TradedocComparison
TradeDoc AI vs BigChange: fleet FSM or free documents?
BigChange is mobile workforce management — vehicle tracking, engineer scheduling, customer portal, parts management, priced per user. TradeDoc AI is documents only, with AI-generated quotes and every UK compliance cert — free for your first 100 docs a month. Pick the one that fits your actual operation.
No card required
The 30-second verdict
Pick BigChange if…
- • You run a mobile workforce of 10+ engineers and vehicles
- • You need vehicle tracking, route optimisation, and dispatch
- • You have the budget for per-user licensing across modules
- • You want one system running your whole field operation
Pick TradeDoc if…
- • You're a sole trader, or run a crew of 1–3
- • Your real pain is paperwork speed and compliance
- • You don't need vehicle tracking or full dispatch
- • You'd rather pay nothing up front — Free covers 100 docs/month
BigChange earns its price at fleet scale. TradeDoc earns its place by being free for the individual tradesperson.
Feature-by-feature
BigChange pricing varies by module and user count; figures reflect published starting tiers. Email josh@tradedoc.co.uk with any corrections.
What are you actually paying for?
BigChange is priced for mobile workforces with vehicles, dispatchers, and office staff. TradeDoc is priced for the tradesman in the van.
- Vehicle tracking and route optimisation
- Engineer scheduling and live dispatch
- Customer portal with live job status
- Parts / stock / inventory control
- Deep accounting and fleet integrations
- Genuinely free tier with no demo call and no card
- AI quote generation from a short job description
- All four trades' compliance docs in one account
- Flat £15/month Pro if you need unlimited — no per-user surprise
Moving from BigChange to TradeDoc
This migration usually happens when a business scales down, or when a sole trader realises they're paying for fleet features they never touch.
- 1Export your customer list from BigChangeSettings → export customers to CSV. Under UK GDPR you're entitled to your own data.
- 2Download past compliance PDFsCP12s, EICRs, and anything else you need for records. Save locally before cancelling.
- 3Sign up to TradeDoc (no card required)Free from day one, full document access from minute one.
- 4Import your customer listCSV upload takes about two minutes.
- 5Cancel BigChange after a full month in parallelKeep both running through a billing cycle so you can fall back if something's missing. Once TradeDoc is covering what you actually use, cancel BigChange from their billing page.
Frequently asked questions
Is BigChange overkill for a sole trader?+
Yes, almost always. BigChange is designed for mobile workforce management — vehicle tracking, engineer routing, dispatch, live customer updates. If you're a one-van operation issuing CP12s and quotes, you'd pay for fleet-scale features you never use. TradeDoc is documents only, free for your first 100 a month, with dedicated compliance cert builders.
What does BigChange do that TradeDoc doesn't?+
Vehicle tracking and route optimisation, engineer scheduling and dispatch, a full customer portal with live job updates, parts and stock management, and deep accounting integrations. If you have 10+ engineers driving around the country, BigChange is genuinely built for that. If you're solo, you're paying to move weight.
What does TradeDoc do that BigChange doesn't?+
Free-forever tier with no card at sign-up, AI-generated quotes from a one-line job description, dedicated UK compliance cert builders (CP12, EIC, EICR, Minor Works, PAT) with every regulatory field pre-structured, and CIS-compliant invoicing with the correct labour/materials split. TradeDoc is about generating the right document fast, not running a fleet.
I run 3–5 engineers. BigChange or TradeDoc?+
At 3–5 engineers you're on the edge. BigChange starts to earn its price once you need shared scheduling and vehicle tracking. TradeDoc still works — everyone can have their own account — but you'd handle scheduling in a spreadsheet or calendar separately. Many small-crew businesses end up with TradeDoc for documents plus a lightweight scheduling tool (even Google Calendar or WhatsApp) rather than a full FSM like BigChange.
Can my engineers use TradeDoc on the job without signal?+
Yes. TradeDoc is a PWA (progressive web app). Install it to the home screen on each engineer's phone and draft docs work offline. Signatures and PDFs sync back once signal returns. Same behaviour as a native app, no App Store required.
Can I migrate from BigChange to TradeDoc?+
Customer lists migrate easily — export as CSV, import into TradeDoc. BigChange-specific data (vehicle tracking history, dispatch records, custom workflows) doesn't migrate because TradeDoc doesn't store those things. If you need them, you need an FSM. If you only need the document side, TradeDoc covers it for £0/month.
TradeDoc is free. Upgrade only if it earns it.
First 100 documents a month are free — every doc type a UK tradesman sends. Pro at £15/month adds custom branding, one-tap customer email, and unlimited docs. No card at sign-up.