Trame vs Powered Now
The Powered Now alternative with nothing gated
Both handle the UK tax side properly. Only one of us charges £29 total for the whole business, with every feature on the one plan.
30 days free. No card, no commitment.
A team of three, per month
Enquiry to paid, in one app
The enquiry becomes the quote, the quote becomes the job, the job becomes the invoice. Nothing re-typed, nothing copied between apps.
Quote in minutes
Your rates load from the price book. Adjust, send, get one-tap sign-off.
Every job, one screen
Enquiry to paid invoice, the whole business at a glance.
Accepted on their phone
Send from site, and your customer accepts with one tap on their phone.
What you get with Trame
Enquiry, quote, job, invoice and payment in one place, with your expenses in HMRC categories for year end.
Three people or ten, £29. Adding a person never changes the bill.
CIS, reverse charge, exports, payments: all of it on the one plan, with no higher tier to move up to.
Invoicing a contractor? The 20 per cent comes off the labour, not your materials, and the invoice shows what they will actually pay.
Enquiry, price book, send. Every step works on a phone screen, not only on a desktop.
Card and Pay by Bank through your own Stripe account. The amount invoiced is the amount owed to you.
You write in, the founder answers. No ticket queue, no tier-gated support.
Side by side
| Trame | Powered Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | £29 flat, everyone | £28 for one user, £32 to £40 per user for a team |
| Yearly | £290, two months free | £280 for one user, £320 to £400 per user for a team, two months free |
| VAT on the price | None. £29 is the total | Not included, 20% on top |
| Free trial | 30 days, no card | 14 days, no card |
| Commission on invoices | 0% | Unlisted |
| CIS deductions | ||
| Reverse charge VAT | ||
| VAT returns filed from the app | Not yet, on the 2026 roadmap | Yes, from the £32 tier |
| Tier gating | None, one plan | Team members, VAT filing and Xero from the £32 tier |
| Accounting | FreeAgent, Xero and QuickBooks exports | Xero, from the £32 tier |
| Gas and electrical certificates |
Powered Now details from their own pricing page, checked 15 October 2026. Their pricing page states “Business is a single-user plan”, prices the other plans per user and adds VAT at checkout. CIS and reverse charge rows reflect features advertised on their site.
Which should you pick
When Trame is the better pick
Your week is quoting, doing the work and getting paid, and Trame covers all of it. The tax handling comes in the one plan: CIS off the labour line, reverse-charge wording, HMRC expense categories. £29 total, everything on one plan, and adding people costs nothing.
When Powered Now is the better pick
You need VAT returns filed from inside the app today, or you send gas and electrical certificates from site. Powered Now does both, and it handles CIS and the reverse charge properly, same as we do. On your own it is £28 plus VAT. Add a person, VAT filing or Xero and you move to the £32 tier, priced per user, VAT excluded.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trame a good alternative to Powered Now?
For a sole trader or a small team, yes. Both handle CIS and the reverse charge on the invoice. The differences are the bill (£29 total, against £28 plus VAT on your own or £32 to £40 per user plus VAT for a team) and the gating (Trame has one plan; Powered Now puts team members, VAT filing and Xero on the £32 tier). If you need VAT returns filed from inside the app today, or certificates sent from site, Powered Now is the better fit.
Can I bring my customers over from Powered Now?
Yes. Import a CSV of your customers into Trame, build your price book from the rates you already charge, and your first quote goes out the same day.
How long does it take to get started?
One sitting. Add your company details, import your customers, build your price book, and your first quote is out the same day. The 30-day trial means you can run it next to Powered Now while you decide, without a card.
What does Trame not do?
Trame does not file VAT returns to HMRC today (Making Tax Digital support is in progress on the 2026 roadmap) and does not send gas or electrical certificates. Powered Now does both.
What happens if I stop paying?
You cancel from settings, with no notice period, and keep access until the end of the billing period. Your data exports to CSV whenever you want it, and the quote and invoice links your customers already have keep working even after you stop.
Assistant, included with Trame.
BetaFind saved work, prepare draft quotes and invoices, or turn an enquiry into a job. Assistant prepares, you review and confirm.
Included in your trial and £29/month subscription. A monthly usage limit applies.
Less admin.
Get paid.
One price, whole business. 30 days free, no card.