Pilla vs Poka (2026): AI that acts inside the work, or a connected worker platform for plants
Liam Jones
Founder of Pilla
Date Modified
16 September 2026
I wrote this because I keep getting asked whether Pilla replaces Poka. I ran restaurants for years. I know the job: you want the floor to do the work without you chasing every check.
Poka is an IFS company. You still log into Poka at poka.io. You run digital work instructions and forms, log issues with photos, read Factory Feed, sit in huddles, and keep a skills matrix. Industrial AI drafts instructions, and agents can act on issues with human approval. Sales quote you.
I built Pilla so you can turn a process you already know into a workflow on a canvas. Your team runs it on a phone, tablet or the web app. Pilla can fetch, decide and act while the work is happening. You keep the judgement calls.
If you want to try it on a process you already run, open the canvas.
I would pick Pilla when I want AI to act inside the work. I would pick Poka when I want plant knowledge, skills, Factory Feed and huddles.
How did we compare them?
I ask the same twelve questions on every comparison. For Pilla I describe what the product does today. For Poka I went back to their public product, pricing, legal and Industrial AI pages 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 Poka's current public pages: the connected worker platform, digital work instructions, digital forms, issues, Factory Feed, huddle boards, skills, Industrial AI, AI agents, AI Studio, integrations, analytics, pricing, the Master SaaS Agreement, and the 24 June 2026 Industrial AI post. The Help Center and technical Documentation sit behind a Poka login, so I did not use them. I have not lived in a paid Poka account for this write-up. I am telling you what their public docs say.
What should you take away?
- I would pick Pilla if I wanted the floor to follow the process without me chasing every check
- I would pick Pilla if I wanted the work checked as it comes in, and followed up when something needs me
- I would keep Poka if I needed plant work instructions, skills, Factory Feed and huddle boards from one vendor
- I would not switch expecting Pilla to take over plant skills, Factory Feed or huddle boards
How do Pilla and Poka compare at a glance?
| Capability | Pilla | Poka |
|---|---|---|
| Core job | AI work management for deskless teams | Industrial AI connected worker platform for plants |
| Design the work | Visual canvas, branching, reusable workflows | Conditional forms and linear work instructions |
| Provide guidance | Written, photo and video guidance beside each step | Written, photo and video work instructions |
| Run the work | Phone, tablet, or web app | Phone, tablet, or web app |
| Capture evidence | Photos, video, audio, files, signatures, ratings, numbers, checklists, dates and location | Photos, video, signatures, scores, numbers and checklists |
| Check the work | AI fetching, decisions and actions inside the work | Required fields, scores and AI agents |
| Follow up | Human and AI follow-ups | Escalation, Action Board and alerts |
| Talk to the team | DMs and group chats | Factory Feed, mentions and issue threads |
| Connect other software | MCP server, API, integrations | MCP server, REST API, Poka Automate |
| See what happened | Workflow records and evidence | Form runs, issues, skills and dashboards |
| What you pay for | Unlimited users, usage based on workflows | Quoted SaaS; users, credits and instances |
| Best for | Operators who want AI to act inside the work | Plants that want connected worker and shop-floor AI |
I built Pilla for AI work management on the floor. Poka sells an Industrial AI connected worker platform for plants.
Why do people like Pilla?
You open Pilla on the phone you already carry. You see the next step, read how to do it, take the photo or sign, and move on. The record lands while you work. Pilla checks it against the rules you set and follows up when something needs you.
I hear the same thing from managers: they draw the process once and stop asking all day whether it happened. The team likes it because they can see what good looks like before they start.
“Pilla helps me have a day off knowing that procedures will be followed”
Charles, owner of 11 hospitality sites
When does switching from Poka to Pilla make sense?
