If you are a UK tradesperson still quoting jobs on the back of an envelope, in a text message, or wrestling with a Word template at 10pm, you are spending time on admin that should be spent earning money. Or sleeping.
The good news is that quoting software has come a long way. In 2026, there are several solid options designed specifically for tradespeople in the UK. The bad news is that they are not all created equal, and choosing the wrong one wastes time and money.
We have tested and compared five of the most popular quoting tools available to UK trades right now. This is an honest comparison with real pricing, genuine pros and cons, and a clear recommendation based on what actually matters to working tradespeople.
How We Ranked These Tools
We evaluated each tool on five criteria that matter most to tradespeople:
- Speed - how quickly can you create and send a professional quote?
- Quality of output - does the finished proposal look professional enough to win work?
- Ease of use - can you use it from a van or on site without training?
- UK trade focus - is it built for UK trades with proper terminology and VAT handling?
- Value for money - does the price make sense for what you get?
1. QuoteSmith - Best Overall for UK Tradespeople
Price: £39/month | First proposal free | No credit card required
QuoteSmith is purpose-built for UK tradespeople and takes a fundamentally different approach to quoting. Instead of filling in templates or writing everything from scratch, you enter your job details and line items, and the AI generates a complete professional proposal including a detailed scope of work, project timeline, and terms and conditions. The whole process takes under two minutes.
The output is a branded PDF proposal that looks like it was put together by a professional estimator, not knocked up between jobs. It includes your logo, your colours, itemised costs with automatic VAT calculations, and trade-specific language that makes sense for your particular trade.
Pros
- AI generates the scope of work, timeline and terms for you - no more blank page
- Under 2 minutes from start to branded PDF - genuinely
- Works for 18+ trades including builders, plumbers, electricians, roofers, kitchen fitters and more
- Automatic 20% VAT on all line items
- Unlimited proposals on a flat monthly price
- First proposal completely free, no credit card needed
- Mobile friendly - create proposals on site from your phone
Cons
- Newer to market (launched 2026) - less established brand
- Focused purely on proposals - no invoicing or job scheduling (yet)
- Requires internet connection to generate proposals
Best for: Any UK tradesperson who wants to create professional proposals fast without spending hours on paperwork. Particularly strong for sole traders and small teams who do not need a full job management system. See example proposals here.
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Create Your First Quote Free2. Tradify - Best for Job Management
Price: From £29/user/month | 14-day free trial
Tradify is a New Zealand-built job management platform that has expanded into the UK market. It covers the full workflow from enquiry through to invoice, including quoting, scheduling, timesheets and invoicing. If you need a single platform for everything, Tradify is a solid contender.
Pros
- All-in-one platform covering quotes, jobs, schedules and invoices
- Good mobile app for on-site use
- Integrates with Xero and QuickBooks for accounting
- Well suited to small teams of 2-10 people
Cons
- Per-user pricing gets expensive quickly - a team of 3 costs £87/month
- Quotes require you to write everything manually - no AI assistance
- Originally built for the NZ market, so some UK-specific features feel added on
- Overkill for sole traders who just need to send quotes
- Steeper learning curve than simpler tools
Best for: Small trade businesses with 2-5 employees who need job management beyond just quoting. Read our detailed QuoteSmith vs Tradify comparison.
3. Jobber - Best for Service-Based Trades
Price: From £25/month (Core) to £125/month (Grow) | 14-day free trial
Jobber is a Canadian platform popular with service trades like landscapers, cleaners and maintenance companies. It covers quoting, scheduling, invoicing and client communication. The platform is polished and well designed, though it is not built specifically for the UK construction trades.
Pros
- Polished, modern interface that is pleasant to use
- Good client communication tools including automated follow-ups
- Online booking and quote approval features
- Strong scheduling and routing for field service work
Cons
- Not built for UK construction trades - better suited to landscaping, cleaning, maintenance
- Higher tier plans are expensive (£65-125/month)
- Core plan has limited features - you need Connect or Grow for the useful stuff
- No AI content generation for quotes - you write everything manually
- Currency and terminology sometimes defaults to North American conventions
Best for: Service-based trades (landscapers, cleaners, maintenance) who want a complete business management platform. Less suitable for builders and construction trades. See our QuoteSmith vs Jobber comparison.
4. YourTradebase - Best Budget Option
Price: From £15/month | 30-day free trial
YourTradebase is a UK-built quoting and invoicing tool aimed at sole traders and small trade businesses. It is straightforward, affordable and does the basics well without trying to be everything.
Pros
- Most affordable option at £15/month
- Built in the UK specifically for UK trades
- Simple and easy to learn - minimal training needed
- 30-day free trial is the most generous
- Online quote acceptance with customer signatures
Cons
- Basic quote templates with no AI content generation
- PDF output is functional but not particularly impressive looking
- Limited customisation and branding options
- Fewer features than competitors - you get what you pay for
- Less actively developed than some competitors
Best for: Budget-conscious sole traders who need basic digital quoting and invoicing without complexity. Read our QuoteSmith vs YourTradebase comparison.
