Not Apple-only
ServiceM8 is Apple-only. Gaffer runs on the web and a native Android app, with iOS coming soon — so Android-carrying engineers are not locked out.
⚡ Gaffer vs ServiceM8
The ServiceM8 alternative built for UK trades
ServiceM8 is an Apple-only field app with limited office and web tooling. Gaffer is an all-in-one job-management platform for UK trade businesses — on Android (iOS coming soon) as well as the web — with the compliance, certificates and automations UK trades actually need.
No credit card required · Web & Android (iOS coming soon) · One-click import from ServiceM8
Why UK trades choose Gaffer over ServiceM8
UK compliance built in
Gas Safe, EICR, EIC, FENSA and RAMS certificates are baked in — capture and store the right UK documents against every job.
CIS for subcontractors
Built for UK construction, Gaffer handles CIS deductions properly so your subcontractor paperwork and returns add up.
Offline-first field app
Complete jobs, certificates and photos with no signal — in a basement or out in the sticks — and everything syncs when you're back online.
AI quote from photos
Snap a photo on site and let Gaffer's AI draft the quote, so estimates go out in minutes instead of evenings.
Built-in VoIP & accounting sync
Make and log calls from inside Gaffer, and keep Xero and QuickBooks sync that pushes invoices, payments and contacts across so there's no double entry. See all features.
Switching from ServiceM8 is painless
Gaffer's one-click import pulls your data straight across from ServiceM8 — customers, jobs, quotes and invoices — so you're up and running without rebuilding your business by hand. Check the pricing and start a free trial whenever you're ready.
- Customer contacts and site addresses
- Active and historical jobs
- Quotes with line items
- Invoices and payment history
- Notes and job details
- Help on hand if you get stuck mid-switch
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What you actually get with Gaffer
Rather than tell you what ServiceM8 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.
Common questions about switching
Is Gaffer a good ServiceM8 alternative?
Yes. Gaffer covers the same core job lifecycle — scheduling, quoting, invoicing and payments — and adds things UK trades need that ServiceM8 doesn't focus on: a native Android app (iOS coming soon), UK compliance certificates, CIS, AI quoting and built-in VoIP.
Can I import my data from ServiceM8?
Yes. Gaffer has one-click import that brings your customers, jobs, quotes and invoices across from other tools, so you can switch without rebuilding everything by hand.
Does Gaffer work for my trade?
Almost certainly. Gaffer ships specialist trade packs for 58 UK trades, from electricians and plumbers to heating engineers and tree surgeons, each with the right forms, certificates and compliance workflows.
Do I need a card to start a trial?
No. You get a 14-day free trial with full access and no credit card required. Gaffer works on web and Android (iOS coming soon).
Ready to leave ServiceM8?
Make the switch from ServiceM8 today
14 days free. Full access. No card needed. Bring your data across in one click.