Kit Sorted Buy Brief

ServiceM8 vs Tradify vs Fergus

Updated 21 Oct 2026 Vendor documentation verified No affiliate links
Evidence level: Vendor documentation verified.

Claims verified against current first-party vendor documentation. This is the weakest evidence level behind any product claim in this Buy Brief; individual recommendations show their own label. We have not used, trialled or run our task script on these products, so no recommendation here is labelled Hands-on tested or Trialled. How we check

The short answer

Sole traders under ~30 jobs/month: ServiceM8 Free (A$0, 1 user, 30 jobs; AUD incl. GST). Crews of 2–10 on fewer bigger jobs: ServiceM8 (paid plans not per-user). High job volume: Tradify from A$48/user/mo ex GST (no job limit stated). Project crews: shortlist Fergus (phases; crews mainly 1–20) and confirm currency/GST on a demo. [5] ,[31] ,[7] ,[13] ,[20] ,[25] ,[26]

ServiceM8 publishes AUD prices that include GST. Free is A$0 (1 user, 30 jobs a month). Paid plans are not per-user. ServiceM8 Phone in Australia: Connect A$29, Connect Plus A$49, Unlimited A$199 a month (incl. GST). Phone Agent needs Connect Plus or Unlimited; Connect alone has no Phone Agent. [5] ,[31] ,[7] ,[34] ,[35]

Tradify prices every listed plan per user per month in AUD, ex GST. Lite is A$48 per user a month; Pro is A$52. The pricing page does not state a monthly job limit. Confirm current figures on Tradify's AU pricing page before you buy. [13] ,[18] ,[20]

Sole trader, under about 30 jobs a month
Start on ServiceM8's Free plan (A$0, 1 user, 30 jobs a month). Move up only when you outgrow it.
Crew of 2 to 10 doing fewer, bigger jobs
ServiceM8. It charges by job volume, not per user, so adding staff does not add cost.
Small team running lots of jobs (150+ a month)
Tradify. Pricing is per user (from A$48 ex GST), and its pricing page lists no job limit.
Project crews that run jobs in stages
Fergus. It lists job phases and says most of its customers run crews of 1 to 20. Check its price basis on a demo first.

Common questions

Which job app is cheaper for a sole trader under 30 jobs a month in Australia?
ServiceM8 Free is A$0 for 1 user and 30 jobs a month; ServiceM8 says Australian pricing is AUD including GST. [5] ,[31]
Does ServiceM8 charge per user?
No — only Free limits users to one; paid plans are not per-user. [7]
Is Tradify priced per user in Australia?
Every listed Tradify plan is priced per user per month. Lite is A$48 per user per month ex GST. The pricing page does not mention a monthly job limit. [20] ,[13]
Does ServiceM8 Australian pricing include GST?
ServiceM8 says Australian pricing is in AUD and includes GST. [31]

The problem this solves

You need one app to run jobs from quote to invoice, and three widely used apps are ServiceM8, Tradify and Fergus. They price in very different ways (per job, per user, or 'from' prices), so the cheapest choice depends on how many people you have and how many jobs you run each month.

Who this Buy Brief is for

  • Sole traders and crews of up to about 20 in Australian trades and home services
  • Businesses moving off paper, spreadsheets or a basic invoicing app
  • Anyone already on Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks Online who wants jobs to sync to their books

Who it isn't for

  • Large or multi-division operations with 20+ field staff (see the team-size Buy Brief for AroFlo and Simpro)
  • Businesses that only need invoicing and already do it well in their accounting software

Quick comparison

Prices are shown exactly as the vendor publishes them. We never convert currencies. Where a vendor shows an ex-GST AUD price, we also show the incl. GST figure and mark it as calculated.

