Fergus vs ServiceM8
We give Fergus a 2.4 GPA and ServiceM8 a 3.4, out of 4.0. ServiceM8 grades higher on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Fergus
Job management for trade businesses, from a New Zealand company
ServiceM8
Job management for trades, priced by jobs a month, not users
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAFergusFair | 3.4GPAServiceM8Very good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CBasic is $31 per full user a month, billed monthly only, so three of you pay $93 ($83 if two only need timesheets at $26). That's mid-pack here. The 90% offer shows $5.30, which matches the New Zealand price, not 90% off the US one, so we graded the full price. | AStarter is $29 a month with unlimited users, so a crew of three pays $29 in total, far below what most tools here charge three people. The catch is 50 new jobs a month; a busier crew needs Growing at $79 for 150. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 14-day trial with no card needed. No free plan. | BA free plan for 1 user and 30 new jobs a month, with scheduling, quotes, invoices, card payments and online booking. A sole trader could live on it, though texts cost 10 cents each and support is self-serve. |
| Features | BQuotes from price books, job cards from enquiry to sign-off, crew scheduling with GPS, timesheets that feed job costs, invoices, purchase orders and Fergus Pay, plus gas and electrical certificates. The whole job, though certificates cost extra. | BJob cards, scheduling, on-site quotes and invoices, card payments, online booking, automatic client texts, a live staff map with auto routing and GPS time tracking. The whole job. Forms, assets and proposals start on Growing, job costing on Premium. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record for it. Price books, supplier links and certificates take some setting up before the job cards pay off. | B4.6 from 849 App Store ratings. Staff get new jobs by push notification, and an AI helper drafts client texts and fills in quote and invoice items for you. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb and iPhone, with Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB, Zapier and Groundplan. There's no Android app in its listing, which matters if your crew carries Android phones. | AWeb, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, plus Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Zapier, n8n and an API from Starter up. It's the only tool in this category with a desktop app for the office. |
| Best for | electricians and plumbers tracking job costs | small crews who'd rather not pay per user |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Fergus and ServiceM8. How we grade
Price against what you get
Fergus starts at $31 a month for each person and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. ServiceM8 starts at $29 a month and scores 3.3.
ServiceM8 scores higher and starts $2 a month lower. Of the other field service apps on the chart, 3 score higher than Fergus for less, and none scores higher than ServiceM8 for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Fergus starts at $31 per full user / month and up, billed monthly. ServiceM8 starts at $29 per month for up to 50 new jobs, unlimited users.
- ServiceM8 has a free plan. Fergus does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only ServiceM8 lists Android, macOS and Windows apps.
- Fergus also covers time tracking.
- ServiceM8 also covers time clock and appointment booking.
At a glance
| Fergus | ServiceM8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $31 per full user / month and up, billed monthly | $29 per month for up to 50 new jobs, unlimited users |
| Free plan | None | Free plan for 1 user and 30 new jobs a month, with scheduling, quoting, invoicing, card payments, online booking and self-serve support; texts cost 10¢ each. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | 14-day free trial with all features, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Fergus | ServiceM8 Pty Ltd |
| Price read from | fergus.com | servicem8.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Fergus
- Electrical and plumbing businesses that track materials and costs per job
- Trades that need gas or electrical certificates and safety forms
- Teams mixing office users with cheaper timesheet-only site staff
ServiceM8
- Small trade businesses that want unlimited users at a flat price
- Businesses that keep their books in Xero, QuickBooks Online or MYOB
- Sole traders who can stay within 30 jobs a month on the free plan
Worth knowing
Fergus
- Billed monthly only, per full user; timesheet users start at $26 a month and contractor users cost $2.50 a day.
- Certificates cost $30 for 1–9 staff or $80 for 10+, texts $15 per 100, and card payments 2.95% + $0.30 each.
- Basic comes with email and chat support only; phone support needs Professional.