- You want Pilla to check the work as it comes in
- You want to draw the process on a canvas and branch it
- You want audio, a file or GPS sitting on the step itself
- You want DMs and group chats next to the work
- You want public prices instead of a plant SaaS quote
- You are happy to keep skills, Factory Feed and huddles somewhere else
What do you pay for?
| Capability | Pilla | Poka |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | Unlimited users, usage based on workflows | Quoted SaaS; users, credits and instances |
| Public price | Starter is £49 a month for 500 processed workflows. Pro is £99 a month for 1,000. | No public software price. Sales quote. |
| Trial | 14-day free trial of every Pro feature, with no card | Demo and quote. No advertised self-serve trial. |
Poka's public pricing page is a quote request. The Master SaaS Agreement, effective 21 August 2026, bills from an Order Form. Scope of Use may include Authorized Users, credits, instances or other billable units. Professional Services sit on an SOW. They sell an 8-week assisted go-live. I have left third-party dollar figures off this page.
How long does setup take, and how hard is it?
You can open Pilla the same day. Every new account gets a 14-day trial of Pro, with no card. I usually see a first opening or closing workflow take an afternoon. Poka starts with a 30-minute demo and a quote. They sell an 8-week assisted go-live with Professional Services.
If you move, you rebuild the forms and work instructions on the canvas. Photos and history stay in Poka unless you export them by hand. Run both for a while. Keep skills, Factory Feed, huddle boards and plant knowledge on Poka or another vendor. I did not build Pilla to be a plant connected worker suite.
Does the answer change by budget or size?
If you want to try a process today, start with Pilla. If you run a plant and you need work instructions, skills, Factory Feed and huddles from one vendor, stay with Poka. If money is tight, I publish prices. Poka quotes you. If you want AI in the run and a visual canvas, I would pick Pilla even in a small team.
What is each one used for?
Poka works well for
- Scan a QR code for the work instruction on that machine
- AI conversion of PDFs, Word, handwriting and video into work instructions
- CIL, 5S, LOTO, quality and safety checklists with photos and signatures
- Raise an issue with photo or video and route it on the Action Board
- Factory Feed for shift handover, safety alerts and recognition
- Tier 1 to 3 huddles with AI-written briefs
- Skills matrix, exams, endorsements and routing work to certified operators
- Ask Poka at the point of work, and push issues into a CMMS
Pilla works well for
- Opening and closing the team can follow on their phone
- Showing someone how to do a step with writing, a photo or a video
- Collecting photos, video, audio, files and signatures as the work happens
- Letting AI fetch, decide and act while the run is live
- Following up yourself, or letting Pilla follow up
- Talking in DMs and group chats next to the work
- Connecting other software through MCP, API and integrations
- Paying for workflows with as many people as you need
What is Poka designed to do?
Poka holds work instructions, troubleshoots and skills in one plant library. You run checklists, audits and CIL on the floor. You log issues to a Kanban and escalate them through tiers. Shifts stay aligned on Factory Feed and huddle boards. Industrial AI writes content, answers questions and acts on issues under approval. You connect ERP, MES, CMMS and LMS. Shared tablets and shop-floor TVs are how many plants run it. I would stay on Poka for that whole connected-worker suite.
What is Pilla designed to do?
I built Pilla so you can turn the processes you already know into workflows on a canvas. Your team follows them on a phone, tablet or the web app. Pilla checks completed work and handles the follow-up you configured. You keep judgement, coaching and the awkward calls. I left shift scheduling, payroll and HR out on purpose.
What differences actually matter?
How do they check the work?
On Pilla I put AI fetching, decisions and actions in the run. On Poka a required field, a score or a required photo does the checking on a form, then a deviation alert or an approval. Industrial AI agents sit on knowledge, issues and huddles, and can act with operator approval. I could not find fetch, decision and action blocks you place on a canvas.
How do you design the work?
On Pilla you draw a visual canvas with branching and reuse the workflow. On Poka you build forms with conditional logic and linear work instructions. Skills routing and issue escalation move work to the next person. AI Studio is a no-code surface for agents. I could not find a visual work canvas.
How do you capture evidence?
