SiteDocs vs Raken (2026): safety forms and certifications, or dailies, time and a safety file

I ask the same twelve questions on every comparison. For SiteDocs I went back to their help and product pages. For Raken I went back to their help, the public API, and the pricing and trial pages. I read those public docs on 16 September 2026. Where they stay quiet, I stay quiet.

I am Liam Jones. I founded Pilla after more than ten years running hospitality operations, food safety and frontline teams. On 16 September 2026 I sat with SiteDocs Form Item Descriptions, Follow-Up Forms, signatures, Direct Chats, the Public API, Workflow Studio and pricing, then with Raken's checklist templates, observations, messaging, AI photo tagging, the public API, and the pricing and trial pages. I have not lived in a paid SiteDocs or Raken account for this write-up. I am telling you what their docs say.

SiteDocs sells construction safety management for digital forms, certifications and audits. Raken sells field management for construction daily reports, time and safety. They overlap on checklists, proof and chat. They split on certifications and contractor Lite versus dailies, time cards and a time clock. I built Pilla for a different job: AI acting inside the run.

SiteDocs holds toolbox talks, JSAs, inspections and incidents as signed digital forms. You prove the check with photos, PDFs and GPS-stamped signatures. You flag a follow-up, keep certifications from expiring, and let a contractor sign through Lite. Nemetschek bought GoCanvas in 2024, and SiteDocs came with it. You still log into SiteDocs.

I would keep SiteDocs if I needed construction safety forms, certifications and contractor Lite from one vendor. That programme is a fair reason to stay.

Raken holds the day's field story in one place. You log work, notes, weather, photos and videos, then you sign a branded PDF. You run safety and quality checklists, assign observations, log incidents and hold toolbox talks. You can add time cards, a photo time clock and payroll or project tools if you buy those modules.

I would keep Raken if I needed signed dailies, time cards and a jobsite safety file from one vendor. That field record is a fair reason to stay.

If the job is construction safety forms, certifications and contractor Lite, keep SiteDocs. If the job is signed dailies, time cards and a safety file, keep Raken. I built Pilla for a different job. You draw the process on a canvas. The team runs it on a phone, tablet or the web app. Pilla checks the work as it comes in and follows up when something needs you. I did not build shift scheduling, payroll, HR, daily-report suites or certification registers. If you need those, keep them on Raken, SiteDocs or another vendor. You can open Pilla the same day. Starter is £49 a month with 500 processed workflows. Pro is £99 with 1,000, and adds AI automations inside Pilla. Every new account gets a 14-day trial of every Pro feature, with no card. People are unlimited.

I would keep SiteDocs if I needed construction safety forms, certifications and contractor Lite from one vendor. I would keep Raken if I needed signed dailies, time cards and a jobsite safety file from one vendor. If I wanted the work drawn on a canvas and AI acting inside the run, with MCP, I would use Pilla, and I would keep certifications, contractor Lite, dailies and payroll somewhere else.