Markate vs Powered Now
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
Markate
Free FSM software for service businesses
- Starting price
- From $40/mo
- Aggregate rating
- 4.5 / 5
- Best team size
- 1-5
- Free trial
- No
Powered Now
Quotes, invoices, and job management for UK trade businesses
- Starting price
- From $36/mo
- Aggregate rating
- 4.6 / 5
- Best team size
- 1-10
- Free trial
- 14 days
Quick verdict
Markate: Solo contractors and small teams looking for free FSM with upgrade path.
Powered Now: UK/Ireland small trade businesses 1-10 employees needing simple quote-to-invoice flow.
User ratings favor Powered Now (4.6 vs 4.5).
Powered Now has a lower starting price (From $36/mo).
Decision matrix — which one is right for you?
Pick Markate if…
- → Your situation matches Markate's target profile: Solo contractors and small teams looking for free FSM with upgrade path
- → You serve multiple trades — Markate covers 8 verticals vs Powered Now's 5
Pick Powered Now if…
- → Your situation matches Powered Now's target profile: UK/Ireland small trade businesses 1-10 employees needing simple quote-to-invoice flow
- → Budget is the constraint — Powered Now starts at $36/mo vs $40/mo for Markate
- → You want to try before buying — Powered Now offers a 14-day free trial; Markate requires a demo
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | Markate | Powered Now |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free — Free | Starter — $36/mo |
| Tier 2 | Pro — $39/mo | Pro — $60/mo |
| Tier 3 | Premium — $79/mo | Premium — $96/mo |
Markate starts at $40/mo on Free and scales to $79/mo on Premium. Powered Now starts at $36/mo on Starter and scales to $96/mo on Premium. Powered Now is $4/mo cheaper at the entry tier. At scale (5+ users), both platforms typically converge in price as you climb the tier ladder.
Pros & cons
Markate
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- + Built-in Stripe payment processing
- + Covers 8 trade verticals — strong multi-vertical fit
- + Broad feature coverage (8 core features)
- − Smaller team behind product
- − Less mature than Jobber
- − Feature gaps at free tier
- − Smaller user community for support
- − No free trial (Powered Now offers 14 days)
Powered Now
- + Lower entry price — From $36/mo
- + 14-day free trial, no credit card required
- + Higher aggregate user rating (4.6 / 5)
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- + Built-in Stripe payment processing
- − UK-focused — US payroll/tax integrations weak
- − Smaller US user community
Implementation timeline comparison
Markate
1-3 weeks self-service onboarding
Powered Now
1-3 weeks self-service onboarding
Enterprise-tier platforms ($250+/user/mo) typically require 3-6 months with dedicated admin time, custom pricebook setup, and phased rollout to field techs. Mid-tier platforms reach operational status in 4-8 weeks with optional paid onboarding. Entry-tier platforms are designed for self-service onboarding in 1-3 weeks. Always plan for 2-4 weeks of parallel operation with your existing system before cutting over.
Feature comparison
Only in Markate
- + dispatching
- + client portal
- + online booking
- + automated reminders
- + mobile app
Both have
- ✓ scheduling
- ✓ invoicing
- ✓ quotes
Only in Powered Now
- + expenses
- + esignature
- + form templates
- + team tracking
Integrations
Only in Markate
- + google calendar
- + zapier
Both integrate with
- ✓ quickbooks
- ✓ stripe
Only in Powered Now
- + xero
- + gocardless
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | Markate fit | Powered Now fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 7 / 10 | 6 / 10 | Markate |
| Plumbing | 7 / 10 | 6 / 10 | Markate |
| Electrical | 7 / 10 | 6 / 10 | Markate |
| Handyman Services | 8 / 10 | 6 / 10 | Markate |
Vertical-fit scores combine feature coverage, customer base concentration, and the tool's own positioning for the trade. See methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Markate or Powered Now?
Neither is universally better — they target different buyers. Markate is best for Solo contractors and small teams looking for free FSM with upgrade path. Powered Now is best for UK/Ireland small trade businesses 1-10 employees needing simple quote-to-invoice flow. See the decision matrix above for situation-specific guidance, or jump to the per-vertical winner table if you're in a specific trade.
Is Markate cheaper than Powered Now?
Powered Now has a lower starting price (From $36/mo vs From $40/mo). However, total cost depends on team size, features needed, and tier — see the full pricing breakdown above.
Can Markate and Powered Now integrate with QuickBooks?
Markate integrates with QuickBooks natively. Powered Now integrates with QuickBooks natively. Both work with QuickBooks Online; confirm QuickBooks Desktop support before signing if your accountant uses Desktop.
Do Markate or Powered Now offer a free trial?
Markate: no free trial advertised; demo on request. Powered Now: 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
How long does Markate vs Powered Now take to implement?
Markate: 1-3 weeks self-service onboarding. Powered Now: 1-3 weeks self-service onboarding. Implementation length scales with pricing tier — enterprise platforms ($250+/user/mo) require 3-6 months with dedicated admin time; mid-tier platforms typically reach operational status in 4-8 weeks with optional paid onboarding.
Can I migrate from Markate to Powered Now (or vice versa)?
Yes, but expect data normalization work. Customer records and active jobs typically import cleanly via CSV. Historical job data, recurring service agreements, and custom pricebooks rarely transfer perfectly — most shops leave historical data in the source system as archival reference rather than migrating it. Budget 2-4 weeks of parallel operation between the two systems during the cutover.
Markate vs Powered Now: which has better customer support?
Both Markate and Powered Now offer email support across all tiers, with phone and live chat typically reserved for higher tiers. Response time SLAs vary by tier — entry-tier customers usually get 24-48 hour email response; enterprise customers get dedicated account managers with same-day response. Read recent G2 reviews specifically for support-quality signals before committing.
Which is better for solo contractors vs growing teams?
For solo contractors and 2-3 person teams, the lower-priced option (Powered Now) typically wins on cost without sacrificing core features. For growing teams (5-15 employees), evaluate based on which platform's upper tiers include the features you'll need at your 12-18 month projected scale rather than buying for today's team size. For established 15+ employee operations, the depth of enterprise features (reporting, multi-location, marketing attribution) matters more than entry-tier price.
Need a deeper look?
See our full reviews with detailed pricing tiers, integration depth, and weaknesses.