Hippo CMMS vs UpKeep: SMB Maintenance Software Comparison 2026
An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.
Hippo CMMS
Affordable CMMS for small and mid-sized facilities teams managing work orders and preventive maintenance.
UpKeep
Mobile-first CMMS for maintenance teams managing work orders, assets, and preventive maintenance from any device.
TL;DR
UpKeep wins overall and is the better long-term choice for most SMB maintenance teams. Hippo CMMS is worth considering for very small, budget-constrained operations that value simpler interfaces and do not need strong mobile capabilities.
Two SMB CMMS Tools Fighting for the Same Buyers
Hippo CMMS and UpKeep both target small to mid-sized maintenance operations. Facilities managers at hotels, property management companies, small manufacturers, and schools are the core buyers for both platforms. Both are cloud-based, both emphasize ease of use, and both promise to get maintenance teams out of spreadsheets and into organized work order management.
The comparison is not as symmetric as the target market overlap suggests. UpKeep has grown significantly, raised over $50 million in funding, and built one of the most recognized CMMS brands in the SMB market. Hippo CMMS, founded in 2007, serves a more niche slice: smaller teams that want an approachable tool without the mobile-first emphasis that defines UpKeep.
Where UpKeep Clearly Leads
Mobile. It always comes back to mobile for UpKeep. The app is genuinely excellent. Technicians who have never used a CMMS before are completing work orders on their phones within an hour of setup. The user reviews on G2 and Capterra cite the mobile app more than any other feature. For facilities with roaming technicians — hotels, hospitals, large campuses — that mobile quality translates directly into adoption.
UpKeep also leads on feature depth across the board. The platform has grown substantially, and the current feature set covers more ground than Hippo at comparable price points. The analytics are better. The integration options are more extensive. The reporting is more flexible.
Where Hippo CMMS Has Its Case
Hippo's strength is simplicity for non-technical operators. The desktop interface is clean and does not overwhelm users who interact with the system occasionally rather than daily. Facility managers at small businesses who need to submit a work request, check a PM calendar, and pull a monthly report find Hippo intuitive without a learning curve.
The customer service reputation is also notable. Hippo's support team has consistently positive reviews for responsiveness and helpfulness — a significant differentiator for small teams that do not have dedicated IT staff to troubleshoot software issues internally.
The Pricing Reality
Both platforms are in a similar price range. Hippo CMMS starts at $75 per user per month. UpKeep Starter begins at $45 per user. At the Starter tier, UpKeep is cheaper and more capable on most dimensions. At higher tiers, the gap narrows. For budget-constrained small teams, UpKeep's lower entry price and stronger feature set make it hard to recommend Hippo without a specific reason.
This comparison details exactly when and why each platform makes sense.
Quick Comparison
| Aspect | Hippo CMMS | UpKeep |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Small manufacturers and industrial facilities (under 100 employees) | Maintenance teams moving from paper or spreadsheet-based tracking to digital |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Starting Price | $35/mo | $20/mo |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| Platforms | WEB, IOS, ANDROID | WEB, IOS, ANDROID |
| Rating | 7.7/10 | 8.5/10 |
Detailed Comparison
Mobile Experience
UpKeepPricing for Small Teams
Hippo CMMSEase of Use
UpKeepFeature Depth
UpKeepCustomer Support for SMBs
Hippo CMMSScalability
UpKeepPros & Cons
Hippo CMMS
Pros
- Fast setup—most teams are operational within a week
- Honest per-user pricing with no hidden fees or add-ons
- Clean mobile app that field techs actually adopt
- Good PM scheduling for recurring maintenance tasks
Cons
- Reporting is basic—no custom dashboards or advanced analytics
- Limited integrations with ERP or accounting systems
- Not built for complex multi-site enterprise deployments
- Inventory module is functional but lacks depth compared to dedicated tools
UpKeep
Pros
- Best mobile app in the CMMS market—works reliably on cheap Android devices
- Fast setup: most teams go live in under a week with real data
- Technicians adopt it without extensive training or IT hand-holding
- Strong preventive maintenance scheduling with calendar and trigger-based automation
Cons
- Reporting is basic—serious reliability analysis requires exporting data to another tool
- Inventory management lacks depth for complex multi-location spare parts operations
- Customer support response times slow down noticeably on Starter and Professional tiers
- Per-user pricing climbs quickly once you scale beyond 20-30 technicians
Switching Costs
Migration Difficulty
EasyData Export
Both Hippo CMMS and UpKeep export work order history and asset records to CSV. The migration between platforms is relatively straightforward because neither has highly proprietary data structures. Most teams complete a migration in one to two weeks. The main effort is re-entering PM templates and custom configurations on the new platform rather than data extraction. Neither platform charges migration fees or data export fees.
Contract Flexibility
Both platforms offer monthly billing, which makes switching low-risk. Hippo CMMS offers annual plans with discount pricing. UpKeep similarly provides annual commitments at 15-20% discounts. Neither requires multi-year agreements. Cancellation notice periods are 30 days for both platforms on monthly plans. The low switching costs are one reason why this SMB market segment sees more churn than enterprise EAM.
Pricing Comparison
| Product | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hippo CMMS | subscription | $35/mo |
| UpKeep | subscription | $20/mo |
When to Choose Hippo CMMS
- ✓Your team is very small (3-8 users) and manages a single facility primarily from desktops
- ✓Responsive, personal customer support is more important than feature depth or mobile quality
- ✓Your maintenance operation is stable and you do not anticipate significant team or facility growth
- ✓Hippo's flat-rate team pricing works out cheaper than UpKeep per-seat pricing for your specific headcount
When to Choose UpKeep
- ✓Your technicians spend most of their time in the field and mobile app quality drives adoption
- ✓You expect to add users, sites, or technicians and need a platform that scales cleanly
- ✓Feature depth matters now or in the near future: sensor integration, advanced PMs, API connectivity
- ✓You want a lower starting price with a stronger out-of-the-box feature set at the entry tier
Our Verdict
The Honest Verdict
UpKeep wins this comparison for most maintenance teams. The mobile app is better, the feature depth is greater, the scalability is stronger, and the entry price is actually lower. For facilities with roaming technicians, facilities that expect to grow, or facilities that need sensor integrations and API connectivity, UpKeep is the clear recommendation.
Hippo CMMS makes sense in specific circumstances: very small operations (3-8 users) that do most of their CMMS work from a desktop, teams that prioritize responsive support over mobile functionality, and budget-constrained organizations where Hippo's flat-rate team pricing works out cheaper for their specific headcount.
There is also the practical reality of growth. Most small maintenance teams grow. The technician count increases, new facilities get added, management starts asking for more detailed reporting. UpKeep accommodates that growth without a platform switch. Hippo users often face a switch when they outgrow its ceiling, and switching platforms is disruptive and costly.
If you are in a small team today but expect to grow, start with UpKeep. The investment in learning a platform that can grow with you pays off faster than it seems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still Not Sure?
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