ServiceM8 vs Tradify
We give ServiceM8 a 3.4 GPA and Tradify a 2.2, out of 4.0. ServiceM8 grades higher on value for money, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
ServiceM8
Job management for trades, priced by jobs a month, not users
Tradify
Job management for trade businesses, priced per user
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAServiceM8Very good | 2.2GPATradifyFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | C$47 per user a month on Lite, so three of you pay $141 a month, and the bill grows with every login. That sits in the middle for this category. Timesheets and job costing need Pro, which is $51 a user. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | CA 14-day trial with all features and no card needed. No free plan, so after two weeks you're paying for every user. |
| Features | 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. | CQuotes with markups, a scheduler that syncs with Google Calendar, invoices, card payments and subcontractor jobs, plus timesheets and job costing on Pro. The gap: nothing in its listing shows online booking, live staff locations or route planning. |
| Ease of use | 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. | CNo App Store rating on record for it. Quotes, the scheduler and your Xero or QuickBooks link all need setting up before it pays off, which is ordinary for this category. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, linked to Xero, QuickBooks Online, Stripe and Google Calendar. That's a short list, and there's no desktop app. |
| Best for | small crews who'd rather not pay per user | trades that quote first and use Xero |
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: ServiceM8 and Tradify. How we grade
Price against what you get
ServiceM8 starts at $29 a month and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Tradify starts at $47 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
ServiceM8 scores higher and starts $18 a month lower. Of the other field service apps on the chart, none scores higher than ServiceM8 for less, and 4 score higher than Tradify 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
- ServiceM8 starts at $29 per month for up to 50 new jobs, unlimited users. Tradify starts at $47 per user / month.
- ServiceM8 has a free plan. Tradify does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only ServiceM8 lists macOS and Windows apps.
- ServiceM8 also covers time clock and appointment booking.
- Tradify also covers time tracking.
At a glance
| ServiceM8 | Tradify | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $29 per month for up to 50 new jobs, unlimited users | $47 per user / month |
| Free plan | 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. | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial with all features, no credit card required | 14-day free trial with all features, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | ServiceM8 Pty Ltd | Tradify Limited (The Access Group) |
| Price read from | servicem8.com | tradifyhq.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
Tradify
- Electricians, plumbers and HVAC contractors who quote before they work
- Small trade teams that use Xero or QuickBooks Online
- Businesses that hand work to subcontractors
Worth knowing
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.
Tradify
- Every plan is priced per user, so the bill grows with each staff member who logs in.
- Timesheets, job costing, recurring jobs and progress invoicing need Pro; AI tools, purchase orders and reports need Plus.
- There is no free plan; an Instant Website is an add-on at $12 a month on any plan.
- Accounting sync is listed for Xero and QuickBooks Online only.
Key features
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.
Tradify
- Quotes and invoices
- Build quotes and invoices with material markups. Pro adds quote options that customers accept online, deposits and progress invoices, and automatic reminders.
- Scheduling and subcontractors
- A scheduler syncs with Google Calendar. Pro sends customers appointment reminders and lets you give subcontractors work through a free, limited version of the app.
- Timesheets and job costing
- From Pro, staff log time against jobs and you record supplier bills, so costs flow onto invoices and you can see what each job made.
- Enquiry inbox
- Pro gives you a branded enquiry form and an email address that drop new customer requests straight into Tradify as jobs to quote.
- AI SmartTools
- On Plus, SmartRead captures supplier bills and their costs, and SmartWrite drafts and tidies job and quote descriptions.
- Payments and accounting sync
- Customers pay invoices online by card through Stripe, and invoices, payments and contacts sync with Xero or QuickBooks Online.
Plans
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.
Tradify
Lite$47
per user / month
Job management, scheduling with Google Calendar sync, quotes and invoices with markups, online card payments and Xero or QuickBooks Online sync.
Pro$51
per user / month
Adds an enquiry form and inbox, timesheets, job costing, recurring jobs, progress invoicing, quote options, reminders and subcontractor scheduling.
Plus$61
per user / month
Adds AI SmartTools, purchase orders, service reminders, job tasks, kit bundles, bulk invoicing, service reports and reporting.
CustomCustom
Everything in Plus for large teams with specific needs, priced on request.
Ways to pay less
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.
Tradify
No public discounts listed.
