Ascora

Overview

Ascora is a field service management platform for trade businesses coordinating jobs, technicians and stock. It is best suited to electrical, plumbing and HVAC companies that want those workflows in one system; smaller operations should check which capabilities their plan leaves out.

Job records follow work from booking to completion, while scheduling and inventory tools connect office planning with field operations. The product began development in 2010 and launched publicly in 2012.

Key features

Job management and dispatch

Teams can be assigned to jobs, with checklists, photos, attachments and live status updates attached to the work record. This gives coordinators a way to follow progress and keep job-specific information together. Estimate building, technician dispatch, contract management, recurring inspections and an equipment catalog extend Ascora beyond a basic job tracker.

Scheduling and inventory

A visual drag-and-drop scheduler supports arranging work, and inventory tracking spans warehouses and vans. That combination is useful for trades managing both technician availability and materials across locations; businesses needing neither stock visibility nor coordinated scheduling may not use enough of Ascora's scope to justify a per-user subscription.

Accounting and integrations

Ascora integrates with Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks for accounting and payroll workflows. Other listed connections include EzzyBills, Groundplan, Stripe, eWay, Reece maX and vControl, alongside an open API and Zapier connector. The range can help businesses connect field operations with existing systems, though the value depends on which of these tools a company already uses.

Security and support

Ascora says its cloud service runs in Microsoft data centres across multiple geographic regions and that communications with central data use 2,048-bit encryption. It also says it undergoes annual PCI DSS compliance audits by a leading US security specialist. Email and live chat support are included on every plan; Enterprise adds priority support and a dedicated onboarding specialist, a more relevant distinction for larger deployments.

Pricing

Ascora is paid software, with no free plan. Its 14-day free trial requires no credit card and can be cancelled at any time.

Essentials: $45 a month, billed per user, per month. Designed for trade startups, it is the entry point for businesses wanting Ascora's job and field-service workflow. It excludes equipment servicing, custom electronic forms and stage-based project jobs, so firms that rely on those capabilities will need a higher tier.

Elite: $59 a month, billed per user, per month. Intended for teams up to 30 technicians, it includes equipment servicing, custom electronic forms and stage-based project jobs, making it the more suitable option where those workflows matter.

Enterprise: Custom pricing, tailored to the team, for trade companies with 30+ technicians. It includes priority support and a dedicated onboarding specialist as well as the capabilities associated with Elite.

Both published prices are per user, so the subscription scales with headcount. Essentials' lower rate comes with meaningful feature exclusions, while companies above 30 technicians should budget for custom pricing rather than assume the Elite rate applies.

Platforms

Ascora runs on the web and has native apps for Android and iOS. That gives office staff and field technicians access through both browser and mobile platforms.

Who it's for

Ascora is aimed at trade businesses and contractors, including electrical, plumbing and HVAC firms. Essentials is positioned for startups; Elite targets teams up to 30 technicians; and Enterprise is intended for companies with 30 or more. It is a stronger fit for operations that need job tracking alongside dispatch, inventory or recurring inspections than for businesses seeking only a simple task list.

Pros and cons

Pro: Job records combine assignments, checklists, photos, attachments and status updates, keeping field-work context with each job.

Pro: Scheduling and inventory cover technician planning and stock held in both warehouses and vans.

Pro: Accounting integrations include Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks, with an open API and Zapier connector also available.

Con: Essentials excludes equipment servicing, custom electronic forms and stage-based project jobs, which may push businesses needing them to Elite.

Con: The published plans charge per user, and Enterprise uses custom pricing, so larger teams cannot rely on a single flat public rate.

Alternatives

For a security-system installer comparing specialist tools, browse Security System Installer Software.

HiveSuite is worth comparing for a smaller crew: its Solo plan is £34.99 a month, includes VAT, and covers one admin plus two crew with all features; it also has a yearly option at £349 per year, inc. VAT.

SedonaOffice is another paid option, with Android, iOS, web, Windows, API and self-hosted platforms.

AlarmOps may suit teams of up to three engineers: Starter is £59 a month and includes unlimited jobs, BAFE compliance, digital forms, mobile apps, email support and live chat.

Service Storm offers a Solo plan at $79 a month, billed monthly with cancellation at any time, for one user; it includes $5/mo Otto AI credits (about 60 tasks) and unlimited customers, jobs, quotes and invoices.

Tradescraft is a lower-priced comparison for Australian and New Zealand users: Core plan is A$29 a month per user, billed monthly, with GST included where applicable.

traqR has a 1 to 5 Users plan at A$99 a month, with unlimited jobs, clients and assets and all features included.

Uptick supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web and Windows, with monthly platform fees invoiced monthly and cancellation at any time.

Ember Software uses subscription-order pricing rather than a public price.

Verdict

Choose Ascora if your trade business needs job progress, scheduling and inventory connected across office and field teams, and its per-user tiers match your budget. Its breadth and accounting integrations are the case for choosing it; the Essentials exclusions and custom-priced Enterprise tier are the reasons to look elsewhere if you need advanced workflows or predictable pricing for a larger crew.