Both LiftGrid and UpKeep are used by elevator service companies. The difference is that UpKeep was designed for all types of maintenance across all industries, while LiftGrid was designed specifically for elevator maintenance companies. That distinction has practical consequences for your day-to-day operation.
This comparison is direct. We look at the features that matter most for elevator service work.
Side-by-side comparison
| | LiftGrid | UpKeep | |---|---|---| | Built for elevator companies | ✅ Purpose-built | ❌ General CMMS | | Offline-first mobile app | ✅ Android, offline-first | ⚠️ Limited offline | | EN-81 / A17.1 checklists | ✅ Built in | ❌ Manual setup required | | OEM-certified dispatch | ✅ Built in | ❌ Not available | | Per-elevator contract billing | ✅ Native | ❌ Requires workaround | | Turkish e-Invoice (e-Fatura) | ✅ Built in | ❌ Not available | | Pricing model | Flat monthly plan | Per user / month | | Users included | 3 / 10 / 30 by plan | Each user is billable | | Free trial | ✅ 14 days | ✅ 14 days |
Elevator-specific features
EN-81 and A17.1 inspection checklists
This is the most meaningful feature difference for elevator companies operating in Europe or North America.
LiftGrid ships with EN-81 (European) and A17.1 (North American) inspection checklists built into the technician mobile app. Technicians step through standard inspection sequences, capture photos at required checkpoints, and collect digital signatures. Completed checklists are stored per job and exportable for regulatory audits.
With UpKeep, inspection templates are built manually by your team. There is no standard elevator inspection workflow — you configure it from scratch, which takes time and produces inconsistent results across technicians if done without careful governance.
Verdict: If EN-81 or A17.1 compliance documentation is a requirement, LiftGrid saves significant configuration effort and produces consistently formatted records.
OEM-certified technician dispatch
Elevator maintenance requires knowing which technician is certified for which OEM brand. A KONE-certified technician should handle KONE equipment; an Otis-certified technician should handle Otis. Mismatches create warranty issues, compliance problems, and repeat visits.
LiftGrid's dispatch engine maintains OEM certification records per technician (KONE, Otis, Schindler, ThyssenKrupp, Mitsubishi, Hitachi). When a job comes in, the engine auto-matches it to the nearest certified available technician.
UpKeep has no concept of OEM brand certification at the dispatch level. Dispatchers must cross-reference certifications manually — typically in a spreadsheet alongside UpKeep.
Verdict: For companies managing multiple OEM brands, LiftGrid eliminates a daily manual step and reduces mismatched dispatches.
Per-elevator contract billing
Elevator maintenance contracts are billed per elevator per month — not per hour, per visit, or per user. This per-unit billing model does not map cleanly onto UpKeep's work order and asset structure. Generating recurring invoices from maintenance contracts typically requires an external billing tool or manual accounting reconciliation.
LiftGrid handles per-elevator contract billing natively. Contracts define the billing unit (individual elevator or portfolio), the tier (silver / gold / platinum), the renewal cycle, and SLA terms. Invoices are generated automatically from completed work orders against the contract terms.
Verdict: If billing is tied to maintenance contract terms per elevator, LiftGrid eliminates the billing-to-work-order reconciliation step that UpKeep users typically solve with QuickBooks or spreadsheets.
Mobile app for field technicians
Both platforms have mobile apps. The critical difference is offline capability.
LiftGrid was designed offline-first from day one. The premise is simple: elevator technicians work in basement machine rooms where mobile coverage is unreliable or absent. Every job capability — checklists, photo capture, parts logging, signature collection — functions without connectivity. Data syncs the moment the technician's device regains signal.
UpKeep offers mobile functionality with some offline features, but the platform was not architected as offline-first. Technicians in poor-coverage environments typically experience sync issues or workflow interruptions.
Verdict: For elevator work, offline-first is a real requirement, not a nice-to-have. LiftGrid's app was built with this constraint; UpKeep's was not.
Pricing comparison
UpKeep charges per user per month. Pricing for the Business plan (required for full mobile features and work order automation) runs approximately $75–$95 per user per month.
For a team of 10 technicians plus 3 office staff: 13 users × ~$85 = $1,105/month minimum.
LiftGrid charges a flat monthly plan — not per user or per elevator.
- Starter: $24/month — 3 users, up to 150 elevators
- Pro: $49/month — 10 users, up to 750 elevators
- Business: $79/month — 30 users, up to 2,500 elevators
For a company managing 200 elevators with 10 technicians and 3 office staff (13 users — Business plan):
| | UpKeep Business | LiftGrid Business | |---|---|---| | Monthly cost | ~$1,105 (13 users × $85) | $79 (flat plan) | | Elevator cap | No cap on assets | 2,500 elevators | | Users included | 13 users (exact count) | 30 users | | EN-81 checklists | Manual setup | Built in |
At similar price points, LiftGrid includes elevator-specific capabilities that UpKeep charges no additional fee for — simply because LiftGrid was designed for elevators and UpKeep was not.
When UpKeep makes sense
UpKeep is a well-built product that works well for maintenance teams managing diverse asset types across multiple industries. For an elevator company that also manages HVAC units, generators, and building systems under one maintenance department — and does not need elevator-specific compliance tooling — UpKeep's general-purpose flexibility may be an advantage.
It also has a large user community and integration ecosystem that some operators find valuable.
When LiftGrid makes sense
If elevator maintenance is your primary business — not a secondary service line alongside HVAC or plumbing — LiftGrid's elevator-specific capabilities (EN-81 checklists, OEM dispatch, contract billing, offline Android app, Turkish e-Invoice) are features you will actually use every day. They require no configuration because they were designed for your trade.
The 14-day free trial is full-access, no credit card required.