Options in this Buy Brief, with price, GST and evidence
OptionPriceGSTEvidence
ServiceM8
A$0/mo Free 1 user, 30 jobs/month [5] checked 26 Oct 2026
A$29/mo Starter Unlimited users, 50 jobs/month [6] checked 26 Oct 2026
A$79/mo Growing Unlimited users, 150 jobs/month [9] checked 26 Oct 2026
A$149/mo Premium / Premium Plus Unlimited users, 500 jobs/month; Premium Plus A$349/mo, 1,500+ jobs/month [12] checked 26 Oct 2026
Includes GST (vendor states)
 Vendor documentation verified
Tradify
A$48 per user/mo Lite Basics: jobs, scheduling, quotes, invoices, accounting sync A$52.80 per user/mo incl. GST (calculated by us: +10%) [13] checked 26 Oct 2026
A$52 per user/mo Pro Adds quote and invoice reminders, online quote acceptance, progress invoicing A$57.20 per user/mo incl. GST (calculated by us: +10%) [18] checked 26 Oct 2026
A$62 per user/mo Plus Adds SmartRead and SmartWrite AI tools, purchase orders, service reminders A$68.20 per user/mo incl. GST (calculated by us: +10%) [19] checked 26 Oct 2026
Excludes GST (vendor states)
 Vendor documentation verified
Fergus
$53/mo Essentials Currency not stated UNVERIFIED 'From' price; a 90% off offer 'til December' is shown, with no end date published [28] checked 26 Oct 2026
$77/mo Professional Currency not stated UNVERIFIED 'From' price; Enterprise 10+ staff on request [29] checked 26 Oct 2026
GST basis not stated (UNVERIFIED)
 Vendor documentation verified

Option by option

ServiceM8

Vendor documentation verified

Suits: Sole traders who want to start free, and teams whose headcount is growing faster than their job count.

Integrations

  • Syncs clients, items, invoices and payments with Xero, QuickBooks Online and MYOB (Xero and QuickBooks Online listed for all plans). [1]
  • Connects to Zapier, n8n, Mailchimp and Deputy, and offers a REST API and third-party add-ons. [2]

Relevant AI features

  • AI Smart Helper is listed on all plans: it drafts emails and texts to clients, drafts quote and invoice descriptions and billing items, summarises jobs, and includes a voice assistant. [3]

Strengths

  • Free plan for one user and 30 jobs a month; paid plans from A$29 a month. [5] , [6]
  • Not priced per user, so adding a tradie or apprentice does not change the bill on paid plans. [7]
  • AI Smart Helper (drafts messages, quotes and invoice items) is listed on every plan. [3]
  • Quote follow-up and payment follow-up automations are available on all plans. [4] , [8]

Limitations

  • Plans cap new jobs per month (30, 50, 150 and up), so high-volume service work pushes you up the plans. [5] , [6] , [9]
  • Building your own forms and certificates needs the Growing plan (A$79) or higher. [10] , [9]
  • Every SMS beyond your plan's allowance costs 10c. [11]

When ServiceM8 is NOT a good fit

  • You run hundreds of small jobs a month with only one or two people. Job-based pricing can cost more than a per-user plan. [9] , [12] , [13]
  • You want one fixed per-user price that never moves with job volume. [7]

Still unverified

  • Job allowance for the Premium and Premium Plus plans. UNVERIFIED
Visit ServiceM8 No affiliate link

Tradify

Vendor documentation verified

Suits: Small teams that run a high number of jobs and want predictable per-user pricing.

Integrations

  • Integrates with Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks Online and Stripe. Accounting sync is listed from the Lite plan. [14]

Relevant AI features

  • SmartRead for Bills (captures costs from bills using AI) and SmartWrite (generates descriptions and improves writing) are on the Plus plan only. [16]

Strengths

  • Clear per-user pricing in AUD (Lite A$48, Pro A$52, Plus A$62 per user a month, ex GST). [13] , [18] , [19]
  • No monthly job limit is mentioned on the pricing page. [20]
  • Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks Online sync from the cheapest plan. [14]
  • Month to month, with a 14-day trial of all features. [21]

