Best Tradify alternatives for UK trades (2026)
Quick answer
The best Tradify alternative for most UK trades is ServiceM8, which has a free plan (30 jobs a month) and paid plans from £25 a month with unlimited users. Choose Powered Now (£28 to £40 ex VAT) for Making Tax Digital, Fergus for job costing, and Commusoft for heating firms with 6+ staff.
On this page
Tradify is our top pick for small UK trade teams, so leaving it should be for a clear reason. We compared six alternatives by price, certificates, tax filing and team size, using pricing pages checked on 12 October 2026, and matched each one to the reason you might be leaving.
Why do people look for an alternative to Tradify?
Tradify scores well with users: Trustpilot shows 4.8 from 610 reviews (checked 12 Oct 2026). There are still four common reasons to look elsewhere.
1. Per-user pricing adds up
Tradify costs £34, £37 or £44 per user per month. For a sole trader that is fine. For a 10-person team on Pro it is £370 a month, and you pay for every person who logs in, even an apprentice who only needs to see the diary.
2. The good bits sit on higher plans
Compliance certificates, timesheets, recurring jobs and online quote acceptance start on Pro. Purchase orders, bulk invoicing and the AI tools (SmartRead bill capture and SmartWrite) are Plus only. If you need one Plus feature, every user moves to £44.
3. Basic inventory
Tradify does not list inventory as a feature. It offers kit bundles and price-list imports, which is not enough if you hold van stock or run a stores.
4. No built-in Making Tax Digital
Tradify links to Xero, Sage and QuickBooks Online on every plan, which covers most people. We did not find MTD submission inside Tradify itself, so you need one of those packages to file with HMRC.
Read our full Tradify review before you decide; for many small teams the answer is to stay.
How do the Tradify alternatives compare?
| App | Entry price | Pricing basis | UK certificates | Accounting and MTD | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tradify (for reference) | £34 per user a month | Per user | Yes, from Pro | Xero, Sage, QuickBooks | Small UK teams (1 to 10) |
| ServiceM8 | £0 (30 jobs), then £25 a month | Per account, by jobs; unlimited users | Generic PDF forms only | Xero, QuickBooks | Big teams, few jobs; free plan |
| Powered Now | £28 a month ex VAT (1 user) | Per user | Yes, nearly 100 forms (Professional) | Xero, QuickBooks; MTD for VAT and Income Tax built in | Certificates and MTD on a budget |
| Fergus | From £39 a month | Not stated | EICR and gas stored | Xero, QuickBooks | Job costing, purchase orders |
| YourTradebase | £29 ex VAT + £15 per extra user | Base plus per user | Not listed | Xero, QuickBooks | Small firms wanting simplicity |
| Commusoft | Quote only (Capterra UK: from £59 per user) | Per user, 12-month contract | Yes | Xero, Sage 50, FreeAgent | Heating firms, 6+ staff |
| Jobber | USD only: Core $49 a month | Plan with user tiers | Not found | QuickBooks, Xero (one-way) | Domestic services |
Powered Now, YourTradebase and Commusoft state that prices exclude VAT. For Tradify, ServiceM8 and Fergus, VAT treatment is not stated on the pricing page.
Which Tradify alternative is right for you?
Best value and best free plan
ServiceM8
Free (30 jobs a month), then £25, £59, £119 or £269 a month by job count
ServiceM8 flips Tradify's model: you pay by jobs, and paid plans include unlimited users. A 10-person team doing 150 jobs a month pays £59, against £370 on Tradify Pro. Capterra UK shows 4.5 from 311 reviews (checked 12 Oct 2026).
- Free plan for 1 user and 30 jobs
- Unlimited users on paid plans
- Polished iPhone app with Tap to Pay
- Certificates are generic PDF forms; no named EICR or CP12 found
- No Sage link found
- A few features missing on Android
- Expensive for high-volume, small-ticket work
Pick ServiceM8 if you have lots of people and a modest number of jobs, such as a 6-person install crew. Skip it if you issue UK electrical or gas certificates every day, or your books are in Sage.
