Running a trade or mobile service business on your own means you are the sales team, the scheduler, the bookkeeper, and the one doing the actual work. The right software should take the admin off your plate - not add more of it. This guide compares six platforms that sole traders in the UK actually use, ranked on what matters when it's just you: cost, speed, mobile access, and whether you can go from quote to paid invoice without touching a spreadsheet.
This is not an accounting software guide. You still need QuickBooks, Xero, or FreeAgent for your Self Assessment and VAT returns. This guide covers the job management platform you use alongside your accounting software - the tool that handles quoting, scheduling, invoicing, and getting paid. Most of the platforms here integrate with at least one accounting package.
What Sole Traders Actually Need From Software
Enterprise platforms love to sell features you will never use. As a sole trader, your checklist is shorter and more practical:
- Fast quoting from your phone - a customer asks for a price, you send a professional quote before you've left their driveway
- Simple scheduling - see your week, move things around, know where you're going
- Invoicing with online payments - send an invoice, the customer pays by card, money lands in your account
- Payment chasing - automated reminders so you're not texting customers asking for money
- Works on your phone - if you can't do it from a van, it doesn't count
- UK pricing and VAT - GBP billing, VAT on invoices, no currency conversion surprises
- Accounting sync - pushes invoices to QuickBooks or Xero so your accountant doesn't chase you
Everything below is scored against that list. Features that matter to 50-person operations but not to a sole trader are noted but not weighted.
The Quick Comparison
| Platform | Sole Trader Cost | Currency | Free Trial | Customer Portal | AI Features | Accounting Sync |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiveSuite | £34.99/month (inc. VAT) | GBP | 30 days, no card | Included | HiveIntel + HiveAssist | QuickBooks |
| Tradify | See pricing (per user, ex. VAT) | GBP available | 14 days | No | No | Xero, QuickBooks |
| Powered Now | From ~£28/user/month (ex. VAT) | GBP | Yes | Premium only | AI Text (Premium) | Xero, QuickBooks |
| ServiceM8 | Free (30 jobs) / £25/month (50 jobs, ex. VAT) | GBP | 14 days | No | AI Smart Helpers | Xero, QuickBooks |
| Jobber | From $49/month (ex. VAT) | USD | 14 days | Client hub | Jobber AI | QuickBooks, Xero |
| Joist | From $10/month | USD | 14 days | Lightweight | No | QuickBooks (Elite) |
1. HiveSuite - Best All-Round for UK Sole Traders
Cost: £34.99/month (Solo plan, inc. VAT) - 1 admin + 2 team members, all features included
Free trial: 30 days, no credit card
Mobile: iOS PWA + native Android app
Accounting: QuickBooks sync on every plan
HiveSuite is built in the UK for UK contractors and mobile service businesses. The Solo plan at £34.99/month includes everything - there are no feature tiers, no add-ons, and no per-user charges. You get the same platform that a 20-person team gets on the Professional plan, just with fewer user seats.
Why it suits sole traders
- All features from day one: customer portal, AI analytics (HiveIntel), AI quote drafting (HiveAssist), Stripe payments, recurring invoices, compliance documents, inventory management, and custom fields are all included on the £34.99 Solo plan.
- Customer portal: your clients log in and approve quotes, pay invoices, view job history, message you, and download certificates - without you doing anything. That's a real time-saver when you're on site all day.
- HiveAssist AI quoting: describe the job in plain English and HiveAssist generates line items. It can build good / better / best option packages on an interactive quote link - no customer login required, they pick an option and accept in one tap.
- HiveIntel reporting: ask plain-English questions about your business - "how much am I owed this month?", "which customers haven't paid?" - and get answers without building a report.
- Invoice reminder board: see all outstanding invoices at a glance with automated payment reminders, so you're not manually chasing every late payer.
- 30-day trial: the longest free trial on this list, and no credit card needed.
Where it's honest
- No Xero integration yet - QuickBooks only for now. If Xero is your accounting software, check Tradify, Powered Now, or ServiceM8.
- iOS app is a PWA (installable web app), not a native App Store download. The Android app is native.
Verdict
The best value for a UK sole trader who wants everything in one place. £34.99/month inc. VAT with no feature restrictions, a real customer portal, AI quoting, and a 30-day trial makes it the strongest starting point.
2. Tradify - Popular With UK Trades, Per-User Pricing
Cost: Per user, per month (ex. VAT) - see current pricing on Tradify's site
Free trial: 14 days
Mobile: Native iOS + Android apps
Accounting: Xero + QuickBooks
Tradify is one of the most well-known names in UK trade software and has a clean, simple interface that sole traders tend to pick up quickly. It covers the core workflow - quoting, job management, scheduling, invoicing, and timesheets - without overwhelming you with features you don't need.
