ServiceM8 alternative

The ServiceM8 alternative priced for repeat cleans.

ServiceM8 is a polished job management app for trades, with a deep iPhone app and smart AI tools. Cleaning Operator is built for cleaning, where the same customers book every week: flat plans rather than a job count, payroll from clocked hours, and an assistant that runs the whole office hands-free.

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14-day free trial on every plan. Cancel anytime, no lock-in contract.

Compared from public pages, checked 16 October 2026. Sources

Where ServiceM8 is strong

ServiceM8 is a favourite of trades businesses for good reason.

A deep iPhone and iPad app, with Siri Shortcuts, CarPlay and Tap to Pay
No per-user fees, a free plan for low volumes and unlimited users on paid plans
AI on every plan: writing help, auto-quotes, a voice assistant on the job and an AI phone agent
Integrations with Xero, QuickBooks and MYOB

Why cleaning companies choose Cleaning Operator

Where Cleaning Operator is different from ServiceM8.

01
Flat plans, not a monthly job count
ServiceM8 prices by jobs a month. Ten cleans a day is around 300 jobs, beyond the 150 on Growing. Cleaning Operator plans are flat, with limits on cleaner and office seats rather than visits.
02
A wake word for the whole office
ServiceM8 Chat starts with Siri and works on the job you are checked in to. Cleaning Operator's assistant answers to its own name across the web dashboard, and can book, invoice, take payments and run payroll.
03
Payroll and payslips built in
ServiceM8 exports timesheets or syncs them to Deputy. Cleaning Operator turns clocked hours into a payroll run and sends payslips to each cleaner's app.
04
Built for cleaning teams on any phone
The Cleaning Operator mobile app works on iPhone and Android: cleaners get clock-in photos, checklists with signatures, job photos and payslips, and the office has its own dashboard in the same app. Customers get their own portal to book and pay.

AI assistant

Run the office by talking to it.

Chat, a side drawer on every page, live voice in a natural voice, or just say its name. It does most of what an admin does on the dashboard, inside rules you set.

The AI assistant is included on Enterprise. Professional and Business can try it for 7 days. Live voice and the wake word work in the web dashboard; the mobile app has chat with dictation.

See the AI assistant

Agent page and side drawer
Ask from any page in plain English. The side drawer opens without leaving the screen you are on; the Agent page holds longer conversations and background tasks.
Live voice chat
Talk to it like a colleague. Live voice chat in a natural, human-sounding voice looks things up and gets them done while you keep working.
Hands-free wake word
Say the assistant's name, the way you would call a smart speaker, and it starts a voice conversation. No clicking.
What it can do
Most of the admin dashboard, done by asking. It looks things up instantly and prepares changes for you to approve, or runs them itself where you allow it.
Approvals and safeguards
You decide what it may do alone. Each kind of action is off, ask first or automatic, and refunds, payroll and deletions always ask.

What ServiceM8 offers

ServiceM8 offers AI writing and reply help, auto-drafted quotes and invoices, typed report building, and ServiceM8 Chat, a voice assistant started with Siri that can add invoice items, dictate notes and start calls or texts for the job you are checked in to. The Phone Agent add-on answers customer calls.

Side by side

Cleaning Operator and ServiceM8, compared.

From each product's own public pages, checked 16 October 2026. Prices are monthly before tax, and change; check ServiceM8's site for current details.

Cleaning Operator compared with ServiceM8
Capability	Cleaning Operator	ServiceM8
Pricing
Starting pricePer month, lowest paid plan	£59 / $79 (Professional)	£25 / $29 (Starter, 50 jobs a month); free plan for 30 jobs
How the price grows	Three flat plans; cleaner and office seats included by plan	By jobs per month; unlimited users
Billing currencies	GBP and USD	GBP, USD and other regions
Free trial	14 days, every plan	14 days
Built for	Cleaning companies only	Trades and service contractors, including cleaning
AI
AI assistant that does admin work for you	Yes: bookings, customers, invoices, payments, payroll, messages and hiring (Enterprise)	ServiceM8 Chat: voice actions on the job you are checked in to
Live voice conversation with the assistant	Yes, in the web dashboard	Through Siri on iPhone, job by job
Hands-free wake word	Yes: say the assistant's own name (web dashboard)	Siri: “Hey Siri, start ServiceM8 Chat”
AI that answers your customers' calls	Not included	Yes: Phone Agent add-on
Bookings and the day
Online booking form	Yes: public form, embed and customer portal	Included
Recurring cleans	Included	Included
Team calendar and scheduling	Yes; team views on Business and above	Yes: dispatch map and auto routing
Mobile app for cleaners: clock-in, checklists, photos	Yes: clock-in photos, checklists, signatures, job photos	Yes; iPhone-first, Android catching up
Customer portal with login	Included	Not confirmed on their site
Money
Card payments	Stripe, on your own account	Stripe or ServiceM8 Pay
Invoicing	Yes, with automatic reminders	Included
Payroll from clocked hours	Yes: payroll runs and payslips (Business and above)	Timesheet export; Deputy sync
Quotes and estimates	Not included	Included
Accounting software sync	Not included	Xero, QuickBooks and MYOB
Team and growth
SMS reminders	Yes, with your own Twilio number (Business and above)	Included
Review requests	Included	Feedback requests
Cleaner recruitment pipeline	Yes: applicant pipeline with optional AI review (Business and above)	Not found on their site
Cleaner documents and contract e-signing	Yes: DBS, right to work, insurance, e-signed contracts	Not found on their site
Website builder	Yes (Business and above)	Website and email, for a fee

An honest view

When ServiceM8 may suit you better.

Your team is all on iPhone and you want the deepest Apple integration
You run a mix of trades jobs at low volume, where the free or Starter plan covers you
You need Xero or MYOB sync and quoting

Switching

Moving from ServiceM8.

Start the free trial, run the setup wizard, import your customers and addresses from a CSV file, add your services and checklists, invite your cleaners, then go live.

How switching works

Questions

ServiceM8 alternative: common questions.

Is ServiceM8 good for cleaning companies?

ServiceM8 serves many trades, cleaning among them, and prices by jobs per month. Cleaning businesses with many repeat visits can outgrow a job count quickly; Cleaning Operator's plans are flat, with seat limits instead.

Does ServiceM8 have a voice assistant?

Yes. ServiceM8 Chat is started with Siri and works on the job you are checked in to, for things like adding invoice items and dictating notes. Cleaning Operator's assistant answers to its own name across the web dashboard and handles bookings, invoices, payments and payroll.

Can I move from ServiceM8 to Cleaning Operator?

Yes. Import your customers and addresses from a CSV file, set up your services and checklists, invite your cleaners and go live. The switching page walks through each step.

Sources, checked 16 October 2026

ServiceM8 is a trademark of its owner. Cleaning Operator is not affiliated with or endorsed by ServiceM8. This page summarises ServiceM8's public pages on the date shown; products and prices change. If something here is out of date, email hello@cleaningoperator.com and we will correct it.

Switch from ServiceM8

Run the whole cleaning company from one system.

Online booking, the live team calendar, the mobile app, card payments and invoices, and payroll from clocked hours.