The Two Giants of Tradie Software
If you're looking for job management software in Australia, you've probably narrowed it down to ServiceM8 or Tradify. Both are excellent. But they suit different businesses.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | ServiceM8 | Tradify |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Solo to small teams | Growing teams |
| Pricing | $29-49/month | $49/user/month |
| Platform | iOS + Web | iOS, Android, Web |
| Quoting | Good | Excellent |
| Invoicing | Good | Good |
| Scheduling | Excellent | Good |
| Ease of use | Very easy | Easy |
ServiceM8: The Details
Pros:
- Simple and clean: Easy to learn, not overwhelming
- Fixed pricing: Doesn't increase per user (for most plans)
- Australian-built: Designed for how tradies work here
- Great integrations: Xero, Stripe, many add-ons
- Dispatch board: Excellent for managing team schedules
Cons:
- iOS only for mobile: No Android app (web works on Android)
- Limited for large teams: Gets complex with 10+ staff
- Quoting less detailed: Basic compared to Tradify
Best for:
Solo tradies and small teams (1-5 people) who want something simple that just works. Especially if you use iPhone/iPad.
Tradify: The Details
Pros:
- Android AND iOS: Full apps for both platforms
- Detailed quoting: Great for complex, itemized quotes
- Scales well: Designed for growing teams
- Project tracking: Better for longer, multi-day jobs
- NZ-built: Made for ANZ trades specifically
Cons:
- Per-user pricing: Costs add up with larger teams
- Steeper learning curve: More features = more to learn
- Interface less polished: More functional than pretty
Best for:
Growing businesses (5+ staff), trades that do complex quoted work, and anyone who needs Android.
Pricing Deep Dive
ServiceM8:
- Starter: $0/month (very limited)
- Growing: $29/month
- Premium: $49/month
Flat rate regardless of users on most plans.
Tradify:
- $49/user/month
- Volume discounts available for larger teams
Example for 3 users:
- ServiceM8: $49/month
- Tradify: $147/month
ServiceM8 is significantly cheaper for small teams.
The Integration Factor
Both integrate with:
- Xero and MYOB
- Payment processors
- Various add-on services
ServiceM8 has more integration options overall, but Tradify covers the essentials.
Our Recommendation
Choose ServiceM8 if:
- You're solo or have a small team (1-5)
- You use iPhone/iPad
- You want the simplest possible system
- You're budget-conscious
Choose Tradify if:
- You need Android support
- You do complex, detailed quotes
- You're planning to scale to 10+ staff
- You do longer project-based work
The Bottom Line
Both are excellent choices. You won't regret either one. Try the free trials for both and see which feels more natural for your workflow.
The best software is the one you'll actually use.