Clue is the best heavy equipment utilization software for most construction fleets, because it pulls OEM telematics, GPS, maintenance, dispatch, rentals, and costs into one record per machine, with more than 80 integrations. Fleetio is the budget pick with a published price, at $4 per vehicle per month billed annually on Essential, with a 14-day free trial and a five-vehicle minimum, so the lowest monthly cost is $20. Tenna, Samsara, Geotab, Motive, and EquipmentShare T3 do not publish a starting price on their official pages, so every one of them is quote only in this guide.
Utilization answers a simple question: how much of the time is each machine working, idle, or sitting unused. A good tool turns engine hours, location, and job assignments into that answer, then links it to maintenance and cost. Pick by fleet size, by how many machines already report telematics, and by whether you need your own tracking hardware or can use the feeds you already have.
On this page
Best heavy equipment utilization software: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clue | Heavy civil contractors with mixed fleets | quote only | No | Visit |
| 2 | Tenna | Contractors who want tracking hardware and maintenance in one system | quote only | No | Visit |
| 3 | Samsara | Large mixed fleets that want telematics, cameras, and equipment tracking together | quote only | No | Visit |
| 4 | Fleetio | Fleets that want maintenance and utilization costs without buying GPS hardware | $4 per vehicle/month | Free trial (14 days) | Visit |
| 5 | Geotab | Fleets that buy through a reseller and want open telematics data | quote only | No | Visit |
| 6 | Motive | Trucking and mixed fleets that need ELD, cameras, and equipment monitoring | quote only | No | Visit |
| 7 | EquipmentShare T3 | Contractors already renting from EquipmentShare or running its hardware | quote only | No | Visit |
The 7 best best heavy equipment utilization software tools, in detail
Clue
Best for: Heavy civil contractors with mixed fleets
Clue is built for construction first, not adapted from a general fleet product. Its core idea is one record per machine, with location, engine hours, inspections, work orders, parts, rentals, and costs tied to that record. Maintenance plans run by engine hours, mileage, dates, or custom intervals, and work orders can start from a failed inspection, a fault code, a due service, or a manual request.
- The integration list is the main reason Clue leads this list.
- Clue lists more than 80 integrations, including Cat VisionLink, John Deere JDLink, Komatsu Komtrax, and Volvo CareTrack, plus GPS providers such as Sa
- Engine hours sync from those feeds, so a mixed fleet can be viewed in one place.
- The trade-off is price transparency.
Pros
- More than 80 integrations across OEM telematics, GPS, ERP, and rental systems
- maintenance by engine hours, mileage, or dates
- dispatch and rental tracking in the same record
Cons
- No published price, so budgeting starts with a sales quote
- plans are quoted by fleet size and modules, which makes direct comparison harder
Tenna
Best for: Contractors who want tracking hardware and maintenance in one system
Tenna covers the full range of construction assets, from large yellow iron down to small tools. Its hardware ladder runs from TennaCANbus and TennaINTEL for connected machines, through TennaFLEET and TennaCAM for trucks, down to TennaMINI for smaller powered assets, TennaBLE beacons for tools, and printed TennaQR tags for items that do not need a battery. That range matters for utilization, because machines with no OEM telematics feed still need hours and location data.
- Maintenance is built into the same platform.
- Tenna sets preventive maintenance by calendar, engine hours, or mileage, routes field repair requests with photos and voice notes to mechanics, and tr
- ERP links include Viewpoint Vista, so maintenance cost can reach accounting.
- One limit is ownership.
Pros
- Own trackers for connected and unconnected machines, from CAN bus units to Bluetooth beacons and QR tags
- maintenance by hours, miles, or dates
- mechanic time cards and cost codes tied to projects
Cons
- No published price on its official pages
- deployments are project managed and can take 4 to 12 weeks
Samsara
Best for: Large mixed fleets that want telematics, cameras, and equipment tracking together
Samsara is a broad connected operations platform, and equipment utilization is one part of a much wider system. Its equipment management covers diagnostics, maintenance, and location tracking, while its asset tracking covers powered and unpowered assets. A powered asset gateway reports real-time location and utilization for mobile assets, and an unpowered asset gateway tracks assets that have no engine or power source.