Limitations

  • Quote and invoice reminders need Pro or higher. [15]
  • The AI tools (SmartRead for Bills, SmartWrite) are on the Plus plan only. [16]
  • Costs rise with every user you add, including office staff. [20]

When Tradify is NOT a good fit

  • You have a large crew but a modest number of jobs. Per-user pricing adds up quickly. [20] , [7]
  • You only want AI drafting and do not need the rest of Plus. [16]

Still unverified

  • Whether the A$0.20 SMS and A$19 Instant Website add-on prices include GST: not stated beside the prices (plans are marked 'Ex GST'); the terms Tradify links to say 'Fees are exclusive of tax' (re-checked 20 Oct 2026). UNVERIFIED
  • Whether any job or quote volume limits apply (none stated on the pricing page). UNVERIFIED

Tradify not syncing to Xero? Checks and fixes from the vendor's own help pages

Visit Tradify No affiliate link

Fergus

Vendor documentation verified

Suits: Trade crews of up to about 20 running multi-stage or project-style jobs who want an onboarding session included.

Integrations

  • Syncs with Xero, QuickBooks and MYOB. [22]

Relevant AI features

  • Fergus AI and Fergus Assistant: set up jobs, build quotes, prepare invoices, draft customer messages and answer questions about your jobs and numbers. Fergus says Assistant shows a confirmation step before it creates, changes or sends anything. [23]

Strengths

  • Lists job phases, price books, supplier integrations and purchase orders. [25]
  • Says it mostly serves crews of 1 to 20, which matches most Australian trade businesses. [26]
  • Free 1-hour onboarding, 14-day trial with no card, no lock-in. [27]
  • Fergus AI says it shows a confirmation step before it creates, changes or sends anything. [23]

Limitations

  • The pricing page shows 'from $53' and 'from $77' a month without saying the currency, GST treatment or whether that is per user. [28] , [29]
  • SMS reminders cost extra ($15 per 100 texts) and contractor users are charged per day. [30]

When Fergus is NOT a good fit

  • You need a firm all-in monthly price before you talk to anyone. Fergus's page leaves the price basis unclear. [28]
  • You have more than 10 staff and want self-serve pricing. Fergus moves you to a custom Enterprise plan. [29]

Still unverified

  • The currency of the AU prices (the page shows '$' only; Fergus's NZ page shows different prices) and whether they include GST (Fergus's terms say 'Our Fees are exclusive of all taxes'). The terms of the 90% promotion. UNVERIFIED
  • Which Fergus plans include Fergus AI / Assistant. UNVERIFIED
  • AU pricing compare table (20 Oct) has no row labelled quote reminders; feature documented in help. UNVERIFIED
Visit Fergus No affiliate link

Recommendation by business type

Pick

Sole trader, low job volume

ServiceM8. The Free plan covers one user and 30 jobs a month at A$0, and AUD prices include GST. [5] ,[31]

Evidence:Vendor documentation verified

Pick

Crew of 2 to 10, fewer but bigger jobs

ServiceM8. Paid plans include unlimited users, so cost tracks jobs rather than headcount. [7] ,[6] ,[9]

Evidence:Vendor documentation verified

Pick

Small team with high job volume

Tradify. Per-user AUD pricing with no job limit stated on the pricing page; Pro adds quote reminders. [20] ,[18] ,[15]

Evidence:Vendor documentation verified

Shortlist: book a demo or trial first

Project or multi-stage work, crew up to about 20

Fergus. Job phases and its stated 1-to-20 crew focus fit, but confirm the price basis (per user? GST?) on a demo before you commit. [25] ,[26]

Evidence:Vendor documentation verified

When this is NOT a good fit

  • You have 20+ field staff, multiple divisions or heavy asset and compliance work. Look at AroFlo or Simpro in our team-size Buy Brief. [32] , [33]
  • You only need quotes and invoices and are happy in Xero. A job app may be more software than you need. Our judgement

Switching and setup notes

  • All three offer a 14-day free trial. Run a real week of jobs through your shortlist before you pay.
  • Connect your accounting software during the trial, not after. That is where most switching problems show up.
  • ServiceM8 lists independent setup partners and advertises a setup rebate; Fergus includes a free 1-hour onboarding session.

