ServiceM8 or Tradify for a crew of 2 to 10?
Short answer: ServiceM8, a job management app for trades that charges by jobs per month, is usually cheaper for a crew of 4 or more with a moderate job count, because every paid plan includes unlimited users. Tradify, a job management app for trades that charges per user, is usually cheaper for a small crew that does many small jobs. Both sync with Xero, an accounting program. I'd pick on how you are charged, then test forms and quoting on the free trials.
You run a trade crew of 2 to 10 and want to know whether ServiceM8 or Tradify will cost less and hold up as you add people and jobs.
I'm Ranjit, and I run Blur Studio: 15+ years building software, 120 apps taken live, and clients who have gone on to raise $10M+. I build AI systems and processes that help businesses do a lot more with a lot less time. I also work differently from most of what else is out there, more on that further down this page. Say hello.
What are ServiceM8 and Tradify?
ServiceM8 is a job management app for trades and service contractors. It covers scheduling, quotes, invoices, photos, texts to customers and card payments, on a phone app and a web dashboard. It runs on iPhone and Android. Tradify is a job management app built for trades such as electricians, plumbers and HVAC (heating and cooling) firms. It covers quoting, scheduling, invoicing, timesheets and job tracking. Both do the same core job: get a job from enquiry to paid invoice without paper. The big difference is how they charge you.
How do the prices compare?
As of November 2026, ServiceM8 charges a flat monthly price per plan and caps the number of new jobs. Tradify charges per user. The ServiceM8 prices below are from its US page, and Tradify's are its US prices in USD.
| Plan | Price | What limits it |
|---|---|---|
| ServiceM8 Free | $0 a month | 1 user, 30 new jobs a month |
| ServiceM8 Starter | $29 a month | Unlimited users, 50 jobs |
| ServiceM8 Growing | $79 a month | Unlimited users, 150 jobs |
| ServiceM8 Premium | $149 a month | Unlimited users, 500 jobs |
| ServiceM8 Premium Plus | $349 a month | Unlimited users, 1,500 or more jobs (20 cents for each extra job) |
| Tradify Lite | $47 per user a month | Quotes, invoices, scheduling, payments, Xero or QuickBooks sync |
| Tradify Pro | $51 per user a month | Adds photos and files, recurring jobs, timesheets, progress invoicing, costing |
| Tradify Plus | $61 per user a month | Adds purchase orders, bulk invoicing, kit bundles, job service reports and its AI tools |
Tradify's UK prices are £34, £37 and £44 per user a month, and its Australian prices are 48, 52 and 62 Australian dollars per user a month, before GST. Its New Zealand prices are the same figures in New Zealand dollars. In ServiceM8, a "job" means a new job card. When you accept a quote and turn it into a work order, it does not use a second job.
What does a crew really pay?
These three examples use made-up crews and the US prices above. They show why "looks cheaper" depends on your numbers.
- Crew of 6, about 120 jobs a month. ServiceM8 Growing is $79. Tradify Pro for 6 users is 6 x $51 = $306. ServiceM8 wins by a wide margin.
- Crew of 10, about 180 jobs a month. ServiceM8 Premium is $149. Tradify Pro for 10 users is $510. ServiceM8 wins again.
- Two people, about 300 small jobs a month. ServiceM8 Premium is $149. Tradify Pro for 2 users is 2 x $51 = $102. Tradify wins, because the job count pushed ServiceM8 up a tier.
So count your new jobs, not just your people. A drain unblocker or locksmith with lots of quick call-outs lands in the third case. A builder or electrician with fewer, bigger jobs lands in the first two. ServiceM8 also has a Free plan for one person, which Tradify does not.
How do job flow and forms compare?
Both tools follow the same path: enquiry, quote, booked job, work done, invoice, payment. ServiceM8 leans on the phone. Staff get push notifications, the app texts the customer when you are on the way, and photos save to the job card. Its Asset Management (tracking equipment you service), Proposals and the ability to build your own electronic forms start on the Growing plan, and Job Costing starts on Premium. Any plan can buy ready-made forms from its Form Store, which lists over 250 forms for things like safety statements and compliance certificates.
Tradify leans on the quote and the paperwork. Quote options, online acceptance, progress invoicing (deposits and staged payments), reminders that chase quotes and invoices, and subcontractor scheduling arrive on Pro. Tradify lists compliance certificates on Pro on its UK and Australian pages, and health and safety forms on Pro in Australia, but its US page does not list them. If you fill in certificates on site, check the page for your country and ask for those forms in the demo before you commit.
