Field service software pricing: per user, per job and free plans

How field service software is priced

The models table sets out the common models: per user per month, tiered feature plans, usage-based pricing and free tiers for very small firms. A per user per month model ties the subscription to the number of people who need access. A tiered plan groups features into packages, so the price reflects the feature set as well as the user count. Usage-based pricing links the charge to activity such as jobs or transactions. Free tiers are offered for very small firms and usually sit alongside paid plans. Prices are often shown before VAT. UK businesses pay VAT at 20% on subscriptions. When buying from overseas providers, VAT-registered UK businesses usually account for VAT under the reverse charge. The pricing model affects how costs change as a business grows, because user numbers, feature needs and usage can move independently. The model also affects how a quote is read, since the headline price may cover only part of the total cost. Onboarding and migration fees can sit outside the subscription, so the subscription figure and the total cost are separate matters. That distinction applies to every model.

The way a plan is structured matters when comparing quotes. A per user per month quote will change when staff numbers change. A tiered plan may include a set of features that a smaller plan does not, so the comparison is not only about the user count. A usage-based plan can produce a charge that follows activity, which means the cost can vary from one period to the next. A free plan can have limits on users, features or usage, and these limits define what the plan covers. Add-ons may be priced separately from the core subscription. Office users, field users and add-ons may be priced differently. Onboarding and migration fees can also sit outside the subscription. VAT treatment is separate from the pricing model. A UK business pays VAT at 20% on subscriptions, and a VAT-registered UK business buying from an overseas supplier usually accounts for VAT under the reverse charge. A comparison therefore takes account of the pricing model, the included features, the user categories, the tax treatment and the contract terms. These factors together explain the difference between a headline price and a total cost.

Counting users correctly

Counting users correctly is central to per user pricing. A field service business often has office users and field users, and these groups may be priced differently. Office users may need access to scheduling, invoicing or reporting. Field users may need access to job details, forms or status updates. A plan may treat both groups as users, or it may apply separate rates or feature sets. Add-ons may also be priced differently from the core user subscription. An illustrative chart of office and field users can show how the user count changes when staff join, leave or move between roles. The chart is only illustrative, but it makes the counting method visible. The plan definitions and the contract terms determine which people are counted and which access rights create a charge. A count that mixes office users, field users and add-ons without checking the definitions can produce a figure that does not match the supplier invoice. The count is not just a headcount; it is a count of chargeable access under the plan. That distinction matters when roles overlap. The basis for each group belongs in the comparison.

Subcontractors are a further category to clarify. A subcontractor may need access to the software to receive jobs, update status or submit evidence. If the plan counts every person with access as a user, the subcontractor can add to the user count. If the plan treats subcontractors through another arrangement, the charge may sit elsewhere. The same question applies to temporary staff, shared accounts and read-only access. A clear count separates office users, field users, add-ons and subcontractors, and it records the basis for each group. An illustrative chart can compare the count under the plan definitions with the actual people who need access. The chart does not set the price, but it shows where a count may diverge from the supplier invoice. The contract and the plan definitions are the primary sources for how each group is treated. Checking those sources before comparing quotes keeps the user count consistent with the pricing model and the VAT treatment. It also reduces the risk that a quote is read against a different user count from the one used in the subscription.

What changes the real price

Field service software pricing is usually expressed per user per month, in feature tiers, or by usage, and some free plans exist for very small firms. The headline figure is not the whole cost. Office users, field users and add-ons may be priced differently, so the mix of staff and modules affects the amount payable. A plan quoted per user can change when administrative staff, schedulers, engineers and contractors are counted separately. Add-ons for features such as job scheduling, invoicing, stock control or reporting can sit outside the core subscription. Usage-based models price activity such as jobs completed, messages sent or records stored, which can suit firms with variable demand but makes forecasting harder. Tiered plans group features and user allowances, and moving between tiers can alter both the per user rate and the included limits. Prices are often shown before VAT, and UK businesses pay VAT at 20% on subscriptions, or account for it under the reverse charge when buying from overseas providers. The tax treatment can therefore change the amount shown at checkout. A lower headline rate can carry a higher total once those elements are included.

