Buff vs ServiceM8
ServiceM8 is well-loved job-management software for trades and services. Buff is built specifically for vehicles and detailing work. Here's how they compare for a UK detailing business.
14 days free. No charge until day 15.
A powerful trade tool, and a detailer's platform
Booking, jobs and CRM built around vehicles and detailing — with no monthly job caps on any plan.
- AI vehicle identification & vehicle records
- No monthly job limits
- Online booking, portal & deposits
- Maintenance plans & recurring work
- Mobile + unit modes for valeting
Established, mobile-first job management for trades — quotes, jobs, invoices and on-site card payment, with a strong iOS app.
- Mature app with a big user base
- Excellent iOS on-site workflow
- Free plan to start (30 jobs/month)
- Xero & QuickBooks sync
- Monthly job caps on every plan
The short version: ServiceM8 is excellent generic trade software with a superb on-site app. Buff is narrower on purpose — built around vehicles, with AI vehicle identification, a customer portal and maintenance plans — and it never puts a monthly cap on your jobs.
What a detailing business actually needs
| Capability | Bufffrom £12.50/mo | ServiceM8Free – £269/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Built around vehicles & detailing work | ✓ | — |
| No monthly job caps | ✓ | Caps apply |
| AI vehicle identification — reg, or describe it (horseboxes, HGVs, vans, classics) | ✓ | — |
| Vehicle records & history per registration | ✓ | Limited |
| Mobile and unit modes with service-area control | ✓ | — |
| Online guest booking page | ✓ | ✓ |
| Customer portal — rebook, view jobs and pay | ✓ | — |
| Quotes that become jobs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Invoices and online payment links | ✓ | ✓ |
| Deposits or full payment at booking | ✓ | Limited |
| Maintenance plans & recurring bookings | ✓ | Limited |
| SMS + email reminders & follow-ups | ✓ | ✓ |
| Team scheduling, availability & roles | ✓ | ✓ |
| On-site signatures & PDF job forms | — | ✓ |
| Accounting sync | FreeAgent | Xero · QuickBooks |
| Transparent UK pricing in GBP | ✓ | ✓ |
✓ = included · Limited = partial or limited offering · – = not offered as a headline feature. ServiceM8 details reflect its public UK website as of September 2026 and may change. ServiceM8 caps vary by plan (e.g. 50–1,500+ jobs/month).
Built for vehicles, without the caps
ServiceM8 does jobs brilliantly — but it treats every job as a generic call-out. Detailing work is about the vehicle, and that's where Buff is different.
No monthly job caps
Every Buff plan lets you run as many jobs as you like. ServiceM8 caps jobs per month on every plan (30 to 1,500+), which means plan upgrades as you grow.
The vehicle is the record
Reg lookup, vehicle type and size class, plate history and a full history per vehicle — ServiceM8 stores a generic customer, not a vehicle.
AI that identifies any vehicle
Type a reg or describe it — Buff classifies a Fiesta, a van, a plant trailer or a twin-axle horsebox automatically.
Mobile + unit, properly
Service-area control, mobile jobs at the customer, unit jobs at your premises — and job types that match how you work.
A portal for your customers
Customers rebook, watch their job, view invoices and pay — the loyalty loop ServiceM8's one-way job app doesn't have.
Repeat work, automated
Maintenance plans and recurring bookings generate jobs and chase renewals — designed for the detailer's repeat-customer model.
Deposits and flexible payment
Collect a deposit or the full amount at booking with card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna and Clearpay.
Comms that look like you
Branded emails, SMS and the option to send from your own mailbox on Pro and Max — not a generic sender name.
Where ServiceM8 deserves a fair look
Mature and proven. ServiceM8 has a huge, long-established user base, local UK setup partners and a genuinely free plan (30 jobs/month) — Buff is new and offers a 14-day trial rather than a permanent free tier.
A superb on-site mobile app. Optimised for Apple devices, with job cards, signatures, photos, videos and PDF forms for the technician in the field. Buff's native iOS/Android apps are coming soon — today you work from the browser and mobile web.
Accounting breadth. ServiceM8 syncs with Xero and QuickBooks. Buff syncs with FreeAgent — if your accountant is on Xero, check which fits you.
Watch the job caps. ServiceM8's plans cap jobs per month, so a busy detailer can outgrow a plan quickly. Model your monthly volume against their caps before you commit.
What it actually costs
Lite from £12.50 · Pro from £25 · Max from £50. No job caps, no setup fee and no long-term contract; annual plans save up to 34%. Card payments run through your own Stripe account — standard card fees plus a small Buff processing fee apply. 14-day free trial.
Free £0 (30 jobs) · Starter £25 (50 jobs) · Growing £59 (150 jobs) · Premium £119 (500 jobs) · Premium Plus £269 (1,500+ jobs). Unlimited users and SMS on paid plans. As of September 2026.
Honest guidance
Choose ServiceM8 if…
You run a mixed trades operation (not just vehicle work), want a proven free plan and a best-in-class iOS app for on-site job sheets, signatures and forms, and your volume fits their job caps.
Choose Buff if…
Detailing and valeting is your business — you want vehicle-first records, AI vehicle identification, mobile + unit modes, a customer portal, maintenance plans and no monthly job caps, all in one platform.
Common questions
Does ServiceM8 limit how many jobs I can do?
Yes. Every ServiceM8 plan includes a monthly job cap — from 30 jobs on the free plan up to 1,500+ on Premium Plus. Buff plans have no monthly job limits.
Which has the better mobile app for the technician?
ServiceM8's iOS app is excellent for on-site job management — signatures, photos, videos and PDF forms. That's a genuine strength. Buff's native apps are coming soon; today you run Buff from the browser and mobile web, with a customer-facing portal and booking page that ServiceM8 doesn't offer.
Does Buff sync with Xero?
Buff syncs invoices and payments with FreeAgent. ServiceM8 integrates with Xero and QuickBooks. If your accountant is on Xero, that's worth factoring in.
Can I move from ServiceM8 to Buff?
Yes. Buff is live, and it imports a spreadsheet of your customers and their vehicles — including the fields most systems do not have, like whether there is water or power at the property. You can export your data again at any time, and onboarding help with the move is available.
ServiceM8 is a trademark of its owner. Buff is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by ServiceM8. Feature and pricing details for ServiceM8, including its plan job caps, are based on its public website and were correct as of September 2026; they may change, so please verify current details before making a decision.
Buff against the other tools
Same format, same willingness to say where the other one wins.
Compare it against your own week
Set up your services and import your customers, and put the booking page live. Buff is live today — 14 days free, nothing charged until day 15.
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