Software comparison
WorkGuru vs NextMinute
Compare WorkGuru and NextMinute: platform scope, detailed features, adjacent strengths, pricing, implementation, migration and the businesses each suits best.
At a glance
The short version
| Evaluation | WorkGuru | NextMinute |
|---|---|---|
| Platform type | A mature industrial operations platform covering quoting, scheduling, purchasing, stock, timesheets and job costing. All your operational and communications data in one place, with the general ledger left to your accounting system. | Residential construction and trade job-management platform covering CRM, quoting, Gantt scheduling, mobile crews, site records, POs, variations, back costing and progress invoicing. |
| Best fit | Fabrication, engineering, manufacturing and project or workshop businesses, where the margin is won or lost on labour, materials and rework rather than on job volume. | Builders and trade crews managing multi-stage residential construction projects and wanting strong mobile/site administration without manufacturing inventory. |
| Pricing model | Published per-user pricing in AUD and GBP, with modules you turn on as you need them, so you can price it before you talk to us. | NextMinute publishes Australian pricing from A$199/month for 3–9 users, A$349/month for 10–14 users and quoted pricing for 15+, with all features included on every plan. |
| Implementation | DIY, WorkGuru-assisted or partner implementation. | Month-to-month cloud setup with a 10-day trial plus unlimited setup, training and ongoing local support. |
| Strongest when | The business needs a job-first industrial operating system connecting CRM, quoting, projects, workshop work, labour, purchasing, stock and live job profitability. | The operation is residential construction or trade project delivery, with Gantt scheduling, site diaries, plans/photos, mobile crew updates, variations and progress invoicing. |
Platform purpose and scope
What each platform is for
WorkGuru
WorkGuru runs the work between winning a job and knowing what it made. Quote it, schedule it, buy for it, book time and materials against it, and see the real cost while the job is still open rather than after invoicing. It is deliberately not an accounting system, a payroll system or a dispatch board — those connect to it.
NextMinute
NextMinute is built for builders and tradies running multi-stage jobs in the field. Its current product combines CRM, quotes, a drag-and-drop Gantt schedule, mobile task assignment, timesheets, site plans/photos/diary, purchase orders, variations, progress invoices and live back costing. It is not a perpetual inventory or manufacturing platform, and equipment is primarily treated as chargeable job resources rather than a serviceable asset register.
Best-fit use cases
- Residential builders and trade contractors managing multi-stage projects
- Teams that need drag-and-drop Gantt scheduling and mobile task assignment
- Businesses needing site diaries, photos, plans and messaging kept with the job
- Builders using variations, purchase orders and progress invoices throughout delivery
- Teams wanting actual-vs-estimate back costing across labour, materials, subcontractors and equipment
- Australian trade businesses wanting simple crew-based pricing and local onboarding/support
Industries and typical customers
WorkGuru is focused on fabrication, engineering, custom manufacturing, structural steel, mining services, heavy repair and related industrial project/workshop businesses. NextMinute: Residential builders, carpenters, landscapers, roofers, renovators and project-based trades.
Feature comparison
Every capability, side by side
Grouped the way the work actually runs. The framework is ours, so read the rows where WorkGuru is partial or not competing first — they will tell you more than the ones where we both say yes.
About this comparison. WorkGuru prepared it. Every verdict below is numbered to the source it came from, and we record only what a vendor publishes — “not found” means we could not find it in their public material on the date shown, not that the product cannot do it.
Software changes constantly. If we have got something wrong about NextMinute, tell us and we will correct it.
