Best Maintenance Checklist Apps & Tools
From paper to inspection apps, there are many ways to run building maintenance checklists. This guide compares the options, explains what to look for, and points to free checklist templates you can start using today.
The options for maintenance checklists
Maintenance checklists can be run in several ways, from simple printed templates to full inspection apps that capture results digitally. The right choice depends on the size of your operation, whether you need digital records and analytics, and how the checklists connect to your wider maintenance and documentation.
- Printed PDF templates: simple, free, and immediate — ideal for getting started or smaller sites
- Inspection / checklist apps: capture results on mobile, with photos, records, and reporting
- CAFM/CMMS: turn checklists into scheduled work orders with full maintenance history
- Checklist generators: build a custom checklist for a specific asset or task
| Option | Digital records | Scheduling | Typical cost | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Printed PDF templates | No — paper filing | Manual | Free | PM Assist checklist library |
| Checklist generator | No — produces a document | Manual | Free | PM Assist checklist generator |
| Inspection app | Yes — with photos and timestamps | Recurring inspections | Per user, per month | SafetyCulture |
| CAFM / CMMS | Yes — full maintenance history | Full work-order scheduling | Per user or per asset, often with implementation | Planon, MRI Software, Concept Evolution, Joblogic, Elogbooks |
| Maintenance specification library | No — supplies the task content | Feeds schedules into a CAFM | Subscription | SFG20 (BESA) |
What to look for
Whichever route you take, the content matters as much as the tool. A checklist is only as good as the tasks on it — covering the right preventive, safety, and statutory checks at the right frequency for each asset. Look for checklists grounded in recognised UK maintenance practice and the relevant standards, not generic lists.
- Asset-specific tasks covering preventive, safety, and statutory checks
- Appropriate frequencies (daily, weekly, monthly, annually)
- Reference to relevant standards (e.g. BS 5839, LOLER) where applicable
- Records you can keep as maintenance and compliance evidence
- A link to the technical detail needed to actually do each task
Start free, then make the records searchable
PM Assist offers a large library of free, downloadable maintenance checklist templates covering HVAC, fire safety, water hygiene, electrical, pumps, lifts, and more — each grounded in UK maintenance practice with the core tasks, frequencies, and safety notes. There is also a checklist generator for building custom checklists.
As your completed checklists, O&M manuals, and certificates accumulate, PM Assist makes all of that documentation searchable in plain English — so you can run the checks with good templates and keep the resulting records instantly findable.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best app for maintenance checklists?
Are free maintenance checklist templates any good?
How do checklists fit with the rest of maintenance?
Free checklist templates, searchable records
Download free maintenance checklist templates and keep every completed record and manual searchable in one place. Start free.
- Upload and organise building documentation
- AI-powered search across all your manuals
- Source-cited answers for every query
- Team collaboration and access control
- No credit card required to start