Contractor Foreman vs ServiceM8
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
Contractor Foreman
All-in-one construction management for small and mid-size contractors
- Starting price
- From $49/mo
- Best team size
- 2-50
- Free trial
- 30 days
ServiceM8
iPhone-first job management app for small service businesses, priced by jobs per month
- Starting price
- Free tier available
- Best team size
- 1-15
- Free trial
- 14 days
What actually separates them
Only the points where our data on Contractor Foreman and ServiceM8 differs. A feature or integration missing from one tool's list means our entry does not record it, not that the tool lacks it. Everything they share is further down.
- → Entry price: ServiceM8 has a free tier; Contractor Foreman starts at $49 a month for the company.
- → Trades served: Contractor Foreman serves Roofing, General Contractors; ServiceM8 serves HVAC, Landscaping & Lawn Care, Cleaning Services, Pest Control, Pool Service, Locksmith, Garage Door, Appliance Repair, Handyman Services, Fire Protection & Life Safety. The other tool's entry does not list them.
- → Integrations listed for one tool only: Contractor Foreman: quickbooks desktop, stripe, gusto, companycam; ServiceM8: xero, myob, mailchimp, deputy.
- → Fit for shared trades: ServiceM8 scores higher for Plumbing (7/10 vs 5/10), Electrical (7/10 vs 6/10).
- → Features listed for one tool only: Contractor Foreman: job management, estimates quotes, quickbooks integration; ServiceM8: quotes, online booking, form automation.
Quick verdict
Contractor Foreman: Small and mid-size trade and general contractors, residential or commercial, that want estimating, project management, scheduling, time tracking and invoicing in one system at a published per-company price.
ServiceM8: Small trade and home service businesses (electricians, plumbers, HVAC, cleaners, locksmiths, pool and pest control) whose managers use iPhones or iPads and who want pricing by job volume rather than per user.
Vertical fit favors ServiceM8 in 2 of 2 shared trades.
ServiceM8 has the lower starting price (Free tier available).
Contractor Foreman lists more integrations in our data (10 vs 8).
Decision matrix: which one is right for you?
Pick Contractor Foreman if…
- → Your situation matches Contractor Foreman's target profile: Small and mid-size trade and general contractors, residential or commercial, that want estimating, project management, scheduling, time tracking and invoicing in one system at a published per-company price
- → Integrations matter: Contractor Foreman lists 10 integrations in our data, against 8 for ServiceM8
Pick ServiceM8 if…
- → Your situation matches ServiceM8's target profile: Small trade and home service businesses (electricians, plumbers, HVAC, cleaners, locksmiths, pool and pest control) whose managers use iPhones or iPads and who want pricing by job volume rather than per user
- → Entry price matters most: ServiceM8 has a free tier; Contractor Foreman starts at $49 a month for the company
- → You work in Plumbing or Electrical: ServiceM8 has the higher vertical-fit score there (Plumbing: 7/10 vs 5/10)
- → You serve several trades: ServiceM8 serves 12 trades in our data, against 4 for Contractor Foreman
- → You want a longer track record: ServiceM8 was founded in 2009, Contractor Foreman in 2017
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | Contractor Foreman | ServiceM8 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Basic: $49/mo | Free: free |
| Tier 2 | Standard: $105/mo | Starter: $29/mo |
| Tier 3 | Plus: $166/mo | Growing: $79/mo |
| Tier 4 | Pro: $221/mo | Premium: $149/mo |
Contractor Foreman starts at $49 a month for the company on Basic; its top published tier, Unlimited, is $332 a month. ServiceM8 has a free tier (Free); its top published tier, Premium Plus, is $349 a month. ServiceM8's entry price is $49 a month lower.
