Software · South Africa · Head-to-head
OpenSolar vs ServiceM8 (ZA)
Two South Africa software options, compared side by side for South Africa trades.
Which should you choose?
OpenSolar and ServiceM8 (ZA) are both Tier S: our check found each one's prices published on its own website, so you can compare their costs before talking to sales. The tier is not a quality ranking: weigh the pros, cons, pricing and South Africa-specific notes below against your trade and region.
OpenSolar
Tier S · Published pricesFree solar design, proposal and CRM software for solar installers, from Australia's OpenSolar
OpenSolar is solar design and sales software from OpenSolar Pty Ltd of New South Wales, Australia, founded in 2017 by Adam Pryor and Andrew Birch. It covers automatic system design, mounting design, single-line diagrams, proposals with e-signature, integrated finance, a hardware shop and project management CRM. OpenSolar says it is free for solar professionals because manufacturers, finance companies and distributors pay to be on the platform, and that more than 28,000 professionals use it.
Pros
- + Free for solar professionals; OpenSolar says partners fund the platform
- + Automatic design, mounting design and single-line diagrams
- + Proposals with e-signature and integrated finance options
- + Project management CRM and hardware shop in the same platform
Cons
- − Solar-specific, not general trades job management
- − Funded by manufacturers, finance companies and distributors that pay to be on the platform
- − No South African office or SA-specific pages found
- − Aerial imagery is paid per image through a prepaid wallet, with no public prices
South Africa note
OpenSolar is a global web platform that says it is used in more than 185 countries, but none of the pages read mention South Africa, and it lists no South African office or local support. It handles solar design and sales only, so a trades business would still need separate job management software.
ServiceM8 (ZA)
Tier S · Published pricesAustralian job management app for trade and service businesses, priced in rand by jobs per month with unlimited users
ServiceM8 is job management software from ServiceM8 Pty Ltd, an Australian company, built around its iPhone and iPad app, with ServiceM8 Lite for Android field staff. Its South African site lists rand prices per business by jobs per month, from a free one-user plan to R3,695, and every paid plan includes unlimited users. ServiceM8 says it won Xero's Global Innovation App of the Year award.
Pros
- + Published rand prices, from a free plan up to R3,695 a month
- + Unlimited users on every paid plan
- + No lock-ins and a 14-day free trial
- + Electronic forms, asset management and proposals from the Growing plan
Cons
- − Optimised for iPhone and iPad; Android field staff get ServiceM8 Lite
- − Price rises with monthly job volume, and the Free plan is limited to 1 user and 30 jobs
- − SMS beyond the plan allowance cost R1 each
- − Terms are under Australian law, and the pricing page does not state VAT treatment
South Africa note
ServiceM8 runs a South African site with rand prices and offers setup and training through local partners; its terms are with the Australian company under Australian law. The ZA pricing page does not say whether prices include VAT. The site shows Xero Preferred App and QuickBooks badges.
More South Africa options
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