Why sole traders like it
- Clean and fast: the interface is straightforward and the mobile apps are solid.
- Xero and QuickBooks: integrates with both major UK accounting packages.
- Good scheduling: Google Calendar sync, simple job views, and recurring jobs on higher tiers.
- UK presence: GBP pricing available, UK support, well-known in the trades community.
Where it falls short for sole traders
- Per-user pricing: as a sole trader this is fine (you're one user), but if you ever bring on an apprentice or partner, the cost scales per person. Confirm current pricing directly as Tradify doesn't always publish UK GBP rates publicly.
- No customer portal: customers can't log in to view jobs, approve quotes, or pay - everything goes via email.
- No AI features: no AI quoting, no AI reporting, no AI anything.
- Feature tiers: some features like recurring jobs, purchase orders, and bulk invoicing are only on higher-priced plans.
Verdict
A solid, simple choice if your main need is quoting and invoicing with Xero sync. But the lack of a customer portal and AI means you're doing more manual work than you need to.
Read the full HiveSuite vs Tradify comparison →
3. ServiceM8 - Best Free Plan, But iOS-First
Cost: Free (30 jobs/month, 1 user) or Starter at £25/month ex. VAT (50 jobs, unlimited users) - see all plans
Free trial: 14 days on paid plans
Mobile: Full iOS app; Android Lite app with reduced features
Accounting: Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB
ServiceM8 is an Australian-built platform with UK GBP pricing and a genuine free plan. For a sole trader doing fewer than 30 jobs a month, you can use it without paying anything. The job-volume pricing model (rather than per-user) is a different approach that can work well for low-volume operators.
Why sole traders like it
- Free plan exists: 30 jobs per month, 1 user, no card required. Genuinely usable for getting started.
- Job-volume pricing: no per-user charges - you pay based on how many jobs you run, not how many people log in.
- AI Smart Helpers: available on all plans, helps draft quotes, invoices, emails, and job summaries.
- GBP pricing: UK-specific pricing page with no currency conversion needed.
- Online booking: from the Growing plan (£59/month ex. VAT), you get a full online booking system.
Where it falls short for sole traders
- Android is second-class: the Android app is ServiceM8 Lite - it covers core field workflows but not the full feature set. If you use an Android phone, this is a real limitation.
- No customer portal: customers cannot log in to view jobs, approve quotes, or manage their account.
- Prices exclude VAT: that £25/month Starter plan is actually £30/month after VAT. The £119 Premium plan is £142.80.
- Job limits can catch you out: if you have a busy month and exceed your plan's job allowance, you need to upgrade mid-month.
- Not UK-built: Australian company with UK pricing. Works well, but some UK-specific workflows (like CIS) aren't native.
Verdict
The best option if you want to start for free and you use an iPhone. The free plan is genuinely usable. But Android users and anyone wanting a customer portal should look elsewhere.
Read the full HiveSuite vs ServiceM8 comparison →
4. Powered Now - UK-Built With Strong Compliance Forms
Cost: From ~£28/user/month (ex. VAT) on the Business plan - see current pricing
Free trial: Yes, plus a limited free version
Mobile: Native iOS + Android apps with offline support
Accounting: Xero + QuickBooks
Powered Now is a UK-built platform that has earned its reputation with gas engineers, electricians, and other regulated trades. Its biggest strength is the library of 50+ statutory UK compliance forms and certificates - Gas Safe, EICR, fire alarm, and more. If you're in a regulated trade and need to issue certificates on every job, Powered Now takes that seriously.
Why sole traders like it
- 50+ compliance forms: pre-built statutory certificates for gas, electrical, fire, oil, pest control, and more. If you issue Gas Safe or NICEIC certificates daily, this saves real setup time.
- CIS and Making Tax Digital: CIS deductions, Domestic Reverse Charge, and direct MTD VAT submission to HMRC are built in.
- Offline mode: native apps work without an internet connection - useful if you're working in basements or rural areas.
- Xero and QuickBooks: integrates with both.
- UK-built: understands UK tax, UK terminology, UK trades.
Where it falls short for sole traders
- Per-user pricing adds VAT: the advertised prices exclude VAT. A sole trader on the Business plan pays ~£28 + VAT = ~£33.60/month for one user. On Premium (~£40 + VAT = ~£48/month) to get the customer portal.
- Customer portal is Premium only: you need the most expensive plan to give customers a login.
- No AI analytics: AI Text (writing assistance) is available on the Premium plan only. No plain-English reporting or AI-generated quotes.
- No inventory tracking: supplier invoices and purchase orders are available, but no stock-level tracking.
