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Software comparison

WorkGuru vs Factory

A close fabrication comparison. See where WorkGuru extends from quoting and workshop execution into CRM, procurement, inventory, compliance, automation and financial job control.

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At a glance

The short version

EvaluationWorkGuruFactory
Platform typeIndustrial operations and job-management platform spanning CRM, quoting, projects, workshop planning, purchasing, stock, labour, invoicing, compliance and automation, with the general ledger left to connected accounting software.Fabrication-specific job-shop platform built around a quote-to-paid workflow: quoting, planning, workshop workflow, purchasing, inventory, time tracking, invoicing, payments and delivery scheduling.
Best fitFabrication, engineering, manufacturing and project or workshop businesses where margin is won or lost on labour, materials and rework rather than simply job volume.Custom fabrication and job shops wanting a highly specialised system built around sales orders, workshop execution and a simple quote-to-paid operating model.
Pricing modelPublished 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.Factory says pricing is a flat rate based on the number of people on the team and that the whole platform is included. Buyers contact Factory for current pricing.
ImplementationDIY, WorkGuru-assisted or partner implementation.Self-serve and guided onboarding. Factory says customers can be up in weeks rather than months and that its team helps set up customers, suppliers, products and bills of materials.
Strongest whenBroader end-to-end industrial operations control across sales, projects, purchasing, inventory, workshop execution, financial job control, compliance and automation.The business is a custom fabrication shop and wants a workshop-first quote-to-paid system with strong Kanban workflow, mobile usability, delivery scheduling and straightforward materials management.

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.

Factory

Factory is purpose-built for custom fabrication shops and runs a quote-to-paid workflow around sales orders. It combines quoting, workshop Kanban, planning, purchasing, inventory, labour tracking, job profitability, invoicing, online payments and delivery scheduling. Its operating model is deliberately narrower than a general ERP or multi-industry field-service platform: Factory says it builds for custom fabrication rather than construction, trades or field service.

Best-fit use cases

  • Custom fabrication and job shops that want software designed specifically around fabrication rather than a general-purpose ERP
  • Small and mid-sized workshops replacing spreadsheets, whiteboards and disconnected quoting, job tracking and invoicing processes
  • Teams wanting a simple quote-to-paid workflow with custom workshop statuses, Kanban job tracking, labour capture, purchasing, inventory and job profitability
  • Fabricators that value native iOS and Android access plus dedicated delivery scheduling, vehicles, run sheets and proof-of-delivery workflows

Industries and typical customers

Factory explicitly positions around custom fabrication and job shops.

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 Factory, tell us and we will correct it.

  • 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
CapabilityWorkGuruFactory
Sales & CRM
Client ManagementYes1Yes2
Contact ManagementYes1Yes2
Webforms (website lead capture)Yes1Not found50
Lead ManagementYes1Partial3
Sales PipelineYes1Partial3
Quoting & EstimatingYes1Yes4
Quote TemplatesYes1Partial1745
Quote ManagementYes1Yes4
Client Follow-UpYes1Partial832
AI Client, Lead & Quote Follow-UpYes1Not found50
AI TakeoffsBeta1Not found50
Projects & Jobs
Project ManagementYes5Yes6
Project TemplatesYes33Partial1734
Project Kanban BoardsYes5Yes6
Task ManagementYes5Yes8
Task Kanban BoardsYes5Partial46
Gantt ChartYes5Not found10
Project ChatYes5Yes7
Project DocumentsYes5Yes7
VariationsYes5Partial749
TimesheetsYes5Yes30
Recurring / repeat scheduled jobsYes33Partial3447
Scheduling & Work Planning
Work Areas (bays, machines, departments etc.)Yes9Yes48
Resource SchedulingYes9Yes1048
Task SchedulingYes9Partial1046
ToDo List Scheduling & ManagementYes9Partial847
Schedule ChangesYes9Yes10
Mobile AppYesYes11
Kiosk AppYesYes
Purchasing & Procurement
Purchase OrdersYes12Yes13
Supplier ManagementYes12Yes14
Purchasing Against ProjectsYes12Yes13
RFQs / Supplier QuotesBeta12Not found13
Supplier Quote ComparisonBeta12Not found13
Inventory & Stock Control
Stock ControlYes15Yes1618
Product ManagementYes15Yes16
Stock PurchasingYes15Yes1316
Stock on ProjectsYes15Yes1316
Production Jobs / Internal AssemblyYes15Yes6
Counter Sales / Stock SalesYes15Partial19
Stock Shortages & Par LevelsYes15Partial1619
Serial TrackingYes15Not found50
Batch TrackingYes15Not found50
FIFO TrackingYes15Not found50
Stock LocationsYes15Not found50
Multiple WarehousesYes15Not found50
StocktakesYes15Yes18
Bills of Materials (BOM)Yes37Yes17
Ecommerce channel managementIntegration38Not found50
Point of SaleYes40Not found50
Financial
Job CostingYes21Yes22
InvoicingYes21Yes23
Progress InvoicingYes21Yes23
ReportingYes21Yes22
PaymentsYes21Yes24
Online / Embedded Payment CollectionIntegration21Yes24
General ledger & statutory reportingIntegration41Integration25
Multi-currency transactionsYesNot found50
Compliance
FormsYes26Partial827
QualificationsYes26Not found50
DocumentationYes26Yes7
Asset RegisterYes26Not found50
Team, Security & Permissions
Team ManagementYes28Yes29
Roles & PermissionsYes28Yes29
Payroll processingIntegration42Integration30
Award interpretationIntegration42Not found30
Employee recordsYes43Partial29
HR onboarding & performanceIntegration44Not found50
Automations & AI
WorkflowsYes31Yes632
Workflow TemplatesYes31Not found32
Workflow BuilderYes31Partial632
User-customisable Automations in SystemYes31Partial732
Workflow Notifications & UpdatesYes31Yes32

