Quoting software for UK trades: what the tools do and what to check first

What to take away

Tradify, Powered Now, Jobber, ServiceM8 and Fergus all quote and invoice, but their CIS and estimating depth varies.
Powered Now and Tradify are built for trades; Jobber and ServiceM8 lean towards field service scheduling.
EstimatorXpress and Conquest suit measured builder work; QuickBooks and Xero suit accounting first.
Check CIS deduction support, VAT invoice output and data export before you pay for any plan.

Why generic quoting tools fall short for trades

Most quoting software is built for agencies, consultancies and software firms. It assumes you sell days or licences at a rate card price.

A bathroom refit mixes labour, materials, plant hire and waste removal. Domestic clients want one clear price. Main contractors want priced schedules, insurance certificates and programme dates before they look at the number.

Trade quoting apps add what generic tools miss: stored rates, photo attachments, variations, stage payments and CIS deductions.

How the named options compare

The products below cover most UK trades. Match the product to the work you mostly do. EstimatorXpress and Conquest suit measured builder work; check whether their estimating workflows fit before treating either as a replacement for a trade app.

UK trades quoting software compared

Powered Now

Best fit: Sole traders, CIS/VAT
CIS depth: Strong
VAT quotes: Yes
Platform: Mobile-first
Pricing: Subscription

Tradify

Best fit: Job management
CIS depth: Limited
VAT quotes: Yes
Platform: Cloud
Pricing: Per-user

Jobber

Best fit: Domestic service
CIS depth: Limited
VAT quotes: Yes
Platform: Cloud
Pricing: Monthly users

ServiceM8

Best fit: Apple users
CIS depth: Limited
VAT quotes: Yes
Platform: iOS
Pricing: Monthly

Best fit

Powered Now: Sole traders and small firms needing CIS and VAT quotes
Tradify: Trades wanting job management plus quoting
Jobber: Domestic service and maintenance firms
ServiceM8: Apple device users doing small jobs
Fergus: Job management for small builders
EstimatorXpress: Builders pricing measured work
QuickBooks: Trades already using it for VAT and payroll
Xero: Trades with an accountant-led setup

Notable facts

Powered Now: Built for UK trades, produces quotes, invoices and CIS statements, mobile-first
Tradify: Quote, schedule, invoice and track time, integrates with Xero and QuickBooks, per-user subscription
Jobber: Quotes, invoices, scheduling and client messages, monthly plan based on users, limited CIS depth
ServiceM8: Job cards, quotes and invoices, monthly subscription, iOS-focused
Fergus: Quotes, job costing and invoices, per-user pricing, less suited to complex estimating
EstimatorXpress: Produces estimates, schedules and quotes, desktop software, learning curve
QuickBooks: Quotes, invoices and CIS reports, subscription tiers, weaker site photo capture
Xero: Quotes, invoices and subscription tiers, add-ons or accountant setup for CIS and job costing

A quoting workflow that cuts unpaid work

Start with a site survey, record the scope and exclusions, price labour and materials separately, send the quote for acceptance, convert the accepted quote to an invoice, and retain the job record.

Traceable quoting workflow

Survey job and note access, parking, waste, hours
Build price from stored material and labour rates
Keep labour and materials on separate lines
Put validity, deposit and payment stages in quote
Send for electronic acceptance to hold dated record
Convert accepted quote to invoice without rekeying

Handling CIS and VAT in a quote

CIS applies to construction work done for a contractor. HMRC deducts 20% from registered subcontractors and 30% from unregistered ones, and the deduction applies to labour rather than materials. To register as a subcontractor under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), apply to HMRC; the contractor can then verify your CIS status with HMRC before paying you.

CIS and VAT rates

20%CIS deduction for registered subcontractors
30%CIS deduction for unregistered subcontractors
20%Standard VAT rate

A lump-sum quote makes those deductions hard to reconcile. Splitting labour from materials at quote stage saves an argument later.

The standard VAT rate is 20%, as set out in the VAT rates guidance published by GOV.UK. Domestic customers usually want the gross total; commercial buyers want net and VAT shown separately.

Quoting software helps define the work, price it and record customer acceptance; invoicing software requests payment for completed work. Tools that turn an accepted quote into a compliant invoice remove an evening of admin, which is the difference that quoting software vs invoicing software turns on for a small trade business.

Quoting domestic and commercial work differently

Domestic quotes win on clarity and speed: one page, clear exclusions, a start date.

Commercial quotes win on detail: method statements, insurance levels, programme dates and a schedule the buyer can check line by line.

If you price both, use two templates rather than one.

Data protection and record keeping

Property photos, access notes, names and addresses are personal data. You need a lawful basis for holding them and a rule for deleting them once the job ends, as the ICO guidance for organisations explains.

Check where the app stores data and whether you can export or delete it.

What to check before you commit

If you want to try a tool before committing, compare a free tier with your needs. Check its feature limits, export access and what changes when you add a second user.

In each shortlisted app, create a sample quote with labour and materials separated, then check whether acceptance produces a VAT invoice.
Test offline working on a phone with poor signal and confirm how unsent changes sync.
Export sample quotes and invoices, then check that the file format and information are usable if you switch tools.
Ask the provider about quote-volume limits and what changes when you add a user.
Test a subcontract quote and confirm the app handles CIS deductions on labour separately from materials.

Common questions

Do sole traders need quoting software?

No, but you need a consistent way to price work and keep records. A mobile app beats rebuilding a spreadsheet quote for every job, and it gives you a dated record if a customer disputes the scope. If you are new to self-employment, GOV.UK's guide to becoming a sole trader sets out the registration and record-keeping duties that shape what the software must do.

Can trade quoting apps handle CIS deductions?

Powered Now and QuickBooks include CIS features. Jobber and ServiceM8 need checks; verify CIS support directly with Tradify, Fergus, EstimatorXpress and Conquest rather than assuming it from their trade or estimating focus. For any app, test it on a live subcontract before buying and confirm it splits labour from materials.

Is a free trade quoting app enough?

Usually, until you invoice often or add a second user. Limits tend to appear at quote volume, branded documents and accounting integrations.

How should I quote for a commercial job?

Price it as a structured document rather than a page with a total at the bottom. Writing a business proposal for UK clients covers the sections main contractors expect: scope, programme, insurance and payment terms.