Tradify and ServiceM8 are two of the most popular job management apps used by tradies in New Zealand. Both handle quoting, scheduling, and invoicing — but they suit different businesses. This comparison cuts through the marketing to give you an honest side-by-side.
Quick Verdict
Choose Tradify if you're a sole trader or small team (2–10 people) doing straightforward residential work. It's simpler, cheaper at lower volumes, and has a strong NZ user base with local support.
Choose ServiceM8 if you're doing high-volume service work with lots of small repeat jobs (maintenance, appliance servicing, HVAC callouts). Its dispatch board and client portal are better suited to that workflow.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Tradify | ServiceM8 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing (NZD) | From ~$49/mo (1 user) | From ~$39/mo (10 jobs/mo) |
| Job limit | Unlimited | 50–unlimited by plan |
| Mobile app | iOS + Android | iOS + Android |
| Quoting | ✅ Strong | ✅ Strong |
| Invoicing | ✅ + Xero/MYOB | ✅ + Xero/MYOB |
| Scheduling / dispatch | Calendar view | Advanced dispatch board |
| Client self-booking | ❌ | ✅ |
| Client portal | Limited | ✅ Full portal |
| Purchase orders | ✅ | ✅ |
| GPS/fleet tracking | ❌ | ❌ |
| NZ-specific features | ✅ GST, NZ pricing | Mostly AU-focused |
| Support | NZ business hours | AU-based |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
Pricing Breakdown
Tradify (NZD approximate)
Tradify charges per user per month:
- Solo (1 user): ~$49/mo
- Starter (3 users): ~$119/mo
- Business (unlimited users): ~$199/mo
Plans include unlimited jobs, quotes, and invoices. Pricing is clear and scales predictably with team size.
ServiceM8 (NZD approximate)
ServiceM8 charges based on jobs dispatched per month — not user count:
- Lite (50 jobs/mo): ~$39/mo
- Starter (150 jobs/mo): ~$79/mo
- Growing (500 jobs/mo): ~$149/mo
- Premium (1,500 jobs/mo): ~$249/mo
This model suits high-volume service businesses. If you do 5–10 jobs a month, it's very affordable. If you're doing 200+ jobs, Tradify's flat per-user model can be cheaper.
Where Tradify Wins
Simplicity. Tradify is genuinely easy to set up and learn. Most tradies are quoting, scheduling, and invoicing within a day. The interface is clean and mobile-first.
NZ support. Tradify is used widely across NZ and has a strong community. Their support team understands NZ business practices, GST, and local tradie workflows.
Unlimited jobs. No caps — useful for trades doing lots of small jobs where ServiceM8's per-job pricing would add up.
Xero integration. Tradify's Xero sync is solid and widely used in NZ.
Where ServiceM8 Wins
Dispatch and scheduling. ServiceM8's dispatch board is better suited to coordinating multiple technicians doing repeat service calls. The drag-and-drop scheduling is fast.
Client portal. Customers can book jobs, track technician location, receive automated reminders, and pay online. Tradify doesn't have anything comparable.
Forms and checklists. ServiceM8 has more powerful forms capability — useful for condition reports, compliance checklists, and sign-off documentation.
Automation. ServiceM8 has more built-in automation (job follow-ups, review requests, recurring schedules). Tradify is more manual.
Who Uses What in NZ?
In practice, Tradify dominates among NZ plumbers, electricians, builders, and painters doing project-based work. ServiceM8 has more traction in appliance servicing, HVAC, and other industries where repeat callout service is the main workflow.
ServiceM8 is also more common in Australia — if you're comparing advice from Aussie forums, be aware that some ServiceM8 features are Australia-specific (e.g. SWMS integration works differently).
The Verdict
For most NZ tradies — a sole trader or team of 2–8 doing residential or commercial project work — Tradify is the better starting point. It's simpler to use, better suited to NZ workflows, and more cost-effective at typical team sizes.
ServiceM8 is worth considering if you're running a service desk with high call volume, multiple technicians, and need client self-booking and automated dispatching. It's powerful software but has a steeper learning curve and an Australian-centric design.
Both offer free trials — test them with a real job before committing.
Alternatives to Consider
- Fergus — stronger H&S, variation management, and compliance tools than both. Better for larger project-based teams. See Fergus vs Tradify vs simPRO →
- FastCrew — NZ-built, H&S-first. Includes SWMS generation, Xero + Stripe. From $39/mo.
- Simpro — enterprise-grade for larger businesses (10+ staff). Much more complex and expensive.
Not sure if your quote is fair? Use our free NZ tradie quote checker to compare any quote against typical rates for your city and job type.