UK compliance & certificates
Gas Safe records, EICRs, FENSA and RAMS built in. Complete the certificates UK trades are legally required to produce — not a generic job form you have to bend to fit.
⚡ Gaffer vs Fergus
The Fergus alternative built for UK trades
Fergus is a capable job and workflow tool, but it grew up in New Zealand — so UK compliance and integrations are not its home turf. Gaffer is built from the ground up for UK trade businesses, with the certificates, CIS handling, accounting sync and offline tools your team actually needs.
No credit card required · Built for UK trades · One-click import from your current tool
Why UK trades choose Gaffer over Fergus
CIS handling
Construction Industry Scheme deductions are handled the way HMRC expects, so subcontractor payments and statements are right without spreadsheet workarounds.
Offline-first mobile app
Finish jobs, capture photos and complete certificates with no signal — in a basement, a loft or out in the field — and it all syncs the moment you reconnect.
AI quote from photos
Snap a few photos on site and let Gaffer draft a priced quote in seconds, so you send tidy quotes faster and win more of the work you bid for.
Built-in VoIP
Make and take business calls inside Gaffer, with every call logged against the customer — no separate phone system to wire up and pay for.
One-click import from Fergus
Bring your customers, jobs, quotes and invoices across in a single import, plus Xero and QuickBooks sync that pushes invoices, payments and contacts across so your accounts stay in step with no double entry.
Switching from Fergus is painless
You do not start from a blank slate. Gaffer's one-click import lifts your customers, jobs, quotes and invoices out of Fergus and lands them in Gaffer — keeping your history intact so your team can carry on the same day. See the full picture on our features page, or check simple pricing before you move.
- Customer records and contact details
- Live and historical jobs
- Quotes and their line items
- Invoices and payment status
- Two-way Xero and QuickBooks sync after import
- Compliance trade packs for 58 UK trades, ready to use
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What you actually get with Gaffer
Rather than tell you what Fergus does or does not do — their product, their roadmap — here is exactly what is in the box on our side, with the numbers. Every figure is what the platform ships today.
| Capability | In Gaffer | What that means on the job |
|---|---|---|
| Trade certificates & forms | 913 built in | Gas Safe records, EICRs, minor works, FENSA, RAMS — completed on site, signed, PDF issued before you leave. |
| UK trades with a ready-made pack | 58 trades | Your trade’s own forms, quote templates and workflows switched on from day one — not a form builder to configure. |
| Priced quote templates | 218 templates | Start from a real list of line items for the job in front of you rather than an empty quote. |
| Health & safety records | 39 features | Risk assessments, permits, statutory inspections, HAVS exposure, health surveillance — with review dates that surface before they lapse. |
| Accreditation guidance | 30 UK schemes | CHAS, Constructionline, NICEIC, ISO 9001 and more, each with its real requirements, evidence, cost and renewal period. |
| Public sector tendering | Live feed | Contract notices from the government’s Find a Tender service, filtered to your trades, with AI-assisted bid drafting. |
| Field app | 220+ screens | Offline-first throughout — lofts, plant rooms, rural sites. Captures on the device and syncs when signal returns. |
| UK finance | CIS & MTD VAT | Construction Industry Scheme deductions, MTD-ready VAT summaries, retention and variation orders handled the way UK trades need. |
Figures are counts from the live platform, not marketing rounding. Browse every feature or see pricing.
Gaffer vs Fergus: common questions
Is Gaffer a good alternative to Fergus?
Yes. Gaffer is built specifically for UK trade businesses, with compliance trade packs, CIS handling, an offline-first mobile app, AI quoting, built-in VoIP and Xero and QuickBooks sync that pushes invoices, payments and contacts across — covering the UK-specific work that a New Zealand-built tool like Fergus is not designed around.
Can I import my data from Fergus?
Yes. Gaffer offers one-click import that brings across your customers, jobs, quotes and invoices from other tools, so you can switch without re-keying your business history.
Does Gaffer work for my trade?
Almost certainly. Gaffer ships compliance trade packs for 58 UK trades — electricians, plumbers, gas and heating engineers, builders, tree surgeons and many more — with the certificates, forms and RAMS each trade needs.
Do I need a card to trial?
No. Gaffer offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, on web and Android (iOS coming soon). Add your details only when you decide to stay.
Ready to leave Fergus?
Make the switch from Fergus today
14 days free. Full access. No card needed. Import your data in one click.