Illustration only. The figures below use Compliar's published prices (ex VAT) and example numbers you should replace with your own. Last reviewed 2 November 2026.
The short version
A small contractor can run on paper, on spreadsheets and email, on software that charges for every certificate, or on software that charges per user. The cost is not just the subscription. It is also the evenings spent typing up, the certificates re-done because a field was missed, and the quote that never went out because the defect was only written in a notebook.
| Paper and notebooks | Spreadsheets, Word and email | Charge per certificate | Per-user, one app | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash cost | Pads, printing, storage | Low, mostly your own time | Grows with every certificate you issue | Fixed per user, however many certificates |
| Typing up | Every visit, again, in the office | Copy and paste between files | Done on site, but you pay each time | Done on site, once |
| Defects to quotes | Re-keyed by hand | Re-keyed by hand | Usually a separate tool | Defect becomes a quote in the same system |
| Finding last year's record | Search the binder or the van | Search folders and inboxes | In the certificate tool only | On the site record and the QR log book |
| Rest of the business | Separate | Separate | Jobs, quotes and invoices elsewhere | Jobs, certificates, quotes, invoices and drawings together |
What per-certificate pricing does to a busy month
Per-certificate pricing looks cheap in a quiet month and expensive in a busy one, which is the wrong way round for a growing business. Compliar charges per user and nothing per certificate. An illustration with published prices:
- 3 engineers on Lite: 3 × £35 = £105 a month, ex VAT, billed monthly. Billed yearly it is £350 per user a year, so £1,050 for the three.
- Add one office user: an Office seat is £65 a month, or £650 a year.
- Log books: £4 per site per year, only for sites you put a digital log book on.
Whether that beats your current spend depends on your own numbers: how many certificates you issue, what you pay for them now, and how long each takes to write up. Put your own figures into the time and cost calculator. It does the sum on what you type in and does not assume a saving for you.
Where the time goes
- Writing up after the visit. If results are recorded on site, even with no signal, there is nothing to type up in the evening.
- Chasing missing fields. A certificate that will not issue until the required readings are in is quicker than finding out at the office.
- Defects that get lost. A failed item logged on the visit can go straight into a quote instead of being remembered on the drive home.
- Reminders and renewals. Maintenance plans that generate the next visits save keeping a diary of due dates.
- Invoicing. A completed job can go to invoice without re-entering the customer, site and work done.
Keeping records you can stand behind
Cost is only half of it. Customers, insurers and assessors ask for the history of a site: what was tested, what failed, what was done about it. Certificates laid out to the standards (BS 7671 for electrical, BS 5839-1 for fire detection and alarm systems, BS 5266-1 for emergency lighting, the BS EN 50131 series for intruder and hold-up alarm systems) and a log book that stays with the site keep that history in one place. Compliar provides the record-keeping and certificate workflow. It does not certify work, and your competent engineers and scheme remain responsible for what is signed.
Talking to the person who built it
Compliar was founded by Keiran Sandham, who has spent 20 years in the electrical, fire and security industry. Early adopters lock their price for 3 years, there is no contract, and demos are run by the founder on your own kind of jobs.
See the pricing page for every seat, and how getting started works.
Common questions
Is it cheaper than paying per certificate?
It depends on how many certificates you issue and what you pay now. Compliar charges per user with no per-certificate fee, so the cost does not rise in a busy month. Use the time and cost calculator with your own numbers.
Do I still need spreadsheets if I use Compliar?
Not for jobs, certificates, quotes, invoices, log books or drawings, which all sit in the one system. You can import your existing customers and sites, and export your data.
Does Compliar certify my work?
No. Compliar provides record-keeping and certificate workflows. Your competent engineers and your scheme remain responsible for the work and for what is signed.
Is there a contract?
No contract. Early adopters lock their price for 3 years.
Who will I speak to?
The founder, Keiran Sandham, who has 20 years in the electrical, fire and security industry, runs the demos.
How Compliar helps
Compliar runs jobs, maintenance plans, certificates, defect quotes, invoicing, QR log books and drawings in one system, with an offline app for engineers and no per-certificate fees.
Less paperwork. More progress.
Book a demo and Keiran will walk through your own jobs. Early adopters lock their price for 3 years, with no contract.