- The 90% offer runs until December, but the $5.30 and $7.50 it shows match the New Zealand prices, not 90% off the US ones.
ServiceM8
- Each plan caps new jobs a month at 30, 50, 150, 500 or 1,500; only Premium Plus lets you go over, at 20¢ a job.
- The free plan has 1 user and self-serve support only, and charges 10¢ per text message.
- Asset tracking, forms and proposals start on Growing at $79 a month; job costing and markup billing need Premium.
- ServiceM8 Phone, a business phone system, is an add-on from $19 a month.
Key features
Fergus
- Quotes and price books
- Build quotes and estimates from price books with tiered pricing, and pull in supplier prices and invoices through supplier integrations.
- Job cards
- Each job card keeps notes, files, photos, materials and job phases together, from the first enquiry to sign-off with the customer's signature.
- Scheduling and timesheets
- A calendar schedules jobs and crew, GPS tracking shows where staff are, and timesheets feed job costs and pay summaries.
- Invoicing and payments
- Invoice from the job card, take card payments through Fergus Pay, raise purchase orders, and sync with Xero, QuickBooks or MYOB.
- Certificates and safety forms
- Pre-filled gas and electrical certificates, hazard records and safe work method statements are kept with each job; certificates cost extra.
- AI assistants
- Fergus Assistant answers questions about jobs, costs and numbers, and the mobile assistant lets staff type or speak on site to update jobs and time.
ServiceM8
- Job cards and scheduling
- Each job card holds client details, notes, photos, videos and messages. Jobs are scheduled to staff in the app or online, and staff are notified by push.
- Quotes, invoices and payments
- Build quotes and invoices on site, collect signatures, and take card payments in the app, by Tap to Pay or through an online link, with automatic payment reminders.
- Booking and client messages
- Clients can get a price and book online. Booking confirmations, reminders, on-the-way texts with arrival tracking and quote follow-ups go out automatically.
- Staff GPS and time tracking
- A dispatch map shows live staff locations, auto routing plans each day's route, and the app can clock shifts and job time on and off using GPS.
- Forms, assets and proposals
- From Growing, build certificates and reports as PDF forms, track the service history of equipment, and send visual proposals with several options.
- AI Smart Helper
- On every plan, an AI helper drafts client emails and texts, fills in quote and invoice items, summarizes jobs and takes spoken requests.
Plans
Fergus
Basic$31
per full user / month and up, billed monthly
Called Essentials in the FAQ. Job cards, quotes, scheduling, timesheets and invoicing, with email and chat support. Shown at $5.30 under a 90% offer.
Professional$44
per full user / month and up, billed monthly
Marked most popular and aimed at growing the business; adds phone support. Shown at $7.50 under the offer running until December.
EnterpriseCustom
A custom plan for businesses with more than 10 staff, arranged through sales.
ServiceM8
Free$0
1 user and 30 new jobs a month, with the core job, quoting and invoicing tools. Self-serve support and texts at 10¢ each.
Starter$29
per month for up to 50 new jobs
Unlimited users, free texts, 24/7 chat and email support, progress invoicing, supplier invoice import and API access.
Growing$79
per month for up to 150 new jobs
Adds asset management, electronic forms, proposals, bundles and a ServiceM8 inbox that turns emails into jobs.
Premium$149
per month for up to 500 new jobs
Adds job costing, markup billing, location insights with property photos and a knowledge base for technicians.
Premium Plus$349
per month for 1,500 new jobs, plus 20¢ per extra job
Everything in Premium for the busiest teams; the only plan that allows jobs beyond its monthly allowance.
Ways to pay less
Fergus
- Other savings
90% off until December
A limited offer on the pricing page takes 90% off until December; the US page shows Basic at $5.30 and Professional at $7.50 a month under it.
ServiceM8
- Startups
50% off the first 12 months for new businesses
Businesses registered less than 2 years ago get half price on any plan for 12 months, claimed by emailing proof of registration within 14 days of subscribing.
