Part of our guide: What is the best CRM for a trades business in the UK?.
Written by Dan Sagar, FoundationsAI. Updated October 2026.
A CRM for a UK trades business costs anything from nothing to about £200 a month before VAT. A sole trader can start free or for about £25 to £50 a month. A team of two to five usually pays £60 to £200 a month, because most trade tools charge per user. On top of that, budget for texts, setup time and any add-ons.
What the main options cost
Prices are from each provider's website, checked on 11 October 2026, before VAT. Jobber shows its prices in US dollars. Prices change often, so check before you buy.
| How it's priced | Sole trader | Team of 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ServiceM8 | By jobs a month, unlimited users | Free up to 30 jobs, £25 up to 50 jobs | £59 up to 150 jobs |
| Tradify | Per user | £34 (Lite) | £102 (Lite) to £132 (Plus) |
| Powered Now | Per user | £28 (Business, 1 user) | £96 (Professional) |
| Jobber | Per plan, with user limits | From $29 billed yearly, or $49 monthly | Extra users $29 a month each |
| HubSpot | Per seat | Free CRM, Starter about £18 per seat billed yearly | About £54 on Starter |
| GoHighLevel through FoundationsAI | Per business | £49 (Starter), or £149 (Pro) for automatic follow-up | £49 (Starter) or £149 (Pro) |
The trade tools (ServiceM8, Tradify, Powered Now and Jobber) are built for running jobs: scheduling, job sheets, quotes and invoices. HubSpot is a general sales CRM. GoHighLevel is built for winning work: catching every enquiry, following up, missed call text back and review requests. The automatic parts (follow-up, missed call text back and review requests) are on Pro. See which one fits your business.
The costs on top
- Texts. Tradify charges 10p a text. ServiceM8 includes some texts, then 5p each. Through FoundationsAI a UK text costs about 6p, and every plan includes $20 of monthly usage credit.
- Add-ons. Some features cost extra. Jobber charges for its marketing tools, review requests and AI receptionist. Tradify's website is £10 a month.
- VAT. Add 20% to every price above if you're not VAT registered.
- Card fees. Taking payments by card through any of these tools has a fee per payment.
- Setup. Either your time or someone else's. A CRM that's half set up costs money and saves nothing.
- Accounting software. None of these replace Xero, QuickBooks or Sage for your books and VAT returns.
What trades businesses typically spend
| Business | Typical setup | Monthly cost before VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Sole trader, a few jobs a week | ServiceM8 free or Starter | £0 to £25 |
| Sole trader losing enquiries | FoundationsAI Pro, for missed call text back and follow-up | £149 |
| Team of 3 running lots of jobs | ServiceM8 Growing or Tradify | £59 to £132 |
| Team of 3 that also needs follow-up and reviews | ServiceM8 Growing plus FoundationsAI Pro | About £208 |
| Growing team that wants it all automated | FoundationsAI Pro, plus a job tool if needed | £149 to about £280 |
Is it worth paying for?
Work it out from one job. If your average job is worth £300 and a CRM helps you win one extra job a month (from a missed call you texted back, or a quote you chased), a £149 plan pays for itself twice over. If it won't change anything you do, don't buy it yet.
Common questions
How much does a CRM cost for a small trades business?
Between nothing and about £200 a month before VAT. A sole trader can start free or for £25 to £50 a month. Most trade tools charge per user, so teams pay more.
Is there a free CRM for tradespeople?
Yes. ServiceM8 is free for one user and up to 30 jobs a month, and HubSpot has a free general CRM.
Why do some CRMs charge per user?
Because each person who logs in costs the provider more. ServiceM8 charges by jobs instead, and FoundationsAI charges per business, which can work out cheaper for bigger teams.
What extra costs should I expect?
Texts, add-ons, card payment fees, VAT and your own setup time. Ask for the full price before you sign up.
Is GoHighLevel more expensive than Tradify or ServiceM8?
For a sole trader, it usually costs more, especially Pro, which you need for automatic follow-up. For a team, it can cost less, because the price is per business rather than per user. They also do different jobs, so many businesses use one of each.
Want a straight answer on cost?
Book a 45-minute demo. We'll look at how you work and tell you which tool, or which mix, makes sense for your budget. See also what GoHighLevel costs in the UK.