ServiceM8, Tradify, Fergus and simPRO are job management apps: they help you run a job once it exists, with quotes, scheduling, job cards, invoices and payments. They're good at that, and most growing roofing businesses use one. What they mostly don't do is the part before the job: answering the call you missed on the roof, replying to a form at 9pm and chasing the quote that went quiet. That gap is where many roofing jobs are lost.
This guide compares the four apps roofers ask us about most, and shows where enquiry answering and quote follow-up sit alongside them.
What does a job management app do for a roofer?
Most of these apps cover the same core:
- Quotes and estimates you can send from your phone
- Scheduling crews and jobs on a calendar
- Job cards with notes, photos and materials
- Invoices and payments, often linked to Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks
- Timesheets for staff
They differ in depth (forms, safety documents, purchase orders, reporting), in how they charge (per business or per user) and in how much setup they need.
How much do ServiceM8, Tradify, Fergus and simPRO cost?
These are the published or tracked prices we found as of October 2026. Check the live pricing page before you buy, as plans and promotions change.
ServiceM8
- How it charges
- Per business, by plan
- Listed prices
- Starter $29, Growing $79, Premium $149, Premium Plus $349 + usage a month
- Source
- PricingSaaS, July 2026
Tradify
- How it charges
- Per user, per month
- Listed prices
- Lite $47, Pro $51, Plus $61 per user
- Source
- PricingSaaS, June 2026
Fergus
- How it charges
- By plan, plus timesheet users
- Listed prices
- Essentials $53, Professional $77 a month; timesheet users $2.60 each
- Source
- Fergus AU pricing page
simPRO
- How it charges
- Quote on request
- Listed prices
- Not published
- Source
- simPRO pricing page
| App | How it charges | Listed prices | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ServiceM8 | Per business, by plan | Starter $29, Growing $79, Premium $149, Premium Plus $349 + usage a month | PricingSaaS, July 2026 |
| Tradify | Per user, per month | Lite $47, Pro $51, Plus $61 per user | PricingSaaS, June 2026 |
| Fergus | By plan, plus timesheet users | Essentials $53, Professional $77 a month; timesheet users $2.60 each | Fergus AU pricing page |
| simPRO | Quote on request | Not published | simPRO pricing page |
A few details worth knowing:
- ServiceM8 also lists a Phone add-on at $19 a month and a 14-day free trial on paid plans (PricingSaaS: ServiceM8).
- Tradify charges per user, so a five-person crew pays five times the per-user price (PricingSaaS: Tradify).
- Fergus lists extra costs such as SMS at $15 per 100 texts and card payments at 1.95% + $0.30, and its page showed a promotional discount when we checked. Its Professional plan adds checklists, forms, job phases, purchase orders, hazards and SWMS (Fergus pricing).
- simPRO doesn't publish prices. Its pricing page asks you to request pricing, and it sells add-ons separately (simPRO pricing).
Which job app suits which roofing business?
Owner-operator or 2-3 person crew
- Often a good fit
- ServiceM8 or Fergus Essentials
- Why
- Simple quoting, scheduling and invoicing from a phone
Small team that wants per-user simplicity
- Often a good fit
- Tradify
- Why
- Straight per-user pricing, easy to add or remove staff
Growing crew with safety paperwork
- Often a good fit
- Fergus Professional
- Why
- Forms, SWMS, hazards and purchase orders
Larger contractor with stock and projects
- Often a good fit
- simPRO
- Why
- Deeper project, inventory and reporting tools, quote-based pricing
| Business | Often a good fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-operator or 2-3 person crew | ServiceM8 or Fergus Essentials | Simple quoting, scheduling and invoicing from a phone |
| Small team that wants per-user simplicity | Tradify | Straight per-user pricing, easy to add or remove staff |
| Growing crew with safety paperwork | Fergus Professional | Forms, SWMS, hazards and purchase orders |
| Larger contractor with stock and projects | simPRO | Deeper project, inventory and reporting tools, quote-based pricing |
This is a starting point, not a verdict. Most offer a free trial. Use it on a real week of jobs, including a quote, a booked job and an invoice, before you commit.
What to test in a free trial
A trial is only useful if you test the things you'll do every week. Before you pick an app, run one real job through it from start to finish:
- Send a quote from your phone on a roof, with photos, and see how it looks to the customer.
