TradieTally vs ServiceM8
TradieTally vs ServiceM8 compared: per-user vs job-volume pricing, estimating depth, Android support and security focus for Australian tradies. Oct 2026.
- 21-day free trial
- No credit card required
- Cancel anytime
ServiceM8 is a popular field service app with a free plan, unlimited users and pricing based on job volume — from $29/month inc GST — which suits larger teams doing many small jobs, especially on iPhone. TradieTally is estimating-first, with a charge-out rate calculator, profit shown on every quote, and Smart Bundles for electrical, security and A/C work, on web, iPhone and Android. If you do a high volume of quick service calls, ServiceM8 may cost less; if detailed quoting is where you win or lose money, TradieTally is built for that.
TradieTally vs ServiceM8 at a glance
| TradieTally | ServiceM8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Solo $79/month; Team $99/month + $20 per extra user (AUD inc GST) | Free (30 jobs); Starter $29; Growing $79; Premium $149; Premium Plus $349 per month (AUD inc GST) |
| Pricing model | Per plan plus extra users; the same core features on every plan, with optional paid add-ons | Priced by job volume; unlimited users |
| Contracts | No lock-in, cancel anytime | Check vendor |
| Estimating depth | Estimating priced for profit on your real numbers, not guessing. Labour and materials priced from your real costs and charge-out rate, markup and margin, quote versioning and Smart Bundles | Light on estimating |
| Charge-out rate calculator | Yes — from real running costs and employer on-costs | Check vendor |
| Profit before sending | Yes — cost, profit and margin on every quote | Check vendor |
| Security-specific | Yes — security Smart Bundles and trade pages | No security industry page found |
| Xero | Yes — contacts, invoices, payments, account mapping | Check vendor |
| MYOB / QuickBooks | In development | Check vendor |
| Field app | Web, iPhone and Android | iOS-first |
Comparison as of October 2026, reviewed by Jayson Conceicao, electrician and TradieTally founder, and based on publicly available information. Check each vendor's website for current pricing and features. ServiceM8 is a trademark of its respective owner; TradieTally is not affiliated with ServiceM8.
Choose TradieTally if…
- Detailed quotes are how you win work, and you want to see profit before you send
- Your team uses Android phones as well as iPhones
- You're a security technician and want security-specific Smart Bundles
- You do fewer, larger jobs and would rather pay by user than by job count
- You want field users to see their jobs without seeing margins and running costs
Choose ServiceM8 if…
- You do a high volume of small service calls and want unlimited users
- Your whole crew is on iPhone and you prefer an iOS-first app
- You do under 30 jobs a month and want to start on a free plan
- You need accounting integrations beyond Xero — check ServiceM8's current list
Overview
ServiceM8 and TradieTally are both used by Australian tradies, but they’re priced and built differently. ServiceM8 charges by job volume with unlimited users and is iOS-first. TradieTally is an estimating platform first, with job management built in, and charges by plan and user.
Key differences
What you pay for
ServiceM8 scales with how many jobs you do. TradieTally scales with how many people log in. That one difference decides a lot. A business doing hundreds of quick service calls a month with a large team may suit ServiceM8’s model. A business doing fewer, larger installs — switchboard upgrades, CCTV systems, ducted zone adds — may find TradieTally’s flat plan easier to predict.
Estimating
Our research found ServiceM8 lighter on estimating. TradieTally is built around it: you set your charge-out rate from running costs, then every quote shows cost, profit and margin before you send. See estimating software.
Devices
ServiceM8 is iOS-first. TradieTally works on web, iPhone and Android, which matters if your crew has a mix of phones.
Trade focus
TradieTally has dedicated content and Smart Bundles for security technicians — CCTV, alarms, intercoms, access control. We didn’t find a security industry page on ServiceM8’s site.
Pricing compared
| TradieTally (inc GST) | ServiceM8 (inc GST) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 21-day trial | Free plan (30 jobs) |
| Entry | Solo $79/month | Starter $29/month |
| Mid | Team $99/month (2 users) | Growing $79/month |
| Upper | + $20 per extra user | Premium $149, Premium Plus $349 |
| Users | Plan + extra users | Unlimited |
| Basis | Users | Job volume |
Example: owner plus four field users on TradieTally is $159/month inc GST. See pricing.
Who should choose which?
Choose ServiceM8 if you run high volumes of short service jobs, have a big team on iPhones, or want to start on a free plan.
Choose TradieTally if quoting accuracy is the problem you need fixed. It’s made for electricians, security technicians and air conditioning businesses.
Switching to TradieTally
- Start the 21-day free trial — no credit card.
- Set your charge-out rate and target margin.
- Import your wholesaler price file by CSV.
- Build Smart Bundles, connect Xero and invite your field users.
Until 30 November 2026, there’s a limited-time offer for new customers: a 45-day trial and Solo at $69/month for the first six months.
Sources
TradieTally vs ServiceM8: FAQs
What is a good ServiceM8 alternative for electricians?
TradieTally is a ServiceM8 alternative built for electricians, security technicians and A/C contractors. Where ServiceM8 is job management first, TradieTally leads with estimating priced for profit on your real numbers, not guessing, then runs the job, scheduling, timesheets and invoicing in the same app on web, iPhone and Android.
How does ServiceM8's job-volume pricing compare with TradieTally's per-user pricing?
ServiceM8 charges by how many jobs you do each month, with unlimited users. TradieTally charges a plan price plus $20 for each extra user, priced by user rather than job count. High-volume, large teams may pay less on ServiceM8; small teams doing larger jobs may pay less on TradieTally.
Can my Android-using apprentice use TradieTally in the field?
Yes. TradieTally field users can log in on web, iPhone and Android. ServiceM8 is iOS-first, so check its Android support directly.
Is ServiceM8's free plan enough for a new sparky business?
As of October 2026, ServiceM8's free plan covers 30 jobs. It may suit a very early-stage business. TradieTally has no free plan but offers a 21-day free trial with no credit card required.
Does ServiceM8 have Smart Bundles like TradieTally?
Smart Bundles are TradieTally's pre-built job packages. Check ServiceM8 directly for its equivalent features, as our research found it lighter on estimating.
Thinking of switching from ServiceM8?
Price every job from your real costs, see the profit before you hit send, and run the whole job from one app. Built by a sparky for electricians, security techs and A/C contractors.