Last reviewed: 21 August 2026
- Yes published or native
- Partial a materially different workflow or scope
- Integration available through an integration
- Beta not shipped yet
- No documented as not supported
- Not found not in the vendor’s published product information at the date checked
| Capability | WorkGuru | NextMinute |
|---|---|---|
| Sales & CRM | ||
| Client Management | Yes1 | Yes37 |
| Contact Management | Yes1 | Yes37 |
| Webforms (website lead capture) | Yes1 | Not found37 |
| Lead Management | Yes1 | Yes37 |
| Sales Pipeline | Yes1 | Yes37 |
| Quoting & Estimating | Yes1 | Yes37 |
| Quote Templates | Yes1 | Yes37 |
| Quote Management | Yes1 | Yes37 |
| Client Follow-Up | Yes1 | Partial37 |
| AI Client, Lead & Quote Follow-Up | Yes1 | Not found37 |
| AI Takeoffs | Beta1 | Not found37 |
| Projects & Jobs | ||
| Project Management | Yes2 | Yes32 |
| Project Templates | Yes3 | Yes32 |
| Project Kanban Boards | Yes2 | Partial32 |
| Task Management | Yes2 | Yes32 |
| Task Kanban Boards | Yes2 | Partial32 |
| Gantt Chart | Yes2 | Yes33 |
| Project Chat | Yes2 | Yes34 |
| Project Documents | Yes2 | Yes32 |
| Variations | Yes2 | Yes32 |
| Timesheets | Yes2 | Yes32 |
| Recurring / repeat scheduled jobs | Yes3 | Partial32 |
| Scheduling & Work Planning | ||
| Work Areas (bays, machines, departments etc.) | Yes4 | Not found33 |
| Resource Scheduling | Yes5 | Yes33 |
| Task Scheduling | Yes4 | Yes33 |
| ToDo List Scheduling & Management | Yes4 | Yes33 |
| Schedule Changes | Yes4 | Yes33 |
| Mobile App | Yes4 | Yes34 |
| Kiosk App | Yes | Not found |
| Purchasing & Procurement | ||
| Purchase Orders | Yes7 | Yes32 |
| Supplier Management | Yes7 | Partial32 |
| Purchasing Against Projects | Yes7 | Yes32 |
| RFQs / Supplier Quotes | Beta7 | Not found32 |
| Supplier Quote Comparison | Beta7 | Not found32 |
| Inventory & Stock Control | ||
| Stock Control | Yes8 | Not found32 |
| Product Management | Yes8 | Partial32 |
| Stock Purchasing | Yes8 | Partial32 |
| Stock on Projects | Yes8 | Partial32 |
| Production Jobs / Internal Assembly | Yes9 | Not found32 |
| Counter Sales / Stock Sales | Yes10 | Not found32 |
| Stock Shortages & Par Levels | Yes8 | Not found32 |
| Serial Tracking | Yes8 | Not found32 |
| Batch Tracking | Yes8 | Not found32 |
| FIFO Tracking | Yes8 | Not found32 |
| Stock Locations | Yes11 | Not found32 |
| Multiple Warehouses | Yes8 | Not found32 |
| Stocktakes | Yes8 | Not found32 |
| Bills of Materials (BOM) | Yes9 | Not found32 |
| Ecommerce channel management | Integration12 | Not found32 |
| Point of Sale | Yes10 | Not found32 |
| Financial | ||
| Job Costing | Yes13 | Yes35 |
| Invoicing | Yes13 | Yes35 |
| Progress Invoicing | Yes13 | Yes35 |
| Reporting | Yes13 | Yes35 |
| Payments | Yes13 | Integration32 |
| Online / Embedded Payment Collection | Integration13 | Integration35 |
| General ledger & statutory reporting | Integration14 | Integration35 |
| Multi-currency transactions | Yes | Not found35 |
| Compliance | ||
| Forms | Yes15 | Partial34 |
| Qualifications | Yes15 | Not found34 |
| Documentation | Yes15 | Yes34 |
| Asset Register | Yes6 | Partial32 |
| Team, Security & Permissions | ||
| Team Management | Yes18 | Yes34 |
| Roles & Permissions | Yes16 | Yes34 |
| Payroll processing | Integration17 | Integration36 |
| Award interpretation | Integration17 | Not found34 |
| Employee records | Yes18 | Yes34 |
| HR onboarding & performance | Integration19 | Not found34 |
| Automations & AI | ||
| Workflows | Yes20 | Partial32 |
| Workflow Templates | Yes20 | Not found32 |
| Workflow Builder | Yes20 | Not found32 |
| User-customisable Automations in System | Yes20 | Partial32 |
| Workflow Notifications & Updates | Yes20 | Yes32 |
Every verdict above is numbered to the source it came from. Sources are listed at the <a href=”#sources”>foot of this page</a>.
Commercials
Pricing, rollout and what it really costs
WorkGuru pricing, implementation and ownership
Current WorkGuru AUD pricing: $350/month platform fee including the first 10 users; additional users $35/month; Inventory $300/month; Workflow Automations $200/month; Advanced Forms $150/month. DIY onboarding is free; guided onboarding and partner implementation are available for businesses that want more help. Re-confirm commercial pricing before publication.
NextMinute pricing
NextMinute publishes AU pricing from A$199/month for 3-9 users, A$349/month for 10-14 users, with 15+ quoted. All plans include the full feature set and setup/training/support. Pricing information was checked on 21 August 2026 and should be re-checked immediately before publication.
Implementation and time to value
NextMinute offers a guided trial, data import help, setup, training and ongoing local support. WorkGuru can be implemented DIY, with WorkGuru-assisted onboarding, or through an implementation partner depending on the size and complexity of the business.
Total cost and complexity of ownership
Compare more than licence price: software subscription, implementation, data migration, integrations, training, support, internal administration and the cost of additional systems still required around the core platform. A cheaper licence can be more expensive if it leaves the business running critical workflows elsewhere; a broader ERP/MRP can be more expensive if the extra depth is not actually needed.
Switching
Moving from NextMinute to WorkGuru
Already using NextMinute? Scope migration around the information that still matters: customers and contacts, products, suppliers, open quotes, current jobs, WIP, documents and relevant job history. The exact import path depends on the export formats and APIs available from NextMinute. Historical data that does not need to stay live can remain archived. WorkGuru should confirm migration scope, timing and cost before a customer commits.