How do they sync with Xero?
Xero is accounting software popular with trades in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. ServiceM8 syncs clients, items, invoices and payments with Xero, QuickBooks Online and MYOB. Tradify syncs with Xero and QuickBooks Online on every plan, including Lite. Its UK page also lists Sage, and its Australian page also lists MYOB, so check the page for your country. If your bookkeeper uses MYOB or Sage, that may decide it. Either way, run a week of real invoices through the trial and have your bookkeeper look at the result. Sync problems show up in odd cases, such as part payments and credit notes.
What about Fergus, Jobber and Housecall Pro?
Fergus is another job management app for trades, popular in New Zealand, Australia and the UK, with a free trial and no lock-in contracts. It lists "from" prices of £39 and £45 a month on its UK page, and plans for timesheet-only users. I compare it with Tradify in Tradify vs Fergus. Jobber is a job management app for home service crews. Housecall Pro is a similar app with built-in marketing tools. For prices and a head-to-head, see Jobber vs Housecall Pro and Workiz vs Jobber. If you are in the UK, my job management software for UK businesses guide covers the local options. If you are leaving ServiceM8, see ServiceM8 alternatives.
What do you add when the app runs out?
Every job app runs out somewhere. These are the gaps I see most in crews of 2 to 10, and what to add.
- Routing. ServiceM8 has an Auto Routing add-on that orders a staff member's day. Tradify's pricing page does not list one. A route planner or a spreadsheet fills the gap. See AI route optimization.
- Odd reports. Both have standard reports. If you want one number, such as profit per job type, export to a spreadsheet or have software build it.
- Admin glue. Chasing quotes, writing job notes and answering the same customer questions are tasks AI can take over. I cover them in AI for tradies.
- Connections. ServiceM8 connects through Zapier and n8n, which link apps without code. Check Tradify's integrations list for the ones you need.
The wider picture of what a trade business ends up running is in my field service tool stack guide.
Which one should you pick?
Pick ServiceM8 if you have 4 or more people, fewer than about 150 to 500 new jobs a month, use mostly phones, and want forms and a flat bill. Pick Tradify if you have 2 or 3 people with many small jobs, want quoting and progress invoicing to be the center of the app, and use Xero or QuickBooks Online. If you use MYOB, both list it (ServiceM8 on its US page, Tradify on its Australian page), so check the page for your country.
Need something completely custom?
Everything above is a path to get it running quick and cheap. But sometimes none of these fit, and what you need is something custom that you own, built uniquely for your business from the ground up, with AI thoughtfully designed into the parts of it that your processes actually benefit from. An asset that grows in value, not a generic, one-size-fits-all boilerplate that's an expense with a lock-in. This is a complete bespoke build, and it's something I do very well. Get in touch to know more.
How I'd approach this
Do not compare feature lists. Compare your last month. Count the new jobs you created, the people who log in, and the forms you filled in. Then work out both bills with the table above. Start both free trials on the same day and enter the same five real jobs, from quote to paid invoice, with a photo and a signature on each. Send one invoice into Xero. The tool where your crew stops complaining first is usually the right one. Do not pay yearly until you have used it for a month. If neither tool fits how you work, that is the point where custom software is worth a conversation.
Questions people ask
Is ServiceM8 cheaper than Tradify?
For crews of about 4 or more, usually yes, because ServiceM8's paid plans include unlimited users and Tradify charges per user. For two people with hundreds of small jobs a month, Tradify can be cheaper. Prices are as of November 2026, so check both pricing pages.
Does ServiceM8 charge per user?
No. Only the Free plan limits users, to one. Paid plans have unlimited users and are priced by how many new jobs you create each month.
Do ServiceM8 and Tradify work with Xero?
Yes, both sync with Xero. ServiceM8 also syncs with QuickBooks Online and MYOB. Tradify lists Xero and QuickBooks Online, plus Sage on its UK page and MYOB on its Australian page. Test the sync with real invoices during the trial.
Is there a free trial for each?
Yes. ServiceM8 gives a 14-day trial with all features and does not ask for card details. Tradify gives a 14-day trial with all features. ServiceM8 also has a Free plan for one user.
Can I use either on Android?
ServiceM8 has an Android app that its pricing page calls almost identical to the iPhone app. Check Tradify's app store listing for the phones your crew uses before you commit. If you are comparing more tools, start with the field service management software guide.
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