5. Powered Now - Best for Compliance-Heavy Trades
Price: From £20/month | Free trial available
Powered Now focuses on trades that need compliance documentation alongside quoting. If you are a Gas Safe registered plumber, a heating engineer or an electrician who needs to produce certificates and compliance forms, Powered Now handles both quoting and compliance in one place.
Pros
- Excellent compliance features - Gas Safe certificates, electrical certificates, FGAS forms
- Works offline on site (useful where mobile signal is poor)
- All-in-one for gas and electrical trades
- Customer signature capture on device
- Affordable starting price
Cons
- Quote templates are rigid and basic looking
- No AI content generation - you write every word yourself
- Interface feels dated compared to newer tools
- Less suited to general builders and project-based trades
- Branding and customisation options are limited
Best for: Gas Safe registered plumbers, heating engineers and electricians who need compliance certificates alongside their quotes. Read our QuoteSmith vs Powered Now comparison.
Pricing Comparison Table
| Feature | QuoteSmith | Tradify | Jobber | YourTradebase | Powered Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | £39/month | From £29/user | From £25/month | From £15/month | From £20/month |
| Cost for team of 3 | £39 total | £87/month | £65-125/month | £30-45/month | £40-60/month |
| AI content generation | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Time to create quote | Under 2 min | 10-15 min | 10-15 min | 10-15 min | 10-15 min |
| Branded PDF output | Professional | Good | Good | Basic | Basic |
| Auto VAT calculations | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| UK trade specific | Yes - 18+ trades | Partial | No | Yes | Yes |
| Job management | No | Yes | Yes | Basic | Basic |
| Invoicing | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Compliance certs | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Free trial | First quote free | 14 days | 14 days | 30 days | Yes |
| Credit card for trial | No | No | No | No | No |
Which Quoting Software Should You Choose?
The right tool depends on what you actually need. Here is a quick decision framework:
Choose QuoteSmith if your main problem is spending too long writing quotes, or your quotes do not look professional enough. If you want to create branded, detailed proposals in 2 minutes instead of 30 minutes, QuoteSmith is the clear choice. It is the only tool that writes the scope of work for you using AI, which eliminates the most time-consuming part of quoting.
Choose Tradify if you have a small team and need a complete job management system covering quotes, scheduling, timesheets and invoicing in one platform. Be prepared to pay per user.
Choose Jobber if you run a service-based trade like landscaping, cleaning or maintenance and want a slick all-in-one platform. Less ideal for construction trades.
Choose YourTradebase if budget is your primary concern and you just need basic digital quoting. It does the fundamentals at the lowest price point.
Choose Powered Now if you are a gas or electrical trade that needs compliance certificates alongside quoting. The compliance features are genuinely useful and save time.
The Real Cost of Not Using Quoting Software
Many tradespeople hesitate to pay for quoting software when they can "just use Word" or "send it in a text." But consider the actual cost of that approach.
If you spend 30 minutes writing each quote manually and you quote 5 jobs per week, that is 2.5 hours per week on quoting alone. At a typical day rate of £250, those 2.5 hours are worth roughly £80 of your time every single week. That is £320 per month in lost earning potential, far more than any quoting software subscription.
And that does not account for the jobs you lose because your quote arrived late, looked unprofessional, or lacked the detail that gave the customer confidence to choose you. Research consistently shows that tradespeople who send professional, branded proposals win 30-40% more work than those who send basic quotes.
The maths is straightforward. Even the most expensive quoting software on this list pays for itself within the first week of use. For more on getting your pricing right as a tradesperson, see our detailed guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best quoting software for UK tradespeople in 2026?
QuoteSmith is the best quoting software for UK tradespeople in 2026. It uses AI to generate complete professional proposals in under 2 minutes, with automatic VAT calculations, branded PDF output and trade-specific content. It costs £39/month with your first proposal free and no credit card required.
How much does quoting software cost for tradespeople?
Quoting software ranges from £15/month for basic tools (YourTradebase) to £125/month for premium platforms (Jobber Grow). QuoteSmith costs £39/month for unlimited AI-generated proposals. Tradify charges from £29 per user per month. The time saved on each quote typically pays for the subscription many times over.
Can I try quoting software before paying?
Yes. All five tools in this comparison offer free trials. QuoteSmith lets you create your first AI-generated proposal completely free with no credit card required. Tradify and Jobber offer 14-day trials. YourTradebase offers the longest trial at 30 days. Try QuoteSmith free here.
Do I need quoting software if I am a sole trader?
You do not strictly need it, but it makes a big difference. Sole traders who send professional branded proposals win significantly more work than those sending text message prices. The time saving alone, typically 30-60 minutes per quote, more than pays for the monthly cost. Even if you only quote 3 jobs per week, the tool pays for itself.
Ready to Try the Fastest Quoting Tool for UK Trades?
Create your first AI-generated proposal in under 2 minutes. See why QuoteSmith is rated the best quoting software for UK tradespeople in 2026.
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