Spike vs. STANLEY® Smart Measure Pro

Both STANLEY® Smart Measure Pro and Spike are valuable laser measuring solutions that offer advantages for speed, safety and cost for many different types of projects. Both were designed by the same company, ikeGPS, and provide exceptional performance and features. The primary difference is that STANLEY Smart Measure Pro is now discontinued. That means Spike is advantageous for a few different reasons, like higher measurement accuracy, product support and newer technology options.

Here’s how the two compare.

What Do Spike and STANLEY Smart Measure Pro Do?

Spike and Smart Measure Pro are in-field measuring solutions made up of a laser beam measurement device and an app. The device captures the data it needs, allowing the user to collect accurate measurements based on points or photos in various units like feet, inches, meters and centimeters. Then, that information gets transferred to the app, where the user collects and exports the data. Both operate via Bluetooth for fast, real-time measurements. Other Spike features include free cloud uploads and multiple export formats.

These tools allow users to:

• Save money: Time is money, and both apps are huge time-savers. Snap pictures and get highly accurate measurements without the need for cumbersome tape measures and scribbled-on notepads. It can also be operated by one person, so there’s no need to pay a whole crew for measuring work. You can eliminate the need for heavy equipment like lifts and bucket trucks, too.
• Increase safety: Many measuring tasks require risky activities like climbing ladders or straining to odd angles. These systems eliminate that need and help create safer work environments.
• Get fast, professional results: With quick and accurate measurements, you can generate a quote much faster and put yourself in a better position to win a bid. Plus, Spike and STANLEY Smart Measure Pro can help you create professional content for deliverables. Easy exports and cloud uploads offer neat and organized measurements, and photos provide verifiable job records.
• Work more flexibly: Users can take photos and measurements from a wide variety of mobile devices and work with them on a mobile device or a computer. Cloud-based data storage means you can access your measurements from any internet device, which is great for on-site work.

You’ll find these measurement apps used in a range of industries, such as geospatial work, signage and graphics, and commercial field services. They can help users inspect job sites, plan material usage, create quotes, report progress and accomplish many other tasks for the project at hand. They’re compatible with commonly used field devices, like smartphones and tablets, so they’re easy to take with you to site inspections and evaluations.

The two systems have a lot of similarities and can help you level up your work, but there is one important difference.

What Are the Differences Between Spike and STANLEY Smart Measure Pro?

The main difference between the two systems is that STANLEY Smart Measure Pro is now discontinued and no longer in production. The app is no longer receiving improvements or updates. If you want to buy a Smart Measure Pro device, you’ll have to enter the used markets and buy from sources that might not be very trustworthy.

Fortunately, our team at ikeGPS built the Smart Measure Pro for the home improvement market and built Spike for the pros needing higher accuracy and versatility. Spike offers several measurement options and fits all mobile devices.

Let’s look at the specs of the two systems. Here are some of the ways they compare:

• Accuracy: Spike has a laser rangefinder accuracy of ±5 centimeters, point-to-point measurement accuracy of ±3% and photo measurement accuracy of ±1%.  STANLEY Smart Measure Pro has an accuracy of ±3%. Accuracy, of course, is key to avoiding problems or reworking.
• Range: The STANLEY Smart Measure Pro laser measurement device’s working range is 450 feet, and Spike’s goes up to 650 feet. This offers more flexibility when measuring, so you can stand in better locations and access harder-to-reach areas.
• Warranty: Since the Smart Measure Pro is discontinued, there’s no warranty or support offered by STANLEY. Spike comes with a 30-day guarantee with no questions asked, as well as a one-year warranty against defects, adding valuable peace of mind to your purchase.
• Pricing: To save measurements and calculations and export data, STANLEY requires either a monthly or annual subscription. Spike is a one-time purchase of $499 without any app subscription or maintenance fees. Most users find a full return on investment in just a handful of uses. There are no ongoing fees to worry about, so you only need to buy the device once, which makes for easy budgeting.
• Export options: Output formats for Smart Measure Pro include JPG, PDF, XML and HTML. Spike’s output formats include JPG, PDF, JPG, XML, KMZ and scaled JPG and URL. This offers more versatility for easy collaboration, data sharing and analysis according to your needs and those of your partners and clients.
• Integrations and partnerships: Spike has a partner program that allows software vendors to integrate with the Spike app. Some of our integration partners include Esri’s Survey123 and Autodesk’s AutoCAD. We also have hardware partnerships through OtterBox’s uniVERSE Case System and Kyocera’s DuraForce PRO 2 smartphone. We’ve made it easy to incorporate Spike into your workflow for a speedy experience.

Overall, the solutions are similar, but Spike is still in production, and the app is still updated and supported. Since technology moves so quickly, even a few years of discontinuation can point to a range of changes and potential improvements. If you’re looking for accurate, fast measurements and a purchase from a trustworthy company, Spike is your best bet.

Explore Spike Today and Simplifying Measuring

Spike comes from ikeGPS, a company dedicated to delivering a unique measuring capability that is simple to use and accessible to any filed worker. Taking complex measurements shouldn’t require complicated tools.  In fact it should be as easy as using your smartphone or tablet.

Different industries can take advantage of certain aspects of Spike, too. Esri Survey123 integrations are a strong component of geospatial applications, supporting more than 30% of state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) that use Spike. Those working in signage can trust Spike’s ability to cut measurement and customer acquisition costs by over 50%. It even won the 2016 International Sign Association’s International Sign Expo Innovation Award. Commercial field services also take advantage of the many capabilities of Spike.

Learn more about Spike by exploring our website. We know that choosing tools for your business isn’t always straightforward. If you have any questions about Spike or what it might look like for your organization, please reach out to a team member today to start talking about measurements.