- Convert it to a job and schedule it on the calendar for a crew member.
- Use the job card on site: notes, photos, materials and time.
- Invoice and take a payment, and check it lands correctly in your accounting software.
- Add a staff member and see what it costs and what they can see.
- Check support: send a question and see how fast and how well they answer.
Also ask how easy it is to export your customer and job data if you leave. Your records are yours, and moving later is far easier if you check this now.
What job apps don't cover: the enquiry gap
Here's the part that costs roofers money and doesn't show up in any job app: what happens between a homeowner reaching out and a job existing.
Minute 0
A homeowner calls while you're on a roof. It rings out.
Minute 5
They call the next roofer on Google, who answers.
Day 1
Someone fills in your website form at 9pm. You see it the next afternoon.
Day 3
You send a quote. The homeowner is comparing three.
Day 10
No reply. The quote sits in your app as "sent". Nobody follows up.
Day 30
They went with someone else. Your app never knew they existed, or shows a quote that went quiet.
Job apps are built to manage work you already have. Most have some enquiry or quote features, but they don't answer a missed call within a minute, hold a two-way text conversation to book an inspection, or follow up a quote five times over three weeks without someone remembering to do it.
Work out what missed calls cost your business:
Estimated value left on the table
$8,119
a month, or about $97,425 a year. This is an estimate from your own numbers, not a promise. Even if it's half right, one saved job a month pays for LeadKites many times over.
Want the real number? Get my auditAnd what your old, unanswered quotes could be worth:
Interactive tool · Old quotes worth chasing
Work sitting in old quotes
$14,000
About 2.0 jobs at your average quote value.
A friendly follow-up costs a few cents a text. Even one revived job usually covers it.
quiet quotes × your % × average quote value
Check my real numbersHow enquiry answering and follow-up fit alongside a job app
Think of it as two halves:
- 1Front half: win the jobReply to every call, text and form within minutes, ask the right questions, book the inspection, send the quote and follow it up until you get a yes or a no.
- 2Hand overOnce the customer says yes, the job goes into ServiceM8, Tradify, Fergus or simPRO.
- 3Back half: run the jobSchedule it, do the work, invoice and get paid in your job app.
- 4After the jobAsk for a Google review while the customer is happy.
Our quote follow-up guide has the 21-day message plan, and What missed calls cost a roofer has the maths behind the front half.
Where LeadKites fits
LeadKites works on the front half. We answer calls and forms within 60 seconds, book inspections and follow up quotes, then the job carries on in whatever job app you already use. We don't replace ServiceM8, Tradify, Fergus or simPRO. We sell that service, so we have a stake in this topic. See how the LeadKites Engine works or book a free lead audit and we'll test how fast your enquiries are answered today.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best job management app for roofers in Australia?
There isn't one best app for every roofer. ServiceM8 and Fergus Essentials suit smaller crews that want simple quoting and invoicing; Tradify suits teams that want per-user pricing; Fergus Professional adds safety and purchase-order tools; simPRO suits larger contractors. Trial them on a real week of jobs.
How much does ServiceM8 cost?
Independent price tracking from July 2026 lists ServiceM8 plans at $29 (Starter), $79 (Growing), $149 (Premium) and $349 plus usage (Premium Plus) a month. Check ServiceM8's live pricing before you buy.
How much does Tradify cost per user?
Independent price tracking from June 2026 lists Tradify at $47 (Lite), $51 (Pro) and $61 (Plus) per user per month, with custom pricing for larger teams. The tracker doesn't state the currency, so check Tradify's live Australian pricing before you buy.
Does ServiceM8 or Tradify follow up quotes for me?
They help you send and track quotes, and some can send reminders. But following up every quote with a series of personal messages over several weeks, and answering missed calls within a minute, usually needs a separate system or a person doing it consistently.
Do I need a job app if I use LeadKites?
Yes, if you want scheduling, job cards and invoicing. LeadKites handles answering enquiries, booking inspections and following up quotes. Once a job is won, it runs in your job app.
Sources and fact-check
Checked against these sources on 26 October 2026. Prices and rules change, so confirm with the provider before you buy.
Was this guide useful?