- The cost structure is the main thing to pin down before you sign.
- Samsara does not publish a per-vehicle price, so your quote will bundle software, hardware, and any camera or add-on modules.
- Hardware is bought separately, and the standard contract term is often three years, billed annually.
- Ask for the software cost per vehicle, the hardware cost per device, the installation cost, and the cost of adding cameras or sensors, each as a separ
Pros
- Equipment monitoring, asset tracking, AI dash cameras, ELD, and trailer tracking in one platform
- powered and unpowered asset gateways
- open API with many partner integrations
Cons
- No published price on its official pages
- hardware is a separate purchase, and contracts are often multi-year
Fleetio
Best for: Fleets that want maintenance and utilization costs without buying GPS hardware
Fleetio is the clearest price in this guide, and that clarity is useful when you are comparing quote-only tools. Its official pricing page lists Essential at $4 per vehicle per month billed annually, or $5 billed monthly, Professional at $7 per vehicle per month billed annually only, and Premium at $10 per vehicle per month billed annually only. Prices shown assume a fleet with 5 assets, and all plans include unlimited users and the Fleetio Go mobile app.
- The 14-day free trial needs no credit card.
- Fleetio is software only, and that is both its strength and its limit.
- It covers asset records, inspections, service schedules, work orders, parts, fuel logs, and cost-per-mile reporting, and it pulls telematics data from
- For utilization, that means engine-hour reminders and cost reporting are strong, while live GPS depends on the integration you already run.
Pros
- Published prices, with Essential at $4, Professional at $7, and Premium at $10 per vehicle per month billed annually
- unlimited users on all plans
- 14-day free trial with no credit card required
Cons
- No native GPS tracking of its own, so live location needs a telematics integration
- five-vehicle minimum, so the lowest Essential cost is $20 per month
Geotab
Best for: Fleets that buy through a reseller and want open telematics data
Geotab sells through authorized resellers rather than direct sales, so your price, contract, and support depend on the partner you choose. Its current lineup has two main rate plans. GO Core is the entry plan, with GPS location, trip history, engine data, VIN, driver ID, and basic reporting.
- GO Plan is the fuller plan, with hours of service and ELD tools, Active Tracking, EV data, Wi-Fi support, and Public Works features.
- Older plan names such as Base, Regulatory, Pro, and ProPlus are now legacy plans.
- For utilization, the GO device plugs into a vehicle and reports location, engine data, and trip records, while the MyGeotab software turns that data i
- The open platform is a real strength, because Geotab supports third-party devices and many OEM integrations.
Pros
- Two current rate plans, GO Core and GO Plan, with GPS, engine data, and safety features
- large partner network with more than 700 resellers
- open platform with many third-party integrations
Cons
- No published price, and the final price depends on the reseller
- hardware, installation, and support terms vary by reseller
Motive
Best for: Trucking and mixed fleets that need ELD, cameras, and equipment monitoring
Motive, formerly KeepTruckin, is an all-in-one fleet platform that covers ELD compliance, GPS tracking, AI dash cameras, maintenance, fuel and spend management, and equipment monitoring. Its pricing page is a four-step form that asks for industry, fleet size, and contact details, after which sales sends a quote. Fleet size buckets run from 1 to 9 vehicles, 10 to 49, 50 to 174, 175 to 999, and 1,000 or more.
- Equipment monitoring is the part that matters most for this topic.
- Motive tracks equipment location and use alongside trucks, so a mixed fleet can see vehicles and site equipment in the same dashboard.
- The Pro plan adds one-click IFTA, driver safety and coaching, 500 MB per month of in-cab WiFi, fault code maintenance alerts, and fuel and idle tracki
- One limit is the contract.
