AttendIQ vs Biosite
Biosite uses biometric hardware to control site access. AttendIQ delivers the same compliance record - competencies, inductions, attendance, access control - via a mobile app. No hardware, no installation, live the same day.
Tier 2 and Tier 3 contractors needing compliance across multiple sites. No hardware, no installation, live the same day. Full competency tracking, inductions, access control, and supply chain management via mobile app.
Larger permanent or semi-permanent site installations where a physical biometric access gate is a client or contractual requirement, and where the upfront hardware investment is justified by site duration and worker volume.
Feature comparison
| Feature | AttendIQ | Biosite |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware required | ✓ No hardware - smartphone only | ✗ Biometric fingerprint readers required |
| Same-day deployment | ✓ Live within hours | ✗ Hardware installation required |
| Multi-site (no additional hardware) | ✓ Any number of sites, no hardware cost | ✗ Hardware required per site |
| Competency tracking & expiry management | ✓ Automatic expiry alerts, access blocking | ✓ Yes, manual and third-party |
| Digital site inductions | ✓ Mobile-delivered, versioned | Limited |
| Worker competency management | ✓ Full matrix, confidence scoring | Basic |
| Supply chain management | ✓ Free for supply chain companies | ✗ Not a primary feature |
| Digital permits and forms | ✓ Hot works, confined space, WaH | Basic |
| Drug and alcohol management | ✓ Test records, auto-suspension | Basic |
| Modern slavery detection | ✓ Automated pattern detection | ✗ Not available |
| Transparent pricing | ✓ £4.50-£6.50/worker/month | ✗ Hardware plus software licensing |
When hardware access control makes sense
Biosite's biometric hardware system has genuine advantages in specific circumstances. If you are a Tier 1 principal contractor building a major infrastructure project that will run for several years, with hundreds of workers and a client requirement for physical access control, biometric turnstiles provide hard enforcement at the gate - a worker literally cannot enter without registering.
But for the majority of UK Tier 2 and Tier 3 contractors, this is not the reality. Sites change frequently, worker rosters rotate, and the cost of hardware installation per site makes the economics unworkable.
The multi-site problem
One of the most important advantages of a software-only approach like AttendIQ is multi-site flexibility. A groundworks contractor with eight active sites across the Midlands can add a new site in AttendIQ in minutes, with zero additional hardware cost. With Biosite, each new site requires hardware procurement, delivery, and installation - time and cost that does not make sense for shorter projects.
Compliance depth beyond the gate
Biosite's core function is physical access control - managing who can pass through a gate. AttendIQ goes further: supply chain management (free for SC companies), drug and alcohol policy enforcement with configurable auto-suspension, Working Time Directive fatigue monitoring, modern slavery detection, right to work document management, digital permits, and full competency tracking with expiry alerts.
For a contractor who needs the gate covered and nothing else, either solution could work. For a contractor who needs to demonstrate comprehensive compliance to their principal contractor or the HSE, AttendIQ covers the full picture.
The verdict
For large, permanent site installations where a client mandates physical biometric access control, Biosite is appropriate. For Tier 2 and Tier 3 contractors managing multiple sites, fast-moving programmes, or supply chain workforces, AttendIQ is the right tool - significantly cheaper, faster to deploy, and far broader in compliance scope.
Frequently asked questions
No. AttendIQ requires no hardware. Workers clock in via the mobile app on their smartphone. Supervisors see live site headcount on a dashboard accessible from any device. There is nothing to install, no hardware to maintain, and no per-site equipment cost.
AttendIQ. Biosite requires hardware at each site, which creates significant per-site cost and deployment time. AttendIQ adds a new site in minutes with no additional hardware cost. For contractors running multiple simultaneous sites, AttendIQ is the practical choice.
No hardware. No installation.
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