Jobber is one of the biggest names in field-service software — but it was designed primarily for traditional trades, not the wide variety of UK mobile service businesses that work from vans, hire vehicles, or travel from client to client.
HiveSuite was built specifically for mobile service operators: valeters, hire companies, groomers, photo booth hire, cleaners, mobile mechanics, DJs, beauticians, and any business that runs its entire operation on the move.
This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can decide which platform fits your mobile workflow.
1. Mobile Service Focus
HiveSuite: Built specifically for mobile operators
HiveSuite is designed around the needs of businesses that travel to customers:
- Fast quoting from your phone
- Job scheduling optimised for travel-based workflows
- On-the-road invoicing
- Mobile-first PWA (no app installs needed)
- Instant customer communication
- Stripe payments for work done on-site
Whether you're valeting a car, delivering hire equipment, grooming pets, or working events, HiveSuite fits naturally into your day.
Jobber: Trade & FSM-focused
Jobber is designed for:
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- HVAC
- Landscaping
- Cleaning teams
These industries often rely on multi-person crews, predefined job types, and structured workflows.
It is not tailored for:
- mobile valeters
- pet groomers
- bouncy castle hire
- photo booth hire
- mobile beauticians
- DJs/entertainers
- soft play hire
- mobile mechanics
- small teams/solo operators working flexible hours
Jobber can be used by mobile services, but it is not built for them.
2. Simplicity & Speed
HiveSuite: Minimal setup, start quoting in 2 minutes
Mobile service operators want simple, fast workflows — not complex multi-step job forms.
HiveSuite gives you:
- clean, mobile-friendly quoting
- instant PDF quotes
- one-click invoice creation
- PWA installation in seconds
- zero learning curve
- easier booking management for small mobile teams
Jobber: Powerful, but heavy
Jobber's flow is:
- quote
- job
- workflow
- invoice
- payments
- follow-up
- multiple job types
- crew assignments
- templates for tasks
- statuses and tags
It's powerful for large, structured trade businesses — but heavy for smaller mobile operators.
3. Pricing & Value
HiveSuite: All features included
- £24.99/month (founding price for 12 months)
- then £34.99/month
- Every feature, unlimited customers, full platform.
Perfect for solo operators and small mobile teams.
Jobber: Expensive for most mobile services
Jobber's plans scale aggressively:
- £30–£40/mo starter
- £80–£120/mo for real functionality
- £200+ for multi-user needs
Many mobile operators only invoice £2,000–£4,000 monthly — so Jobber becomes disproportionately expensive.
HiveSuite is much more affordable for the mobile-service demographic.
4. Job Scheduling
HiveSuite: Designed for travel-based services
HivePlanner shows:
- daily/weekly jobs
- drag-and-drop rescheduling
- conflict detection
- team assignments
- mobile-first calendar
Built for businesses where:
- jobs change frequently
- travel time changes things
- multiple stops happen per day
Jobber: Crew-based scheduling
Jobber's scheduling focuses on:
- multi-crew dispatch
- repeating jobs
- time tracking per job
- route optimisation (on higher plans)
Great for structured trades — not ideal for:
- one-person mobile businesses
- flexible appointment lengths
- equipment rental/delivery workflows
- ad-hoc bookings
5. Customer Communication
HiveSuite
- Send quotes immediately from your phone
- Send invoices the moment work is done
- Automatic reminders
- Easy photo attachments
- PWA access for field operators
Perfect for "arrive, quote, work, invoice" workflows.
Jobber
Jobber has strong communication tools, but they are built around:
- multi-step work orders
- scheduled reminders
- team workflows
Less suited for small mobile setups.
6. Industry Fit
HiveSuite is better for:
- Mobile car valeters
- Bouncy castle hire
- Photo booth hire
- Inflatable/soft play hire
- Mobile dog groomers
- Mobile beauticians
- Mobile tanning
- Mobile mechanics
- Window cleaning (non-route based)
- Mobile cleaners (end-of-tenancy, deep clean)
- DJs & entertainers
- Garden maintenance operators
- Any solo or small team working on the move
Jobber is better for:
- Plumbing
- HVAC
- Electrical
- Landscaping (multi-crew)
- Cleaning companies with multiple teams
- Pest control
- General field service businesses
The dividing line is simple:
Jobber = large structured trades
HiveSuite = everything mobile
7. Mobile Experience
HiveSuite: Full PWA
- Works on any device
- No app store needed
- Install directly from browser
- Instant updates
- Optimised for on-the-road usage
Jobber: App-based
Good native apps, but:
- more clicks
- heavier UI
- not as frictionless for small mobile businesses
8. Payments & Cashflow
HiveSuite
- Stripe integration
- Invoices auto-mark as paid
- Payment links included in quotes
- Faster cashflow for small operators
Jobber
Strong payment tools, but tied to their plans — usually requires higher-tier subscriptions to unlock everything.
9. Inventory & Equipment Handling
HiveSuite (with inventory module)
Perfect for:
- hire equipment
- cleaning supplies
- valeting products
- grooming tools
- event gear
- soft play/inflatables
Mobile services often need lightweight asset tracking, not a full inventory engine.
Jobber
Does not include meaningful inventory for hire businesses or equipment tracking.
10. Pricing Transparency
HiveSuite: No hidden tiers
All features included, even on solo plan.
Straightforward monthly billing.
Jobber: Feature-gated plans
- Want automation? Higher tier.
- Want route optimisation? Higher tier.
- Want multi-user? Higher tier.
- Want custom branding? Higher tier.
Mobile operators hate this pricing model.
Summary Comparison Table
| Feature | HiveSuite | Jobber |
|---|---|---|
| Built for mobile services | ✅ Yes WINNER | ❌ No |
| Built for trades | ⚪ Works | ✅ Yes |
| PWA (no app needed) | ✅ Yes WINNER | ❌ No |
| Simple quoting | ✅ Mobile-first WINNER | ❌ Multi-step |
| Hire/equipment support | ✅ Yes WINNER | ❌ No |
| Pricing | ✔ Affordable WINNER | ✖ Expensive |
| All features included | ✔ Yes WINNER | ✖ No |
| UK-focused | ✔ Yes WINNER | ✖ Mostly US-focused |
| Perfect for solo operators | ⭐ Absolutely WINNER | ⚠ Often too heavy |
| Ideal for hire/event/mobile services | ⭐ Perfect WINNER | ❌ Not designed for this |
Final Verdict
Jobber is an excellent platform — but it is built for structured trades and field service companies, not the wide range of UK mobile service businesses.
HiveSuite is the better choice if you:
- work alone or with a small mobile team
- travel to customers
- quote/invoice on location
- deliver hire equipment
- groom pets
- valet cars
- clean properties
- run events
- need quick, simple workflows
- want predictable pricing
- want everything in one platform
HiveSuite is the only system designed specifically for the way mobile service operators actually work.
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