RVi vs. HomeGauge, Spectora & Palm-Tech
RVi is a cloud-native SaaS platform for RV inspectors, with templates and workflow designed around RV inspection categories — not a home-inspection checklist with RV items bolted on. Here's a sourced, side-by-side look at how it compares.
RVi is a cloud-native SaaS platform from AltusPath for RV inspectors and RV inspection businesses, with templates, walk sheets, and report categories designed around RV inspection workflows. Inspectors complete inspections against organization-defined templates in the field; the Template Overlay & Recipe System lets admins stack targeted additions (like Bumper Pull or Airstream) on top of a base template in seconds, with version control, locking, and branching. RVi generates polished PDF reports, and sends the inspection agreement (contract) and invoice from the same platform — owners collect payment online, with no separate tools required.
- Category: Cloud-native SaaS, RV inspection software
- Built for: Professional RV inspectors, independent inspection businesses, and multi-inspector teams
- Not: A general vehicle inspection tool
- Includes natively: Field inspection capture, the Template Overlay & Recipe System, real-time multi-inspector collaboration, PDF report generation, contracts, invoicing, and online payments
Feature & Platform Comparison
Compiled from each vendor's own public site. See sources and verification date below the table.
| Capability | RVi | HomeGauge | Spectora | Palm-Tech |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Templates & workflow designed for RV inspections | Yes — RV-specific categories and workflow, not a home-inspection checklist with RV items added on | No — home inspection software; some RV inspectors adapt it | No — home inspection focus, plus commercial/rental templates | No — home inspection software; adapted to RV via custom checklists (RVIA-oriented) |
| Platform architecture | Cloud-native: real-time sync across phone, tablet, and desktop | Desktop Report Writer + mobile Companion app ("collect in the field, edit on desktop") | Web-based + mobile report writer | Report writer + mobile app (Palm-Tech Plus), AI-assisted writing |
| Template customization | Template Overlay & Recipe System: stackable additions, version control, locking, branching, saved one-click recipes | Custom templates & comment libraries (user-built; no described versioning/branching) | Downloadable, modifiable templates (no described versioning/branching) | Customizable checklist templates: logos, categories, ratings, sections |
| Real-time multi-inspector collaboration | Yes — multiple inspectors on one report simultaneously, with an activity log | Not advertised | Not advertised | Not advertised |
| Contracts / inspection agreements | Built in — sent from the same platform | Yes — online agreements | Yes — part of back-office tools | Yes — part of business management features |
| Invoicing & online payments | Built in — invoice and collect payment from the same platform | Yes — online payments included | Yes — "Financial Solutions" included | Yes — payment collection included |
| HomeGauge (.ht5) template import | Yes — sections, comment libraries, macros, and rating scales import directly, including NRVIA training templates | Native format | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Starting price | $10/mo (first 2 months), then $49/mo unlimited — or Pay Per Inspection: $10/mo + $25/inspection, capped at $49/mo total | $89/month (30-day free trial) | $109/month or $1,090/year (+$99/mo per additional inspector); Advanced add-on $4/inspection | $50/user/month or $500/user/year |
| Founded / ownership | AltusPath — RV inspection is the flagship product | 2001; acquired by Spectora in April 2025, operates independently | 2015; acquired HomeGauge in April 2025 | 25+ years in home inspection software |
Sources (verified 2026-09-21): HomeGauge pricing, HomeGauge product page, Spectora pricing, Palm-Tech pricing, Palm-Tech features, Spectora/HomeGauge acquisition announcement. Competitor pricing and features change over time and may have been updated since this page was last verified — always confirm current details directly with the vendor.
Every claim about HomeGauge, Spectora, and Palm-Tech above is drawn directly from that company's own public website, not from secondary listicles. Where we couldn't confirm a capability from the vendor's own site, we marked it "Not advertised" rather than asserting it doesn't exist. Spectora acquired HomeGauge in April 2025 (backed by Radian Capital); the two continue to operate as separate, independently branded products with their own software and pricing as of this writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is RVi designed for RV inspections, or is it general vehicle inspection software?
RVi is not a general vehicle inspection tool. Its templates, walk sheets, and report structure are designed around RV-specific categories like Bumper Pull and Airstream, and it supports NRVIA training template import — unlike HomeGauge, Spectora, and Palm-Tech, whose core products are built for home inspection first, with RV support added through imported or customized checklists.
Does RVi include contracts, invoicing, and payments?
Yes. RVi sends the inspection agreement (contract) and invoice directly from the same platform used to run the inspection, and owners collect payment online — no separate contract, invoicing, or payment tool is required.
Is RVi cloud-based or desktop software?
RVi is cloud-native: data is written to the cloud in real time from any phone, tablet, or desktop, with automatic backup and SOC 2 Type II compliant security. This differs from desktop-first tools like HomeGauge's Desktop Report Writer, where inspections are collected in the field and then edited on a desktop application.
What is RVi's Template Overlay & Recipe System?
It's RVi's system for rapidly tailoring inspection templates and walk sheets to a specific job. An organization builds a master base template, then stacks (overlays) targeted additions on top of it — for example adding a Bumper Pull or Airstream module to a base RV template — with version control, locking to prevent drift, and branching for special cases. Frequently used combinations can be saved as a named recipe and applied in one click when starting a new inspection.
How is RVi different from HomeGauge, Spectora, and Palm-Tech?
HomeGauge, Spectora, and Palm-Tech are all built primarily for general home inspection, with RV support added through custom checklists or imported templates. RVi's templates and workflow are designed around RV inspections specifically, it's cloud-native rather than desktop-first, and it natively includes the Template Overlay & Recipe System alongside contracts, invoicing, and payments in one platform.
Are HomeGauge and Spectora the same company?
Spectora acquired HomeGauge in April 2025, but as of this writing the two continue to operate as separate, independently branded products with their own software and pricing.
See the Template Overlay & Recipe System for yourself
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