The verdict
The matrix is evidence. This is the buying advice.
Where NextMinute is stronger
- NextMinute is very well aligned to residential construction planning, with a clear Gantt scheduler, site plans, diaries, photos and mobile crew workflows
- Its mobile experience is designed around builders and tradies, including tasks, schedule changes, job notes, costs, quotes, variations and progress invoices from site
- Built-in SMS, email and in-app messaging make project communication stronger than the old comparison suggested
- Construction back costing is a core strength, comparing labour, supplier, subcontractor, equipment and variation costs against the original estimate by job and stage
- The product is commercially simple: all features are available on all plans, with no lock-in and ongoing setup/training support
Where WorkGuru is stronger
- WorkGuru is the stronger fit when work is fabricated or engineered through a workshop as well as managed as a project
- Native inventory is a major difference: WorkGuru manages on-hand stock, locations, warehouses, stocktakes, serials, batches, FIFO and shortages; NextMinute records materials and supplier costs against jobs but is not a perpetual inventory platform
- WorkGuru’s Work Areas represent bays, machines and departments rather than only crews and construction tasks
- WorkGuru includes production jobs and project-linked stock consumption for workshops that build physical products or assemblies
- Asset management in WorkGuru is designed around identifiable assets and preventative maintenance; NextMinute equipment is primarily a job cost/charge resource
- WorkGuru’s automation engine is broader than NextMinute’s project notifications and recurring administrative workflows
Choose NextMinute if…
Choose NextMinute when its strongest areas are central to the operating model: residential construction gantt/dependency scheduling; site diary, plans, photos and mobile field records; simple all-features pricing and strong local onboarding.
Choose WorkGuru if…
Choose WorkGuru when the business needs an industrial operations platform that connects CRM and quoting to substantial projects, workshop planning, purchasing, inventory, labour, invoicing and job profitability without adopting a broader ERP than the business needs.
FAQs
NextMinute questions
Is NextMinute a direct WorkGuru competitor?
In some businesses, yes. The overlap depends on the operating model. This page is designed to show both the shared capability and where each platform is intentionally stronger.
Can we migrate from NextMinute to WorkGuru?
Yes, migration can be scoped as part of implementation. The exact data, timing and cost depend on the exports/APIs available from NextMinute and what history you want to retain.
Is WorkGuru cheaper?
Not necessarily in every scenario. Compare current licence pricing plus implementation, modules, integrations and the rest of the software stack. NextMinute pricing on this page is dated 21 August 2026.
Does WorkGuru do the setup?
It can. WorkGuru supports DIY setup, WorkGuru-assisted onboarding and partner implementation depending on complexity.
Where is NextMinute stronger than WorkGuru?
See the adjacent-strength section above. We deliberately include capabilities such as field service, MRP, warehousing, construction takeoffs or specialist steel workflows where the competing platform may be broader or deeper.
Method
How this comparison was prepared
This comparison was prepared by WorkGuru. NextMinute product claims are based on publicly available official product information checked on 21 August 2026. We use the same evaluation framework across every vendor and explicitly identify areas where the competing platform may be stronger.
Customer proof
[CUSTOMER PROOF REQUIRED] Prefer a WorkGuru customer who evaluated or moved from NextMinute. Capture the previous operating problem, why WorkGuru was selected, implementation experience and measurable result.
Checked 3 September 2026. WorkGuru verdicts are preserved from the supplied comparison page. NextMinute was re-audited against current first-party product documentation.
Scope note: Current NextMinute pages now explicitly describe a CRM sales pipeline, built-in messaging and a proper drag-and-drop Gantt schedule. Equipment remains a chargeable job resource rather than a published asset-maintenance register, so asset and preventative-maintenance verdicts are deliberately conservative.
- WorkGuru — CRM
- WorkGuru — Project Management
- WorkGuru — Project Templates
- WorkGuru — Scheduling
- WorkGuru — Resource Scheduling
- WorkGuru — Asset Management
- WorkGuru — Purchasing
- WorkGuru — Inventory & Stock Control
- WorkGuru — Production Jobs
- WorkGuru — Counter Sales
- WorkGuru — Stock Locations
- WorkGuru — Shopify Integration
- WorkGuru — Financial
- WorkGuru — Xero Integration
- WorkGuru — Compliance
- WorkGuru — Team, Security & Permissions
- WorkGuru — Tanda Integration
- WorkGuru — Team Management
- WorkGuru — Employment Hero Integration
- WorkGuru — Automations
- NextMinute — Australian Pricing
- NextMinute — All Features
- NextMinute — Construction Planning & Gantt
- NextMinute — Mobile App & Messaging
- NextMinute — Back Costing
- NextMinute — Construction Timesheets
- NextMinute — CRM
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