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Best job management software for UK trades firms in 2026
Seven job management apps for UK trades firms, scored on the jobs each covers, Capterra UK reviews, a price you can read and a link to Xero or QuickBooks.
Job management software holds the quote, the diary, the job sheet and the invoice in one app that works on a phone. The products look alike on a features page and charge in very different ways: some by the login, one by the number of jobs, and some will not show a price until you have spoken to sales.
So we fixed one example firm and priced all seven for it. The firm has six people, four of whom need a login, and raises about 60 new jobs a month. Every price below was read from the vendor's own pricing page on 1 October 2026 and worked out to a yearly figure.
Four of the seven show a full price in pounds. For our firm the yearly cost of those four runs from £708 to £1,776, and the cheapest and the dearest are ServiceM8 and Tradify, the two we had already compared in a separate guide.
Overlyft is an AI agency that can set up an AI assistant for trades firms. It is not job management software and it is not in this list.
At a glance
- Best for a team where everyone needs a loginServiceM8Growing plan at £59 a month for up to 150 new jobs and unlimited users: £708 a year before VAT. A firm raising under 50 jobs a month fits Starter at £25 a month, £300 a year
- Best for few logins and a lot of jobsTradifyPro plan at £37 per user a month: 4 users is £148 a month, £1,776 a year. Lite is £34 per user, £1,632 a year for four. The page does not say whether VAT is included
- Best for certificates and VAT returns in one appPowered NowProfessional plan at £32 per user a month before VAT: 4 users is £128 a month, £1,536 a year. Paid yearly it is £320 per user, £1,280 for four
- Best for timesheets and job cards on the entry planFergusEssentials from £39 a month and Professional from £45, both shown at 90% off until December. The page does not say how many logins the from-price covers, so we could not work out a yearly figure for four
- Best for the longest review recordJobberConnect plan with 5 users at $199 a month with no commitment: $2,388 a year, or $149 a month billed annually, $1,788. The page we were shown from a UK connection prices in US dollars only
- Best for the lowest price per loginWorkeverBase plan at £29 per user a month: 4 users is £116 a month, £1,392 a year. Ultimate is £39 per user, £1,872 a year for four. The page does not say whether VAT is included
- Best for service contracts and planned maintenanceCommusoftPrice not published; quote on request. Plans run on a 12-month contract, with extra monthly and daily licences on top
1. Best for a team where everyone needs a login
ServiceM8
ServiceM8 charges by the number of new job cards a month, not by the login, so all six people in our example firm can use it for the price of one plan. At about 60 jobs a month the firm needs Growing: £59 times 12 is £708 a year, and the page says prices exclude VAT. Growing covers quotes, scheduling, photos saved to the job, card payment, electronic forms for reports and certificates, and automatic follow-ups on quotes and unpaid invoices. The cost follows volume: over 150 new jobs a month the plan is Premium at £119.
Pros
- Unlimited users on every paid plan
- States that prices exclude VAT, so the figure is the figure
- Automatic quote and payment follow-ups on every plan
- 311 reviews on Capterra UK, averaging 4.5
Cons
- Price steps up with job numbers: £119 a month over 150 jobs, £269 from 1,500
- Electronic forms are not on the Free or Starter plans
- Texts over the monthly allowance cost 5p each
| Price | Growing plan at £59 a month for up to 150 new jobs and unlimited users: £708 a year before VAT. A firm raising under 50 jobs a month fits Starter at £25 a month, £300 a year |
|---|---|
| Best for | Firms with several people on the tools and a modest number of jobs each month |
| Set-up | Self-serve, with a 14-day free trial |
2. Best for few logins and a lot of jobs
Tradify
Tradify charges per user with no cap on jobs. Lite covers quotes, scheduling, invoices, online payment and the sync with Xero, Sage and QuickBooks Online. Job photos, compliance certificates, timesheets and the reminders that chase quotes and invoices start on Pro, so Pro is the plan we priced: 4 users at £37 is £148 a month, £1,776 a year. That is £1,068 a year more than ServiceM8 for our firm. With two logins Pro is £888 a year and the gap is £180. Billing is month to month with no contract.
