# ServiceTrade vs Essential

The clearest difference is ratings volume: ServiceTrade at 587 against Essential's 5. On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for ServiceTrade against 4.2 for Essential. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ServiceTrade has 587 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ServiceTrade | Essential |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (587 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/servicetrade/id633457052/reviews) | **[4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-fire-inspection/id6700096378/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **587** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 62.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 107 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ServiceTrade, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/633457055) | [Essential Trades Software, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769457828) |

## What reviewers say

### ServiceTrade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/servicetrade/id633457052)

This app empowers commercial service technicians to manage jobs efficiently. It allows for detailed job information access, time tracking, media documentation of work, and seamless communication with the office. Streamline operations and enhance customer service.

**Highlights:** Access detailed job information, Record time spent on tasks, Document work with media, View asset service history, Scan and upload paperwork, Receive schedule updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful for organizing work
- 🚀 Convenient for field technicians
- 🚀 Useful for office staff
- 🚀 Improves workflow efficiency

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable clock-in/out feature
- 🐛 Frequent sync issues and data loss
- 🐛 Slow performance and crashes
- 🐛 Buggy updates that break functionality
- 🔍 Lacks user-friendly navigation

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing notes and comments
- Inability to upload photos and documents
- Inconsistent job scheduling and updates
- Repeated prompts for location permissions

**Requested features**

- Improved clock-in/out reliability
- Seamless offline functionality
- Customizable reporting and analytics
- Integrated time tracking and payroll
- Enhanced photo/attachment management


### Essential

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-fire-inspection/id6700096378)

Streamline fire protection inspections with a mobile app that digitizes site documentation. Technicians can clock in, perform guided inspections, and document visits paperlessly, syncing data in real-time with the office.

**Highlights:** Paper-free inspections, Guided workflows, Smart camera tools, Real-time sync, Job site documentation, Clock-in/out

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ServiceTrade free?

ServiceTrade is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Essential free?

Essential is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ServiceTrade or Essential?

Essential is rated higher. ServiceTrade averages 4.1 out of 5 from 587 ratings, while Essential averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do ServiceTrade or Essential have ads?

Neither ServiceTrade nor Essential shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ServiceTrade or Essential?

ServiceTrade ships an update weekly, and Essential weekly. Most recently, ServiceTrade was updated on October 18, 2026 and Essential on October 15, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*