Tradify vs ServiceM8 for Australian tradies
The short answer
Everyone in the field carries an iPhone? ServiceM8, with one exception. The free plan covers a solo tradie doing under 30 jobs a month, and paid plans do not charge per user, so a team pays less at every size. The exception is one person doing more than 50 jobs a month: that puts you on Growing at A$79, and Tradify Lite is A$52.80 for one user.
Anyone on Android? Tradify. ServiceM8's Android app is a cut-down version for field staff that cannot quote or invoice. Tradify runs the full app on both.
Solo, under 30 jobs a month, iPhone? ServiceM8 Free costs A$0. Try it before you pay anyone anything, including Tradify's A$52.80.
Price, side by side
These two price themselves in completely different ways, which is why every "Tradify vs ServiceM8" table you have seen is misleading. ServiceM8 charges the business a flat monthly fee tiered by jobs a month. Tradify charges per user and does not care how many jobs you do.
| Team | ServiceM8 | Tradify Lite |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person, 25 jobs a month | Free, A$0 | A$52.80 |
| 1 person, 45 jobs a month | Starter, A$29 | A$52.80 |
| 1 person, 80 jobs a month | Growing, A$79 | A$52.80 |
| 3 people, 120 jobs a month | Growing, A$79 | A$158.40 |
| 6 people, 400 jobs a month | Premium, A$149 | A$316.80 |
All figures inc GST. ServiceM8 prices include GST as printed. Tradify prints A$48 per user ex GST for Lite, A$52 for Pro and A$62 for Plus; we have added 10%. Sources: ServiceM8 pricing, Tradify pricing, both read on 13 September 2026.
For a team, ServiceM8 wins on price at every size we tried, and the gap grows with headcount because Tradify's bill is a straight multiple of users. For one person it flips at 50 jobs a month. Past 50, ServiceM8 moves you to Growing at A$79, and past 150 to Premium at A$149, while Tradify Lite stays at A$52.80. A busy solo tradie on an iPhone is the one case where Tradify is the cheaper app. Put your own numbers in the calculator below and it will show you.
Tradify's per-user model does have one honest advantage: the price never jumps because you had a busy month. ServiceM8 counts jobs, and if you sit near a tier boundary (50, 150, 500) a good month bumps you to the next plan. A quote that turns into a work order only counts once, which softens this.
What it actually costs a month
Type your numbers. Prices come from one file we checked on 13 September 2026. One invoice per job is assumed for the Xero row.
The phone question decides most of this
ServiceM8's full app runs on iPhone and iPad only. Android users get "ServiceM8 Lite", which ServiceM8's own help centre describes as being for "field staff, subcontractors and temporary workers who just need the basics, and don't have a management or billing role". In practice that means an Android tech can see their jobs, complete checklists and add photos, but the owner cannot run the business from an Android phone. The web dashboard works on any computer, so an office person on Windows is fine.
Tradify runs the same app on iPhone, Android and the web. If you are a sole trader on a Samsung, or you have one apprentice on Android, this is the whole decision. Do not buy ServiceM8 and plan to "work around it". You will end up carrying two phones.
What you get on the cheapest plan
ServiceM8 Free (A$0): one user, 30 jobs a month, job cards, scheduling, quotes, invoices, on-the-way SMS at 10c each, card payments at 2.10% plus 30c. No SMS bundle. It is a real plan, not a trial, and it does not expire.
ServiceM8 Starter (A$29): unlimited users, 50 jobs a month, 100 SMS included, card payments at 1.85% plus 30c. For a two-person outfit this is the cheapest paid job app in Australia that we know of.
Tradify Lite (A$48 ex GST per user): job management, scheduling, quoting, invoicing, online payments, email tracking and Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks sync. No job limit. SMS quotes and invoices are an add-on at 20c a message.
Things that push you up a tier. In ServiceM8, partial and progress invoices need Starter at A$29; electronic forms and certificates, proposals, bundles and branded SMS need the Growing plan at A$79. Job costing and markup billing need Premium at A$149. In Tradify, recurring jobs, timesheets, progress invoicing, custom branding, appointment reminders, health and safety forms and compliance certificates need Pro at A$52 ex GST per user, and purchase orders, bulk invoicing and reporting need Plus at A$62 ex GST per user.
A job from first call to paid, in each
The two apps do the same job in roughly the same order, so pick on the details that fit how you work.
- The call comes in. ServiceM8 sells an add-on phone system from A$29 a month that pops the caller's history on screen. Tradify has enquiry forms on the Pro plan for web leads. Neither is needed on day one.
- Quote. Both build quotes from labour and materials on the phone and send them for online acceptance. Tradify offers quote options (several prices on one quote) on Pro. ServiceM8 has proposals with images and multiple choice options on Growing.
- Schedule. Both put the job on a calendar and notify the tech by push. ServiceM8 sends the "on the way" text with an ETA on every plan, including Free.
- On site. Notes and checklists in both. Tradify's pricing page lists job photos and files from Pro, not on Lite, so check that in the trial if photos matter. Forms and certificates: ServiceM8 needs Growing (A$79); Tradify lists health and safety forms and compliance certificates on Pro (A$52 ex GST per user). Neither page says which state certificates are built in, so fill in yours during the trial.
- Invoice and pay. Both invoice from the job card and take card payments. ServiceM8's card fee drops as you move up plans (2.10% on Free, 1.49% on Premium). Tradify's card fees are not on its pricing page, so ask before you rely on a number.
- Books. Both sync invoices to Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks. Neither replaces your accounting software.
Who should not buy ServiceM8
- Anyone whose business phone is Android. Not "it is a bit limited", it will not run your business.
- A business doing 50 to 60 jobs a month that hates surprises on the bill. You will bounce between Starter and Growing.
- A solo tradie doing more than 50 jobs a month who is choosing on price. Growing is A$79 for one person; Tradify Lite is A$52.80.
- Anyone who needs forms and certificates on site but wants to pay less than A$79 a month. That feature starts at Growing. Tradify has them on Pro at A$57.20 inc GST for one user.
Who should not buy Tradify
- A solo iPhone tradie doing under 30 jobs a month. ServiceM8 Free does the same job for nothing. Try it first; you can always move.
- A crew of four or more on iPhones. You would pay A$211 or more a month for what ServiceM8 does for A$79 to A$149.
- Anyone who wants included SMS. Tradify charges 20c a message with no bundle; ServiceM8 includes 100 to 3,000 a month on paid plans.
A note on the money we make
ServiceM8 pays us 80% of a referred subscriber's first 12 months. Tradify pays us a flat A$390 per paid customer. That means a solo tradie who signs up to Tradify makes us more than one who takes ServiceM8's free plan, which makes us nothing at all. We still recommend ServiceM8 Free for that person because it is the right call. If that ever changes, this page will say why.
Try ServiceM8 (free plan or 14-day trial) Try Tradify (14-day trial)
Still not sure? Answer five questions and we will point you at one. Or read the solo sparkie pick and what to do when you outgrow ServiceM8.