Blog

Tradie blog

Practical tips and guides for trade business owners — quoting, invoicing, job management, tax, and running a profitable trade business.

Do I Need to Register for GST as a Tradie?

Yes, you must register for GST as a tradie once your gross business turnover hits $75,000 in any rolling 12-month period — not just a financial year. You've got 21 days to register from the day you cross it. Under $75k, registering is optional. Taxi and rideshare drivers must register from dollar one.

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Genuine Offline vs 'Offline-ish': Why Most Tradie Apps Lie About Working Without Signal

Most tradie job management apps marketed as offline-capable still require internet to send invoices, process payments, or sync job notes. Genuine offline means the complete workflow — quoting, scheduling, customer sign-off — runs in a mobile black spot and syncs accurately when you reconnect. Most apps can't do this.

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How to Write Winning Quotes as a Tradie (Without Losing Jobs on Price)

A well-structured quote wins jobs before you even meet the client. Learn the five elements every tradie quote needs, how to price confidently, and why the cheapest quote rarely wins.

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ServiceM8 on Android: What Actually Works in 2026 (And the Alternatives Tradies Are Switching To)

ServiceM8 has an Android app in 2026, but multiple comparison sites confirm it's a cut-down version of the iOS product — full offline sync and advanced scheduling remain iOS-first. Tradies on Android commonly switch to Tradify or Chippie for full feature parity on their Samsung or Pixel device.

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The Real Cost of Australian Tradie Apps in 2026 (Including the Add-Ons They Don't Show You)

For a 2-person Australian tradie team: Tradify is approximately $98/month at published per-user rates, ServiceM8 Starter from $79/month before add-on charges, SimPro pricing requires a sales call. Chippie costs $25/month for 2 users with unlimited jobs. Annual totals diverge sharply once add-ons are included.

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Topics we cover

Quoting
Invoicing
Job management
Tax & BAS
Business growth
Tech for tradies

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