ServiceM8 usually costs less for a crew, because its paid plans include unlimited users and charge by jobs a month, from $29 for 50 jobs. Tradify charges every user, from $47 per user a month with no job cap on its pricing page, so it suits a one or two person business running a lot of jobs, as of October 2026.
ServiceM8 and Tradify both handle quotes, jobs, scheduling and invoices for trades businesses from a phone, so on features they look close. Where they split is what you're charged for. I went through ServiceM8's and Tradify's own pricing pages, and both list their prices in US dollars, so that's how they're shown here, as of October 2026.
ServiceM8 vs Tradify pricing and features
| ServiceM8 | Tradify | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | By jobs a month, unlimited users on paid plans | By user a month |
| Entry price | Free (1 user, 30 jobs); Starter $29 (50 jobs) | Lite $47 per user |
| Mid tier | Growing $79 (150 jobs); Premium $149 (500 jobs) | Pro $51 per user |
| Top tier | Premium Plus $349 (1,500+ jobs) | Plus $61 per user; Custom |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days, all features |
| AI features | AI helper and Smart Report Helper | SmartRead for Bills and SmartWrite, Plus plan only |
| Accounting | Integrations with accounting software | Xero and QuickBooks Online sync on all plans |
How ServiceM8 charges: jobs, not people
ServiceM8 has five monthly plans. Free is $0 for 1 user and 30 jobs a month. Starter is $29 with unlimited users and 50 jobs, Growing is $79 with 150 jobs, Premium is $149 with 500 jobs, and Premium Plus is $349 for 1,500+ jobs, with extra jobs at 20 cents each.
Text messages cost 10 cents each on Free and are free on the paid plans. Office Agent Standard comes with the paid plans, and Office Agent Pro is a $39 a month add-on. The AI helper is limited to 10 assists a day on Free and unlimited on paid plans. Support is self-serve on Free and 24/7 email and chat on paid plans, and there's a 14-day free trial.
The feature list covers scheduling with push notifications, quoting and invoicing, checklists, before and after photos, job and client history, iOS and Android apps, card payments, online bookings, accounting integrations, recurring jobs, asset management, electronic forms, on-the-way texts, quote follow-ups, online quote acceptance, staff GPS and customer feedback requests.
How Tradify charges: per user, per month
Tradify has three listed plans plus a Custom plan, all priced per user a month: Lite is $47, Pro is $51 and Plus is $61. Every plan gets a 14-day free trial with all features, and Tradify says it's rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 9,000+ ratings.
Lite covers job management and notes, scheduling with Google Calendar sync, quoting and invoicing, pricing and markups, online and card payments, email tracking, and Xero and QuickBooks Online sync. Pro adds custom branding, an inquiry form and email inbox, customer communications history, job photos and files, recurring jobs and custom statuses, job templates, appointment reminders, quote options with online acceptance, progress invoicing, quote and invoice reminders, costing and bill tracking, timesheets and subcontractor scheduling.
Plus adds SmartRead for Bills and SmartWrite, Tradify's AI tools, along with service reminders, job tasks and purchase orders. If you want a simple site, there's an Instant Website add-on at $12 a month.
Worked example: a crew of five and a sole trader
This is worked arithmetic from the two published price lists, not a figure either company quotes.
| Team | Tradify Lite | Tradify Pro | ServiceM8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $47 a month | $51 a month | Free $0 (30 jobs) or Starter $29 (50 jobs) |
| 5 people | 5 x $47 = $235 a month | 5 x $51 = $255 a month | Growing $79 a month (150 jobs) |
For a crew of five doing under 150 jobs a month, ServiceM8 is a fraction of the Tradify bill. A single sole trader also pays less on ServiceM8, as long as the jobs fit the plan. That's the catch: ServiceM8's job cap, not your headcount, decides which plan you need. A busy one-person business doing up to 500 jobs a month needs Premium at $149, where one Tradify Lite user is $47 with no job cap on the page. A bigger crew with few jobs pays far more on Tradify.
Which trades business suits which app
- A crew of several people with a steady number of jobs: ServiceM8, where every paid plan includes unlimited users.
- A sole trader just starting out: ServiceM8 Free covers 30 jobs a month for 1 user.
- One or two people running a high volume of small jobs: Tradify, priced per user with no job cap on its pricing page.
- A business that lives in Xero or QuickBooks Online: Tradify, which syncs with both on every plan.
- Teams working with subcontractors and timesheets: Tradify Pro.
- Customers who book online and want an on-the-way text: ServiceM8, where texts are free on paid plans.
If you're looking at the wider picture, here's how tradespeople in the UK are using AI, how plumbers and electricians can quote faster with automation, and my comparison of invoicing software for small businesses.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Alternatives to consider
Other job management apps trades businesses compare these with: Jobber, Housecall Pro, Fergus and simPRO. Check each one for the same thing that splits these two, whether you're charged per user or per job.
My advice for tradespeople
Count your jobs before you count features. If you've got a crew of three or more and you're under 150 jobs a month, ServiceM8's Growing plan at $79 covers everyone, and that's hard to argue with. If you're on your own or a two person outfit doing a lot of jobs, Tradify's per-user price won't jump when you get busy, and you get Xero and QuickBooks Online sync from Lite up. Both give you 14 days free, so run a real week of jobs through each one before you pay.
Do you make job management software for trades? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Does ServiceM8 cost less than Tradify?
For a crew, usually. ServiceM8's paid plans include unlimited users, so five people on Growing pay $79 a month for 150 jobs, where five Tradify Lite users come to $235 a month (5 x $47), as of October 2026.
How much does Tradify cost per user?
Tradify lists Lite at $47, Pro at $51 and Plus at $61 per user a month, with a Custom plan for larger businesses.
Does ServiceM8 charge per user?
No. ServiceM8 charges by jobs a month. Paid plans from Starter at $29 include unlimited users; the Free plan is for 1 user and 30 jobs.
Do ServiceM8 and Tradify have free trials?
Yes. Both offer a 14-day free trial, and Tradify's trial includes all features.
Which works with Xero?
Tradify lists Xero and QuickBooks Online sync on all plans. ServiceM8 lists accounting integrations among its features.
