Yamate vs Tradify vs ServiceM8 (2026) — honest comparison for tradies

Short answer: for a solo Aussie tradie who just wants to quote, invoice and get paid, Yamate is the simplest — a flat $19/month with GST, PayID and automated SMS chasing built in, and it works offline. Tradify is the better pick once you're growing a team and need depth. ServiceM8 suits field-service crews who live on iPhones and need dispatch and job cards.

Got an apprentice or a couple of hands? You're not too big for it, pay runs, payslips, super and licence dates are in here too, on the same flat price. Grown past that? The same app runs a crew, with a login each and what they see set by you.

At a glance (2026)

We're biased and we'll say so: we make Yamate. Every price below is dated and linked to the vendor's own pricing page, and the depth row goes to them, not us.

	Yamate	Tradify	ServiceM8
Price	$19/mo flat, one business	~A$48–62 per user / mo ex GST, as at August 2026 (pricing)	Tiered by jobs/month, add-ons extra (pricing)
Pricing model	Flat — one price	Per user	By job volume / tier
Built for	Solo tradies & sole traders	Sole traders → growing teams	Field-service teams & dispatch
Depth	Simple: quote → invoice → get paid, not much else	Feature-rich (more to learn)	Powerful (job cards, dispatch, forms)
Chasing payments	Automated SMS chasing on every plan	Reminders by plan	Reminders / add-ons
Tax help	GST + BAS & tax set-aside built in	GST invoicing	GST invoicing
Works offline	Yes — quote & invoice with no signal	Cloud	Cloud
Phones	Any phone (web app)	iOS, Android & web	Full app on iPhone/iPad; lighter "Lite" Android app
AU-native	GST, ABN, PayID & bank details baked in	AU/NZ made	AU made

Highlighted cells are where Yamate suits a solo tradie, not a claim of being "better" for every business. The Depth row is not highlighted because that one goes the other way.

The core difference

All three are good apps — they're just built for different-sized businesses. The mistake a sole trader makes is paying for team software with the team bits switched off.

Pick Tradify if…

You're growing past yourself — putting on staff or subbies, juggling purchase orders and timesheets, and you want detailed scheduling and reporting. Tradify's depth earns its keep for a growing team, and it's cross-platform with strong support.

Pick ServiceM8 if…

You run a field-service crew that dispatches jobs, needs job cards, checklists and forms on site, and your team is on iPhones and iPads. ServiceM8 is genuinely powerful for that job-card-and-dispatch workflow. Its full app is iPhone/iPad; there's a lighter Lite app on Android, so if your crew is on Android, check whether the Lite features cover what you need.

Pick Yamate if…

You're one person (or two) and want the money side sorted, not a team platform.
One price per business, and no job counter. $19/mo includes three people, a busy month costs the same as a quiet one. Past three people the Company plan is $79/mo for ten, $15/mo a head after that.
$19/mo while you stay subscribed if you sign up before 30 September 2026 — the price rises after that. No lock-in, cancel anytime.
Less to learn — the whole app is quote → invoice → get paid → chase. Up and running the same day.
Automated SMS chasing and your PayID or bank details on every invoice, so you're paid faster.
Tax made easy — it works out your GST and how much to put aside for tax each quarter.
Works with no signal. Quote in a basement, invoice in the driveway, down a hole or out the back of beyond, it still works. Exactly what works offline.

The honest summary: Yamate for a solo tradie who wants the essentials done cheaply and simply · Tradify for a growing team that wants depth · ServiceM8 for an iPhone-based field-service crew that needs dispatch and job cards.

Try Yamate free — $19/mo flat, works offline →

FAQ

What's the best invoicing app for a solo tradie in Australia?

For a one-person business that mainly needs to quote, invoice and get paid, Yamate is the simplest — a flat $19/month with GST, PayID and automated SMS payment-chasing built in, and it works offline. Tradify fits a growing team; ServiceM8 fits iPhone-based field-service crews that need dispatch and job cards.

Is Yamate cheaper than Tradify and ServiceM8?

For a solo tradie, usually yes. Yamate is $19/month for one business, with three people included and no per-seat fee at that size, as at August 2026. Tradify is priced per user (around A$48–62/user/month ex GST, as at August 2026). ServiceM8 is priced by job volume in tiers, with add-ons on top, and it has a free tier — 1 user, 30 jobs a month (as at August 2026). If you do under 30 jobs a month and don't need the tax and BAS side, free beats $19, and we'd rather say so. Verify current pricing on each provider's site.

Does ServiceM8 work on Android?

ServiceM8's full app is built for iPhone/iPad; they offer a lighter Lite app on Android with fewer features. Yamate runs fully in any phone's browser, so you get the same experience on Android or iPhone, and it works offline. Check ServiceM8's site for current platform support.

Which app is best for chasing unpaid invoices?

All three can send reminders, but Yamate builds automated SMS chasing into every plan and puts your PayID or bank details on each invoice so you're paid faster. Tradify and ServiceM8 offer reminders depending on plan or add-ons.

Sources and the fine print

Competitor details as of July 2026 — check tradifyhq.com and servicem8.com for current pricing, features and platform support. General information only. Tradify and ServiceM8 are trademarks of their respective owners; Yamate is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by either. Pricing, features and platform support change — verify on their sites.

Yamate vs Tradify vs ServiceM8: the honest comparison