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.
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.
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.
| 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.
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 UK pricing
- ServiceM8 US pricing
- ServiceM8 cleaning software
- ServiceM8 AI
- How to use ServiceM8 Chat (help centre)
- ServiceM8 Phone Agent (help centre)
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.
14-day free trial on every plan. Cancel anytime, no lock-in contract.