# CheckBadges

> CheckBadges is a QR code checklist for equipment. Every machine gets a printed QR sticker, and operators scan it with their own phone's camera to do the pre-use check, with no app and no login. Anything marked as a problem emails the owner right away and warns the next operator, and every check is saved to the machine's history.

CheckBadges is for anyone whose people run machines: warehouses, construction, equipment rental, manufacturing, farms and vehicle fleets. Setup takes about a minute and can be tried with real machines before signing up.

## Key facts

- Your operators need: Their phone's camera. No app, account or password.
- On each machine: A printed QR sticker that opens its checklist.
- Checklists: Ready-made for forklifts, lifts, loaders and vehicles, or your own.
- When something's wrong: You get an email with what's wrong and photos.
- Price: Free for 3 machines. Then $9/mo + $1.50 per machine.
- Records: Every check, by machine. Print it or export a CSV.

## Pricing

Free for up to 3 machines. Pro is $9 a month for your first 3 machines, plus $1.50 a month for each machine after that. Operators and checks are unlimited on both. For example, 10 machines is $19.50, 25 machines is $42, 50 machines is $79.50 a month. Every feature is on both plans. No contracts, hardware or setup fees.

## How it works

1. **Add your machines.** Name your business, list your machines and pick a starting checklist. No signup, sales call or card — make an account once you like it.
2. **Stick on their QR codes.** Every machine gets its own sticker. Print them on label paper and put each one where operators look before they start.
3. **Operators scan and check.** Phone camera, tap, answer, submit: about a minute. A problem emails you and warns the next person to scan that machine.

## Who it's for

- **Warehouses & distribution:** Daily forklift and reach truck checks before every shift, without the clipboard.
- **Construction:** Lifts, loaders and telehandlers checked on site, before anyone climbs in.
- **Equipment rental:** A dated check every time a machine goes out, and a record of what came back damaged.
- **Manufacturing:** Pre-use checks on presses, saws and line equipment, with a record ready for audits.
- **Farms & landscaping:** Tractors, mowers and UTVs checked by seasonal crews from day one.
- **Vehicle fleets:** Pre-trip checks on trucks and vans from the driver's own phone.

## Features

- **Instant problem alerts:** Anything marked Problem emails you what's wrong, with photos, the moment it's submitted.
- **A warning for the next operator:** Until you mark it fixed, everyone who scans that machine sees the open problem first.
- **A checklist builder anyone can use:** Pass/problem items, multiple choice, dropdowns, numbers and text. Reorder, preview, save.
- **Ready-made checklists:** Start from a forklift, aerial lift, heavy equipment, vehicle or general pre-use check.
- **Photos of the damage:** Operators snap a photo of anything wrong, right from the check. No app needed for that either.
- **Optional operator PINs:** Limit checks to your crew, and know for certain who did each one.
- **A history for every machine:** Every check, who did it and when, kept by machine. Print a record for an inspector.
- **CSV export:** A row per check or per answer, for Excel, Google Sheets or your maintenance system.
- **Today at a glance:** Which machines have been checked today and what needs fixing, updated as checks come in.

## How CheckBadges compares

| | CheckBadges | Paper checklists | Google Forms & Jotform | Inspection apps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operators need | Their phone's camera | A pen | A link or QR code | An app and a login |
| Knows which machine | A sticker per machine | If they write it down | If you build a form per machine | Yes |
| Problems alert you | Instantly, with photos | When someone tells you | With add-ons and setup | Yes |
| Next operator sees open problems | Yes | Only if they read back | No | Some |
| History per machine | Automatic | A filing cabinet | A spreadsheet to sort | Yes |
| Pricing | Free for 3 machines | Paper and printing | Free to about $34/mo | Usually per user, per month |
| Setup | About a minute | Print forms | Build every form | Roll out to every operator |

## FAQ

### What is CheckBadges?
CheckBadges is a QR code checklist for equipment. Every machine gets a printed QR sticker, and operators scan it with their own phone's camera to do the pre-use check, with no app and no login. Anything marked as a problem emails the owner right away and warns the next operator, and every check is saved to the machine's history.

### Do operators need to download an app or log in?
No. Operators point their phone's camera at the QR sticker on the machine, which opens that machine's checklist as a web page. They type their name, or their PIN if you use PINs, answer the questions and submit. Nothing to install, no account and no password.

### How does a QR code equipment checklist work?
Each machine has its own QR sticker. Scanning it opens the checklist for that machine, so operators never pick the wrong form, and every check is filed under the right machine with the operator's name and the time. You see each check on your dashboard as it comes in.

### What happens when an operator reports a problem?
They describe what's wrong and can attach photos. You get an email with the details straight away, the machine is flagged on your dashboard, and the next operator who scans it sees the open problem before starting. When it's repaired, mark it fixed with a note and the warning clears.

### Can I make my own checklists?
Yes. Start from a ready-made forklift, aerial lift, heavy equipment, vehicle or general pre-use checklist, or a blank one, and add pass/problem items, multiple-choice questions, dropdowns, number readings like hour meters, and text boxes. Each machine uses the checklist you assign to it.

### How do I stop just anyone from submitting checks?
Turn on operator PINs. Each operator gets their own 4-digit PIN, and the check form asks for it instead of a name, so only your operators can submit and every check is signed by the person who did it. Wrong PINs are rate limited so they can't be guessed.

### Does it help with OSHA's daily forklift inspections?
OSHA requires powered industrial trucks to be examined before being placed in service, at least daily (29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7)), and trucks with defects kept out of service until repaired. CheckBadges gives you a dated record of every examination with who did it, and flags trucks with reported problems. What you check is up to you: start from the forklift template and match it to your manufacturer's manual.

### What do I need to print the stickers?
Any printer. Stickers print eight to a letter page at business-card size. Weatherproof label paper lasts longest outdoors; plain paper or card stock under clear packing tape or a laminate pouch works too.

### How much does CheckBadges cost?
Free for up to 3 machines. Pro is $9 a month for your first 3 machines, plus $1.50 a month for each machine after that. Operators and checks are unlimited on both. 10 machines is $19.50 a month and 25 machines is $42. Every feature is on both plans, with no contracts, hardware or setup fees.

### Can I export records for audits, insurance or customers?
Yes. Download your checks as a CSV, with a row per check or a row per answer, filtered by machine and date. Any single check prints as a clean record, photos included.

### What if a sticker gets damaged or lost?
Reissue it from the dashboard in a click. The old sticker stops working right away, and the machine keeps its whole history.

### Can I try it before signing up?
Yes. Add your business and your real machines, then scan a sticker right off your screen with your phone and do a check, without making an account or entering a card. Sign up when you're ready and everything you set up is kept.

## Links

- [Homepage](https://www.checkbadges.com/): what CheckBadges is, pricing and FAQ
- [Start free](https://www.checkbadges.com/welcome): set up a business and machines, no signup or card
- [Log in](https://www.checkbadges.com/login)

Last updated 2026-10-16.