Comparison

ServiceM8 vs Planado

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ServiceM8

This app streamlines job management for trade and home service businesses. It offers digital job cards, scheduling, quoting, invoicing, and payment processing, helping to reduce paperwork and improve efficiency for field staff and office operations.

Highlights
  • Digital job cards
  • Scheduling and staff location tracking
  • Quoting and invoicing
  • Online and mobile payments
  • Client communication tools
  • Digital forms and asset management
  • Accounting integrations
Features
Read full description

ServiceM8 is job management software for trade contractors & home service businesses, such as plumbers, electricians, HVAC & refrigeration contractors, locksmiths, cleaners & gardeners — any kind of small business which manages jobs & staff in the field. ServiceM8 is a job, staff & client management solution, with everything to run your day-to-day in one place — digital job cards, scheduling, quotes, staff locations, client emails & texts, job notes & photos, online bookings, forms, asset management, invoicing & payments. You’ll cut paperwork, get more jobs done, provide amazing service & get paid faster. Field staff use the ServiceM8 app for iPhone & iPad. Office staff can access the ServiceM8 dashboard online via web browser on Mac or PC. Download the app & tap ‘Try Demo’ — no sign-up required. Who is ServiceM8 for? ServiceM8 is a simple, easy tool for contractors & field service businesses with a high-turnover of short jobs, ranging in size from sole operators up to 20 staff. Industries such as: • Plumbing • Electrical • Solar • HVAC & Refrigeration • Pest Control • Appliance Repair • Locksmithing & Security • Cleaning • Pool Care • Lawn Mowing & Gardening Businesses • IT • Property Maintenance • Fire Protection • Carpet & Flooring Job Management Software • Manage jobs from start to finish • Access all client & job details in the field • Ensure job quality & consistency with built-in checklists • Capture electronic signatures Communication & CRM • Email & text clients directly from the app • Save time with email & text templates • Send On-the-Way text messages to clients • Automate booking confirmations, reminders & follow-ups to clients Scheduling • View your schedule & job info, anywhere • See a real-time map view of staff & job locations • Dispatch jobs & urgent work, instantly • Receive push notifications about schedule changes Quoting & Invoicing • Generate professional PDF quotes, estimates & invoices on site • Email or text quotes & invoices to clients from the app • Clients can view quotes & pay invoices online Time tracking & Timesheets • Track travel time & time on site, for billing purposes • Track shift & break time, for payroll purposes • Export payroll time sheets to Xero or QuickBooks Online Mobile & Online Payments • Accept contactless payments with Tap to Pay on iPhone • No extra dongles, terminals or hardware needed — just your iPhone Digital Forms & Assets • Complete digital reports, procedures & certificates on site, through the app • Create custom forms for your business & industry • Catalogue client assets & view their service history Job History • Access a full history of work done for every client • Attach notes, photos, videos, emails & messages to jobs • Automatic back-up & secure cloud storage Accounting Integrations • Connect to Xero or QuickBooks Online • Sync invoices & payments from ServiceM8 • Streamline invoicing, payments & accounting Pricing • A range of monthly plans to suit your business & requirements • Plans bundle jobs, SMSs & add-ons into a single monthly price • No contracts, setup fees, or ‘per-user’ fees. • Unlimited users & storage • 14-day free trial Support • Free, 24/7 email & chat support • Self-serve Help Centre with articles & videos • Global network of ServiceM8 Partners offering setup services In-App Purchase Terms When you subscribe to a plan through the ServiceM8 app, payment will be charged to your Apple ID on a recurring monthly basis. Your monthly subscription will automatically renew unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the renewal date. You can manage your subscription in the ServiceM8 app in More > Settings > ServiceM8 Account. Any unused portion of your free trial is forfeited after purchase. Terms of Service: www.servicem8.com/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: www.servicem8.com/privacy-policy The ServiceM8 application uses background location. Continued use of GPS running in the background can decrease battery life.

About

Planado

This app streamlines field service operations by enabling efficient job scheduling, real-time task management, and quality control through photo reports. It helps businesses monitor mobile worker performance, reduce paperwork, and improve communication with clients.

Highlights
  • Job scheduling and on-the-fly changes
  • Worker checklists and notes
  • Photo reports for quality control
  • Instant job information transfer
  • Route planning with traffic consideration
  • Client SMS notifications
  • Transparent field staff monitoring
Features
Read full description

Planado is an online service for company’s field work management and performance quality control of such mobile workers as: — installers, adjusters, couriers, forwarders, engineers, maintainers; — field workers, mobile teams, field staff. Planado helps to: — plan out job schedule, make changes in the schedule on the fly, — provide checklists for workers so that they won’t forget to do anything and take all the important notes concerning their job, — monitor completed jobs quality using jobs’ photo reports, — pass the job information to your field worker instantly, — easily make a route taking traffic into account, — send out SMS-notifications to your clients to remind them of an upcoming job, — send out SMS-notifications to your clients when your worker is on the way to their premises, — make the work of the field staff transparent to the management, — reduce the amount of paperwork and problems associated with it. Use the Planado system to know who works effectively (according to reports and photo reports) and lower human factor costs.

Screenshots

ServiceM84 screens
Planado4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ServiceM8 at 4.6 against Planado's 3.7. ServiceM8 also leads on ratings volume (865 vs 3) and review sentiment (65% vs 43%). Planado's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ServiceM8 sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Planado asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ServiceM8 holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ServiceM8 has 865 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of ServiceM8's written reviews are positive against 43% of Planado's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ServiceM8 ships an update every 5 weeks, Planado every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ServiceM8 versus Planado: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterServiceM8Planado
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (865 ratings) — better3.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews65.4% of reviews — better42.9% of reviews
Number of ratings865 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size126 MB77 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperEroldawn Pty LtdPlanado Inc

Customer experience

ServiceM8

All ratings865 ratings
Positive88.8%
Neutral3.6%
Negative7.6%
Written reviews292 reviews
Positive65.4%
Neutral12.0%
Negative22.6%

Planado

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive42.9%
Neutral25.0%
Negative32.1%

Bugs and requests

ServiceM8

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Syncing issues between mobile app and desktop
  • Crashes when trying to open PDF files
  • Calendar view reverting to old dates
  • Inability to assign tasks to specific employees
  • Payment processing problems

Requested features

6 requests
  • Ability to track equipment repairs
  • Customizable invoice templates
  • Improved routing and scheduling tools
  • Automated monthly statements for clients
  • Better integration with Android devices
Show 1 more
  • More flexible job costing and margin tracking

Planado

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

ServiceM8

Subscriptions4
  • Lite1 Month trial$8.991 Month
  • Starter$28.991 Month
  • Growing$78.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Premium$149.991 Month
None

Planado

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ServiceM8 free?
ServiceM8 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Planado free?
Planado is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ServiceM8 or Planado?
ServiceM8 is rated higher. ServiceM8 averages 4.6 out of 5 from 865 ratings, while Planado averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do ServiceM8 or Planado have ads?
Neither ServiceM8 nor Planado shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ServiceM8 or Planado?
ServiceM8 ships an update every 5 weeks, and Planado every 2 months. Most recently, ServiceM8 was updated on November 12, 2026 and Planado on November 6, 2026.

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