Pros
- No limit on jobs at any price
- Compliance certificates and timesheets included on Pro
- Accounting sync is on the cheapest plan
- 152 reviews on Capterra UK, averaging 4.7
Cons
- Every extra login adds £444 a year on Pro
- Job photos and automatic reminders are not on Lite
- The pricing page does not say whether VAT is included
| Price | Pro plan at £37 per user a month: 4 users is £148 a month, £1,776 a year. Lite is £34 per user, £1,632 a year for four. The page does not say whether VAT is included |
|---|---|
| Best for | Firms where two or three people run the office side and job numbers are high |
| Set-up | Self-serve, with a 14-day free trial that includes every feature |
AI staff and workflows for trades and building firms. Starting with enquiry to quote.See what we would set up3. Best for certificates and VAT returns in one app
Powered Now
Powered Now's plans are written around UK paperwork. Professional covers quotes, the diary, job sheets with photos, invoices with payment links, and certificates for gas and electrical work including the EICR. It also submits VAT returns to HMRC, and the page says Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is built in. Xero and QuickBooks Online links are on Professional and above. It loses a third of a point because automatic chasing of quotes and invoices is on Premium only, at £40 per user: £1,920 a year for four.
Pros
- Trade certificates included from Professional
- VAT returns and Making Tax Digital inside the app
- Prices stated before VAT, with a yearly option at two months off
- 137 reviews on Capterra UK, averaging 4.7
Cons
- Automatic quote and invoice chasing needs Premium
- Drag-and-drop staff scheduling and appointment reminders are Premium only
- The single-user Business plan has no Xero or QuickBooks link
| Price | Professional plan at £32 per user a month before VAT: 4 users is £128 a month, £1,536 a year. Paid yearly it is £320 per user, £1,280 for four |
|---|---|
| Best for | Gas, electrical and heating firms that want certificates and tax filing in the app they quote from |
| Set-up | Self-serve, with a 14-day free trial and no card needed |
4. Best for timesheets and job cards on the entry plan
Fergus
On the jobs it covers Fergus matches the two leaders. Essentials lists quoting, a calendar, job cards with files and photos, timesheets, invoicing, card payment at 1.6% plus 20p, free certificates and a mobile app, and its invoicing page says overdue invoices are chased by text and email. Invoices sync to Xero and QuickBooks. It drops half a point on price. The page gives a from-price and an offer, lists timesheet users from £12 a month and contractor users at £2 a day, and never says what four full logins cost.
Pros
- Timesheets and certificates are on the cheaper plan
- Automatic reminders for outstanding invoices
- 155 reviews on Capterra UK, averaging 4.6
Cons
- No way to work out the cost for four logins from the page
- Forms, checklists, purchase orders and most reports need Professional
- Essentials has email and chat support only
| Price | Essentials from £39 a month and Professional from £45, both shown at 90% off until December. The page does not say how many logins the from-price covers, so we could not work out a yearly figure for four |
|---|---|
| Best for | Firms that want job cards, timesheets and certificates before they want reports |
| Set-up | 14-day free trial with no card needed, and a free one-hour onboarding session |
AI staff and workflows for trades and building firms. Starting with enquiry to quote.See what we would set up5. Best for the longest review record
Jobber
Jobber has the most reviews of the seven: 1,487 on Capterra UK, averaging 4.6. Its Core plan covers quotes, scheduling, invoices and online payment for one user. The sync with QuickBooks Online, job checklists and automatic follow-ups on quotes and invoices start on Connect, which is why we priced Connect; its team tier includes five users. The pricing page also lists a sync with Xero. Its job forms are checklists you build yourself, and the pages we read name no UK gas or electrical certificates. It scores half for price because no pound price was shown.
Pros
- 1,487 reviews on Capterra UK
- Automatic follow-ups on quotes and invoices from Connect
- Five users included in the Connect team tier
Cons
- Priced in US dollars on the page shown to a UK visitor
- No UK trade certificates stated
- Accounting sync is not on the Core plan
| Price | Connect plan with 5 users at $199 a month with no commitment: $2,388 a year, or $149 a month billed annually, $1,788. The page we were shown from a UK connection prices in US dollars only |
|---|---|
| Best for | Firms that want automatic follow-ups and do not mind a bill in dollars |
| Set-up | Self-serve free trial with no card needed; the length is not stated on the pricing page |
6. Best for the lowest price per login
Workever
Workever has the lowest per-user price we read: £29 a month on Base, which is £1,392 a year for four logins. Base covers job creation, drag-and-drop scheduling, quotes, invoices, and a phone app that works offline and captures photos, notes and signatures. Xero and QuickBooks connections are listed for both plans, and its invoicing page mentions automatic payment reminders. Forms, timesheets, deposits and a pay-by-card link on the invoice are on Ultimate at £39. It has 39 reviews on Capterra UK, the fewest of the seven, which costs it half a point.