Best for certificates and MTD on a budget
Powered Now
Business £28 a month (1 user); Professional £32 per user; Premium £40 per user; all ex VAT
Powered Now keeps the UK certificates you would lose with ServiceM8 (nearly 100 trade forms on Professional, with annual reminders) and adds Making Tax Digital for VAT and Income Tax, recognised by HMRC. Annual billing gives two months free. Trustpilot shows 4.7 from 564 reviews (checked 12 Oct 2026).
- Cheaper per user than Tradify at each level
- MTD filing inside the app
- Windows and Mac apps too
- App Store (GB) 4.1 from 243 ratings (checked 12 Oct 2026)
- No Sage link found
Best for job costing and purchase orders
Fergus
Essentials from £39 a month; Pro from £45 (a "90% off til December" offer was showing)
Fergus suits plumbers and builders who want to see profit per job. Pro includes purchase orders, automatic supplier integrations and phone support, and Fergus uses AI to read supplier invoices from email. It has a Manchester office. Purchase orders on Tradify need the £44 Plus plan.
- Strong job costing and price books
- Certificates free, stored with the job
- Trustpilot 3.8 from 14 reviews (checked 12 Oct 2026)
- Promo terms unclear
Simplest UK option
YourTradebase
£29 a month ex VAT, plus £15 per extra user
A small UK app for quotes, job sheets, invoices and payment reminders. A three-person team pays £59 ex VAT a month, against £102 on Tradify Lite. Capterra UK shows 4.9 from 59 reviews (checked 12 Oct 2026).
- Cheap extra users
- 30-day trial, no card
- No named certificates found
- Fewer features than Tradify
For heating firms with 6+ staff
Commusoft
Quote only; Capterra UK lists from £59 per user; 12-month contract; ex VAT
If you have outgrown Tradify and run service contracts for boilers, Commusoft adds a customer portal, multi-location stock control and fleet tracking. It is designed for firms with 6 or more staff. Capterra UK shows 4.7 from 212 reviews (checked 12 Oct 2026).
- Proper stock control and service contracts
- London-based
- 12-month contract
- No published prices
For cleaners and gardeners
Jobber
UK page showed US dollars: Core $49 a month
Jobber is an excellent product for domestic services, with booking and quoting features that shine. For UK trades it is US-centric: dollar pricing on the UK page, no UK certificates found and one-way Xero sync.
- Capterra UK 4.6 from 1,487 reviews (checked 12 Oct 2026)
- No UK certificates or UK office found
What would a 4-person team pay?
| App and plan | Monthly cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tradify Pro | £148 | 4 x £37; VAT treatment not stated |
| ServiceM8 Growing | £59 | 150 jobs, unlimited users; generic forms |
| Powered Now Professional | £128 ex VAT | 4 x £32; certificates and MTD |
| YourTradebase | £74 ex VAT | £29 + 3 x £15; no certificates found |
What would a sole trader pay?
| App and plan | Monthly cost | Certificates included? |
|---|---|---|
| Tradify Lite / Pro | £34 / £37 | Pro only |
| ServiceM8 Growing (150 jobs) | £59 | Generic forms only |
| Powered Now Business / Professional | £28 / £32 ex VAT | Professional only |
| YourTradebase | £29 ex VAT | Not found |
| Fergus Essentials | From £39 (list price) | Stored with the job |
For a busy one-person business, ServiceM8 is the most expensive option here, because 60 jobs pushes you past the 50-job Starter plan. Tradify is already competitive at this size, so a sole trader leaving Tradify should usually look at Powered Now or YourTradebase instead.