Pros
- ELD and hours of service, AI dash cameras, GPS tracking, and equipment monitoring in one system
- fleet size buckets from 1 to 9 vehicles up to 1,000 or more
- workforce tools with a free tier for timecards and payroll links
Cons
- No published per-vehicle price, and the pricing page is a quote form
- contracts are typically multi-year, with early cancellation costs
How we chose
We included only tools with a real equipment utilization function, meaning engine hours, idle hours, location, or cost per machine, not just a GPS dot. We checked official vendor pricing pages and product pages opened on 2026-11-12, and we wrote quote only where the vendor published no price. We did not test any tool hands-on. We did not use customer counts, awards, or review scores to rank items. The unique fact in this guide is that Tenna is now owned by John Deere, after the acquisition completed on 18 February 2026, while Tenna still presents itself as a mixed-fleet platform. Another useful detail is that Fleetio is the only tool here with a published starting price and a 14-day free trial, which makes it the easiest cost to verify.
Which tool fits your fleet size and budget
| Fleet size | Best starting point | Cost to check first |
|---|---|---|
| 5 to 20 machines | Fleetio Essential | $4 per vehicle per month billed annually, with a $20 monthly floor from the five-vehicle minimum |
| 20 to 100 machines | Clue or Tenna | Quote only, so ask for per-asset cost by device type and module |
| 100 or more machines | Samsara, Geotab, or Motive | Quote only, plus hardware, installation, and contract length |
| Rental-heavy fleet | EquipmentShare T3 | Quote only, plus one-time hardware fee and subscription |
| Inspection-led fleet | Fleetio or Tenna | Fleetio at $4 per vehicle per month, or Tenna by quote |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best heavy equipment utilization software for most fleets?
Clue is the best pick for most construction fleets, because it combines OEM telematics, GPS, maintenance, dispatch, rentals, and costs in one record per machine, with more than 80 integrations. Fleetio is the best budget pick, at $4 per vehicle per month billed annually on Essential, with a 14-day free trial and no hardware to buy.
How much does heavy equipment utilization software cost?
Fleetio is the only tool here with a published starting price, at $4 per vehicle per month billed annually on Essential, or $5 billed monthly, with a five-vehicle minimum. Clue, Tenna, Samsara, Geotab, Motive, and EquipmentShare T3 are quote only, so you need a written quote that separates software, hardware, installation, and contract length.
Which tool is best for a small fleet with 5 to 20 machines?
Fleetio is the best fit for a small fleet, because its Essential plan starts at $4 per vehicle per month billed annually, with unlimited users and a 14-day free trial. The five-vehicle minimum sets the lowest monthly cost at $20. If you need live GPS and cameras, add a telematics provider or shortlist a quote-only tool with hardware included.
Which tool is best for a mixed fleet with Cat, Deere, Komatsu, and Volvo machines?
Clue is the best fit for a mixed fleet, because it pulls Cat VisionLink, John Deere JDLink, Komatsu Komtrax, and Volvo CareTrack into one dashboard, along with GPS feeds from Samsara and Geotab. Tenna is also built for mixed fleets, with its own trackers for machines that have no OEM feed.
Do I need to buy GPS hardware to track utilization?
It depends on the tool. Fleetio is software only and uses telematics integrations, so you can use devices you already run. Samsara, Geotab, Motive, Tenna, and EquipmentShare T3 all use their own GPS hardware or trackers, and that hardware is a separate cost from the software subscription.
Is Tenna still independent after the John Deere deal?
John Deere completed its acquisition of Tenna on 18 February 2026. Deere has said Tenna will continue to operate as an independent business under its own name, with its mixed-fleet model intact, and its hardware still covers machines from any maker. If you run mostly non-Deere iron, ask about support and product direction in your quote.
Sources
- https://www.getclue.com
- https://www.getclue.com/industries/construction-equipment-management-software
- https://www.tenna.com
- https://www.tenna.com/equipment-maintenance-software/
- https://www.samsara.com
- https://www.samsara.com/uk/products
- https://www.fleetio.com
- https://www.fleetio.com/pricing
- https://www.geotab.com
- https://support.geotab.com/help/mygeotab/access-and-administration/feature-availability/rate-plans
- https://gomotive.com
- https://gomotive.com/pricing
- https://t3.tech
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.