Before you go further: if you’re researching KPA Flex today, there’s an important update you need to know. As of January 2026, KPA separated into two independent companies. The automotive compliance business kept the KPA name, while the industrial EHS software business — including the platform long known as KPA Flex — became a new, independent company called Novara, and the product is now sold as Novara Flex.

This review covers the platform under both names, since “KPA Flex” is still how most people search for it and how many existing customers still refer to it. Everywhere below, assume “Novara Flex” and “KPA Flex” refer to the same underlying product. It’s based on Novara’s official website, public reporting on the January 2026 separation, and verified user reviews on G2, Capterra, Software Advice, and GetApp. Because software pricing and features change, and Novara Flex does not publish self-serve pricing, always confirm current details directly with Novara before making a purchasing decision.

Key Takeaways

• KPA Flex is now Novara Flex, following a January 2026 corporate separation that split KPA’s automotive compliance business from its industrial EHS software business.
• Novara Flex is a highly configurable, mobile-first EHS platform covering inspections, incident tracking, training, and compliance task management, built on more than 30 years of EHS consulting heritage.
• Pricing is not published; it’s charged per user, and at least one reviewer specifically noted per-user cost as their main complaint. Chemical/SDS management is typically a separate, additional-cost module.
• Independent reviewers rate it strongly for ease of use and customer support: GetApp shows 96% positive sentiment across 129 reviews, and Novara cites a 4.8-out-of-5 customer service rating on Capterra.
• It’s best suited to small and mid-sized organizations, especially in oil and gas, construction, and manufacturing, that prioritize configurability and hands-on support over the deepest possible feature set.

What Is KPA Flex (Novara Flex)?

Novara Flex, formerly KPA Flex, is a cloud-based EHS and safety management platform used to manage inspections and audits, incident and near-miss reporting, corrective actions, compliance task and permit tracking, and safety training. It’s built around a highly configurable form builder and dashboard system, letting organizations adapt the platform to their specific processes rather than working within a fixed structure.

The platform grew out of KPA, a compliance consulting and software company founded in 1986 that historically served both automotive dealerships and broader industrial safety programs. Following the January 2026 split, Novara now operates the EHS software business independently, while KPA continues to focus specifically on automotive industry compliance.

Novara Flex (KPA Flex) Company Overview

KPA was founded in 1986 and built a 40-year track record as an EHS and workforce compliance consultancy and software provider, eventually serving more than 15,000 clients across automotive, construction, manufacturing, and other industries, backed by roughly 150 in-house compliance consultants. The company was privately held, backed by investors including Providence Equity Partners and CIVC Partners, and grew in part through acquisitions like Auto Advisory Services, HotlinkHR, and EHS Associates.

In October 2023, KPA rebranded its EHS software product as “KPA Flex.” Then, in January 2026, KPA separated into two independent companies: KPA, which retained the automotive compliance business, and Novara, a newly independent company that took over the industrial EHS software platform, now called Novara Flex, under new CEO Michael Bruns. Novara has stated that building out AI capabilities is a near-term product priority following the separation, and existing KPA Flex customers are not expected to see near-term disruption to the product itself.

Quick Verdict: Is Novara Flex (KPA Flex) Worth Considering?

Novara Flex is worth shortlisting if you want a highly configurable, easy-to-use EHS platform backed by consistently well-reviewed customer support, and you’re comfortable evaluating a company that recently became independent after 40 years as part of a larger organization. Reviewers frequently highlight the sales process as refreshingly transparent and the day-to-day platform as genuinely easy for both administrators and frontline workers to learn.

It’s a weaker fit if you need the deepest possible feature set out of the box, formal OSHA 300/301 recordkeeping built in, or standard chemical/SDS management without an additional module cost. Because Novara is a newly independent company as of early 2026, it’s also worth asking directly about product roadmap continuity and long-term support infrastructure during your evaluation.

Key Features of Novara Flex (KPA Flex)

Digital Inspections and Checklists

Novara Flex includes a form builder for creating facility inspections, audits, and equipment checklists, either from scratch or using existing library templates. Reviewers consistently describe form creation and editing as fast and intuitive, with one reviewer specifically noting that new employees became eager to add their own forms once they saw how the system worked.

