Honest comparison
No single tool wins for everyone: biometric platforms secure large perimeters, payroll-led tools nail time and attendance, and only The Site Book's Site Control generates the UK CDM pack while controlling per-site contractor access.
UK construction site-access software splits two ways: hardware-led biometric turnstiles (MSite/Biosite, Donseed) for securing large perimeters, and software-only sign-in and workforce tools (Chime, SiteConnect, HammerTech) for attendance and induction. The Site Book's Site Control is the only one that also generates the UK CDM pack, including RAMS, CPP and COSHH, and runs RFIs and contractor-company isolation per site, with unlimited workers on a transparent per-site price.
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Figures and features are taken from public vendor pricing and product pages fetched on 2026-06-06; quote-only vendors are flagged where no public price exists.
Pricing, fit, and feature coverage side by side.
| Feature | The Site Book Site Control | Chime Software | MSite / Biosite | Causeway Donseed (CausewayOne Attendance) | HammerTech | SiteConnect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From £675/site per month plus £5,000 one-off setup; volume tiers and annual prepay | Quote-only — no public per-user figures; ROI calculator on site, talk to sales | Quote-only, plus hardware capex per site (turnstile/biometric reader install). | Quote-only — no public pricing; contact Causeway for a tailored quote based on site count, hardware and worker volume. | Quote-only flat subscription scaled by annual construction volume and active job sites; no per-user fee, unlimited users, subcontractors free, implementation and support bundled. | From NZD $333/mo (1-9 employees) up to NZD $816/mo (40-69); 70+ employees is Price-On-Application. Contractors join free; you pay per employee headcount band. |
| Team size | Per active site with unlimited workers (~75+ typical); multiple contractor companies per site | Best for growing subcontractor firms with payrolled and CIS workforces, from roughly 20 operatives upward | Large enterprise workforces — hundreds to thousands of operatives across multiple secured sites. | Mid-size to large contractors and labour-heavy operations with payroll accuracy as the primary driver. | Enterprise GC safety, operations and EHS teams managing many concurrent projects and large subcontractor pools. | Strongest at 1-39 employees where the published per-headcount tiers stay cheap; 70+ moves to quote-only. |
| Best for | Principal contractors and builders running live sites with subcontractors who need UK CDM documents generated plus on-site contractor access, attendance, RFIs and audit-ready evidence in one per-site tool. | Subcontractors and labour-heavy trades digitising timesheets, CIS payroll and field workforce management across multiple sites | Tier-1 and large main contractors securing high-value, high-throughput sites that need physical perimeter access control with biometric verification. | Construction contractors who want to eliminate time theft and buddy-punching with biometric attendance feeding accurate build-up-to-gross payroll. | Mid-to-large general contractors running multiple job sites who want one mature EHS and site-operations platform with optional turnstiles and equipment management. | Small-to-mid NZ/AU/UK contractors who want an affordable, published-price H&S platform with geofenced sign-in, inductions and free contractor connectivity, and who do not need software to generate UK CDM documents. |
| Not ideal for | No biometric turnstiles or physical access control, so it cannot secure a Tier-1 perimeter the way MSite/Biosite can. | Distributes RAMS rather than generating them — no built-in UK RAMS/CPP/COSHH document creation, so the compliance pack still has to be authored elsewhere. | Hardware-led: turnstile/reader install means capex, lead time and groundworks per site, slowing deployment on small or short-duration jobs. | Quote-only pricing with biometric hardware capex makes budgeting slower and entry costs higher than a no-hardware QR deployment. | Runs US-style JHAs, Safety Plans and SDS and does not generate UK RAMS, CPP or COSHH documents, so UK CDM packs still need a separate tool. | Does not generate UK CDM documents (RAMS/CPP/COSHH); SWMS/JSA/SSSP are AU/NZ equivalents, so UK builders still author RAMS elsewhere. |
| RAMS / CPP / COSHH generation | Generates UK RAMS, CPP, COSHH and method statements from the project brief — unique in this category. | |||||
| Permits to work | Document distribution and digital forms/checklists can cover permit-style sign-offs, but there is no dedicated named permit-to-work workflow advertised. | Briefings, RAMS sign-off and access gating cover much permit-style control; no dedicated permit-to-work issuance module is publicly documented. | Dedicated Permits module within the Coordinate workflow; permit depth is a recognised HammerTech strength. | |||
| Site inductions | Digital induction blocks check-in until acknowledged. | Digital site inductions are a core feature, delivered in-app alongside RAMS and toolbox talks. | Online inductions software with forms, videos, questionnaires and 30+ language auto-translation; access is gated via biometric verification before entry. | Ensures workers complete safety training and site inductions before site access — induction gating is explicitly advertised. | Orientations and worker onboarding module gates worker readiness before site access. | Standardised site inductions for contractors are a core feature, but block-until-complete gating that hard-stops check-in is not documented. |