- Pricing can be confusing: Powered Now runs frequent promotional discounts (up to 65% off at times), making it hard to know what you'll actually pay long-term.
Verdict
The best choice for sole traders in regulated trades who need statutory compliance documents. Gas engineers and electricians will find genuine value in the pre-built forms library. For everyone else, the per-user pricing and Premium-gated portal make it less competitive.
Read the full HiveSuite vs Powered Now comparison →
5. Jobber - Big Name, USD Pricing
Cost: Core plan from $49/month ($29/month billed annually), 1 user, in USD - see current pricing
Free trial: 14 days
Mobile: Native iOS + Android apps
Accounting: QuickBooks, Xero
Jobber is one of the biggest names in field service software globally. It's polished, well-documented, and has a large user base. For UK sole traders, the main consideration is that Jobber prices in USD - you'll pay in dollars and your bank will add a conversion fee and exchange rate margin on every monthly charge.
Why sole traders like it
- Polished experience: Jobber has had years of investment in UX. The apps are solid and the workflow is intuitive.
- AI features: Jobber's AI tools help draft quotes, emails, and job descriptions across plans.
- Client hub: customers can approve quotes, pay invoices, and request work through a client-facing interface.
- Online booking: available on all plans for customers to book jobs directly.
- GPS tracking: real-time location tracking on higher plans.
Where it falls short for UK sole traders
- USD pricing: no GBP billing option. At current exchange rates, the $49/month Core plan works out at roughly £39+ per month before your bank's conversion fee (typically 2-3%). The actual cost varies month to month.
- Feature tiers: the Core plan is quite limited - automated reminders, checklists, and two-way SMS are only available on Connect ($139/month or more). Job costing is only on Grow ($199/month or more).
- Per-user add-on costs: extra users cost $29/month each on top of the plan price.
- North American focus: Jobber is Canadian-built and primarily designed for the US/Canadian market. It works in the UK, but terminology and defaults reflect that origin.
Verdict
A capable platform, but the USD pricing and feature tiers make it expensive for UK sole traders. The Core plan at ~£39+/month gives you less than HiveSuite's £34.99 plan with everything included.
Read the full HiveSuite vs Jobber comparison →
6. Joist - Simplest Option, US-Focused
Cost: Basics $10/month (5 documents/month), Pro $17/month (unlimited), Elite $32/month - see pricing
Free trial: 14 days (Pro or Elite features)
Mobile: iOS + Android apps
Accounting: QuickBooks sync on Pro and Elite only
Joist is the lightest-weight option on this list. It's an estimates and invoicing app for contractors - not a full business management platform. If all you need is to create quotes and invoices on your phone and take card payments, Joist does that simply and cheaply.
Why sole traders like it
- Cheap entry point: $10/month for the Basics plan is the lowest price on this list, although you're limited to 5 documents per month.
- Simple: there's very little to learn. If you just need estimates and invoices, the learning curve is near zero.
- Mobile-first: designed to work from your phone.
- Homeowner financing: built-in financing options for customers (more relevant in the US market).
Where it falls short for UK sole traders
- USD only: no GBP pricing. UK users pay in dollars with currency conversion fees.
- No scheduling: no calendar, no job scheduling, no dispatch. You can quote and invoice but not manage your diary.
- No team features: no user roles, no permissions, no timesheets. Strictly a single-operator tool.
- No customer portal: Joist has a lightweight homeowner portal for document sharing and approvals, but no full self-service portal.
- Document limits on Basics: the $10/month plan caps you at 5 documents per month. Most sole traders will need Pro ($17/month) for unlimited.
- US-focused: designed primarily for US and Canadian contractors. UK VAT handling is not a core strength.
Verdict
Fine if you just need a simple mobile quoting and invoicing app and you don't mind paying in USD. But most UK sole traders will outgrow it quickly - no scheduling, no portal, no UK pricing.
Read the full HiveSuite vs Joist comparison →
Sole Trader Cost Comparison
What you actually pay each month as a single user, with the features most sole traders need (quoting, invoicing, scheduling, online payments):
| Platform | Monthly Cost (1 user) | Includes VAT? | Customer Portal | AI | Scheduling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiveSuite Solo | £34.99 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ServiceM8 Free | £0 (30 jobs) | N/A | No | Yes | Yes |
| ServiceM8 Starter | £30 (inc. VAT) | After adding 20% | No | Yes | Yes |
| Powered Now Business | ~£33.60 (inc. VAT) | After adding 20% | No (Premium only) | No (Premium only) | Yes |
| Tradify | Check pricing + VAT | No | No | No | Yes |
| Jobber Core | ~£39+ (USD converted) | No | Basic | Yes | Yes |
| Joist Pro | ~£14+ (USD converted) | No | Lightweight | No | No |
USD prices converted at approximate June 2026 rates. Actual cost will vary with exchange rates and bank fees. Always check the platform's pricing page directly for current rates.
