Site Pole, Badge, or App: Which CIAW Method for Your Construction Company?

Cost, reliability, installation time, and compliance level compared

Every construction company needs CIAW registration. But which method works best for your operations? The three main options, mobile app, site terminal (badge), and vehicle hardware, each have trade-offs in cost, reliability, and practicality.

This comparison helps you choose, or combine, the right methods for your sites.

Explore all available methods on Suivo’s Check-in at Work solution page.

The Three Methods Compared

Criterion	Mobile App	Site Terminal / Badge	Vehicle Hardware
Upfront cost	None (workers use own phone)	€200-600 per terminal	Hardware per vehicle + install
Monthly cost	€4-12/user	€25-60/terminal	€15-40/vehicle
Installation time	Minutes (download + login)	1-2 hours per site	30-60 min per vehicle
Worker action	One tap on phone	Badge scan at entrance	Zero, fully automatic
GPS verification	✅ Automatic	Fixed location	✅ Via geofence
Connectivity	WiFi/mobile data per registration	Wired or cellular	Cellular (transmits when available)
Reliability	Depends on phone + signal	High (fixed infrastructure)	Very high (no worker action)
Multi-site flexibility	Excellent, works everywhere	Low, terminal stays at one site	Excellent, geofence per site
Best for	Small/varying sites, individual workers	Large fixed sites, many subcontractors	Teams travelling together
CIAW compliant	✅	✅	✅

When to Use Each

Mobile app

Best for companies with workers on varying, short-duration sites. No hardware investment. Workers need a smartphone with mobile data. Fastest to deploy.

Site terminal / badge

Best for large, long-running sites with a single entry point and many different subcontractors. Workers without smartphones can badge in. Higher upfront cost but very reliable.

Vehicle hardware

Best for teams that travel together in company vehicles. Zero worker action required, the system registers everyone on board when the vehicle crosses the site geofence. Most reliable for high-volume, multi-site operations.

💡 Most companies combine methods: App for flexible workers, terminal for large sites, vehicle hardware for travelling teams. Suivo supports all three from one platform and one dashboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mix methods on the same site?

Yes. Workers arriving by company van register via vehicle hardware. Individual arrivals use the app. Subcontractors badge at the terminal. All data flows to one dashboard.

Which is cheapest overall?

The app has the lowest upfront cost. Vehicle hardware has the lowest per-registration effort (zero worker action). The real cost comparison should include admin time saved, not just subscription fees.

Need help choosing the right CIAW method?

Talk to our team about your sites, team size, and workflow.CIAW solution →  |  Contact →