| Worker cert tracking | CSCS upload, internal review and expiry notifications. | Skills and certifications (including CSCS-type competencies) are tracked per worker as part of workforce/subcontractor management. | Competency and credential management is part of the workforce suite; credentials are checked against the worker before access is granted. | Tracks training and qualifications/competency records as part of the digital worker ID; supports verified audit trails. | Worker info, qualifications and orientation tracking with expiry handling as part of subcontractor management. | Contractor management and registers cover compliance documents; competency/cert expiry alerting is lighter than a dedicated CSCS tracker. |
| Right to work | CSCS credential review; not a formal right-to-work share-code check. | Right-to-work verification is included in onboarding/subcontractor management. | Identity checks and pre-registration support right-to-work/identity verification at enrolment, strengthened by biometric identity confirmation at the gate. | Tracks Right-to-Work records as part of compliance audit trail; stronger formal RtW than Site Control's CSCS-review-only approach. | Captures worker credentials and onboarding data; UK right-to-work share-code verification is not a documented native feature. | |
| Contractor self-onboarding | Contractor self-join via the entrance QR with CSCS upload and approval. | Strong subcontractor onboarding and management is core, though it is framed as employer-driven onboarding rather than a worker self-enrolment QR flow. | Pre-registration software lets subcontractors and workers self pre-enrol and complete induction before their start date. | Worker enrolment is supported via the mobile app and biometric capture, but onboarding is generally enrolment-led rather than contractor-company self pre-enrolment. | Subcontractor management lets sub firms self-complete onboarding; subcontractor access is free. | Contractors connect free without a licence fee and self-manage their company profile and compliance via contractor management. |
| QR / mobile sign-in | Permanent entrance QR for guest sign-in/out and contractor self-join. | Sign-in/out is via the iOS/Android app with GPS capture; not positioned around a fixed entrance QR for guests/contractors. | Primary model is biometric turnstiles plus Workforce/Supervisor apps; sign-in is hardware-led rather than a no-hardware QR entrance. | Primary check-in is biometric readers plus a GPS mobile app for remote workers; not positioned as a no-hardware QR sign-in like Site Control's entrance QR. | IronGate access supports QR codes and pin codes alongside facial recognition; mobile app handles field sign-in. | Public QR code sign-in lets visitors check in without downloading the app. |
| GPS clock-in | GPS-verified clock-in is a headline feature — location captured at sign-in/out to confirm who is on site in real time. | GPS mobile app with 'virtual GPS ring fencing' geofences sites even before physical boundaries exist — a genuine win over Site Control. | Attendance is captured via turnstiles and app; geofenced GPS clock-in is not a documented core feature. | Geofencing sets virtual boundaries around sites and auto signs users in/out on entry, exit or dwell. | ||
| Biometric access | Core strength — MSite Face facial recognition and Biosite fingerprint/facial readers confirm identity before access. | Core differentiator: fingerprint and facial-recognition devices verify identity to the minute and eliminate buddy-punching. Site Control has no biometric. | IronGate partner turnstiles provide facial-recognition biometric access, purchasable directly through HammerTech. | |||
| Physical access control | Full/half-height turnstiles, Pod units, cabins and gates provide a physical secured perimeter — the flagship capability. | Biometric readers/tablets gate logging at site points; can integrate with hardware, but it is not primarily a turnstile/gate access-control platform. | IronGate facial-recognition turnstiles and gates engineered for harsh construction conditions. | |||
| Site attendance | Check-in/out, history and a live people-on-site view. | Time & attendance is foundational; digital timesheets are auto-created at sign-in/out with real-time hours. | Time and attendance with timesheets and labour-hour management captured at biometric turnstiles. | Captures hours worked to the minute via biometrics with automated overtime — the product's central T&A capability. | Site Access plus IronGate sync labour hours and attendance in real time. | Attendance is one of the four core pillars, recording site visitors and sign-in/out times. |
| CIS payroll | Hours flow straight to payroll with CIS calculated automatically — a clear differentiator versus Site Control. | Labour-hour/timesheet data supports CIS/IR35 workflows via integrations; not positioned as an in-product timesheet-to-pay engine. | Builds up to gross pay with automated overtime and expense claims feeding payroll; a clear win over Site Control, which has no payroll. | |||
| Live people-on-site | Real-time field management shows who is on site at any moment via GPS-verified clock-ins. | Real-time on-site monitoring and attendance from turnstile entry/exit supports muster and roll-call. | Real-time monitoring across multiple locations shows who is on site; supports labour tracking and audit trails. | Turnstile and access data give real-time who-is-onsite visibility for muster and evacuation. | Real-time attendance records who is on site, supporting evacuation and muster needs. | |
