An AI answer can make a software comparison look objective while quietly combining stale prices, optional fees, and unsupported assumptions. We previously published a Gemini-generated team-cost scenario here. On review, the arithmetic was reproducible but some inputs were not: it treated an optional Spectora Advanced charge as mandatory and quoted totals that could not be defended as a like-for-like comparison. Those totals have been removed.
Define the scenario before asking AI to calculate
- How many owners, field inspectors, office users, and seasonal users need access?
- How many reports are published per month?
- Which features are required—not merely nice to have?
- Are you comparing monthly terms with monthly terms, or annual commitments with annual commitments?
Require a source for every input
| Input | Acceptable source | Reject |
|---|---|---|
| Base subscription | Current official pricing page or written quote | Old review, search snippet, or AI memory |
| Additional users | Vendor's stated role/seat rules | Assuming every user is billed the same |
| Volume fee | Selected plan or add-on documentation | Applying an optional add-on to every customer |
| Included features | Current plan comparison or contract | Inferring absence from silence |
| Third-party tools | A tool the scenario actually requires | Adding hypothetical subscriptions to one side only |
A corrected example of source handling
As reviewed August 19, 2026, Spectora's pricing page lists its base and additional-inspector prices and says report creation is unlimited. Its Advanced documentation calls Advanced optional and prices it per published inspection. An AI may calculate both a base scenario and an Advanced scenario, but it must not label the Advanced total as the unavoidable cost of Spectora.
Inspection Authority's current plan and added-inspector amounts belong on its live pricing page, not frozen in this article. Its public pricing states that there are no per-inspection fees.
Bottom line
Use AI for arithmetic after a human verifies the inputs. A credible comparison names the scenario, links every source, distinguishes required and optional charges, shows the review date, and tells the reader to obtain a current quote before purchasing.
Competitor information reviewed August 19, 2026.
See it in the field, not a sales deck
Inspection Authority was built by a Certified Master Inspector who still inspects every week. Home inspections, termite/WDO reports, recurring pest-control billing, and true offline mode — in one app.