The Best Tradie Apps in Australia
The apps Australian tradies actually use, compared honestly by what each is best for.
The best tradie apps in Australia depend on the job: Tradify, ServiceM8 and Fergus lead for general job management, Jobber for quoting and client comms, and a painting-specific tool like Kastrion for estimating. Match the app to your trade and team size rather than chasing one winner.
Quick picks
| App | Best for |
|---|---|
| Tradify | Solo trades and small teams wanting simple job management |
| ServiceM8 | Field service with strong scheduling and job cards |
| Fergus | Trades wanting workflow and job-status visibility |
| Jobber | Quoting and client comms (US-origin, widely used) |
| AroFlo / simPRO | Larger teams needing deeper job and asset management |
| Kastrion | Painting businesses: on-site m² estimating that reconciles to the cent |
This is a category shortlist, not a priced feature matrix. Confirm current pricing and features on each vendor’s site before you buy.
Source: Tradify pricing Source: ServiceM8 pricingBest by category
Job management: Tradify, ServiceM8 and Fergus handle scheduling, job cards and invoicing across trades. Quoting and comms: Jobber is strong here, though its content and defaults lean US. Estimating: a painting-specific tool wins, because the maths is built around surfaces, not generic items.
Where Kastrion fits
Kastrion is the painting-specialist pick: measure rooms in square metres, price to the cent on site, and it works offline. The estimator stays free; hosted proposals open through the Queensland pilot. Try the painting quote calculator → or see the software overview.
How to choose
Start from your biggest weekly time sink. If quoting eats your nights, lead with an estimator. If you lose track of jobs and follow-ups, lead with job management. Many painters run a specialist estimator alongside a general job-management app.
Frequently asked questions
What app do most tradies use?
There is no single winner: job-management apps like Tradify, ServiceM8 and Fergus are all widely used in Australia, and the right one depends on your trade and team size. Painters usually want estimating depth first, which is where a painting-specific tool fits.
What is the best free tradie app?
Most job-management apps are paid subscriptions with a trial. Kastrion’s estimating calculator, saved job records and PDF export stay free with no subscription. Hosted client proposals are a separate Queensland accepted-job pilot ($0 monthly; fee only after verified acceptance).
What is the best app for a painting business?
For pricing, a painting-specific estimator beats a general job-management app, because it works in square metres with coats, prep and spread rates rather than generic line items. Kastrion is built for exactly that; pair it with a job-management app if you also need scheduling.