Before you switch apps

Switching job apps means moving clients, price lists and open jobs, and reconnecting Xero. All three offer a 14-day free trial, so connect Xero during the trial, and ask your registered BAS or tax agent to confirm the tax settings in the new app.

Not sure which job app fits?

Answer four questions about your team and work. Your answers stay in your browser.

Try the job app picker

How we checked this

  • We read each vendor's current Australian pricing page and, where needed, their help centre, on 18 Oct 2026. We re-checked most prices and features on 20 Oct 2026, and the ServiceM8 Phone Agent plans on 21 Oct 2026.
  • Every price and feature in this Buy Brief links to the page it came from.
  • We have not used any of these products ourselves for this Buy Brief. Nothing here is from a trial or our own account.
  • Where a vendor page was unclear (Fergus price basis; ServiceM8 Premium job limits), we say so instead of guessing.

Evidence levels used in this Buy Brief:

Disclosure

Affiliate links

  • ServiceM8: No affiliate link. A referral program exists, but Kit Sorted has not joined it.
  • Tradify: No affiliate link. A referral program exists, but Kit Sorted has not joined it.
  • Fergus: No affiliate link. A referral program exists, but Kit Sorted has not joined it.

Sponsorship

Nothing in this Buy Brief is sponsored. Sponsor policy

Common ownership

Kit Sorted is owned by AI Architecture Lab Pty Ltd, which also provides software setup services to businesses. Full disclosure

