QAI vs MaintainX
MaintainX is a great CMMS with a big team behind it - and a big price tag. QAI covers the maintenance work most teams actually do, at a fraction of the cost. Here is where each one wins.
Choose QAI if...
- You want the CMMS essentials without enterprise pricing - paid plans start at $10 per user per month
- Your operation mixes internal sites and client work - QAI organizes both
- You need a real free plan - the full app for 2 users, not a work-order allowance
- Your team works in one of 12 supported languages
- You want advanced analytics without jumping to a $65 tier
Choose MaintainX if...
- You need a large ecosystem of ERP and IoT integrations
- Your procurement checklist requires SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification today
- You want API access without going to an enterprise plan
- You are a large multi-site enterprise with the budget for a premium rollout
Pricing, side by side
Per user per month, billed annually.
| Plan | QAI | MaintainX |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | The full app for up to 2 users | Limited - e.g. 2 work orders with procedures per month |
| Entry tier (Essential) | $10 | $20 |
| Mid tier (Premium) | $20 | $65 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
MaintainX prices are from their public pricing page as of September 2026 - check their site for current rates.
What you get at which price
The real difference is not the feature list - it is how far up the price ladder each feature sits.
| Feature | QAI | MaintainX |
|---|---|---|
| Work orders with checklists attached | Every plan, including free | Unlimited from Premium ($65) |
| Advanced analytics | Essential ($10) | Premium ($65) |
| Meter-based maintenance | Premium ($20) | Premium ($65) |
| Parts inventory | Premium ($20) | Premium ($65) |
| API access | Enterprise | Premium ($65) - their win |
Where MaintainX genuinely wins
Integrations
MaintainX has a mature ecosystem of ERP, IoT and Zapier integrations. QAI keeps your data in one place and offers API access on the Enterprise plan.
Certifications
MaintainX holds SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications. QAI encrypts everything with AES-256 and TLS and hosts in the EU, but has not completed those audits yet.
Track record
MaintainX is a large, heavily funded platform with years of enterprise deployments behind it. QAI is newer - which is also part of why it costs a third as much.
If those three are on your must-have list, MaintainX is worth its price. If they are not, you would be paying for someone else's requirements.
Try the affordable one first
A free plan for 2 users and a 14-day trial on everything else, no credit card. If QAI does the job, you have just cut your CMMS bill by up to two thirds.