Which Platform Should You Pick?
You want everything in one platform
Pick HiveSuite. Quoting, scheduling, invoicing, customer portal, AI analytics, inventory, compliance documents - all included at £34.99/month. No add-ons, no tiers, no surprises.
You want to start for free
Pick ServiceM8. The free plan is genuinely usable for up to 30 jobs a month. Just make sure you're on iOS - the Android experience is limited.
You're a gas engineer or electrician
Pick Powered Now. The 50+ pre-built statutory certificate library is a genuine time-saver if you're issuing Gas Safe or NICEIC certificates daily. CIS and MTD VAT submission are also built in.
You just want simple quotes and invoices
Pick Joist. If you genuinely only need to create estimates and invoices from your phone and don't need scheduling, a portal, or UK pricing, Joist is the simplest tool at the lowest price.
You want Xero integration and simplicity
Pick Tradify. Clean interface, good Xero sync, and well-known in UK trade circles. The per-user model is fine when you're just one person.
You want the most polished app experience
Pick Jobber. Years of investment in UX shows. The apps are excellent and the workflow is intuitive. Just be aware of USD pricing and feature restrictions on the Core plan.
Common Mistakes Sole Traders Make When Choosing Software
- Picking the cheapest option and outgrowing it in 3 months. A £10/month tool with no scheduling costs more in lost time than a £35/month tool that handles everything. Price the admin hours, not just the subscription.
- Ignoring currency. A $49 USD subscription isn't £49. After exchange rates and bank fees, it's closer to £42. And it changes every month.
- Forgetting VAT on advertised prices. Several platforms on this list advertise prices excluding VAT. Always add 20% to see what you'll actually pay.
- Not checking the mobile app. If the app only works properly on iOS and you're on Android, that's a dealbreaker you won't discover until you've set everything up.
- Skipping the trial. Every platform here offers a free trial. Use at least two of them side by side. Run your most common job through each - quote to invoice to payment - and pick whichever one felt fastest.
The Bottom Line
For most UK sole traders in 2026, HiveSuite offers the best balance of features, price, and UK fit. At £34.99/month including VAT, you get a customer portal, AI quoting, AI analytics, online payments, compliance documents, inventory management, and scheduling - all on one plan with no feature restrictions. The 30-day free trial gives you twice as long as most competitors to see if it works for your business.
If you're in a regulated trade that needs statutory certificate forms, Powered Now is worth a look. If you want to start free and you're on iOS, ServiceM8's free plan is genuinely usable. And if Xero integration is your top priority, Tradify has you covered.
But the honest advice? Sign up for HiveSuite and one other. Run a real job through both. Whichever one gets you from quote to paid invoice with less friction is the one to keep.
Growing beyond sole trader? See our full ranked review of the best UK job management software for 2026 - 10 platforms compared for teams of all sizes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need job management software as a sole trader, or can I just use spreadsheets?
You can use spreadsheets, but the time cost adds up fast. A dedicated platform lets you quote from your phone, send invoices with payment links, and chase late payers automatically. Most sole traders find the software pays for itself within the first month by saving 3-5 hours of admin per week.
What's the difference between job management software and accounting software?
Accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, FreeAgent) handles your books, tax returns, and VAT submissions. Job management software handles the work itself - quoting, scheduling, invoicing, customer communication, and getting paid. Most job management platforms sync with accounting software so invoices flow through automatically. You typically need both.
Which platform is cheapest for a single user?
ServiceM8's free plan (30 jobs/month) is the cheapest at £0. For a paid plan with scheduling included, HiveSuite Solo at £34.99/month (inc. VAT) is competitive - and includes features like the customer portal and AI that other platforms charge more for or don't offer at all.
Can I switch platforms later without losing my data?
Most platforms let you export customer lists and job history as CSV files. The main cost of switching isn't data loss - it's the time spent setting up templates, payment integrations, and workflows again. That's why it's worth trialling properly before committing.
Do any of these work offline?
Powered Now has the strongest offline support with native apps that work without an internet connection. ServiceM8's iOS app also has some offline capability. Most other platforms (including HiveSuite) require an internet connection for full functionality, though basic features may cache on mobile.
What about Making Tax Digital - do I need my job management software to handle that?
Not necessarily. Making Tax Digital for VAT is handled by your accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, or FreeAgent all support MTD). Your job management software just needs to sync invoices to your accounting platform. Powered Now is the exception on this list - it can submit VAT returns directly to HMRC, which is useful if you don't use separate accounting software.