Comparing Coast vs. Fiix for Your 2024 Maintenance Strategy

Computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software helps small businesses and large companies alike streamline the tracking, scheduling and execution of maintenance activities, leading to increased asset longevity and reduced operational downtime. By automating preventive maintenance, maintenance management software solutions help prevent costly breakdowns and ensure equipment operates efficiently. They can also improve resource allocation, track inventory and provide valuable data insights for decision-making, ultimately lowering maintenance costs and improving productivity. 

Coast and Fiix are two maintenance management software options that provide all these benefits and more. Coast, founded in 2018, offers unique customization capabilities in addition to features such as team communication, scheduling and task management organization. Founded about a decade earlier, Fiix has made a name for itself as primarily a work order software. In this article, we’ll explore the unique strengths and differences of the two.

Coast vs. Fiix at a Glance

Coast and Fiix are similar in their offerings and functionality, catering to businesses of all sizes. Both run optimally as a mobile app but are also compatible with desktop use. They also each offer in-app messaging for swift team communication.

Where exactly do these two platforms differ? This table highlights which software might be better suited for your business.

Coast Offers Customizable Workflows for Easy Implementation 

Coast provides highly customizable workflows, simplifying the implementation process and allowing businesses to tailor the software to their specific needs. Users can easily configure fields for work orders, locations, assets and parts, ensuring that the system reflects their unique operational structure. 

Customizable workflows are particularly important in maintenance software because they allow businesses to tailor the system to their individual processes and operations. Every organization has unique maintenance routines, equipment and resource management strategies, so a one-size-fits-all solution can be limiting. By enabling customization, Coast enhances a company’s efficiency, ensures that tasks are completed accurately and allows the system to scale with the business as its needs evolve. 

This same flexibility extends to the software’s dashboards, which streamline the process of scheduling work orders and preventive maintenance tasks. The intuitive dashboards allow teams to monitor tasks, deadlines and resource allocation, reducing the risk of missed maintenance or overlooked jobs. 

One of Coast’s additional key strengths is its moldable design, which adapts to various industries and client needs, ensuring a perfect fit for any business. Whether managing a small operation or a large enterprise, users can customize every aspect of the platform to align with their workflow, ensuring seamless integration into daily operations. Coast’s ability to adapt and provide precise control over task management and maintenance tracking helps businesses enhance efficiency, avoid downtime and, ultimately, improve productivity.

Fiix Makes Third-Party Integration a Breeze 

Fiix stands out for its third-party integration capabilities, making it easy for businesses to connect with other essential tools and platforms. Fiix’s open API and pre-built connectors allow for smooth integration with various types of software, such as ERP systems, financial software and even IoT devices. This integration capability ensures that businesses can link Fiix to their existing systems without requiring complicated workarounds or extensive technical expertise. As a result, teams can continue using their preferred tools while benefiting from Fiix’s robust maintenance management features, creating a cohesive digital ecosystem.

Fiix also excels in handling work with third-party vendors, particularly in invoicing and task management. Through its vendor management features, businesses can streamline communication, track work orders and automate invoicing processes with external contractors and suppliers. This functionality simplifies the process of managing maintenance tasks that involve outside vendors, ensuring that all information is stored in a central platform. With Fiix, businesses can easily assign tasks to vendors, monitor progress and ensure proper documentation for compliance and reporting purposes.

When it comes to closing out tasks with third-party vendors, Fiix provides a clear and efficient workflow, reducing the chances of miscommunication or delays. The platform allows for the automatic generation of invoices once work is completed, helping to expedite payments and ensuring that all parties are aligned. 

Both Are as Easy as Using a Mobile App

Both Coast and Fiix offer robust mobile functionalities, making it easy for technicians to manage maintenance tasks in the field. Technicians can access work orders, update job statuses and record data on their mobile devices, ensuring that critical information is available in real time. This mobility helps streamline operations and ensures efficient communication across teams.

Both platforms also feature QR code functionality, allowing anyone, including non-technical staff, to scan codes placed on assets or equipment and submit external work order requests. This simplifies the process of reporting issues and ensures that requests are sent directly to the maintenance team without any delays.

Scheduling work and setting reminders for overdue tasks are straightforward in both Coast and Fiix. Their user-friendly dashboards allow users to automate scheduling and receive alerts for upcoming or overdue tasks, ensuring that preventive maintenance is completed on time and reducing the risk of unexpected equipment failures.

Both Have Robust Asset Management Capabilities 

Coast and Fiix both offer comprehensive asset management and inventory options, making it easy for businesses to track equipment, parts and supplies. Coast provides customizable asset tracking features that allow users to manage equipment life cycles, monitor asset health and keep detailed records of parts and supplies. Fiix similarly offers robust inventory management tools that streamline the tracking of spare parts, ensuring accurate stock levels and enabling automatic reordering when supplies run low. These inventory systems help reduce downtime by ensuring that critical parts are always available for maintenance.

Both platforms excel in asset tracking capabilities, enabling businesses to store key information such as manufacturer guidelines, maintenance procedures and repair history for each asset. Coast’s asset tracking features are highly customizable, allowing users to create fields specific to their operational needs, while Fiix provides a centralized database where businesses can store detailed information about each asset, including usage data, warranty information and maintenance schedules. This allows maintenance teams to access everything they need to keep equipment running smoothly. 

How Pricing for Both Compares

While Coast and Fiix offer similar plans with comparable features, Fiix is a bit pricier. The good news is that not only do both offer free plans, but they both offer free trials of their more advanced offerings, so businesses can test run the software before deciding to invest in paid plans.

Here’s a breakdown of each software’s pricing:

Coast

• Free Plan
• Starter Plan: $20 per user/month
• Pro Plan: $39 per user/month
• Enterprise: Contact for pricing

Fiix

• Free Plan
• Basic Plan: $45 per user/month
• Premium Plan: $75 per user/month
• Enterprise: Contact for pricing

Coast vs. Fiix: Which One Makes Sense for You?

In summary, Coast is ideal for businesses seeking maximum customization, offering flexibility to build any workflow tailored to unique operational needs. Its customizable features make it perfect for organizations with specific requirements, allowing mobile workers to thrive with tools that adapt to their tasks. Fiix, while also versatile, is best suited for companies looking for strong third-party integrations and vendor management.

For businesses that prioritize moldable software and adaptability, Coast stands out as the superior option, providing the building blocks for success through seamless mobile functionality and tailored workflows.