| Multi-company isolation | Each contractor company sees only its own workforce — test-verified. | Built to manage in-house teams and subcontractors together from a contractor's account; no advertised test-verified per-contractor-company data isolation portal. | Enterprise workforce management with subcontractor onboarding implies role/company scoping; per-contractor data isolation is not a publicly verified, test-backed claim. | Built for contractors managing their own and subcontractor labour, but multi-contractor-company data isolation is not advertised or test-verified as it is in Site Control. | Built around GC-managed projects with free subcontractor access; per-company data isolation is implied by role model but not publicly test-verified. | Contractor management connects multiple companies, but per-contractor data-isolation guarantees are not independently test-verified in public docs. |
| RFIs | Create, attach, comment, answer and close — unique in this category. | |||||
| Document-review evidence | Version-specific read/acknowledge audit chain. | Documents are distributed and acknowledged in-app, but there is no advertised version-specific read/acknowledge audit chain like Site Control's. | RAMS digital briefings record sign-off, and inductions capture acknowledgement, providing a read/acknowledge audit trail. | Records induction and training completion with audit trails, but not version-specific document-review acknowledgement chains like Site Control. | Bulletins and safety meetings capture acknowledgements; a version-specific document-review audit chain is not explicitly documented. | Toolbox talks capture digital signatures and attendance; a version-specific read/acknowledge audit chain for documents is not clearly evidenced. |
| Toolbox talks | Toolbox talks are distributed and acknowledged in-app alongside RAMS. | Briefings module broadcasts safety briefings/toolbox talks with verified sign-off via the worker apps and gate. | Health & safety and training tracking is supported; broadcast-and-acknowledge toolbox talks are not specifically advertised as a discrete feature. | Safety Meetings and Bulletins modules cover broadcast toolbox talks and acknowledgement. | Toolbox talks support scheduling, attendance tracking and digital signatures for daily briefings. | |
| Site inspections | Inspections and checklists are part of the platform, with photo and location capture. | Broader Infobric/QHSE tooling covers inspections; not a core advertised feature of the MSite access-control module itself. | Mature Inspections module within the Report workflow; inspections maturity is a HammerTech strength. | Pre-start checklists and customisable mobile forms cover daily site safety inspections (PPE, barriers, signage). | ||
| Incident log | Digital forms/checklists and reporting can capture incidents, but a dedicated incident log is not separately named in public materials. | Fatigue management and QHSE tooling touch on incident/safety reporting; a dedicated incident log is not prominently documented in the access-control module. | Includes H&S and fatigue management with audit trails, but a structured incident log is not an advertised standalone feature. | Incidents and Injuries module for reporting, tracking and investigation. | Incident and injury management lets teams report and investigate incidents with custom workflows. | |
| Plant / asset management | Asset tracking is an advertised module — an area Site Control does not cover. | Equipment Management module covers plant and equipment registers and inspections. | ||||
| Workforce scheduling | Real-time field/workforce management is central, though public materials emphasise time capture and management rather than dispatch/rostering. | Labour requisitioning helps plan labour needs, but full dispatch/rostering scheduling is not a headline feature. | Provides labour tracking and fatigue management; full dispatch/rostering scheduling is not a headline Donseed feature. Site Control has no scheduling either. | |||
| Multi-site dashboard & exports | Attendance CSV, monthly H&S CSV/PDF and project audit-log exports. | Centralised multi-site view with real-time management reporting and PDF/share/save exports. | Multi-site dashboards and reporting consolidate attendance, labour hours and compliance across a contractor's project portfolio. | Real-time monitoring across multiple locations with project insights for commercial, operations and H&S, plus payroll/timesheet reporting. | Reporting and Insights real-time analytics dashboard spans multiple job sites with exportable data. | Compliance dashboard with real-time analytics and PDF export supports audits across sites. |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android contractor app. | Native iOS and Android app (Chime Construction Software) for clock-in, documents and checklists. | Workforce App and Supervisor App provide mobile access for workers and site supervisors. | Native mobile app (iOS/Android) with GPS clock-in for remote workers, alongside fixed biometric readers/tablets on site. | Native iOS and Android apps linked from the platform pages for field use. | Native mobile app on iOS and Android gives workers access to materials from their phone. |
| Offline mode | Field app captures data on site; an explicit offline mode is not confirmed in public materials. | Turnstile hardware operates locally at the gate, but documented offline behaviour for the apps is not publicly specified. | Online and offline modes explicitly advertised to remove reliance on signal coverage — a confirmed win over Site Control's partial/unknown offline. | Mobile app is used in the field; offline capability is plausible but not explicitly documented on public pages. | Mobile-first field use is emphasised but offline capture behaviour is not clearly documented. |
At-a-glance fit per product - pulled from the same data that drives the snapshot table.
