{
  "_readme": "Each answer adds or subtracts points per tool. Highest total wins. Ties break by tie_order, which is the cheapest entry price first (ServiceM8 Free and QuoteMate Free at A$0, Xero Ignite A$37, Tradify Lite A$52.80, Fergus from A$53, simPRO quote only) and has nothing to do with who pays us. A large negative is a hard no, for example ServiceM8 on an Android crew. Every one of the six results comes first on at least one answer path; Xero Ignite on its own wins only for one person who works mostly from a computer, does under 30 jobs, wants quotes and invoices only, and is willing to pay (the two free tools win that path when cheapest wins).",
  "tie_order": ["servicem8", "quotemate", "xero_only", "tradify", "fergus", "simpro"],
  "questions": [
    {
      "id": "team",
      "text": "How many people need to log in?",
      "answers": [
        { "text": "Just me", "scores": { "servicem8": 2, "tradify": 1, "quotemate": 2, "xero_only": 2, "fergus": 1, "simpro": -8 } },
        { "text": "2 to 5", "scores": { "servicem8": 2, "tradify": 1, "fergus": 1, "quotemate": -5, "xero_only": -4, "simpro": -3 } },
        { "text": "6 or more", "scores": { "servicem8": 1, "tradify": 0, "fergus": 1, "simpro": 2, "quotemate": -8, "xero_only": -8 } }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "phones",
      "text": "What phones will the app run on?",
      "answers": [
        { "text": "iPhones only", "scores": { "servicem8": 2 } },
        { "text": "Android, or a mix", "scores": { "servicem8": -8, "tradify": 2, "fergus": 1, "quotemate": 1 } },
        { "text": "Mostly a computer in the office", "scores": { "tradify": 1, "fergus": 1, "servicem8": 1, "xero_only": 2 } }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "jobs",
      "text": "Roughly how many jobs a month?",
      "answers": [
        { "text": "Under 30", "scores": { "servicem8": 3, "xero_only": 2, "quotemate": 1 } },
        { "text": "30 to 150", "scores": { "servicem8": 1, "tradify": 1, "fergus": 1, "xero_only": -4 } },
        { "text": "More than 150", "scores": { "tradify": 1, "fergus": 1, "simpro": 1, "xero_only": -8, "quotemate": -1 } }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "need",
      "text": "What do you need most?",
      "answers": [
        { "text": "Quotes and invoices, nothing else", "scores": { "quotemate": 3, "xero_only": 2 } },
        { "text": "A calendar and job cards for the week", "scores": { "servicem8": 2, "tradify": 2, "fergus": 2, "quotemate": -3, "xero_only": -8 } },
        { "text": "Forms and certificates filled in on site", "scores": { "servicem8": 2, "fergus": 3, "tradify": 1, "quotemate": -8, "xero_only": -8 } },
        { "text": "Job costing, stock and multi-stage projects", "scores": { "simpro": 3, "servicem8": 1, "tradify": 1, "quotemate": -8, "xero_only": -8 } }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "cost",
      "text": "How much does the monthly cost matter?",
      "answers": [
        { "text": "Cheapest wins", "scores": { "servicem8": 2, "quotemate": 2, "simpro": -3 } },
        { "text": "I will pay for the right tool", "scores": { "tradify": 1, "fergus": 1, "servicem8": 1 } },
        { "text": "Cost is not the issue", "scores": { "simpro": 1, "tradify": 1 } }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "results": {
    "servicem8": {
      "title": "ServiceM8",
      "why": "Flat price for the whole business, tiered by jobs a month, and a real free plan for one person doing up to 30 jobs a month. Only worth it if everyone in the field has an iPhone or iPad.",
      "price_line": "A$0 for one user and 30 jobs a month. A$29 for 50 jobs, A$79 for 150. Unlimited users on paid plans. Inc GST.",
      "link": "https://www.servicem8.com/au",
      "rel": "noopener",
      "link_text": "Start a ServiceM8 free trial",
      "read": "/tradify-vs-servicem8",
      "read_text": "Read the Tradify vs ServiceM8 comparison"
    },
    "tradify": {
      "title": "Tradify",
      "why": "Per-user pricing, no job limits, and the full app runs on Android as well as iPhone. The safe pick for a mixed-phone crew or a solo tradie on Android.",
      "price_line": "A$48 per user a month ex GST on Lite (A$52.80 inc GST). Pro is A$52 ex GST, Plus is A$62 ex GST.",
      "link": "https://www.tradifyhq.com/au",
      "rel": "noopener",
      "link_text": "Start a Tradify free trial",
      "read": "/tradify-vs-servicem8",
      "read_text": "Read the Tradify vs ServiceM8 comparison"
    },
    "fergus": {
      "title": "Fergus",
      "why": "A job management app that starts at A$53 a month and lists SWMS, purchase orders and job phases on both plans. We have not verified what a second full user costs, so ask before you sign up with a team.",
      "price_line": "From A$53 a month (Essentials) or A$77 (Pro). GST treatment not stated on their page.",
      "link": "https://fergus.com/au",
      "rel": "noopener",
      "link_text": "See Fergus pricing",
      "read": "/best-job-management-app-solo-sparkie",
      "read_text": "Read the solo sparkie comparison"
    },
    "simpro": {
      "title": "simPRO",
      "why": "Built for bigger operations: multi-stage projects, stock, purchase orders and a team of six or more. Prices are not published. Get the quote in writing, including onboarding, before you commit.",
      "price_line": "Not published. Quote after a sales demo.",
      "link": "https://www.simprogroup.com/au",
      "rel": "noopener",
      "link_text": "Ask simPRO for a quote",
      "read": "/servicem8-vs-simpro",
      "read_text": "Read ServiceM8 vs simPRO"
    },
    "quotemate": {
      "title": "QuoteMate",
      "why": "You said quotes and invoices first. QuoteMate does that on a free plan with no invoice cap, tracks jobs through a pipeline that syncs to Google Calendar, and pushes invoices to Xero. There is no dispatch calendar inside the app, so it suits one operator, not a crew.",
      "price_line": "A$0 on Free (QuoteMate keeps 1.7% of card payouts on top of Square's fee). A$49 a month on Pro. Flat price, no per-user fee. Inc GST.",
      "link": "https://quotemateapp.au/",
      "rel": "noopener",
      "link_text": "See QuoteMate pricing",
      "read": "/best-quoting-invoicing-app-solo-plumber",
      "read_text": "Read the solo plumber quoting comparison"
    },
    "xero_only": {
      "title": "Xero Ignite on its own",
      "why": "Under 20 invoices a month, one person, no scheduling needed. Xero Ignite does quotes, invoices, bank feeds and BAS for A$37 a month and you skip a job app entirely.",
      "price_line": "A$37 a month inc GST. Caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills a month. Grow is A$78 with no cap.",
      "link": "https://www.xero.com/au/",
      "rel": "noopener",
      "link_text": "See Xero plans",
      "read": "/cheapest-software-stack-one-van-tradie",
      "read_text": "Read the under A$50 a month stack"
    }
  }
}