Honest UpKeep Review: Is UpKeep a Good CMMS?

UpKeep is a top-rated maintenance software for businesses looking for a simple solution to manage and track their most crucial assets — whether it’s tracking parts inventory, scheduling preventive maintenance or assigning work orders. It’s made for teams that manage buildings or equipment and want to stay organized and efficient without the hassle of paper or messy spreadsheets. It’s also highly mobile, so it’s perfect if you want to streamline communication between on-the-go workers.

We wrote this UpKeep review by testing several features through a free trial and comparing it to other computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) platforms. Our verdict: If you’re looking for a well-rounded, mobile-friendly CMMS, UpKeep offers a good solution, especially for teams on the go. 

UpKeep is a solid choice for maintenance teams looking to ditch spreadsheets and streamline their workflow. It shines in mobile usability, which makes it easy to create, assign and track work orders in real time. While writing our UpKeep review, we found it especially helpful for teams that are often out in the field and need quick access to information. That said, there are some trade-offs, especially when it comes to flexibility and customization.

UpKeep Ease of Use

We found that setting up UpKeep is fairly straightforward, especially for teams that are new to CMMS platforms. The onboarding process is guided, and users can start creating work orders, adding assets and setting up locations within minutes. There’s also helpful documentation and responsive customer support if you get stuck, which makes the early setup less intimidating. 

The interface itself is clean, modern and built with usability in mind. Navigation is intuitive — especially on mobile — and most features are easy to find without needing a tutorial. Creating items like work orders, assets or locations is simple with clear fields and drop-downs. Updating a work order is just as easy: You can change status, assign users and add comments or photos in just a few taps. Searching for work orders is also pretty efficient, thanks to filters and a robust search bar. Overall, UpKeep balances ease of use with functionality, though it’s best suited for teams that don’t need heavy customization.

UpKeep Mobile Experience 

UpKeep does offer a mobile app, and it’s actually one of its best features. For those maintenance workers who don’t use technology often, the app is surprisingly user-friendly. We found the interface to be clean, with large buttons and a straightforward layout that doesn’t overwhelm you with options. Navigation is mostly tap-and-go, and it doesn’t take long to figure out how to create or update a work order, check asset details or leave a comment. 

Updating work orders — like changing status, uploading photos or adding notes — is very simple, with clear prompts and limited typing required. Alerts and notifications come through as push notifications on your phone, so you get real-time updates when something’s assigned to you or needs your attention. Overall, UpKeep’s mobile experience is designed with the everyday user in mind, making it a great fit for those seeking a standard mobile app experience. 

UpKeep Core Features & Functionality

Let’s take a closer look at some of UpKeep’s core features and how they function for maintenance teams.

Work Order Management

UpKeep’s work order creation process is intuitive but somewhat rigid in customization. While you can create new fields and label them however you want, there are some preset fields that users can’t update.

For example, priority levels are preset to “None, Low, Medium, High” — and there’s no way to change the terminology to match your internal language, like “ASAP” or “Critical.”

One thing we do like, however, is that you can add the option to require a signature to complete a work order, which adds accountability for field teams. Overdue work orders turn red in the list view, making urgent tasks stand out. Technicians can also upload photos directly from the field, which is useful for documenting issues or confirming completion. Still, bulk editing or complex workflow automation (like auto-routing work orders based on asset type) is only possible on higher-tier plans.

Preventive Maintenance

UpKeep allows for time-based and meter-based scheduling, which is great for equipment that needs maintenance every set number of hours or miles. The calendar view makes it visually easy to manage what’s coming up, but it lacks drag-and-drop functionality that would make schedule adjustments faster.

When a preventive maintenance task generates a work order, it does retain its recurrence link, but there’s no way to edit future recurrence rules from the work order screen — you’ll have to go back to the original PM template. Also, while you can add procedures and attach PDFs, there’s no version control for uploaded documents, which may be important for regulated industries.

Asset Management & Tracking

Assets can be added manually or imported via CSV. Once added, each asset gets a unique page with location info, usage logs and maintenance history. You can link assets to specific work orders, making it easy to track which machines are frequently needing service.

One shortcoming is that asset hierarchies (like parent-child equipment setups) are not as flexible as some other CMMS platforms — so if you have complex systems (like HVAC units with subcomponents), you’ll find the structure limiting. There’s also no built-in QR/Barcode scanner unless you’re on the Business Plus plan, which may be a downside for teams managing a large inventory.

Communications Within Work Orders

Each work order has a comment thread, but it’s closer to a notes log than a chat. You can @mention teammates, which is helpful, but there’s no real-time chat interface — so responses may be delayed depending on notifications. You can upload images or documents to clarify instructions, but voice notes or video attachments are not supported.

For teams that rely on verbal communication or walkthroughs, this may require an external workaround like texting or phone calls. Notifications do push to mobile, but if users don’t have the app open or allow notifications, it’s easy to miss an update.

