CostMate vs Tradify for NZ residential builders

Last updated 29 September 2026

Tradify is job management software: enquiries, quotes, scheduling, timesheets, invoices and payments in one app, for trades of every kind. CostMate does the estimate and the job after it in the same place, for NZ residential builders. It works out the materials with quantities, the labour by stage in hours, and the assumptions and exclusions. Once you win the job, the same job carries variations, purchase orders, progress claims and your crew's hours, which only count once you approve them.

CostMate and Tradify at a glance

Ticks and crosses for Tradify are taken from Tradify's own New Zealand website, checked 29 September 2026: a cross means the feature is not listed there. Prices change, so they are left to each company's own pricing page.

Where does CostMate come out ahead?

Prices are loaded before you start. Dayle ITM and PlaceMakers trade pricing is in every account, including the free one, so a first estimate needs nothing uploaded, and your own supplier pricing takes priority when you add it.

The quantities and hours are worked out for you. Describe the job and CostMate works out the materials with quantities and the labour in hours by phase, from rules for its built-in job types, so the same job entered twice gives the same numbers.

Assumptions, exclusions and NZ Building Code checks are written for the quote, included for review before it goes to a client.

After the win, the same job carries variations, purchase orders, progress claims and the crew hours you approve.

What is the difference between CostMate and Tradify?

Where the numbers come from. Tradify describes building an estimate from your own templates, price lists and kits, and making it quick to put in front of the customer and turn into a job and an invoice once it is accepted. CostMate's approach is to work out the quantities and labour hours for the job you describe.

In CostMate you pick the residential job type (deck, fence, bathroom, kitchen, reclad, addition and others) and describe the job, and CostMate works out the materials with quantities and the labour in hours by phase, priced from NZ trade pricing that is already loaded. It then writes the quote and reprices variations when the scope changes.

Tradify describes itself as purpose-built for electricians, plumbers, gas engineers, HVAC techs and property maintenance, among other trades. CostMate is built only for NZ residential building work, for builders from one person to a team of up to 50.

Can I use CostMate and Tradify together?

Yes. Price the job in CostMate, where the quantities and hours are worked out for you, then run it in Tradify if you want its enquiries, scheduling, invoicing and payments. CostMate carries variations, purchase orders, progress claims and your crew's hours (which only count once you approve them) for the job once it is won, but has no full scheduler or full invoicing yet.

Where does the pricing come from?

Tradify lets you build your own price list or import your supplier's price list as a CSV file, and save pre-made kits you use often.

CostMate loads Dayle ITM and PlaceMakers trade pricing into every account, including the free one, so a first estimate needs nothing uploaded. On any plan, including Free, you can upload your own supplier pricing, and it takes priority over the built-in pricing. Every material line shows where its price came from: your own supplier pricing, a named Dayle ITM or PlaceMakers baseline, or (where no supplier price was found) CostMate's own rate, marked "Indicative · Verify" so you know to check it.

When is Tradify the better choice?

When your problem is running jobs, not pricing them. If you already know what your jobs take and need enquiries, scheduling, timesheets, invoices and payments in one app (especially across a team, or across trades other than building) that is what Tradify is for.

When is CostMate the better choice?

When the hard part is working out the number: how much timber, how many hours, what to exclude. CostMate does that for NZ residential jobs and shows the working: the materials with quantities, the labour in hours by phase, and the assumptions and exclusions worth putting in front of a client before the quote goes out.

An estimate's numbers come from a rules engine, not a language model, so the same job entered twice returns the same numbers. Scope checks reference NZ Building Code clauses such as E2, E3, H1 and B1 (Structure) and are included for review, to confirm against your plans and with the BCA.

There is a free plan and a 30-day trial of the paid features, neither of which needs a card. The walkthrough shows the flow end to end and plans and pricing are on one page. For the wider field see estimating software for NZ builders and the pricing guides for each job type, and the other comparisons: CostMate vs Buildxact, CostMate vs Fergus, CostMate vs NextMinute, CostMate vs spreadsheets.

Whichever tool you use, an estimate is a starting point you check, not a number to send unread. Confirm prices against your own supplier accounts and anything structural against your plans and the BCA before you quote.