Audits and Observations

Audit and inspection data feeds into configurable dashboards and pre-built analytics, giving managers an overall view of captured data. Some reviewers would like deeper drill-down capability, specifically the ability to build more detailed custom widgets and dashboards rather than relying only on pre-built views.

Incident Reporting

Incident and near-miss reporting is a core workflow, with automatic email notifications sent when a report is submitted, which reviewers say eliminates the need to chase down information about what happened at a job site. QR codes are also used to streamline access to related employee and incident information.

Corrective Actions

Follow-ups and corrective and preventive actions can be assigned directly from incidents, audits, or inspections. A specific limitation noted by more than one reviewer: it’s difficult to pull a consolidated view of all action items/follow-ups in one place and trace which source (audit, incident, investigation, or inspection) each one came from, though this was described as a known, in-progress improvement area.

Risk Assessment

Novara Flex supports operational risk management and risk assessment workflows as part of its broader configurable form system, though independent comparisons note that structured, dedicated risk-register capability is not a primary differentiator of the platform compared with more comprehensive EHS suites. Organizations with formal, centralized risk-register requirements should evaluate this area closely against alternatives.

Training and Team Communication

The integrated learning management system includes a library of over 1,000 customizable training courses, plus a lesson builder for creating custom content with headings, text, video, images, and quizzes. Reviewers value the ability to customize training to company-specific needs, though some note the quiz format is currently limited to multiple choice, and that nesting optional training within a broader composed training path isn’t currently supported.

Asset and Issue Management

QR code scanning gives field teams quick access to employee profile pages showing training status, assigned assets, location, and other details. Equipment-specific tracking and inspection tools are supported within the broader form and asset framework, though this is generally described as adequate rather than a headline strength compared with the platform’s training and forms capabilities.

Reporting and Analytics

Novara Flex includes pre-built data analytics and configurable dashboards to measure performance relevant to your business, with reviewers praising the ability to easily report off submitted forms and schedule automatic reports to management. One specific usability bug noted by reviewers: pulling a filtered report and then clicking the browser’s back button resets the search, so filtered views need to be opened in a new window to avoid re-entering search parameters.

Mobile App Capabilities

The mobile app supports real-time access to inspections, training, and incident reporting from the field, using device features like GPS, camera, push notifications, and offline storage. Reviewers specifically highlight offline functionality as critical for field operators working in areas with limited or no cell service, letting them submit incidents and inspections that sync once connectivity returns.

Integrations

Novara Flex connects to business systems including Procore, Rivet, Spectrum ERP, Microsoft Power Apps, Microsoft Power Automate, OPERA Cloud, SCADA systems, and MSDS SDS management solutions, along with a general API for custom integrations. Chemical and Safety Data Sheet management, backed by a database Novara describes as covering more than 70 million SDS records, is available but is frequently mentioned by reviewers as a separately priced add-on rather than a standard inclusion.

Novara Flex (KPA Flex) Ease of Use

Ease of use is the single most frequently praised attribute of Novara Flex across independent reviews, more so than almost any other EHS platform covered in this series. Reviewers consistently describe the platform as self-explanatory for both administrators and frontline employees, with one reviewer specifically noting that adoption “went through the roof” once employees saw how easy it was to use.

Some reviewers do note gaps tied to the platform’s configurability trade-off: a smaller number describe newly released features as sometimes under-tested, with bugs or incompatibilities that would benefit from more thorough beta testing with real users before wider rollout.

Novara Flex (KPA Flex) Implementation and Onboarding

Novara’s implementation team provides personalized onboarding support, helping configure key forms and ensure data populates correctly before go-live, followed by ongoing access to “Novara Connect” (formerly KPA Connect), a customer community for sharing best practices. Many reviewers describe this onboarding experience positively, citing regular meeting cadences with a dedicated Client Success representative.

That said, experiences aren’t universally smooth: at least one reviewer described a rushed initial rollout, and another described a full year of struggling with implementation and ongoing support after an otherwise strong sales experience. Given the company’s recent separation into an independent entity, it’s reasonable to ask directly about current implementation team capacity and support infrastructure during your evaluation.

