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Surfacely vs Tradify: Painting Software Comparison

Q: Should a painting contractor use Surfacely or Tradify?

Use Surfacely if painting is your only trade — you get painting-specific surface measurement, production rate calculation, and locale-aware safe work plans (SWMS/JHA/RAMS/SSSP). Use Tradify if you run a general trades business in Australia or New Zealand and value its broader trade coverage and more established AU/NZ market presence. Tradify is built for any trade; Surfacely is built for painting.

Q: Does Tradify generate SWMS for painters?

Tradify supports custom forms and checklists which the painter can populate, but it doesn't auto-generate locale-aware SWMS, JHA, RAMS, or SSSP from project data. Surfacely's safe work plan generator produces the right document for the painter's country with painting-specific hazards derived from building age, surface application method, and access equipment.

Q: Does Tradify do production rate calculation for painting?

No. Tradify quoting is line-item or time-and-materials based — the painter enters labour hours manually. Surfacely calculates labour hours from measured surface area × coats ÷ production rate, with the rate driven by an 8-step speed scale that maps to painter difficulty (3 m²/hr intricate up to 35 m²/hr production spray).

Q: Which is better for a multi-trade business?

Tradify, by design. Tradify supports any trade — plumbing, electrical, HVAC, painting, carpentry — out of one tool. Surfacely is built only for painting and decorating businesses and won't fit a multi-trade workflow.

Tradify is a general trades job management tool built primarily for the AU and NZ markets. Surfacely is a painting-specific platform with surface-level measurement, production-rate quoting, and locale-aware safe work plans (SWMS, JHA, RAMS, SSSP). If painting is your trade, Surfacely's depth wins. If you run a general trades business or value Tradify's larger AU/NZ footprint, Tradify is the better fit.

Side-by-side

Comparison reflects publicly available product information. Confirm current Tradify features on tradifyhq.com.

Feature	Surfacely	Tradify
Painting surface library (18 types)	Yes	No (line items only)
Production rate calculation	8 speed steps, automatic	Manual hours entry
Cost-plus pricing with margin protection	Yes	Markup-based
SWMS / JHA / RAMS / SSSP auto-generation	Locale-aware	Custom forms only
Auto-hazard engine	12 painting hazards	No
Permanent surface register	Yes	No
Multi-trade support	Painting only	All trades
AU/NZ market presence	Growing	Established
Xero / MYOB integration	Roadmap	Strong
Free tier	Free forever — no trial needed	14-day trial
Onboarding	Self-guided (no kickoff call)	Self-serve
Quote engine	Calculation — sell derived from cost + margin	Line-item / time-and-materials
Mobile-first design (capture on phone, refine on desktop)	Primary capture surface	Mobile app, desktop primary
AI intelligence engine	Integrated throughout	No
Homeowner self-scope portal	Yes — unique	No

Choose Surfacely if

Painting is your only trade.
You need surface-by-surface measurement and automatic production-hour calculation.
SWMS / SSSP / RAMS compliance is part of your sale (commercial work, residential strata, schools).
You want re-quoting against a permanent surface register on repeat clients.

Choose Tradify if

You run multiple trades — painting plus electrical, plumbing, carpentry.
Xero or MYOB integration is critical for your accounting workflow.
You value the larger AU/NZ user base for community and reviews.
Job scheduling and dispatch across many small jobs matters more than measurement depth on each job.

FAQ

Should a painting contractor use Surfacely or Tradify?

Surfacely if painting is your only trade. Tradify if you run multiple trades or are in the AU/NZ trades market and want the more established option.

Does Tradify generate SWMS for painters?

Custom forms only — not auto-generated, not locale-aware. Surfacely auto-generates SWMS/JHA/RAMS/SSSP from project data.

Does Tradify do production rate calculation for painting?

No — manual hours entry. Surfacely calculates from measured surface area × coats ÷ production rate.

Which is better for a multi-trade business?

Tradify — built for any trade. Surfacely is painting-specific.