PlanSwift vs Tradify
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
PlanSwift
Point-and-click digital takeoff and estimating software for contractors and subs
- Starting price
- From $146/mo
- Aggregate rating
- โ
- Best team size
- 1-100
- Free trial
- No
Tradify
Job management for trade businesses (UK/AU/NZ-rooted)
- Starting price
- From $47/mo
- Aggregate rating
- 4.7 / 5
- Best team size
- 1-10
- Free trial
- 14 days
What actually separates them
Only the points where PlanSwift and Tradify genuinely differ, from our verified data. Everything they share is further down.
- โ Entry price: Tradify starts at From $47/mo, PlanSwift at From $146/mo, so PlanSwift is 3.1x the entry cost.
- โ Trades served: Tradify covers Handyman Services. The other does not.
- โ Free trial: Tradify runs a 14-day trial. PlanSwift has none, so you evaluate it on a demo.
- โ Integrations: only PlanSwift connects to quickbooks; only Tradify connects to xero, quickbooks online, myob, stripe.
- โ Features the other lacks: PlanSwift has material_takeoffs, takeoffs, estimating; Tradify has quotes, invoicing, scheduling.
Quick verdict
PlanSwift: Commercial and residential contractors, subcontractors, and estimators (HVAC, drywall, electrical, concrete, plumbing) who want fast point-and-click takeoffs and drag-and-drop assemblies.
Tradify: 1-10 person trade businesses needing quote-to-invoice flow at a low price point.
Tradify has a lower starting price (From $47/mo).
Decision matrix โ which one is right for you?
Pick PlanSwift ifโฆ
- โ Your situation matches PlanSwift's target profile: Commercial and residential contractors, subcontractors, and estimators (HVAC, drywall, electrical, concrete, plumbing) who want fast point-and-click takeoffs and drag-and-drop assemblies
Pick Tradify ifโฆ
- โ Your situation matches Tradify's target profile: 1-10 person trade businesses needing quote-to-invoice flow at a low price point
- โ Budget is the constraint โ Tradify starts at $47/mo vs $146/mo for PlanSwift
- โ You want to try before buying โ Tradify offers a 14-day free trial; PlanSwift requires a demo
- โ Integration ecosystem matters โ Tradify has 5 native integrations vs PlanSwift's 1
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | PlanSwift | Tradify |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Per user/year โ Custom | Per user/month โ $36/mo |
PlanSwift starts at $146/mo on Per user/year. Tradify starts at $47/mo on Per user/month and scales to $36/mo on Per user/month. Tradify is $99/mo cheaper at the entry tier. At scale (5+ users), both platforms typically converge in price as you climb the tier ladder.
Pros & cons
PlanSwift
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- โ Can slow down or crash on very large projects (risking lost work), phone support is hard to reach, trade plug-ins cost extra, and the perpetual-license option was removed in 2025, making it subscription-only
- โ No free trial (Tradify offers 14 days)
Tradify
- + Lower entry price โ From $47/mo
- + 14-day free trial, no credit card required
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- + Built-in Stripe payment processing
- + Covers 5 trade verticals โ strong multi-vertical fit
- โ UK/AU-rooted (US payroll integrations weaker)
- โ No advanced dispatching for larger teams
Implementation timeline comparison
PlanSwift
4-8 weeks self-service or with optional paid onboarding
Tradify
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 PlanSwift
- + material takeoffs
- + takeoffs
- + estimating
- + proposals
- + custom workflows
- + reporting
Both have
Only in Tradify
- + quotes
- + invoicing
- + scheduling
- + time tracking
- + job management
- + purchase orders
- + mobile app
Integrations
Only in PlanSwift
- + quickbooks
Both integrate with
โ No common integrations โ
Only in Tradify
- + xero
- + quickbooks online
- + myob
- + stripe
- + gocardless
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | PlanSwift fit | Tradify fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Contractors | 8 / 10 | 6 / 10 | PlanSwift |
| Electrical | 7 / 10 | 7 / 10 | Tie |
| Plumbing | 7 / 10 | 7 / 10 | Tie |
| HVAC | 7 / 10 | 7 / 10 | Tie |
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, PlanSwift or Tradify?
Neither is universally better โ they target different buyers. PlanSwift is best for Commercial and residential contractors, subcontractors, and estimators (HVAC, drywall, electrical, concrete, plumbing) who want fast point-and-click takeoffs and drag-and-drop assemblies. Tradify is best for 1-10 person trade businesses needing quote-to-invoice flow at a low price point. 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 PlanSwift cheaper than Tradify?
Tradify has a lower starting price (From $47/mo vs From $146/mo). However, total cost depends on team size, features needed, and tier โ see the full pricing breakdown above.
Can PlanSwift and Tradify integrate with QuickBooks?
PlanSwift integrates with QuickBooks natively. Tradify integrates with QuickBooks natively. Both work with QuickBooks Online; confirm QuickBooks Desktop support before signing if your accountant uses Desktop.
Do PlanSwift or Tradify offer a free trial?
PlanSwift: no free trial advertised; demo on request. Tradify: 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
How long does PlanSwift vs Tradify take to implement?
PlanSwift: 4-8 weeks self-service or with optional paid onboarding. Tradify: 1-3 weeks self-service onboarding. Implementation length scales with pricing tier โ 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 PlanSwift to Tradify (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 โ 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.
PlanSwift vs Tradify: which has better customer support?
Both PlanSwift and Tradify offer email support across all tiers, with phone and live chat typically reserved for higher tiers. Response time SLAs vary by tier โ 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 (Tradify) 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.
Should your product be in this comparison?
We review PlanSwift and Tradify against their own published pricing and terms, and we publish the cons next to the pros. If you build a competing product and it is not covered here, send it to us and it gets the same treatment.
Listings are free. No vendor can pay for placement, for a score, or to have a documented con removed. Read this page first and decide whether you want that.