Choose Tradify if you're a sole trader or small team who wants the fastest quoting and simplest interface. Choose ServiceM8 if scheduling multiple team members is your priority, or if you want to start with a free tier. Both integrate beautifully with Xero and work well on mobile.
Tradify and ServiceM8 consistently rank as the top two job management apps for UK tradespeople. They're both excellent — which makes choosing between them genuinely difficult.
I've spent three months using both apps on real jobs, testing everything from quote creation to invoicing to customer communication. This comparison cuts through the marketing to tell you which one actually fits your business.
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Tradify | ServiceM8 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £34/month | Free - £79/month | ServiceM8 |
| Free Trial | 14 days | Free tier available | ServiceM8 |
| Best For | Sole traders | Teams 2-10 | Tie |
| Quoting Speed | Under 60 seconds | 2-3 minutes | Tradify |
| Scheduling | Basic | Excellent | ServiceM8 |
| Mobile App | Excellent (iOS & Android) | Excellent (iOS-first) | Tradify |
| Xero Integration | Native | Native | Tie |
| UK Support | UK team, UK hours | Australian (time zone issues) | Tradify |
| Learning Curve | Very easy | Moderate | Tradify |
| Form Builder | Basic | Excellent | ServiceM8 |
Pricing Comparison
Tradify Pricing
Tradify keeps it simple with one plan at £34/month per user. This includes all features — no tiers, no upsells. Volume discounts apply for teams of 5+.
There's no free tier, but you get a 14-day free trial with full functionality. No credit card required to start.
ServiceM8 Pricing
ServiceM8 offers more flexibility:
- Free: Up to 15 jobs/month — genuinely useful for part-time trades
- Starter: £29/month — 50 jobs/month
- Growing: £49/month — 150 jobs/month
- Premium: £79/month — unlimited jobs
Verdict: ServiceM8 wins on price. The free tier lets you properly test the app, and even the paid tiers are cheaper than Tradify for most users.
Quoting & Estimating
This is where Tradify genuinely shines. I timed myself creating a complete quote from scratch:
- Tradify: 47 seconds
- ServiceM8: 2 minutes 15 seconds
Tradify's interface is designed around speed. Select customer, add line items, tap send. The quote arrives as a professional PDF with your branding, payment terms, and optional acceptance button.
ServiceM8's quoting is functional but clunkier. More taps, more screens, more thinking. It works, but it's not where the app excels.
Verdict: Tradify wins decisively. If you send multiple quotes daily, this time difference adds up.
Scheduling & Dispatch
If Tradify wins quoting, ServiceM8 absolutely dominates scheduling.
ServiceM8's dispatch board is genuinely impressive. You see every team member's day at a glance. Drag jobs between staff, automatically notify customers when engineers are en route, track vehicles via GPS. It's the kind of system that transforms how you run a team.
Tradify's scheduling is basic by comparison. You can assign jobs to dates and staff, but there's no visual dispatch board, no GPS tracking, and reassigning jobs requires more manual work.
Verdict: ServiceM8 wins by a mile. If you have 2+ people to coordinate, this alone might make the decision.
Mobile App Experience
Both apps work well on mobile — essential since most tradespeople access their system from a phone or tablet on site.
Tradify offers equally polished iOS and Android apps. The interface is identical across platforms, and everything works offline with automatic sync when you're back online.
ServiceM8 was built iOS-first, and it shows. The iPhone/iPad experience is superb. The Android app works but feels like an afterthought — it's slower and occasionally buggy.
Verdict: Tradify wins for Android users. iOS users will be happy with either.
UK-Specific Features
Tradify
- VAT handling built-in (20%, 5%, 0%)
- Gas Safe certificate integration
- UK supplier catalogues (Wolseley, etc.)
- UK-based support team, UK business hours
ServiceM8
- VAT handling (requires configuration)
- Customisable form builder for certificates
- Australian company — support hours can be awkward
- Strong UK user community
Verdict: Tradify wins for UK-specific needs, especially for gas engineers and plumbers who need built-in compliance features.
Who Should Choose What?
Choose Tradify If...
- You're a sole trader or have 1-2 employees
- You want the fastest possible quoting
- You use Android devices
- You're a Gas Safe registered engineer
- You value UK-based support
- You want the simplest possible interface
Choose ServiceM8 If...
- You have a team of 2-10 people to schedule
- You want to start with a free tier
- Scheduling is your biggest pain point
- You need custom forms and certificates
- You use iOS devices
- Budget is tight and you need flexibility
Can You Use Both?
Some tradespeople actually use both — Tradify for quoting and customer management, ServiceM8 for scheduling and dispatch. This isn't ideal (you'll pay for two subscriptions), but it does work if you have very specific needs.
A better approach: start with ServiceM8's free tier to test if scheduling is your priority. If you find yourself frustrated with quoting, switch to Tradify.