Pros
- £29 per user a month, the lowest per-user price we read
- 30-day trial, the longest stated
- Xero and QuickBooks connections on both plans
Cons
- Forms and timesheets need Ultimate
- 39 reviews on Capterra UK, the fewest here
- The pricing page does not say whether VAT is included
| Price | Base plan at £29 per user a month: 4 users is £116 a month, £1,392 a year. Ultimate is £39 per user, £1,872 a year for four. The page does not say whether VAT is included |
|---|---|
| Best for | Firms that want scheduling and invoicing for each login at the lowest monthly price |
| Set-up | Self-serve 30-day free trial; an online demo is offered to teams of three or more |
AI staff and workflows for trades and building firms. Starting with enquiry to quote.See what we would set up7. Best for service contracts and planned maintenance
Commusoft
Commusoft is aimed at heating, plumbing and electrical firms. Its plans page says every plan has a drag-and-drop diary, invoicing with job costing, contract and maintenance schedules, an offline phone app, and forms and certificates you can customise. Its integrations page lists Xero, QuickBooks Online, Sage and FreeAgent. It shows no price, so it scores nothing for price, and the standard plans are a 12-month contract. Everyone who uses it, office or engineer, needs a licence. We found no statement that it chases unpaid invoices automatically.
Pros
- Forms and certificates on every plan
- Four accounting links, including Sage and FreeAgent
- 212 reviews on Capterra UK, averaging 4.7
Cons
- No price on the site; you have to book a call
- 12-month contract on standard plans
- Automatic invoice reminders not stated
| Price | Price not published; quote on request. Plans run on a 12-month contract, with extra monthly and daily licences on top |
|---|---|
| Best for | Heating, plumbing and electrical firms with service contracts and office staff to run them |
| Set-up | Onboarding with personalised training is part of every package |
Side by side
| ServiceM8 | Tradify | Powered Now | Fergus | Jobber | Workever | Commusoft | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly cost for four logins | £708 | £1,776 | £1,536 | Not worked out; from £39 a month | $2,388 in US dollars | £1,392 | Not published |
| How it charges | By new jobs a month | Per user | Per user | Not stated | Per plan, users included | Per user | Per licence, 12-month contract |
| Quotes, scheduling and invoices on a phone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Certificates or forms on site | Yes, on Growing and above | Yes, on Pro and above | Yes, on Professional and above | Yes; forms need Professional | Yes; checklists, no UK certificates stated | No on Base; Ultimate only | Yes |
| Automatic reminders for unpaid invoices | Yes | Yes, on Pro and above | No on Professional; Premium only | Yes | Yes, on Connect and above | Yes; plan not stated | Not stated |
| Sends invoices to Xero or QuickBooks | Yes, both | Yes, both, and Sage | Yes, both | Yes, both | Yes, both | Yes, both | Yes, both, and Sage and FreeAgent |
| Says whether the price includes VAT | Yes: excluded | Not stated | Yes: excluded | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Capterra UK reviews | 4.5 from 311 | 4.7 from 152 | 4.7 from 137 | 4.6 from 155 | 4.6 from 1,487 | 4.7 from 39 | 4.7 from 212 |
| Free trial | Yes, 14 days | Yes, 14 days | Yes, 14 days | Yes, 14 days | Yes; length not stated | Yes, 30 days | Yes; length not stated |
| Price | Growing plan at £59 a month for up to 150 new jobs and unlimited users: £708 a year before VAT. A firm raising under 50 jobs a month fits Starter at £25 a month, £300 a year | Pro plan at £37 per user a month: 4 users is £148 a month, £1,776 a year. Lite is £34 per user, £1,632 a year for four. The page does not say whether VAT is included | Professional plan at £32 per user a month before VAT: 4 users is £128 a month, £1,536 a year. Paid yearly it is £320 per user, £1,280 for four | Essentials from £39 a month and Professional from £45, both shown at 90% off until December. The page does not say how many logins the from-price covers, so we could not work out a yearly figure for four | Connect plan with 5 users at $199 a month with no commitment: $2,388 a year, or $149 a month billed annually, $1,788. The page we were shown from a UK connection prices in US dollars only | Base plan at £29 per user a month: 4 users is £116 a month, £1,392 a year. Ultimate is £39 per user, £1,872 a year for four. The page does not say whether VAT is included | Price not published; quote on request. Plans run on a 12-month contract, with extra monthly and daily licences on top |
How we ranked them
What counted: trade jobs covered on the plan we priced, out of six (quotes, scheduling, job sheets with photos on a phone, invoices with card payment, certificates or forms filled in on site, automatic reminders for unpaid invoices), up to 2 points; evidence it works, from the review count and rating on Capterra UK, up to 1.5 (1.5 for 100 or more reviews averaging 4.5 or above, 1 for 25 to 99 reviews, 0.5 for fewer); a full price in pounds for four logins that you can read without a sales call, up to 1 (0.5 where a price is shown but is not in pounds or cannot be worked out for four logins); invoices sent to Xero or QuickBooks, stated on the vendor's own page, 0.5. The total is rounded to the nearest half point.