Pick the option that matches how your team actually works.
Site Control is the only option that generates UK RAMS, CPP and COSHH and runs per-site contractor access, attendance and RFIs together.
Recommended for: Principal contractor needing CDM compliance and access in one tool
MSite/Biosite's biometric turnstiles physically lock the perimeter, which software-only tools including Site Control cannot do.
Recommended for: Tier-1 contractor securing a high-value perimeter
Causeway Donseed's biometric time and attendance feeding CIS payroll is the strongest fit when paying workers accurately is the priority.
Recommended for: Contractor focused on payroll accuracy and time theft
HammerTech's breadth across permits, inspections, equipment and onboarding suits larger multi-site general contractors.
Recommended for: Mid-to-large general contractor wanting broad safety operations
SiteConnect's low published per-employee pricing is the cheapest starting point for small teams that only need sign-in and inductions.
Recommended for: Small, cost-sensitive team with no heavy CDM paperwork
Strengths, weaknesses, fit, and the sources every claim came from.
The Site Book Ltd
From £675/site per month plus £5,000 one-off setup; volume tiers and annual prepay
Chime Software
Quote-only — no public per-user figures; ROI calculator on site, talk to sales
Infobric (MSite / Biosite)
Quote-only, plus hardware capex per site (turnstile/biometric reader install).
Causeway Technologies
Quote-only — no public pricing; contact Causeway for a tailored quote based on site count, hardware and worker volume.
HammerTech
Quote-only flat subscription scaled by annual construction volume and active job sites; no per-user fee, unlimited users, subcontractors free, implementation and support bundled.
SiteConnect (Sitesoft)
From NZD $333/mo (1-9 employees) up to NZD $816/mo (40-69); 70+ employees is Price-On-Application. Contractors join free; you pay per employee headcount band.
Site Control
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Short, straight answers - the same questions real builders ask.
It depends on what you need. For securing a Tier-1 perimeter, MSite/Biosite's biometric turnstiles lead. For biometric time and attendance feeding CIS payroll, Causeway Donseed is strong. For a principal contractor who must generate UK CDM documents such as RAMS, CPP and COSHH and run per-site contractor access, attendance and RFIs in one tool, The Site Book's Site Control is the only option that combines document generation with on-site access.
Most do not generate it. Tools like Chime, SiteConnect and WhosOnLocation store or distribute documents, and HammerTech produces US-style JHAs rather than UK RAMS. Only The Site Book's Site Control generates the full UK CDM pack, including RAMS, CPP, COSHH and method statements, from the project brief and captures worker sign-off on site, so the compliance documents and the access control live in one platform instead of two.
For a busy site with many workers, per-site pricing is usually cheaper. Per-user tools like Assignar or SiteConnect scale with headcount, so a 75-worker site adds up fast or lands in a quote-only tier. Site Control charges a flat per-site fee, from £675 per site per month plus setup, with unlimited workers, which stays predictable when dozens of operatives and subcontractors come and go from one project over its life.
Not always. Biometric systems from MSite/Biosite and Causeway Donseed install turnstiles or fingerprint readers per site, which adds capital cost and lead time but physically secures the perimeter. Software-only tools, including Chime, SiteConnect, GoContractor and The Site Book's Site Control, use a QR code or mobile sign-in, so a new site goes live in days with no install. Choose hardware only if you genuinely need a locked perimeter.
Smaller teams that only need cheap sign-in and inductions can start with SiteConnect, which publishes low per-employee pricing. Builders who must produce CDM paperwork and control contractor access on live jobs are better served by The Site Book's Site Control, which generates RAMS, CPP and COSHH and runs attendance, RFIs and audit exports per site. Heavy biometric or payroll platforms are usually overkill for a small builder.
Figures and features are taken from public vendor pricing and product pages fetched on 2026-06-06; quote-only vendors are flagged where no public price exists.
Every pricing, feature, and fit claim in this comparison is pulled from public vendor documentation and cross-checked against independent sources. The “source basis” footer on each product card lists the exact URLs and the date we fetched them. We revisit this page at least every 90 days - last reviewed on .