Pros & cons
Contractor Foreman
- + 30-day free trial
- + QuickBooks integration listed (QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop)
- + Stripe integration listed
- + Flat monthly price per plan, not per user
- − No membership or service-agreement module is listed on its features page
- − User caps per plan push growing teams up the ladder
ServiceM8
- + Lower entry price: Free tier available
- + 14-day free trial
- + Higher vertical-fit score for Plumbing or Electrical
- + QuickBooks integration listed (QuickBooks Online)
- + Serves 12 trades in our data
- − Built iPhone and iPad first
- − The Android app lacks some iOS features
- − Price climbs with monthly job volume
Feature comparison
Features as listed in our entries. The lists use different words for similar features, so check a feature you need on both vendors' sites.
Listed for Contractor Foreman only
- + job management
- + estimates quotes
- + quickbooks integration
- + project management
Listed for both
- ✓ scheduling
- ✓ invoicing
Listed for ServiceM8 only
- + quotes
- + online booking
- + form automation
- + card payments
- + asset management
- + time tracking
- + ios app
Integrations
Listed for Contractor Foreman only
- + quickbooks desktop
- + stripe
- + gusto
- + companycam
- + google calendar
- + outlook calendar
- + angi
- + ms project
Listed for both
- ✓ quickbooks online
- ✓ zapier
Listed for ServiceM8 only
- + xero
- + myob
- + mailchimp
- + deputy
- + workato
- + n8n
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | Contractor Foreman fit | ServiceM8 fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing | 5 / 10 | 7 / 10 | ServiceM8 |
| Electrical | 6 / 10 | 7 / 10 | ServiceM8 |
Vertical-fit scores (1-10) rate how well each tool is built for the trade, checked against the trades the vendor's own pages say it serves. See methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Contractor Foreman or ServiceM8?
It depends on your trade, team size and budget. Contractor Foreman is best for small and mid-size trade and general contractors, residential or commercial, that want estimating, project management, scheduling, time tracking and invoicing in one system at a published per-company price. ServiceM8 is best for small trade and home service businesses (electricians, plumbers, HVAC, cleaners, locksmiths, pool and pest control) whose managers use iPhones or iPads and who want pricing by job volume rather than per user. See the decision matrix above, and the trade-by-trade fit table if you work in one trade.
Is Contractor Foreman cheaper than ServiceM8?
ServiceM8 has the lower entry price: a free tier, against $49 a month for the company for Contractor Foreman. Total cost depends on your team size, the plan you need and any add-ons; see the pricing table above.
Can Contractor Foreman and ServiceM8 integrate with QuickBooks?
Contractor Foreman lists QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. ServiceM8 lists QuickBooks Online. Check which way each sync runs, and on which plans, in each tool's full review before you buy.
Do Contractor Foreman or ServiceM8 offer a free trial?
Contractor Foreman: a 30-day free trial. ServiceM8: a 14-day free trial.
Can I move from Contractor Foreman to ServiceM8 (or the other way)?
Our data does not record migration support for either tool. Ask both vendors which records they import and export (customers, jobs, invoices, recurring agreements, price books), in which file format, and whether they help with the import.
Contractor Foreman vs ServiceM8: which has better customer support?
Our data does not record support channels or response times for either tool. Ask each vendor which support comes with the plan you would buy. Each full review links to G2 and Capterra, where you can read current user reviews.
Which suits a solo contractor, and which a growing team?
Our data puts Contractor Foreman's best team size at 2-50 and ServiceM8's at 1-15. Contractor Foreman's entry price is $49 a month for the company; ServiceM8's is a free tier. Price both at the team size you expect to have, not only today's.
Need a deeper look?
See our full reviews with each tool's pricing tiers, integrations and weaknesses.
Should your product be in this comparison?
We check Contractor Foreman and ServiceM8 against their own websites and list the cons next to the pros. If you build a competing product that is not listed here, you can submit it for editorial review. An evaluation can end with or without a listing.
Listings are free. We do not accept payment for inclusion, for placement, for a score, or to remove a documented con. Read this page first and decide whether you want that.