Tradehand vs Powered Now
Both use AI. The difference is what happens after the call.
Powered Now combines a mature UK job-management app with an AI Receptionist add-on. Tradehand gives you an assistant that carries the call, the quote, the booking and the payment follow-up. No monthly fee, 5% after the fee-free allowance, and only when you are paid.
Blake FolgadoCo-founder, Tradehand
The short answer
Powered Now is a solid choice for a mature UK app with a certificate library and an optional AI receptionist. Choose Tradehand if you want one assistant carrying the call through quoting, booking and payment follow-up. No monthly fee, 5% of collected invoice payments after the fee-free allowance.
Are you buying a tidier app, or more work won?
Both clear admin well, and neither fills a thin diary on its own. Judge them on the office job: answering, quoting, booking, chasing. That is a person's job.
UK office manager starter salary, before NI and pension. Paid whether or not the invoices land.
Source: Office manager salary (National Careers)
TradehandNo monthly fee, no setup fee, nothing to unlock. 5% of what Tradehand collects after the fee-free allowance.
Salary: National Careers Service. Powered Now bills per user per month, so hiring raises the bill, and its AI receptionist is a separate add-on. Tradehand bills nothing until a customer has paid.
Side by side
| Tradehand |  Powered Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Answers missed callsSource: Powered Now AI Receptionist | Tradehand✓ Included, no add-on | Powered Now✓ AI Receptionist, a separate add-on |
| Carries the call into quoting and bookingSource: Powered Now AI Receptionist | Tradehand✓ Quote and booking off the same call | Powered NowAI Receptionist qualifies the call and creates a follow-up task |
| Chases what is owedSource: Powered Now pricing (powerednow.com) | Tradehand✓ Quotes, invoices and customers who went quiet | Powered NowAutomatic Invoice and Quote Chasing, Premium |
| Digital certificatesSource: Powered Now pricing (powerednow.com) | Tradehand✓ Ten types, free, signed and countersigned | Powered Now✓ Forms and Certificates, Professional and up |
| How you are billedSource: Powered Now pricing (powerednow.com) | Tradehand£0 a month, 5% of collected invoices after the fee-free allowance | Powered NowMonthly per user, plus the receptionist add-on |
| Quotes and invoicesSource: Powered Now pricing (powerednow.com) | Tradehand✓ Drafted for you, held for approval if you ask | Powered NowApp tools you drive, auto-chasing on Premium |
| UK tax and accountingSource: Powered Now pricing (powerednow.com) | TradehandOne way push to Xero and QuickBooks, plus CSV | Powered Now✓ Making Tax Digital, VAT returns from Professional |
| ContractSource: Powered Now pricing (powerednow.com) | TradehandNone, leave whenever you like | Powered NowPer user subscription |
What "does the admin" looks like
A Tuesday morning. You're under a sink and can't pick up. Nothing below required your phone.
Powered Now captures the lead and gives you mature job-management tools. The Tradehand distinction is an assistant carrying that call through the quote, booking and payment follow-up.
An honest recommendation
Choose Powered Now if…
- ·You want a mature UK app with a deep certificate and forms library
- ·You want VAT returns and CIS handled inside the same app
- ·You're happy to draft quotes, invoices and certificates yourself
Choose Tradehand if…
- ✓You want the call carried through quoting, booking and payment follow-up
- ✓You'd rather pay nothing until the customer has paid you
- ✓You want certificates included and the admin done, not another app
Where Powered Now earns its place: years of refinement on UK certificates and forms, plus Making Tax Digital and VAT returns in the app. Tradehand includes certificates too, but pushes to Xero and QuickBooks one way only.
Move new work over without losing your old records
Run both side by side. Keep Powered Now as your history until you are comfortable moving new work to Tradehand.
- Day 1Prepare your data
Export the customer and price-list data you want to keep from Powered Now.
- Day 1A person does the import
A person imports your customers and price list, then sets up your number, rates and diary. Historic jobs are not imported.
- Day 2–6Run both in parallel
Tradehand starts answering your missed calls while Powered Now keeps running.
- When readyMove new work across
Cancel Powered Now only when you no longer need it for active jobs or reference history.
Questions sole traders ask
Sources & References
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Hear your assistant answer the phone
Get started. Your assistant takes the call, sends the quote and chases the payment. Then decide.