Novara Flex (KPA Flex) Customer Support

Customer support is a consistent strength in Novara Flex reviews, with many users specifically praising responsive, knowledgeable Client Success representatives who explain issues clearly and proactively suggest system improvements. Reviewers also praise a transparent, low-pressure sales process, contrasting it favorably against more theatrical, multi-stage sales cycles at other EHS vendors.

A smaller number of reviews describe less positive experiences, including one customer who reported minimal support after initial account activation despite a strong sales interaction, and another who described being told certain fixes required more customer “votes” before being addressed. Overall sentiment leans clearly positive, but as with implementation, it’s worth confirming current support-tier commitments given the company’s recent transition to independent ownership.

Novara Flex (KPA Flex) Pricing

Novara Flex does not publish pricing. Cost is charged on a per-user basis, and at least one reviewer specifically named per-user pricing as their primary complaint about the platform, wishing it were less expensive. You’ll need to request a quote directly from Novara to get accurate numbers for your organization.

Unlike some competitors, no consistent third-party estimated pricing range for Novara Flex or KPA Flex could be independently verified across current sources, so treat any specific figures you encounter elsewhere with caution until confirmed directly with Novara’s sales team.

A few things worth understanding before you request a quote:

• Ask about SDS/chemical management costs upfront. Multiple reviewers specifically flagged this as an unexpectedly costly add-on that they wished was included standard, given how commonly it’s needed.
• Clarify what’s included in your training package. At least one reviewer distinguished between the initial training package and additional courses purchased separately.
• Confirm post-separation support structure. Since Novara only became independent in January 2026, ask directly about current implementation and support team capacity.
• Get pricing in writing with a breakdown. Given per-user pricing and optional modules, request an itemized quote rather than a single bundled number.

Novara Flex (KPA Flex) Pros and Cons

Who Should Use Novara Flex (KPA Flex)?

Novara Flex tends to be the strongest fit for:

• Small and mid-sized organizations, especially in oil and gas, construction, and manufacturing, wanting an easy-to-adopt EHS platform
• Teams that specifically value hands-on, relationship-based customer support and account management
• Organizations wanting extensive configurability to match forms and workflows to their exact processes
• Companies needing a large, customizable training course library alongside core safety workflows
• Field-heavy operations needing reliable offline mobile functionality in low-connectivity environments

Who Should Consider Alternatives?

A different platform may be a better starting point for:

• Organizations needing dedicated, built-in OSHA 300/301 recordkeeping without supplementary systems
• Companies wanting chemical and SDS management included standard rather than as an added cost
• Large enterprises needing the deepest possible feature set and formal, centralized risk-register capability
• Buyers who want continuity assurance from a longer-established independent company, given Novara’s recent separation
• Teams needing fully transparent, published, self-serve pricing without a sales conversation

Buyer’s Checklist: Questions to Ask Before You Commit

• [ ] What has changed operationally since Novara’s January 2026 separation from KPA, and what hasn’t?
• [ ] What is the actual cost of adding chemical/SDS management, and is it worth bundling from day one?
• [ ] How does Novara Flex handle OSHA 300/301 recordkeeping, and will you need a supplementary system?
• [ ] Can you get a consolidated view of action items across audits, incidents, investigations, and inspections?
• [ ] What does the current implementation and Client Success support structure look like post-separation?
• [ ] How does per-user pricing scale as your organization grows or contracts seasonally?

Novara Flex (KPA Flex) vs. Other EHS Software

Novara Flex competes primarily with other configurable, mid-market-friendly EHS platforms, positioning itself on ease of use and hands-on support rather than the deepest possible enterprise feature set. The table below summarizes how it compares with commonly evaluated alternatives.

Novara Flex’s core advantage is a genuinely easy learning curve paired with hands-on customer support, reflected in consistently high satisfaction scores. Its main trade-offs are narrower out-of-the-box feature depth than larger EHS suites, an additional-cost chemical management module, and the fact that it’s a newly independent company still building out its post-separation product roadmap, including AI capabilities that competitors like EHS Insight already offer.