Reporting & Analytics

Basic reporting in UpKeep shows stats like work orders completed per technician or over a time period, but it lacks customization. In the free version, there’s no cost tracking, no parts usage summaries and no performance reports for preventive maintenance. Advanced reporting (like mean time to repair or downtime trends) is locked behind a premium tier. Even then, users have noted that exporting to Excel for deeper analysis is sometimes necessary, as the in-app reports are mostly static and lack interactive dashboards. If you need real-time maintenance KPIs or want to build reports around financial metrics, you’ll need integrations or external tools.

Unique Features to UpKeep

One area where UpKeep distinguishes itself from many competitors is its strong emphasis on education through its live events, training courses and certification programs. The UpKeep Learn platform offers structured, self-paced courses on topics like maintenance fundamentals, asset management and advanced CMMS usage — making it easier for both new users and seasoned technicians to upskill without leaving the platform. These courses go beyond simple product tutorials; they dive into broader industry best practices, which adds real value for maintenance managers looking to train teams or onboard new staff.

In addition, UpKeep regularly hosts live webinars, workshops and virtual conferences that cover both product updates and broader trends in facilities and asset management. These events create a strong sense of community and continuous learning, and they’re especially helpful for users who want to stay ahead in an industry that’s rapidly adopting digital tools. This educational ecosystem is a unique asset that not all CMMS platforms offer.

UpKeep Adaptability & Customization  

We found that UpKeep offers some customization, but it’s fairly limited compared to more flexible platforms. In the work order form, you can add custom fields, such as dropdowns, text or number inputs, but you can’t completely redesign the layout or remove core fields. The same applies to areas like assets, locations and parts — you can add custom fields, but you’re still working within a fixed structure. This works well for most standard use cases but will feel restrictive for teams with more complex workflows or industry-specific needs.

When it comes to automations, UpKeep has basic capabilities like recurring work orders and push/email notifications, but full-blown automation — like conditional logic or workflow triggers — is only available on higher-tier plans, and even then, it does not seem highly customizable. We also found that you can’t easily rename default fields, which may be a frustration for teams that want to adapt the terminology to fit their operations. Creating and customizing views is somewhat possible using filters and saved searches, but there’s no drag-and-drop dashboard builder or fully personalized view system.

In short, UpKeep covers the essentials for many users, but teams looking for deep customization or automation may find it limiting.

UpKeep Customer Support

UpKeep offers several live support channels, including email, live chat and phone support — though the availability can depend on your subscription tier. For most users, chat and email are the go-to options, with phone support typically reserved for higher-level plans. In our testing, the live chat feature responded within a few minutes during business hours, and the agents were helpful and professional. We found that email support takes a bit longer, typically a few hours to a business day.

The Help Center page is well-organized and fairly detailed, offering guides, tutorials, videos and FAQs on everything from getting started to advanced features. It’s a solid self-service resource, especially for users who like to troubleshoot on their own or explore features in more depth.

Online reviews generally speak positively about UpKeep’s customer support. Users often highlight the responsiveness of the team and the friendliness of the support agents. Some users do note that certain requests — especially those related to feature limitations or deeper customization — can’t always be resolved, but overall, the sentiment is that UpKeep’s support team genuinely tries to help and communicates clearly.

UpKeep Pricing

UpKeep’s pricing is mid-range compared to other CMMS platforms. It offers a free version with limited features, which is great for small teams just getting started. However, to unlock tools like advanced reporting, asset tracking or automations, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan. These start at a competitive monthly rate and can climb depending on the number of users and features required.

Compared to competitors like Fiix, MaintainX or Coast, UpKeep offers solid mobile functionality and ease of use but lacks the same level of customization or built-in communication tools unless you’re on higher-tier plans. For businesses prioritizing mobile access and standard CMMS functions, UpKeep is fairly priced. But for those needing more customization, deeper analytics or integrated communication tools, you may end up paying more for upgrades — or find better value in a more flexible platform. Ultimately, it’s a good solution for straightforward maintenance needs but not the most cost-effective for tailored or complex operations.

Coast: The Better UpKeep Alternative

Coast stands out over UpKeep for its superior flexibility, real-time collaboration tools and ease of use in complex workflows. While UpKeep offers basic asset management and work order functionality, Coast provides more customization options across work orders, assets and locations without needing a higher-tier plan. Plus, Coast’s adaptability allows teams to tailor workflows, communication and reporting to fit their needs, making it a better option for specialized requirements.

Ease of Use
Mobile Experience
Core Features & Functionality
Adaptability & Customization
Customer Support
Pricing
Customer Review

A key advantage of Coast is its real-time communication features, such as live chat and notifications, which ensure seamless collaboration between field teams and office staff. Coast’s simple, intuitive mobile app also makes it easy for users — especially those who are less tech-savvy — to stay connected, manage tasks and track progress. Additionally, Coast includes a robust set of analytics tools and custom reporting options without requiring costly add-ons.

In comparison, UpKeep’s feature set becomes more rigid and costly as teams scale, especially when looking for deeper customization or automation features. For teams that need a more adaptable and collaborative CMMS solution at a competitive price, Coast offers more value, making it a more well-rounded choice for managing equipment and workflows.