TradesBill vs Tradify — which is better for tradies?

If you're hunting for a Tradify alternative in Australia, chances are you're not unhappy with what Tradify does — you're unhappy with what it costs for what you actually use. Tradify is a full job management system: scheduling, job cards, timesheets, staff tracking, quoting and invoicing. If you're a sole trader who mostly needs to quote, invoice and get paid, you may be paying a per-user monthly fee for a lot of software you never open.

This guide compares TradesBill and Tradify honestly. We build the free invoice app for tradies on one side of this comparison, so we're not neutral — but we'll be upfront about where Tradify is the better tool, because for some businesses it genuinely is.

TradesBill vs Tradify — feature comparison table

Feature details are based on each product's publicly described features as of October 2026. Software changes often — check Tradify's own website for its current plans and features.

What Tradify actually is (and isn't)

It's worth being clear on this, because a lot of tradies sign up for Tradify expecting an invoicing app and find a job management platform. Tradify was founded in New Zealand and is aimed at trade businesses — electricians, plumbers, builders, HVAC — that need to run jobs from enquiry to payment. Its core is the job: you create a job, schedule it on the calendar, assign staff, log time and materials against it, then quote and invoice from it.

That workflow is excellent when you're coordinating several people across several sites. It's overhead when you're one person who already knows where you're going tomorrow.

TradesBill takes the opposite approach. There's no job board or dispatch screen — you create a quote, convert it to an invoice when the job's done, and send it. The whole app is built around getting a correct, ATO-compliant invoice out the door quickly. If you want a refresher on what that invoice must contain, see our guide on what a tax invoice must include.

Tradify alternative pricing — what you'll really pay

Tradify charges a monthly subscription per user, with tiered plans (such as Lite, Pro and Plus) that vary by team size and features. Its exact Australian pricing changes from time to time and third-party review sites quote different figures, so we won't print a number here that might be out of date — check tradifyhq.com for the current AUD price. What matters is the model: every extra person on the team adds to the monthly bill, and you keep paying in quiet months.

TradesBill's core invoicing — unlimited quotes, invoices and clients — is free. There's an optional Pro tier for extras like the BAS Tax Summary report, but you're never paying just to keep sending invoices.

For a sole trader, a quick sum is worth doing: take Tradify's current per-user monthly price, multiply by 12, and ask whether the scheduling and timesheet features are worth that much to you each year. For a crew, the maths often comes out in Tradify's favour because it replaces whiteboards, group texts and paper timesheets. For a one-person business, it usually doesn't.

GST invoicing — both handle it, differently

Unlike some US-built invoicing apps, Tradify supports Australian GST and is used by plenty of Aussie trade businesses. Many Tradify users rely on its sync with Xero or MYOB, so GST reporting happens in their accounting software rather than in Tradify itself.

TradesBill keeps GST inside the app. Switch GST on in your business settings and every invoice calculates 10% GST per line, shows the GST total separately, and is labelled "Tax Invoice" automatically. The live totals panel shows the subtotal, GST and total as you type, so you can check the figure before you hit send. Not sure how the maths works? Our guide on how to calculate GST on an invoice walks through it.

Offline use on-site

Tradify has mobile apps for iOS and Android, and you can view job information in the field. But like most cloud job management platforms, it's designed around being connected — that's how the office sees what the crew is doing in real time.

TradesBill is offline-first. You can write a quote in a basement, invoice from a rural property with no bars, and everything saves locally and syncs once you're back in range. For sole traders who do the paperwork on the tailgate before leaving the job, that matters more than a live dispatch board.

When Tradify is the better choice

We'd genuinely recommend Tradify over TradesBill if:

• You employ staff or subbies and need to schedule them across multiple jobs each day.
• You need timesheets logged against jobs for payroll or job costing.
• You want a live sync with Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks rather than exporting data for your bookkeeper.
• You have office staff who manage bookings and need to see where everyone is.

In those cases you're paying for real coordination value, not just invoicing.

When TradesBill is the better Tradify alternative

• You're a sole trader or a two-person operation without a scheduler.
• You mainly need quotes and invoices — not job cards, dispatch or timesheets.
• You want GST and ABN handled automatically with no accounting software required.
• You work in low-signal areas and need the app to work fully offline.
• You don't want a monthly bill just to keep invoicing in slow months.

Switching from Tradify to TradesBill

If you've decided you don't need full job management, moving across is straightforward:

• Export your customer list from Tradify (or from your connected accounting software) as a CSV.
• Set up your business details in TradesBill — ABN, GST status, logo and payment details.
• Re-create your common line items — hourly labour rate, callout fee, regular materials — so invoicing is a few taps.
• Finish open jobs in Tradify and start new ones in TradesBill, so nothing gets invoiced twice.
• Keep your Tradify records — the ATO generally requires you to keep business records for five years, so export or archive old invoices before cancelling.
• Cancel your subscription once you're confident, checking Tradify's terms so you're not billed for another cycle.

Frequently asked questions

Is TradesBill a full replacement for Tradify?

Not for every business. TradesBill replaces the quoting and invoicing side of Tradify. It doesn't do job scheduling, dispatch or staff timesheets, so if your business depends on those, Tradify (or another job management tool) is still the right fit.

Does Tradify have a free plan?

Tradify offers a free trial rather than an ongoing free plan. After the trial you need a paid per-user subscription. TradesBill's core invoicing stays free with no time limit.

Can I move my Tradify invoices into TradesBill?

There's no direct import between the two apps. Most tradies export their customer list, start new invoices in TradesBill, and keep their old Tradify invoices archived for record-keeping.

Which is better for a sole trader electrician or plumber?

If you work alone and your main admin is quotes and invoices, TradesBill covers that for free. If you're about to hire and need to schedule staff, Tradify becomes more useful. See our guides on invoicing as an electrician and invoicing as a plumber for trade-specific tips.