Grafta vs ServiceM8
ServiceM8 is a slick, Australian-built job-management app with a devoted following — its iPhone app is genuinely one of the best in the trade-software world. Grafta is the Irish-built alternative centred on voice-first quoting and Irish tax and compliance, and it runs on whatever phone is already in your pocket. Here's the honest comparison.
Grafta and ServiceM8, side by side
| Grafta | ServiceM8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Irish tradespeople specifically | Trades and service businesses worldwide (Australian-built) |
| Works on | Any phone — Android or iPhone — plus any browser | Full app is iPhone/iPad; a lighter 'ServiceM8 Lite' companion app covers Android field staff |
| Quoting | Voice-first — speak the job, get an itemised quote, tuned for Irish accents | Form-based quotes with templates, options and AI drafting helpers |
| Irish VAT (13.5%/23%, two-thirds rule) | Handled per line, with Irish guidance built in | General tax handling; Irish specifics aren't the focus |
| Certificates & compliance | Irish compliance reminders (Safe Electric, RGI, CVRT, insurance, VAT deadlines) | Strong electronic forms & certificates module on its higher tiers |
| Getting paid | Invoice link shows opened-status, your IBAN and a Pay-online button from your own payment link (Revolut Pro, SumUp, Stripe…) — Grafta takes no cut | Built-in card payments in-app and online, including Tap to Pay on iPhone and Apple Pay |
| Accounting integrations | Export for your accountant; integrations on the roadmap | Xero, QuickBooks Online and MYOB sync on all plans |
| Pricing model | Flat euro price — Solo one price, Team from a base price for 2 users | Tiers priced in USD by jobs per month, with unlimited users on paid plans and a capped free plan for solos (see servicem8.com for current rates) |
What ServiceM8 does well
- The iPhone app — if your whole crew is on iPhones, ServiceM8's app polish, automation (on-the-way texts, booking reminders, quote follow-ups) and Apple integrations are excellent.
- Pricing by job volume, not headcount — paid plans include unlimited users, which suits teams, and there's a genuinely free capped plan for solo operators.
- Accounting integrations on every plan — Xero, QuickBooks Online and MYOB sync — plus a strong forms-and-certificates module on higher tiers.
Where Grafta is different
- Any phone, any browser: Grafta doesn't care what's in your pocket — the full product works the same on Android, iPhone and the laptop. ServiceM8's full app needs an iPhone or iPad.
- Voice-first: speak the job the way you'd tell an apprentice and review the itemised draft — tuned for Irish accents and names, not a generic assistant.
- Irish, not adapted: 13.5%/23% and the two-thirds rule per line, plain-English RCT and reverse-charge guides, and reminders for the Irish renewals — Safe Electric, RGI, CVRT — that actually apply to you.
- Getting paid without a processor: your IBAN and your own payment link (Revolut Pro, SumUp, Stripe…) on every invoice — Grafta never touches the money and takes no cut.
- A flat euro price instead of USD job-count tiers — no watching a monthly job cap.
Pick ServiceM8 if your crew is all-iPhone, you want deep iOS automation, forms and certificates, and Xero/MYOB sync today, and USD job-based pricing suits how you work.
Pick Grafta if you're an Irish sole trader or small crew on whatever phones you already own, you'd rather speak a quote than type one, and you want Irish VAT, RCT and compliance handled by default at one flat euro price. Try Grafta free.
Common questions
I'm on Android — can I use ServiceM8 or Grafta?
ServiceM8's full app runs on iPhone and iPad; Android users get 'ServiceM8 Lite', a lighter companion app aimed at field staff, and ServiceM8 itself recommends iPhones for the full experience. Grafta works fully on any phone — Android or iPhone — and in any browser, so nobody has to change handset.
Does ServiceM8 handle Irish VAT and RCT?
ServiceM8 handles quoting and invoicing with general tax support, but Irish specifics — the 13.5%/23% split, the two-thirds rule, RCT reverse-charge invoicing — aren't its focus. Grafta builds those into every quote and invoice, with plain-English Irish guides alongside.
ServiceM8 has a free plan — why pay for Grafta?
ServiceM8's free plan is real but capped: it's for one user with a limited number of jobs per month, and bigger features sit in paid USD tiers. Grafta gives you a 14-day free trial (no card), then one flat euro price with everything included — voice quoting, Irish VAT, accept/decline/question links and compliance reminders. Try both on a live job and see which fits.
This comparison reflects publicly available information as of July 2026 and our honest read of both approaches. ServiceM8 is a trademark of its owner; Grafta is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Features and pricing change — always check current details, and if you spot something outdated here, tell us and we'll correct it.
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