If you’re building a shortlist, it’s worth pairing this review with more targeted research: a head-to-head look at Novara Flex vs. EHS Insight or Novara Flex vs. SafetyCulture, a broader roundup of the best EHS software for your industry, and a general EHS software buyer’s guide covering common mistakes to avoid when selecting EHS software.

Best Novara Flex (KPA Flex) Alternatives

EHS Insight is a strong alternative with comparable mid-market positioning, broader module coverage (32 modules), and more mature AI-assisted analytics through its Copilot feature.

SiteDocs competes closely on ease of use and customer support for trades-focused industries, with particular strength for Canadian construction and field-service operations.

SafetyCulture is worth considering if you want the largest available template library, self-serve published pricing starting at $0, and a larger third-party integration marketplace.

VelocityEHS is a better fit if your organization needs deeper chemical management or ergonomics capability than Novara Flex’s optional SDS add-on provides.

Intelex suits organizations that have outgrown mid-market configurability needs and require deeper enterprise EHSQ functionality and formal OSHA recordkeeping tools.

Final Verdict

Novara Flex, still widely known as KPA Flex, earns strong reviews for exactly what it set out to do: make EHS software genuinely easy to configure and use, backed by responsive, relationship-driven customer support. For small and mid-sized organizations, particularly in oil and gas, construction, and manufacturing, that value simplicity and hands-on account management over the deepest possible feature set, it remains a credible, well-liked platform.

Where Novara Flex asks for extra diligence right now is its recent transition to independent ownership. The January 2026 separation from KPA appears to preserve product continuity for existing customers, but as with any newly independent company, it’s worth directly confirming implementation capacity, support infrastructure, and product roadmap plans, especially around AI features the company has flagged as a near-term priority.

If ease of use and genuinely responsive support are your top priorities, Novara Flex deserves a place on your shortlist, alongside a direct conversation about how the recent separation affects your specific deployment. If you need the deepest enterprise feature set, built-in OSHA recordkeeping, or standard chemical management, weigh it carefully against EHS Insight, VelocityEHS, or a larger enterprise suite.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is KPA Flex used for, and is it still called that?

KPA Flex was used to manage EHS inspections, incident reporting, corrective actions, compliance tasks, and safety training for industries like construction, manufacturing, and oil and gas. As of January 2026, the product is now called Novara Flex, following a corporate separation that split KPA’s automotive compliance business from its industrial EHS software business. The underlying platform and its core functionality remain the same; only the company and product name have changed.

Is Novara Flex (KPA Flex) an EHS software platform?

Yes. Novara Flex is a dedicated, cloud-based EHS and safety management software platform covering inspections, incident and near-miss reporting, corrective actions, compliance task tracking, and training management. It’s positioned as a highly configurable, easy-to-use platform for mid-market organizations, though it offers narrower out-of-the-box depth in areas like formal OSHA recordkeeping and centralized risk registers compared with larger enterprise EHS suites.

How much does Novara Flex (KPA Flex) cost?

Novara Flex does not publish pricing; it’s charged on a per-user basis, with chemical and SDS management typically available as a separate, additional-cost module. At least one reviewer specifically cited per-user pricing as their main concern about the platform’s cost. No consistent, independently verifiable third-party pricing estimate is currently available, so request a direct, itemized quote from Novara to budget accurately for your organization.

Is Novara Flex (KPA Flex) good for small businesses?

Yes. Small businesses make up a significant share of Novara Flex’s customer base, and reviewers consistently describe the platform as easy to learn and configure without extensive technical resources. Its hands-on, Client Success Manager-driven support model is particularly well suited to smaller teams that want a responsive point of contact. Since pricing isn’t published, small businesses should request a specific quote, including any add-on modules like chemical management, before committing.

What are the best Novara Flex (KPA Flex) alternatives?

Common alternatives include EHS Insight, which offers broader module coverage and more mature AI-assisted analytics, and SiteDocs, which competes closely on ease of use for trades-focused industries. VelocityEHS is worth considering if you need deeper chemical management built in rather than as an add-on, while SafetyCulture suits organizations wanting the largest template library and transparent, published pricing. Intelex is a better fit for enterprises needing deeper EHSQ and OSHA recordkeeping capability.