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AI scheduling tools for locksmiths in the UK

Locksmiths juggle two very different diaries: emergency lockouts that need someone there within the hour, and planned work such as lock upgrades, safe installs and landlord changeovers that can be booked days ahead. Scheduling software helps you keep planned work tight enough that a lockout doesn't wreck the day, and shows which van is nearest when the phone rings.

Prices were re-checked on each provider's own page; the date is next to each one. Rules and figures from GOV.UK are linked where they're used.

Emergencies and planned work

Keep planned jobs in blocks with gaps you can give up for a lockout. ServiceM8 is priced by jobs a month (free for 1 user and 30 jobs; Starter £25 for 50) rather than per user, which suits a busy one-person locksmith (checked 15 October 2026). Jobber lists online booking for planned work.

Paperwork that belongs on the job

If you agree a contract in the customer's home, you must tell them they can cancel within 14 days; if you don't, they can cancel for up to 12 months. Contracts of £42 or less are exempt (GOV.UK). Record on the job when you gave the customer that information, so you can show it later. If you hold keys for clients as a security service, you need an SIA key holding licence (GOV.UK).

Teams and travel

If you employ locksmiths, travel between jobs counts as working time for minimum wage purposes (GOV.UK). Group planned jobs by area so emergency cover is spread across your patch.

The options, with prices

Tool	Price and free plan	UK notes and source
ServiceM8 Job management for trade and service businesses: quotes, scheduling, job cards, invoices and customer texts, priced by jobs a month rather than per user.	Free: £0 a month for 1 user and 30 jobs a month. Starter: £25 a month (50 jobs). Growing: £59 (150 jobs). Premium: £119 (500 jobs). Premium Plus: £269 (1,500+ jobs). All paid plans have unlimited users. Phone add-ons from £15 a month. 14-day free trial. Free plan: 1 user, 30 jobs a month, SMS at 5p each.	UK pricing in pounds on the UK site. Source, checked 15 October 2026
Powered Now UK trade app for quotes, invoices, job scheduling and compliance certificates, with an optional AI receptionist.	Business: £28 a month for one user (£280 a year). Professional: £32 per user a month (£320 a year). Premium: £40 per user a month (£400 a year). All excl. VAT. AI receptionist add-on from £29 a month. 14-day free trial, no card required. No free plan; 14-day free trial, no card required.	UK company, prices in pounds excl. VAT. Source, checked 15 October 2026
Jobber Job management for service businesses: quotes, scheduling, invoicing and payments, with an AI Receptionist add-on.	Core: $49 a month, $39 on a 1-year commitment or $29 billed annually. Connect: $139 ($119 or $99). Grow: $199 ($169 or $149). These include one user; extra users $29 a month each. Plus, with 5 users: $499 ($439 or $399). Add-ons: AI Receptionist $29 and Marketing Suite $99 a month. All prices in US dollars. 14-day free trial of Grow, no card required. No free plan; free trial without a card.	Confirm UK pricing and support. Source, checked 15 October 2026
YourTradebase Quotes, jobs, invoices and payment reminders for UK tradespeople, with one flat monthly price.	£29 a month, plus £15 a month for each additional user. Two months free if you pay annually. Prices subject to VAT. 30-day free trial, no card required. No free plan; 30-day free trial, no card required.	UK company, prices in pounds plus VAT. Source, checked 15 October 2026
Calendly Online booking links that let customers pick a time that suits your calendar.	Free plan (always free). Standard: $10 per seat a month. Teams: $16 per seat a month. Enterprise from $15k a year. An always-free plan for basic scheduling.	Prices are in US dollars. Source, checked 14 October 2026

What to check before you choose

Can you see who's nearest when an emergency comes in?
Can you hold back emergency slots in the diary?
Can you record the customer's cancellation-rights notice and consent on the job?
Per-job pricing (ServiceM8) or per-user (Powered Now £28 for one user excl. VAT, checked 15 October 2026)?
Does it work offline?

A prompt to start with

Paste this into ChatGPT or Claude, filling in the brackets:

You plan the week for [business name], a locksmith covering [area] with [number] vans. Here are the planned jobs with postcodes and estimated times: [paste]. Build a plan that leaves at least [number] hours a day free for emergencies, spread across the patch, and write a short confirmation text for each planned customer.

Free tools

Price a job with the quote and VAT calculator (20%, 5%, 0% and reverse charge), or work out your day rate (see how much to charge per hour). Comparing job management apps? Read Tradify vs Jobber. Driving between jobs? The mileage allowance calculator uses HMRC's flat rates, and van costs for sole traders compares leasing, buying and the mileage rate.

Questions

What's the best scheduling app for a one-person locksmith?

ServiceM8 suits job-heavy, one-person firms because it's priced by jobs, with a free plan for 30 jobs a month. Checked 15 October 2026.

Do cancellation rights apply to jobs agreed at the door?

GOV.UK says that if you agree a contract in the customer's home you must tell them about the 14-day right to cancel, and contracts of £42 or less are exempt. Check the guidance for your situation.

Are these prices in pounds?

Not all. Where a provider only publishes US dollar prices we show dollars, so check the price in pounds at checkout.

Do you get paid if I sign up?

Some links may become affiliate links, and we'll label them when they do. It doesn't change what we list. See how we make money.

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