On Pilla a step can take audio, files, dates and location, plus photos, video, signatures, ratings, numbers and checklists. Poka forms capture photos, videos, e-signatures, weighted scores and readings, with timestamps. Issues add photo, video and equipment or area location. I could not find audio, a date-picker, GPS or a generic file field as a form step.
How does the team talk?
On Pilla you get DMs and group chats, including on a workflow. Poka Factory Feed is a plant feed with mentions, comments and shift handover. Issues have discussion threads. Huddle boards are meeting views. I could not find DMs or group chat rooms.
How do they connect other software?
Pilla publishes an MCP server, a REST API and integrations. Poka also publishes a production MCP server, an open REST API and Poka Automate with 1,000+ connectors. Named plant classes include CMMS, MES, LMS, QMS, ERP, HRIS and BI.
What are you paying for?
On Pilla you pay for processed workflows, with unlimited people, and you get a 14-day trial of every Pro feature with no card. Poka quotes you. The Order Form may count Authorized Users, credits and instances. I could not find a public software price.
Which should you pick?
If I ran a plant that needed work instructions, skills, Factory Feed and huddle boards from one vendor, I would keep Poka. That connected-worker suite is a fair reason to stay. If I wanted the work drawn on a canvas and AI acting inside the run, with DMs, I would use Pilla, and I would keep plant skills, the feed and huddles somewhere else.
Frequently asked questions
Is Poka still Poka after IFS?
Yes. Poka is an IFS company. In September 2026 you still log into Poka at poka.io. Marketing still says Industrial AI for Connected Work. The Help Center and technical Documentation sit behind a Poka login, so I did not use them for this write-up.
Does Poka have AI inside forms and work?
Forms check with required fields, scoring, photos and deviation alerts. Industrial AI drafts instructions, answers from the knowledge base, and agents can guide a fix, log an issue or open a work order with operator approval. I could not find fetch, decision or action steps on a canvas run.
Can staff chat in Poka the way they would in Pilla?
Factory Feed is a plant news feed with mentions, comments and shift handover. Issues have discussion threads. I could not find DMs or group chat rooms.
What evidence can a Poka form capture?
A form can take a checklist, photos, videos, e-signatures, weighted scores and out-of-spec readings, with timestamps. Issues add photo, video and equipment or area location. I could not find audio, a date-picker, GPS or a generic file field as first-class form steps on the current public pages.
Does Poka have a visual workflow canvas?
I could not find one. Work is conditional forms, linear work instructions, skills routing and issue escalation. AI Studio is a no-code surface to design agents, not a work-run canvas.
Does Poka have an MCP server?
Yes. Public integrations and a 24 June 2026 post describe a production MCP server so Copilot, ChatGPT or Claude can read Poka, and MCP so Poka agents can read and write the plant stack. There is also an open REST API and Poka Automate with 1,000+ connectors.
How much does Poka cost compared to Pilla?
Poka quotes you. I could not find a public software price. I do not charge per person. Starter is £49 a month with 500 processed workflows included. Pro is £99 a month with 1,000 included, and adds AI automations inside Pilla. Every new account gets a 14-day trial of every Pro feature, with no card.
Does switching to Pilla replace Poka skills, Factory Feed and huddles?
No. I did not build Pilla as a plant skills matrix, Factory Feed or tiered huddle board. If you need that connected-worker suite, keep it on Poka or another plant product.
How long does it take to switch from Poka to Pilla?
You rebuild the forms and work instructions on the canvas. A first workflow usually takes an afternoon. Running both side by side can take days or a couple of weeks, depending on how much you have. Photos and history stay in Poka unless you move them by hand.
How did you compare Pilla and Poka?
I read Poka's public product, pricing, legal and Industrial AI pages on 16 September 2026 and answered the same twelve questions I use on every comparison. I described Pilla as it works today. I left out anything Poka does not publish. Their Help Center needs a login, so I did not use it.
Where did these facts come from?
Poka claims on this page come from their own public docs. Pilla claims come from the current product.
Pilla is AI work management for deskless teams. Try every Pro feature free for 14 days, with no card. Start a free trial or visit Poka.
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