JobSite Recon vs Union Break
Full disclosure up front: we built Union Break, so read this with that in mind. But contractors deserve a straight comparison, not a hit piece — so here's what each tool actually does, what it costs, and who it's built for, with links so you can check every claim yourself.
The short version
Both tools exist for the same reason: contractors have no way to know what a customer is like before they bid the job. Homeowners have Yelp, Google, and Angi to check us out — we've had nothing to check them out. JobSite Recon and Union Break both try to fix that. The difference is in how the review works and what you learn from it.
Side by side
| What you care about | JobSite Recon | Union Break |
|---|---|---|
| Review style | Quick checkbox-style ratings | Five scored categories plus a written story of how the job actually went |
| What you learn | A general thumbs up or down | Whether they pay on time, treat crews with respect, make decisions fast, stay reasonable, and hunt discounts — scored separately |
| Who can post | Contractors with the app | Working contractors, after a human moderator reads every report |
| Moderation | Automated / app-based | Every report is read by a person before it goes live — no drive-by smears |
| Customer's side | Not emphasized | Customers can post a rebuttal on any report about them |
| Cost | Free (with a monthly prize for top raters) | Free |
| Union angle | None | Built with union and open-shop crews both in mind — the only tool covering union contractor topics |
Where JobSite Recon is stronger
They have native phone apps and a head start on review volume — more reports on file means more addresses worth checking. If you want the tool with the most reviews today, that's an honest point in their favor. They also run a monthly prize for the most active rater, which keeps people posting.
Where Union Break is stronger
Five scores, not one vibe
A customer can be perfectly polite and still pay 90 days late. Union Break scores payment speed, respect for the crew, decision speed, reasonableness, and discount-hunting separately — so you see the pattern that actually costs you money.
Written stories, not just stars
Numbers tell you what; the story tells you why. Every report includes a written account of how the job went, locked after approval so it can't be quietly edited later.
Human moderation
A person reads every report before it goes live. Made-up reviews, personal info, and legal threats get rejected — which protects you as a reviewer as much as it protects customers.
Rebuttals built in
Customers can respond to any report about them. Fair both ways is what keeps a review site standing when lawyers come knocking.
The question behind the question
Most contractors comparing these tools are really asking: "Can I get sued for posting a review?" That's a fair worry, and it has a real answer — truth is a complete defense to defamation, honest opinions are protected, and moderation keeps the risky stuff off the site. We wrote it up in plain English:
The honest bottom line
Use both. They're both free, and a customer worth worrying about is worth checking in two places. If you only pick one, pick the one whose reviews tell you what you actually need to know before you sign — and we think five scores and a real story beat a checkbox every time.