital Twin | ||
| Inspection Automation | ||
| Document Control | Not listed | |
| Drone Inspection | Not listed | |
| Engineering Design | Not listed | |
| GIS and Mapping | Not listed | |
| Inspection Checklists | Not listed | |
| LiDAR Processing | Not listed | |
| Offline Field App | Not listed | |
Who Hover and Propeller suit
| Audience | Hover | Propeller |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 9/10Built for exterior contractors, roofers, siding companies and home builders, who use it to measure, design and estimate. | 9/10Propeller is built around earthworks progress, cut and fill, and design-versus-reality comparison for civil contractors. |
| Field Teams | 7/10Crews capture on a phone, can work in low-signal areas, and get guided photo checklists. | 7/10Foremen and field crews get mobile access, and DirtMate supports grade checks and stakeout. |
| Drone Service Providers | Not rated | 7/10It processes drone imagery and LiDAR, and its AeroPoints make ground control easier for survey pilots. |
| Engineering Firms | Not rated | 6/10It has survey and engineering industry pages and offers preliminary CAD design on terrain. |
| Enterprise | 6/10The Enterprise tier adds multi-org management, full SSO, advanced permissions, custom catalogs and invoicing. | Not rated |
| Financial Services | 6/10Insurance carriers and adjusters use its claim inspections and Xactimate imports, though one reviewer found EagleView stronger for insurance roof work. | Not rated |
| Operations Teams | Not rated | 6/10Quarry and mine managers use it to track stockpile inventory over time. |
| Small Business | 7/10The pay-per-project Starter plan, with three free projects and no subscription, suits low-volume contractors. | Not rated |
| Utilities | 2/10It models individual buildings rather than networks or infrastructure assets. | Not rated |
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Hover
- Has a free plan (Propeller does not)
- Higher Cost score (6/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Customization score (6/10 vs 5/10)
Why choose Propeller
- Higher Analytics score (8/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Security score (7/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
Hover
Pros
- Works from eight or so phone photos, so it can measure tree-covered lots and new construction where aerial imagery struggles.
- Models the whole exterior (roof, walls, windows, doors, trim), which suits siding and painting contractors as well as roofers.
- Starter has no subscription and the first three projects are free, which makes it cheap for low-volume shops to try.
- Every plan includes unlimited users, so larger crews pay no per-seat fees.
- Connects to AccuLynx, JobNimbus, ServiceTitan, Salesforce, Xactimate and supplier pricing from ABC Supply and SRS, and has an OAuth 2.0 API.
- Capterra users rate it highly, 4.8 out of 5, and often praise the 3D visualization during sales visits.
Cons
- Someone has to be at the property to take photos, so it cannot produce measurements before a visit or for storm canvassing.
- Per-project fees continue on Pro and Business, which raises costs for high-volume production shops.
- Contractor ToolStack's review found EagleView stronger for adjuster-driven insurance roof claims, and the Xactimate link works through ESX export.
- Reviewers in early 2026 reported sync lag and changes to takeoff formats during the move to the new connected platform.
- Some users report measurements off by up to 10 percent, or failed models when corner photos are missing.
- No SOC 2 or ISO certifications are publicly listed, and the trust center shows no details.
Propeller
Pros
- Combines drone, LiDAR, GNSS rover and total station data on a single map, regardless of which hardware captured it.
- AeroPoints give survey-grade ground control without the manual surveying normally needed to set control points.
- Strong stockpile, cut and fill, and progress tooling, with a long track record in earthworks and aggregates.
- Integrates with common construction systems such as Procore, Trimble Connect, Autodesk Build and HCSS.
- The trust center shows a SOC 2 Type 2 attestation.
Cons
- No published software pricing, so buyers have to request a quote.
- Hardware such as AeroPoints and DirtMate adds separate costs on top of the software.
- Reviewers find less depth for vertical construction and interior fitout work.
- Some reviewers say the price may seem high to smaller clients.
Not sold on either?
Air Inspection Automation (AiA)Our product
Plans DJI drone inspection missions for power line towers from LiDAR scans: it finds the towers, places photo stops, checks clearance, and splits the route into battery flights.
Made by the team behind b stack radar. Shown here because it fits this topic. It is not part of our rankings. How we rank tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Propeller scores higher on our Industrial & Infrastructure Software criteria: 6.8/10 against 6.5/10 for Hover. The largest gap is in Analytics: 5/10 for Hover and 8/10 for Propeller.
Hover has a free plan; Propeller does not list one.