Sources

  1. Syncs clients, items, invoices and payments with Xero, QuickBooks Online and MYOB (Xero and QuickBooks Online listed for all plans). servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  2. Connects to Zapier, n8n, Mailchimp and Deputy, and offers a REST API and third-party add-ons. servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  3. AI Smart Helper is listed on all plans: it drafts emails and texts to clients, drafts quote and invoice descriptions and billing items, summarises jobs, and includes a voice assistant. servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  4. Quote follow-up: automated emails and texts prompt clients on issued quotes. The Automation add-on that runs it is available on all plans; each SMS uses a text credit. support.servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  5. Free plan: A$0/month, 1 user, 30 jobs per month, 10c per SMS. servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  6. Starter: A$29/month, unlimited users, 50 jobs per month. servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  7. ServiceM8 does not charge per user. Only the Free plan limits users (to one). servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  8. Automated payment follow-ups: set automatic emails and texts to request payment of outstanding invoices. servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  9. Growing: A$79/month, unlimited users, 150 jobs per month. servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  10. Building your own electronic forms needs the Growing plan or higher; any plan can buy pre-made forms from the Form Store. servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  11. Extra SMS cost 10c each. The pricing page lists additional jobs at 20c per job under the Premium Plus column only; no overage rate is shown for the other plans (checked 26 Oct 2026). If you exceed your job allowance you can keep working for 7 days before being prompted to upgrade. servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  12. Premium: A$149/month, unlimited users, 500 jobs per month. Premium Plus: A$349/month, unlimited users, 1,500+ jobs per month. servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  13. Lite: A$48 per user per month, ex GST. tradifyhq.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  14. Integrates with Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks Online and Stripe. Accounting sync is listed from the Lite plan. tradifyhq.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  15. Pro and Plus include Quote & Invoice Reminders on a fixed schedule: 7 and 14 days after the quote was sent, and 3 days before it expires (email and/or SMS; SMS is A$0.20 per message, GST treatment not stated beside the price). There is no stop-on-reply setting — reminders stop only when the quote expires or is accepted or declined. help.tradifyhq.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  16. SmartRead for Bills (captures costs from bills using AI) and SmartWrite (generates descriptions and improves writing) are on the Plus plan only. tradifyhq.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  17. Optional add-ons: SMS quotes, invoices and reminders at A$0.20 per message sent, and Instant Website at A$19 a month. GST: unstated. Tradify doesn't say beside these prices whether GST is included; the terms it links to say 'Fees are exclusive of tax', and 'Fees' includes usage charges. tradifyhq.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  18. Pro: A$52 per user per month, ex GST. tradifyhq.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  19. Plus: A$62 per user per month, ex GST. Custom plans are priced on request. tradifyhq.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  20. Every listed plan is priced per user per month. The pricing page does not mention a monthly job limit. tradifyhq.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  21. 14-day free trial including all features. Month-to-month, no contracts. tradifyhq.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  22. Syncs with Xero, QuickBooks and MYOB. fergus.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  23. Fergus AI and Fergus Assistant: set up jobs, build quotes, prepare invoices, draft customer messages and answer questions about your jobs and numbers. Fergus says Assistant shows a confirmation step before it creates, changes or sends anything. fergus.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  24. Quote and estimate reminders by SMS, email or both, timed on the expiry date or 1, 5, 7, 10 or 14 days before expiry. SMS reminders need SMS set up first. help.fergus.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  25. Plan comparison lists Job Phases, price books, supplier integrations, purchase orders and health and safety tools. fergus.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  26. Fergus says it mostly serves crews of 1 to 20, with some larger businesses running crews of 50+. fergus.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  27. 14-day free trial, no credit card required, free 1-hour onboarding session, monthly billing with no lock-in. fergus.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  28. Essentials: from $53 per month. Fergus's pricing page shows a 90% off offer 'til December' with no end date; we have not confirmed the exact date or how long the discount lasts. The offer price shown is $5.30, with the $53 struck through. The page shows a dollar sign only; it doesn't state the currency or whether GST is included. Fergus's terms of service say 'Our Fees are exclusive of all taxes, levies, or duties imposed by taxing authorities' and that GST is billed on top where it applies. fergus.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  29. Professional: from $77 per month (promo price $7.70 shown on 20 Oct 2026; same caveats). Enterprise (10+ staff): custom plan on request. fergus.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  30. Listed extras: SMS alerts and reminders $15 per 100 texts; certificates $30 (1 to 9 staff) or $80 (10+ staff); contractor users $4 per user per day; timesheet users from $26 per month; card payments 1.95% + $0.30. fergus.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  31. ServiceM8 says Australian pricing is in AUD and includes GST. servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  32. AroFlo describes itself as built for complex, asset-heavy operational workflows. Standard inclusions listed: quoting and job management, timesheets and scheduling, accounting and payments, compliance and safety forms, Gantt project management, inventory and 600+ connected suppliers. aroflo.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  33. Simpro pitches itself to businesses with 'five or 200 staff', including complex commercial jobs. Base plan lists quoting and estimating, scheduling, inventory and purchasing, invoicing, accounting and reporting, plus add-ons such as Digital Forms, Maintenance Planner and Takeoffs. simprogroup.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  34. ServiceM8 Phone (Australia): Connect A$29 a month (500 call minutes, then 8c a minute; no Phone Agent), Connect Plus A$49 a month (500 minutes, includes the AI Phone Agent) and Unlimited A$199 a month (unlimited call minutes, includes the Phone Agent). Extra numbers are A$8 a month each. Month to month, on top of a paid ServiceM8 plan. The Phone page does not state GST; ServiceM8's main AU pricing FAQ says Australian pricing is in AUD and includes GST. servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified
  35. Phone Agent is for ServiceM8 Phone's Connect Plus and Unlimited plans (the Connect Plus and revised Unlimited plans released September 2025). ServiceM8's Introducing article sets out the eligible plans and has no waitlist text (checked 21 Oct 2026). support.servicem8.com , checked 26 Oct 2026. Vendor documentation verified

The newsletter isn't open yet.