Onboarding and migration fees can sit outside the subscription, so a quote that covers only monthly access may not reflect the full first year. Implementation work, data transfer and configuration may be charged separately, and those items can be one off rather than recurring. The definition of a user also matters. Office users, field users and add-ons may be priced differently, and a plan that appears simple per user can become more complex when scheduling staff, engineers and administrative roles are counted. Usage based charges can add further variation if activity exceeds the included allowance. Tiered plans can include feature limits that affect the work a firm can carry out without moving to another tier. Prices are often shown before VAT. UK businesses pay VAT at 20% on subscriptions, or account for it under the reverse charge when buying from overseas providers. A like for like comparison therefore uses the same user mix, the same add-ons, the same term and the same tax treatment. That comparison can include the recurring charge and any separate onboarding or migration amount. It can also note included allowances in each tier.

Free plans and their limits

Free plans are a common model in field service software, alongside per user per month, tiered and usage based pricing. They are usually aimed at very small firms, and they can suit a sole trader or a small team that needs basic job records, scheduling and invoicing without a recurring subscription. The free tier is not the same as an unrestricted paid plan. Limits can apply to the number of users, the features available, the volume of jobs or records, the level of support and the add-ons that can be used. A firm may find that office users and field users are treated differently even on a free plan, and that some functions are available only in paid tiers. Free plans can also change over time, so the terms at the point of sign up matter. Prices for paid plans are often shown before VAT, and UK businesses pay VAT at 20% on subscriptions, or account for it under the reverse charge when buying from overseas providers. A free plan may avoid a subscription charge, but paid add-ons or services can sit outside it.

The limits of a free plan matter most when a firm grows or its work becomes more complex. A free tier may cover basic records but not advanced scheduling, stock control, reporting or integrations, and those features can require a paid tier. Usage allowances can create a ceiling on the number of jobs, messages or stored records, and exceeding an allowance can require an upgrade. Support may be limited to help pages or community resources rather than direct assistance, which can affect how quickly issues are resolved. Add-ons and onboarding or migration fees can sit outside any free subscription, so the absence of a monthly charge does not mean the absence of cost. A firm comparing a free plan with a paid plan can check the user mix, the included features, the usage limits and the support terms on the same basis. Prices for paid plans are often shown before VAT, and UK businesses pay VAT at 20% on subscriptions, or account for it under the reverse charge when buying from overseas providers. The free tier can therefore be a starting point rather than a full substitute for a paid plan.

VAT on subscriptions

Field service software is commonly sold as a subscription, and the price is often shown before VAT. The UK standard VAT rate is 20%, so a UK business buying a subscription from a UK supplier generally sees that rate added to the price. The same rate applies whether the software is priced per user per month, in feature tiers or by usage. A free plan for a very small firm has no subscription price, so there is no charge at the standard rate on that plan. The commercial model affects the price structure, but it does not change the standard rate that applies to a taxable subscription. For VAT registered businesses, VAT on subscriptions can be recovered, with the recovery reflected in the business VAT records. The amount shown before VAT and the amount charged after VAT are distinct figures, and a business comparing plans or quotes can note which figure is being quoted. Pricing pages and sales quotes may present the pre VAT amount, while the invoice records the VAT charge. The treatment of office users, field users and add-ons can differ in price, and each taxable element is part of the subscription charge that carries VAT at the standard rate.

Where a UK business buys from an overseas supplier, the supplier may not charge UK VAT on the subscription. VAT registered UK businesses usually account for VAT under the reverse charge in that situation. The reverse charge means the business records the VAT due on the supply and the corresponding recovery in its VAT return, rather than paying UK VAT to the overseas supplier. This can apply to subscriptions priced per user per month, tiered plans, usage based charges and paid add-ons. Onboarding and migration fees can sit outside the subscription, so a business may need to check how those separate charges are treated. Free tiers are not subscription charges, but any paid element is part of the taxable supply. The location of the supplier and the VAT status of the customer shape the invoicing and reporting. Prices shown before VAT can therefore differ from the cash cost in a given period. A VAT registered business records the VAT due and the amount recoverable in the VAT account for the period. The reverse charge is a reporting mechanism for VAT registered businesses, and the standard rate remains 20%.

