The Markate alternative without the CRM overhead.
Markate bundles a CRM and marketing automation from $49.95/mo month-to-month — useful if you're running campaigns, a lot to set up and babysit if you're one person. Solo, your bottleneck usually isn't marketing software; it's getting the quote out and getting paid. SideWRK does that part — estimate, approve, invoice, get paid — from your phone, $19/mo, and we take no cut of a payment.
SideWRK vs Markate, side by side
| SideWRK | Markate | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19/mo | $49.95/mo ($39.95 prepaid yearly) |
| Built for | Solo & side-work operators | CRM + marketing for growing businesses |
| Approach | Do the job — quote, invoice, get paid | Manage & market to a customer base |
| Setup effort | Minutes | CRM & campaigns to configure |
| Get paid | Card & Apple Pay at Stripe's standard rate | Payment processing |
| Reviews & rebooking | Built in, automatic | Via marketing tools you run |
| Run multiple trades | Yes — every trade, one login ($19/mo) | Field-service focus |
| Real-profit tracking | Yes | Limited |
| Free to start | 5 jobs a year, no card | Trial available |
Markate’s $49.95/mo monthly price and its $39.95/mo prepaid-yearly price come from Markate’s own pricing page — prices checked 6 August 2026. We have no recorded URL for that page, so this note dates the check rather than linking it. Comparison reflects typical solo use; your needs may differ. Markate is a trademark of its owner; SideWRK is not affiliated with or endorsed by Markate.
Why solo operators pick SideWRK over Markate
Simplicity beats a dashboard
A CRM and campaign builder is powerful — and it's one more thing to set up and maintain. Solo, SideWRK skips straight to the daily flow: create the job, quote, get paid.
Repeat work, built in
You still get the parts of marketing that matter for a solo — a free public profile, automatic review requests, and one-tap rebooking — without running a marketing suite yourself.
Nobody takes a cut but the card network
Card and Apple Pay run at Stripe’s standard rate, paid to Stripe. SideWRK takes nothing on top of a payment — we make money one way, the flat subscription.
To be fair — when Markate is the better pick
Marketing is your growth lever
If you're actively running email and SMS campaigns, drip sequences, and coupons to grow a customer base, Markate's CRM and marketing automation are built for that and can be worth the setup.
You have someone to run it
A marketing suite pays off when someone owns it. If you've got the time or a hand to manage campaigns and lists, Markate gives you more levers than a focused solo tool does.
One plan. Every trade. $19.
There is one plan and this is it. Every trade is already switched on — this one, and every other trade in the app. Pick up something different next month and it switches with you. Your customers come with you — one book of people, every job you have ever done for them, whichever trade you had your hat on for that day. $190 a year if you pay yearly, which is two months free.
- Estimates & branded invoices
- Customer approvals + photos
- No cut taken on a payment
- Real profit tracking
- All 42 trades, switched on — not a bundle, not an add-on
- One customer list across every trade — the same person, every job you ever did for them
- Unlimited customers and jobs — no caps
- Real profit on every job, from your own private cost
- Expenses, mileage and a year-end tax packet
- Your own page, work gallery and booking requests
- Card, Apple Pay, Venmo, Cash App — Zelle if your bank offers it — or cash
Nothing above is behind a higher tier. There is no higher tier.
SideWRK vs Markate — FAQ
Is SideWRK cheaper than Markate?
Yes. Markate’s cheapest plan is $49.95/month month-to-month — the $39.95 they advertise wants $479.40 up front for the year — plus $5 per employee per month. SideWRK is $19/month for every trade. For a solo operator who mainly needs to quote, invoice, and get paid, SideWRK is both cheaper and simpler.
What is a good Markate alternative for a one-person business?
SideWRK is built for the solo operator. Markate bundles CRM, marketing automation, and campaigns, which is a lot to manage for one person. SideWRK stays focused on the daily job — estimate, approve, invoice, get paid, track profit — without the CRM and marketing overhead.
Does SideWRK include marketing tools like Markate?
Not the heavy campaign suite, on purpose. SideWRK gives you the essentials that drive repeat work for a solo — a free public profile, automatic review requests, and easy rebooking — without a marketing dashboard to run. If your bottleneck is doing and billing the work, that's what SideWRK optimizes.
Can I switch from Markate to SideWRK?
Yes. SideWRK runs in any phone or laptop browser with nothing to install — start free, add your business details, and send your first estimate the same day. Customers approve and pay from a link with no app to download.
Skip the dashboard. Get the job billed.
Set up in minutes and send your first professional estimate today.
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