The 4 Best Tradie Apps

Being a tradie is hard, I imagine. I am obviously not a tradie, and if I ever did an honest day's work in my life, I’m sure I’d simply die. 

 

 

But I look at what my friends and my brother do every day, and I know there is no way I could do that, and that’s before you add on the stresses of running a small business as a sole trader. 

I have previously talked in detail about how Member Jungle can help residential tradies like plumbers and electricians by adding memberships to your business and allowing customers to choose to become members. You can find out more about it by checking out Dominate Your Local Market: Membership Strategies for Residential Plumbers & Electricians. 

Anyway, while Member Jungle can do a whole lot for your business as far as giving you the ability to have memberships, offer member-only perks, client communication, increase and add stability to your revenue stream, it is not going to help with everything.

However, there are several other companies that can offer some seriously useful services for trades business. So, today let’s talk about the best apps and software you can use alongside Member Jungle to make running your residential trade business easier and more effective than ever before.  

1. ServiceM8 For Your Residential Trade Business 

ServiceM8 is an Australian-owned and operated business based in the Northern Territory. ServiceM8 is a handy cloud-based management tool made for tradies. It helps you keep everything organised by letting you handle job scheduling, dispatching your team, quoting, invoicing, and client management, all in one easy-to-use app. This way, you can cut down on paperwork, stay in touch with your team better, and make your overall workflow smoother and more efficient. 

 

 

In terms of pricing, ServiceM8 offers a free version as well as several paid options, with plans going up to $349 a month. The company is well-respected and has received positive reviews, earning a 4.6-star rating on Capterra. 

2. Tradify For Your Residential Trade Business

Tradify is a Kiwi-founded job management software that helps tradies run their businesses more smoothly. It cuts out the hassle of paperwork and boosts efficiency by bringing together everything you need in one easy-to-use, mobile-friendly platform. 

You can handle 

• quoting,
• estimating,
• job scheduling, 
• time tracking, 
• invoicing, 
• purchase orders, 
• and even client management all in one place.

But it doesn't stop there; Tradify also helps you keep track of your costs accurately and has features like health and safety forms and AI-assisted data entry. It's a solid solution for managing every part of a trade business. Plus, you can access it from any device, which makes it super convenient for managing your work from the office or out on the job site.

 

 

Pricing-wise, Tradify's pricing starts at $48 a month and goes up to $62 a month, though they offer custom pricing for those who need more optional features. Tradify is a well-respected company that has a 4.7-star rating on Capterra.   

3. Simpro For Your Residential Trade Business

Simpro is a Brisbane-based software that helps trade businesses run smoothly. 

It brings together 

• job management, 
• asset tracking, 
• inventory control, 
• quoting, 
• invoicing, 
• and reporting all in one place. 

 

This handy tool is designed to cut down on admin tasks, boost efficiency, and increase profits by offering a central hub that’s easy to use from anywhere, making it perfect for managing complex operations and field teams.

 

 

Simpro does not publicly list its prices, but they can be requested from its pricing page. Simpro has great reviews too, with an average of 4.1 stars on Capterra.  

4. Fergus For Your Residential Trade Business

Fergus is another Kiwi job management software designed to streamline operations for trades businesses. It does this by helping you cut down on paperwork and improve efficiency. 

It offers features such as 

• quoting, 
• scheduling, 
• job tracking,
• invoicing,
• and team management, 
• all accessible via a mobile app. 

Fergus also integrates with supplier and accounting software to automate tasks and ensure accurate cost tracking. It's designed to help tradies manage jobs from start to finish, improve communication, and ultimately, increase profitability.

 

 

Fergus starts at $44 per month and goes up to $65; they also have custom pricing for those who need more features. Again, Fergus is a well-respected and rated company with an average of 4.6 stars on Capterra.  

I realise that all four of these companies are pretty similar in pricing and usage, so let’s break down their similarities and differences to help make the decision easier for you. 

ServiceM8, Tradify, Simpro & Fergus - Which Is Best For Your Business

All four companies are designed to make running your residential trades business easier and more streamlined. However, their specific strengths and target audiences vary a bit. Now, I have not personally used any of these systems, but after much research, the following is what I have discovered about each of them. 

Similarities

• Cloud-based accessibility: All platforms offer cloud-based access, enabling users to manage their businesses from anywhere with an internet connection.
   
• Core job management features: They all provide tools for job scheduling, dispatching, quoting, invoicing, and basic client management.  
   
• Mobile capabilities: Each platform offers mobile apps to facilitate field operations.

Differences

Target audience and scale

• Simpro: Simpro is more aimed towards larger, more complex trade businesses with extensive needs for asset management, inventory control, and project management. They are the only ones not publicly listing their price; there are the more exxy top-of-the-line players here.
   
• ServiceM8: Is great for small to medium-sized businesses, emphasising mobile functionality and streamlined workflows. They have a strong focus on making it easier to manage multiple employees in the field at different jobs at the same time. 
   
• Tradify: Tradify is a very popular system and a great all-rounder with a well-rounded range of features that are easy to use.
   
• Fergus: Fergus focuses on streamlining workflows for trade businesses, with a strong emphasis on job management, quoting, and invoicing. Fergus also has really good integrations with accounting software.

Feature emphasis

• Simpro: Strong in asset management, inventory control, and comprehensive reporting.  
   
• ServiceM8: Excels in mobile functionality and user-friendly interface.  
   
• Tradify: Provides a balanced suite of tools for various trade needs.
   
• Fergus: Strong focus on quoting, job tracking, and financial integrations.  

Complexity

• Simpro tends to be the most complex, offering a deep and extensive feature set.  
   
• ServiceM8 and Tradify are generally considered more user-friendly.
   
• Fergus sits in the middle ground, with a good balance of features and usability.

At the end of the day, choosing between these four companies is up to you, and you must decide what you think is best for your business. Each one offers demonstrations of their software and how they work, so there is a lot of useful practical information you can really sink your teeth into to help you choose the right one.  

Help Your Residential Trade Business With Customer Memberships 

I touched on this in the beginning, but there is a lot you can do to help your business thrive beyond just looking at one of the systems I've covered here. 

One such thing is introducing customer memberships to your business, which can bring in more customers, higher ROI and a more steady, reliable source of income. I talked about it in detail with Sammy Shepherd, Member Jungle's Membership Development Manager. Sammy has over 20 years of experience in the residential construction industry and years of business coaching for electricians and plumbers. Chat to Sammy. 

If you want to find out more about what she said and more about why memberships are going to be a big part of the residential trades business model, going forward, check out Dominate Your Local Market: Membership Strategies for Residential Plumbers & Electricians.