We read each vendor's own pricing and product pages in a browser on 1 October 2026. For each product we priced the cheapest plan that gives four logins, covers quotes, scheduling, job sheets with photos and invoicing, and includes the accounting link. The yearly figure is the monthly price with no commitment multiplied by 12; where a vendor sells a cheaper yearly plan, the price line says so. Of the four pages with a full price in pounds, Tradify's and Workever's do not say whether VAT is included.
We ran no trials, so the score measures what each company says its product does, the reviews on its Capterra UK listing on the same day and the price, and nothing about how the app handles on site. "Not stated" means the pages we read did not mention it; it does not mean the product cannot do it. Anything marked beta, early access or coming soon is not counted.
Products level on points are listed with the cheaper one for our example firm first. simPRO is left out: its pricing page shows no price and asks you to request one, and seven is the most we list. Our separate guide to Tradify and ServiceM8 prices the same two plans for a nine-person firm and uses the same monthly prices.
Questions people ask
How much does job management software cost for a small trades firm?
For a firm of six with four logins, on prices read on 1 October 2026: ServiceM8 Growing is £708 a year, Workever Base £1,392, Powered Now Professional £1,536 (£1,280 paid yearly) and Tradify Pro £1,776. Jobber's Connect plan with five users is $2,388 a year in US dollars. Fergus shows a from-price of £39 a month without saying how many logins it covers, and Commusoft publishes no price.
Which is cheapest for a firm of six with four logins?
ServiceM8, as long as the firm raises 150 new jobs a month or fewer: the Growing plan is £59 a month, £708 a year, with unlimited users. Under 50 jobs a month the Starter plan is £300 a year, though it has no electronic forms. Among the per-user products, Powered Now Professional paid yearly is £1,280 and Workever Base on monthly billing is £1,392.
Is Tradify or ServiceM8 cheaper?
It depends on logins and job numbers. Tradify charges £34 to £44 per user a month; ServiceM8 charges £25, £59 or £119 a month by job volume with unlimited users. For four logins and 60 jobs a month, Tradify Pro is £1,776 a year and ServiceM8 Growing is £708. A firm with three logins raising over 150 jobs a month pays £1,332 for Tradify Pro and £1,428 for ServiceM8 Premium.
Which job management apps work with Xero and QuickBooks?
All seven say on their own pages that they send invoices to Xero and to QuickBooks Online. Tradify also lists Sage, and Commusoft lists Sage and FreeAgent. Check the plan: Jobber's sync starts on Connect, not Core, and Powered Now's Xero and QuickBooks links start on Professional, not the single-user Business plan at £28 a month.
Does job management software handle Making Tax Digital?
Mostly it hands the figures to accounting software that does. Of the seven, only Powered Now says on its pricing page that Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is built in, and it submits VAT returns to HMRC from the Professional plan at £32 per user a month. The other six send invoices to Xero or QuickBooks, and the filing is done there.
Does a firm of six need job management software at all?
No rule requires it. What it replaces is a paper diary, a quote template and an invoice template kept in three places. A sole trader can test the idea for nothing: ServiceM8's Free plan covers one user and 30 jobs a month. For a firm of six the question is whether £708 to £1,776 a year costs less than the hours spent retyping a quote into an invoice.
AEO Lookup editorial team
We write practical guides for people who run small UK firms, and we check every fact against its source on the date shown. Read how we review, or tell us if something has changed.