Which alternative matches your reason for leaving?
| Your reason | Best alternative | What you gain | What you give up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Too expensive for a big team | ServiceM8 | Unlimited users on paid plans | Named UK certificates and Sage |
| Want tax filing in the app | Powered Now | HMRC-recognised MTD for VAT and Income Tax | Sage link; a higher App Store score |
| Need purchase orders without paying for Plus | Fergus | Purchase orders and supplier integrations on Pro | A large Trustpilot review base |
| Want something simpler | YourTradebase | A low flat price with cheap extra users | Certificates and AI features |
| Outgrown it with 6+ heating engineers | Commusoft | Stock control, service contracts, customer portal | Month-to-month billing (12-month contract) |
Remember what Tradify does well before you go: UK certificates from Pro, all three big accounting links on every plan, a London office, free one-to-one training and phone support, and no contract. Whatever you move to, check it covers each of those that you use today.
Our verdict
Leaving to save money? ServiceM8 is the biggest saving for teams with few jobs per person. Leaving for tax filing or certificates on a budget? Powered Now. Leaving because you need purchase orders and job costing? Fergus. If none of those apply, Tradify is probably still your best fit.
How do you switch from Tradify without losing data?
- Trial the new app with real jobs. ServiceM8, Powered Now and Fergus offer 14 days; YourTradebase offers 30.
- Export customers and sites with full contact details and addresses.
- Export your price list and kits. Most apps can import a spreadsheet of materials and labour rates.
- Save PDFs of past quotes, invoices, job sheets and certificates. Landlords may ask for old gas or electrical records later.
- Set a cut-over date. New jobs go in the new app; finish open jobs in Tradify.
- Reconnect accounting. Your history stays in Xero, Sage or QuickBooks. Disconnect Tradify, connect the new app, then check for duplicate contacts and items.
- Update recurring work. Re-create recurring jobs and service reminders, or customers will drop off your radar.
- Cancel after one full month. Tradify bills month to month with no contract, so there is no penalty for waiting.
Check: if you move to Commusoft, you sign a 12-month contract. Make sure the trial or demo covered your real workflow before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Tradify in the UK?
ServiceM8 is the best alternative for most firms leaving Tradify on cost, because paid plans include unlimited users and start at £25 a month. Powered Now is the best alternative if you want Making Tax Digital built in, and Fergus is best if you need job costing and purchase orders.
Is Tradify a monthly subscription?
Yes. Tradify's UK pricing page shows Lite £34, Pro £37 and Plus £44 per user per month, billed month to month with no contract. VAT treatment is not stated on the pricing page. There is a 14-day free trial with all features included. We checked on 12 October 2026.
Is there a free alternative to Tradify?
ServiceM8 has a free plan for one user and up to 30 jobs a month. YourTradebase drops you to a free account with usage limits if you do not subscribe after its 30-day trial. Tradify itself has no free plan, only a 14-day trial.
Why is Tradify expensive for bigger teams?
Tradify charges per user. A 10-person team on Pro pays £370 a month at list price. ServiceM8 charges by job count with unlimited users, so the same team doing 150 jobs a month would pay £59. Which is cheaper depends on jobs per person, not team size alone.
Does Tradify do Making Tax Digital?
We did not find Making Tax Digital submission on Tradify's pages. It links to Xero, Sage and QuickBooks Online on every plan, and those accounts packages handle MTD. Powered Now is the job app we found that is recognised by HMRC for MTD for VAT and Income Tax itself.
How do I move from Tradify to another app?
Start a trial of the new app, export your customers and price list, save PDFs of past invoices and certificates, then pick a cut-over date for new jobs. Your accounting history stays in Xero, Sage or QuickBooks. Cancel Tradify only after a full month in the new tool.
Sources and checks
Prices, features and ratings were checked on 12 October 2026 against these sources. Software prices change often, so confirm on the vendor's site before you buy.
- Tradify UK pricing page
- Tradify UK homepage
- Tradify on Trustpilot
- ServiceM8 UK pricing page
- ServiceM8 on Capterra UK
- Powered Now pricing page
- Powered Now official information page
- Powered Now on Trustpilot
- Fergus UK pricing page
- Fergus UK homepage
- YourTradebase pricing page
- Commusoft pricing page
- Commusoft on Capterra UK
- Jobber UK pricing page