Guide
HomeGauge Alternative: What to Compare Before You Switch
HomeGauge has been around a long time. Its website says it was founded in 2001 by a home inspector "fed up with his own messy handwriting." If you've used it for years, you know the desktop workflow well. So why look at anything else?
Usually it's one of three reasons. You want to capture and finish more of the report on your phone. You noticed HomeGauge is now part of Spectora and want to see what else is out there. Or clients still call after delivery asking what they should do about a finding. This page covers what HomeGauge offers today, based on its own site, and where WALKED is different.
What HomeGauge offers today
These points come from homegauge.com, checked November 4, 2026. Check their site for current details.
- Now part of Spectora. HomeGauge's site says: "Now, as part of Spectora, we're combining experience and innovation." It now offers two report writers: the classic HomeGauge Desktop Report Writer and the cloud-based Spectora Report Writer.
- Desktop plus Companion app. The HomeGauge workflow is to "collect data in the field with the Companion app" and "finish and format reports on your desktop."
- Your own templates and comment libraries, with multiple report formats (narrative, grid and more).
- Business tools such as online payments, locking reports until they're paid, time-released emails, electronic agreements, and a forms library that includes NPMA-33 and Florida wind mitigation.
- Support: a U.S.-based team by phone, email or chat, an online help center, YouTube videos and an online user community.
- Trial: HomeGauge advertises a 30-day trial for home inspectors.
That's a mature, full-featured setup. If the desktop workflow and those office tools are what you need most, HomeGauge may still be the right fit.
Where WALKED is different
| HomeGauge (per its site) | WALKED | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you work | Companion app in the field, finish and format on the desktop | Phone browser (Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android); capture findings on the phone |
| Capture | Templates and comment libraries | Field: a photo plus a short voice or typed note |
| Writing | Your own comment library | Scribe drafts plain language from your note, for you to review |
| Next step for the client | Depends on how you write it | Every finding labeled Hire a Pro · DIY · Noted, chosen by you |
| Scope | Full office suite and forms library | Not a full office suite; built for the report and the next step |
We don't claim WALKED replaces everything HomeGauge does. The goal is narrower: a report where every finding has a clear next step.
How WALKED works
- Field: snap a photo and say something short, like "crack in the driveway." Keep walking. Capture works offline once the job is open.
- Scribe: expands that note into plain language with useful detail and no filler. You review it.
- Next step: you label the finding Hire a Pro · DIY · Noted, so the client knows what to do.
Your data belongs to you. WALKED has no outside investors, and it's in beta for licensed inspectors.
Switching: run both first
There's no import tool to bring HomeGauge templates or comment libraries into WALKED. Our suggestion: keep your current software, do one real job in WALKED, and compare the two reports. Then decide.
- Read the sample reports to see Hire a Pro · DIY · Noted in a full report.
- Pick one routine job and capture it in Field alongside your normal workflow.
- Compare how long the review takes and whether the next steps are clearer for your client.
FAQ
Is HomeGauge still around?
Yes. HomeGauge's website says it is now part of Spectora and still offers the HomeGauge Desktop Report Writer with the Companion app, alongside the Spectora Report Writer.
Is WALKED a HomeGauge clone?
No. WALKED doesn't copy HomeGauge's feature list. It is built around one job: a report where every finding has a next step, Hire a Pro, DIY or Noted.
Can I import my HomeGauge templates and comment library?
No. WALKED has no import tool for templates or comment libraries. Plan on running both side by side while you test.
Do I need a computer to use WALKED?
No. WALKED runs in the phone browser: Safari on iPhone or Chrome on Android. You capture findings with a photo and a short voice or typed note.
Who writes the final report?
You do. Scribe drafts plain language from your note, and you review it and choose the next-step label for every finding.
How do I try it?
Read the sample reports first. If the format fits how you work, join the beta. WALKED is for licensed inspectors.
Sources
- HomeGauge home page (checked November 4, 2026)
- HomeGauge home inspection software page (checked November 4, 2026)
HomeGauge® is a registered trademark of SHGI Corp. WALKED is not affiliated with HomeGauge or Spectora.
Related: Spectora alternative · Home inspection software · Inspection report software · Report narratives