Fergus alternative
Karven vs Fergus: an honest comparison
Fergus is deep job management for plumbing and electrical businesses: job phases, price books, certificates, timesheets and invoicing. Karven is a lighter, quoting-only tool that a solo tradie can set up in minutes.
Prices checked 22 Oct 2026. We make Karven, so read this as our view and check their site too.
Price and what you get
Fergus
- Price
- Essentials $53 and Professional $77 a month (a 90% off promotion was showing until December)
- How it's charged
- AUD, monthly. Fergus's Xero listing says ex GST; review sites say per user.
- Free trial
- 14 days, no card
- Source
- fergus.com/au/pricing/, checked 22 Oct 2026. GST and per-user basis from https://apps.xero.com/au/app/fergus
Karven
- Price
- Starter $29, Business $49, Pro $99 a month inc GST. Annual billing gets 2 months free.
- Free trial
- 21 days from the day you set up, no card
- What it is
- Karven is quoting software, not a full job management system. You start a quote from a blank page, your trade's common items come up as you type, and your private profit % goes on top of your costs. The customer opens a link on their phone, ticks any optional extras, asks questions, accepts online and can pay a deposit by card. Starter is $29 a month inc GST for one user and unlimited quotes, Business is $49 for up to 5 users (1 user for now, team invites coming soon), and Pro is $99 with unlimited users (1 user for now, team invites coming soon) and the compliance paperwork. 21 days free, no card.
Where Karven is better
Flat price that doesn't grow per user: Business is $49 a month inc GST for up to 5 users (1 user for now, team invites coming soon)
Set up in minutes: pick your trade and start a quote
Customer ticks optional extras, asks questions and accepts on their phone
Customer can pay a deposit by card when they accept (Stripe card fees plus a 0.5% Karven fee)
Where Fergus is better
Job phases, timesheets and job costing
Compliance certificates for plumbing and electrical work
Supplier price books and takeoff integrations
Free onboarding help
Karven doesn't do: job scheduling and dispatch; timesheets and job costing; app store apps (karven runs in your phone's browser and can be added to your home screen); finding you leads.
Switching from Fergus is easy
- 1Bring your customers and old quotes from FergusExport your jobs or quotes from Fergus as a CSV. Karven recognises Fergus's columns (job no, customer name, site address, quoted total) and fills in the mapping for you to check. Then import it in Settings → Import.
- 2Paste or upload an old quoteKarven reads the lines off it and puts them on a new draft for you to check. Prices come across as they were, nothing is sent.
- 3Your trade's items are already therePick your trade and its common items come up as you type, each with a starting cost. Save your own prices in My items once.
- 4Keep Fergus for the rest, if you likeKeep Fergus for job phases, timesheets and certificates if your team relies on them.
Karven's CSV import recognises exports from Quotient, Tradify, ServiceM8, Fergus and Jobber. Anything else imports with a column mapping you check first. If you need a hand, our support team can help.
Plumbing & gas at 14 Banksia Avenue
Prices ex GST
Taps & fixtures
Tap repairs and fixtures. Supply, install, test for leaks, leave the area clean. All plumbing by a licensed plumber to AS/NZS 3500. Compliance certificate supplied where required.
Tap / mixer, supplied + fitted
2 × $240.00
Toilet suite, supplied + fitted
Basin / vanity, supplied + fitted
Includes all work and materials listed above.
A $165.00 deposit (10% of the total) is due when you accept.
What your customer opens from Karven: a sample plumbing & gas quote with every line, GST once and the deposit, then Accept.
Who should pick which
Pick Fergus if
Plumbing and electrical businesses with staff who need job phases, timesheets and certificates.
Pick Karven if
You're a solo tradie or small crew and the quote is the problem: writing it fast, making it look right, and getting the customer to say yes and pay a deposit.
Running a plumbing or electrical business with a team on the tools? Fergus. Want a fast, good-looking quote your customer can accept and pay a deposit on? Karven.
Karven, Fergus and the rest side by side
| Karven | Quotient | Tradify | Fergus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Published price | Starter $29, Business $49, Pro $99 a month inc GST | Solo $33 a month (1 user, up to 100 quotes a month). Team $54 a month (2 to 5 users, unlimited quotes). $9 a month for each extra user after 5. | Lite $48, Pro $52, Plus $62 per user a month. Custom on request. | Essentials $53 and Professional $77 a month (a 90% off promotion was showing until December) |
| How it's charged | AUD inc GST, flat monthly price: 1 user, up to 5 users or unlimited (1 user for now, team invites coming soon) | AUD, monthly. The page doesn't say whether GST is included. | AUD ex GST, per user, monthly, no contract | AUD, monthly. Fergus's Xero listing says ex GST; review sites say per user. |
| Free trial | 21 days from the day you set up, no card | 21 days, no card | 14 days | 14 days, no card |
| Runs the job after the quote | No. Quoting, customer acceptance, deposits and follow-ups | No. Quoting only, like Karven | Yes: scheduling, timesheets, invoicing | Yes: job phases, timesheets, invoicing |
Competitor prices checked 22 Oct 2026from each company's own pricing page, except where a page says otherwise. Prices change; check their site before you decide.
Karven vs Fergus
Common questions
Is Karven a Fergus alternative?
For quoting, yes. Fergus also runs the job (phases, timesheets, certificates), which Karven doesn't do.
Does Karven have electrical and plumbing items?
Yes. The Electrical and Plumbing & gas trade packs come with common items and starting prices, like power points, downlights, hot water and blocked drains. You set your own prices.
How much does Fergus cost compared with Karven?
Fergus: Essentials $53 and Professional $77 a month (a 90% off promotion was showing until December) (AUD, monthly. Fergus's Xero listing says ex GST; review sites say per user.), checked 22 Oct 2026. Karven: Starter $29, Business $49, Pro $99 a month inc GST, with 21 days free and no card.
Try Karven on your next quote
21 days free from the day you set up, no card. Cancel any time.