ISNetworld vs Avetta: Which One Will Your GC Require?

Your GC just told you to "get on ISNetworld" or "sign up for Avetta" before you can start work. You Googled it. Now you're staring at subscription fees, document uploads, and compliance reviews — and wondering what you just got into.

ISNetworld and Avetta are the two biggest contractor prequalification platforms in North America. They serve the same basic purpose — helping hiring clients (GCs, operators, facility owners) verify that their contractors are safe and compliant — but they work differently, cost differently, and require different things.

Here's what you actually need to know as a contractor.

What Are ISNetworld and Avetta?

Both platforms are third-party contractor management systems. Here's what each one does:

ISNetworld (owned by ISN) is the largest contractor prequalification network, with over 70,000 contractor subscribers. It's dominant in oil and gas, petrochemical, utilities, and heavy industrial sectors. ISNetworld uses a proprietary review system called RAVS (Review and Verification Services) to evaluate your safety documentation.

Avetta (formerly PICS Auditing) is the second-largest platform, with strong presence in manufacturing, construction, mining, and facility maintenance. Avetta also reviews your safety documents, insurance, and compliance data — but through their own audit process.

Both platforms charge contractors an annual subscription. Both require you to upload safety programs, insurance certificates, and other compliance documentation. And both review your documents against the specific requirements set by your hiring client.

Cost Comparison

This is usually the first question contractors ask. Here's a realistic breakdown:

Both platforms bill contractors annually, and both increase pricing as you add more client connections. For a small contractor working with one or two hiring clients, expect $400–$600 per year for ISNetworld and $300–$500 for Avetta.

What Each Platform Requires From You

Despite their differences, both platforms require essentially the same core documentation from contractors:

Documentation Both Platforms Require

• Written safety programs — HazCom, fall protection, emergency action plan, and trade-specific programs based on your work scope
• Insurance certificates — general liability, workers' comp, auto liability (meeting your hiring client's coverage minimums)
• EMR (Experience Modification Rate) — your workers' comp modifier, typically from your insurance carrier
• OSHA 300 logs — injury and illness recordkeeping for the past 3 years
• TRIR/DART rates — your incident rate calculations
• Training documentation — evidence of safety training for your workforce

Where They Differ

ISNetworld's RAVS process is the biggest differentiator. When you upload your safety programs to ISNetworld, they go through RAVS — a structured review where trained auditors evaluate your documents against specific criteria. Each program gets a grade. Your hiring client sets minimum grade thresholds, and you need to meet them to be "compliant."

The RAVS review is detailed and can be demanding. Programs that don't address specific OSHA requirements, or that use generic language without company-specific details, will get flagged. Read our guide to passing RAVS for detailed tips.

Avetta's review process is similar in concept but different in execution. Avetta auditors review your documents for completeness and compliance, but the grading system and criteria differ from RAVS. Avetta also puts more emphasis on insurance verification and financial prequalification for some clients. See our Avetta compliance guide for specifics.

Which Platform Will Your GC Require?

Here's the part most comparison articles won't tell you: you don't get to choose. Your GC (or the facility owner) has already selected a platform, and you need to be on that one.

General industry trends:

• Oil & gas, petrochemical, utilities, pipelines → usually ISNetworld
• Manufacturing, food & beverage, facility maintenance → often Avetta
• Large commercial construction → could be either, sometimes both
• Mining and heavy industrial → split between both platforms
• Government/public sector → less common on either; usually have their own processes

Some large contractors end up on both platforms because they work for hiring clients on each. Yes, that means two annual subscriptions.

What Happens If You Fail the Review

Both platforms will flag deficiencies in your submitted documents. Common reasons safety programs get rejected:

• Generic templates — documents that say "Company Name" instead of your actual company name
• Missing required programs — your hiring client requires a silica exposure plan but you didn't submit one
• Outdated content — referencing old OSHA penalty amounts or superseded regulations
• Incomplete programs — a fall protection "program" that's really just a paragraph
• No company-specific details — no mention of your actual job sites, equipment, or work procedures

On ISNetworld, a failed RAVS review means you'll see red or yellow grades on your account. Your hiring client can see these grades, and most won't approve you for work until all required programs are green. Learn about the most common issues in our ISNetworld failure guide.

On Avetta, deficiencies appear in your compliance dashboard and your hiring client is notified. You'll get a window to correct and resubmit.

How CrewCompliance Works for Both Platforms

Here's the good news: a well-written safety program works on both ISNetworld and Avetta. The underlying requirements come from OSHA — not the platform — so a program that's thorough, company-specific, and references the correct standards will pass review on either platform.

CrewCompliance generates safety programs that are designed to meet prequalification requirements. Every program includes:

• Your company name throughout — no generic placeholders
• Correct OSHA standards for your trade and state
• The specific written programs your hiring client's platform will look for
• Company-specific language based on your questionnaire answers
• Current regulatory references (updated for 2026)

Whether your GC uses ISNetworld, Avetta, Veriforce, or their own internal prequalification process, the safety program you get from CrewCompliance is built to meet the documentation standard.

Quick Decision Guide

If you're still trying to figure out what to do, here's your action plan:

1. Ask your GC which platform they use. Don't guess — they'll tell you.
2. Create your account on the required platform. Both have straightforward sign-up processes.
3. Get your safety programs ready before you start uploading. Submitting incomplete or generic documents wastes review cycles and delays your compliance date.
4. Upload and submit your written safety programs, insurance certs, EMR, and OSHA logs.
5. Monitor your account for review results and address any deficiencies promptly.

The platform subscription is a cost of doing business with larger GCs and operators. The safety programs you upload are the substance behind the subscription — and they're what actually determine whether you pass or fail.

Frequently Asked Questions