Tax treatment of software costs

Subscription payments for field service software are treated as revenue expenses for tax purposes. That treatment applies to the recurring charge for access to the software, whether the price is set per user per month, by feature tier or by usage. A free plan for a very small firm has no subscription payment to record as a revenue expense. Office users, field users and add-ons can be priced differently, and onboarding and migration fees can sit outside the subscription, so the expense records may separate the recurring subscription from other charges. The commercial model affects how the cost is presented, but the tax point considered is the subscription as a revenue expense. Revenue expenses are distinct from capital expenditure, which is the category that can bring in capital allowances. The AIA guide for hardware covers the treatment of hardware costs, and that guide is separate from the treatment of software subscriptions. A business that buys a subscription from an overseas supplier may also need to account for VAT under the reverse charge, with the VAT entries kept alongside the expense records. Prices shown before VAT and the VAT charged are separate from the revenue expense analysis.

The revenue expense treatment follows the subscription charge, so a business records the recurring software cost as an expense in its accounts. The number of users, the tier and the usage measure affect the amount charged, but they do not change the category of the subscription cost. A free plan has no charge, and any paid add-on or onboarding fee is recorded according to its own nature and the invoice. Where VAT applies, the VAT element is separate from the expense, and a VAT registered business records recovery in its VAT accounts. For overseas suppliers, the reverse charge can put the VAT entries in the UK VAT return even where the supplier does not charge UK VAT. The AIA guide for hardware is the reference point for hardware costs, including the capital allowances position, while software subscriptions sit in the revenue expense category. The distinction matters because hardware and software can appear on the same supplier invoice. A business can therefore separate the subscription line from hardware lines and from onboarding or migration fees, using the invoice and the contract as the source records.

Comparing quotes fairly

Comparing field service software quotes fairly requires a common basis. Vendors commonly present prices per user per month, in feature tiers, by usage, or through free tiers for very small firms. Prices are often shown before VAT. UK businesses pay VAT at 20% on subscriptions, or account for VAT under the reverse charge when buying from overseas providers. A quote can therefore look lower than another before tax treatment is applied. The total annual cost method places each quote on the same footing. It combines the subscription charge across the planned user count and term with add-ons and any onboarding or migration fees that sit outside the subscription. Office users, field users and add-ons may be priced differently, so the quote needs to separate those elements. A single headline figure for the subscription does not show the full annual commitment. The method also allows free plans and paid tiers to be compared on the same basis, while noting that free plans are intended for very small firms. It can record the planned user count for each role and the contract length, because per user pricing depends on both.

A fair comparison also clearly separates one off charges from recurring charges and records any assumptions about user numbers, user types and contract length. Written quotes can show the subscription, add-ons, onboarding and migration fees as separate lines. The same structure can be applied to free tiers, usage based plans and tiered plans. A link to [how to choose field service software](/how-to-choose-field-service-software) can provide an anchor comparison by setting out the operational requirements before pricing is reviewed. That anchor comparison helps a business test whether a lower quote covers the same office users, field users, add-ons and support terms. VAT treatment can be shown separately. A UK business paying VAT at 20% on subscriptions has a different cash profile from a UK business accounting for VAT under the reverse charge on an overseas supplier. The total annual cost method can then be used in negotiations and in budget approval, with each quote normalised to the same scope. It does not remove differences in contract terms, but it makes those differences visible. A written record of those assumptions supports the comparison.

Frequently asked questions

How is field service software usually priced?

Commonly per user per month, with tiered, usage-based and free options.

Is VAT charged on software subscriptions?

Yes, at the 20% standard rate in the UK, or via reverse charge for overseas suppliers.

Are office users charged?

Often yes; some providers price office and field users differently.

Is free field service software worth it?

It can suit very small firms, but limits on users, jobs or exports are common.

What extra costs should be checked?

Add-ons, onboarding, data migration, payment processing and SMS charges.