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

WorkGuru publishes modular pricing. The current commercial model is a platform fee including the first 10 users, additional per-user pricing, and optional modules such as Inventory, Workflow Automations and Advanced Forms. Use the live pricing page for current figures rather than duplicating numbers that can go stale. Buyers can start DIY, use WorkGuru-assisted onboarding, or use an implementation partner. Total ownership cost should be assessed across subscription, onboarding, migration, training, integrations and ongoing administration – not subscription price alone.

Factory pricing

Factory states that pricing is a flat rate based on team size and includes the whole platform. Buyers contact Factory for current pricing.

Implementation and time to value

Factory publishes a guided setup model and says businesses can be up in weeks rather than months.

Total cost and complexity of ownership

A whole-platform pricing model can simplify software cost comparison. Buyers should still compare onboarding, migration, accounting dependencies and any future modules.

Switching

Moving from Factory to WorkGuru

Already using Factory? WorkGuru can scope a migration rather than assuming a greenfield setup. The migration plan should identify the records you need to bring across, what can be imported, what should remain as historical reference, integration cutover, training and go-live. Exact scope, timing and cost depend on the quality and structure of the source data and the implementation path selected. Do not promise that every historical record or configuration will migrate until the source data has been assessed.

The verdict

The matrix is evidence. This is the buying advice.

Where Factory is stronger

  • Extremely focused custom-fabrication positioning: Factory says custom fabrication is the only industry it builds for, which can make the product and onboarding feel very natural to a straightforward fab shop
  • Strong workshop Kanban model, including custom production statuses and separate line-item cards that can move independently through the workflow
  • Native iOS and Android apps plus a dedicated delivery-scheduling workflow with drivers, vehicles, run sheets and proof of delivery
  • Native product kits / bills of materials are a stronger fit where reusable assemblies and sub-kits are central to quoting and production
  • Simple commercial packaging: Factory says pricing is based on team size and that every customer receives the whole platform rather than selecting feature modules

Where WorkGuru is stronger

  • WorkGuru is the stronger fit when sales starts before a quote: website lead capture, dedicated lead management, a broader sales pipeline and structured client follow-up sit inside the same operating platform
  • Broader inventory traceability and location control, including serial tracking, batch tracking, FIFO, stock locations and multiple warehouses; equivalent Factory capabilities were not substantiated in the current vendor material reviewed
  • Broader project-planning depth where businesses need project templates, a Gantt chart, task-level scheduling and recurring operational jobs rather than primarily sales-order and workshop-calendar planning
  • Broader compliance and service capability, including qualifications, asset management and preventative maintenance against assets
  • A more general user-configurable automation layer with workflow templates, a workflow builder and broader in-system automations; Factory’s automation is currently more concentrated around workflow statuses, customer notifications, automatic attachments and other defined shop processes
  • A broader operating model for engineering, manufacturing, project, workshop and mixed field/workshop businesses; Factory explicitly chooses to remain focused on custom fabrication rather than serving construction, trades or field-service businesses

Choose Factory if…

Choose Factory if you are a focused custom fabrication shop and want a highly specialised, workshop-first product with a simple quote-to-paid operating model.

Choose WorkGuru if…

Choose WorkGuru if you need the workshop depth but also want broader CRM, project governance, procurement, compliance, operational reporting and room to support more complex or mixed operating models.

The bottom line

Factory can be the better choice when its core operating model matches the business. WorkGuru should win when the buyer needs a connected operational system around projects and workshop execution with a purpose-built industrial operations platform that can scale from SMB implementation through more structured assisted or partner-led rollouts.

FAQs

Factory questions

Is WorkGuru a replacement for Factory?

It can be when the business wants WorkGuru’s operating model and capability set. The right answer depends on which Factory workflows are actually used today, integrations, data migration and any specialist requirements that must remain elsewhere.

Can we migrate from Factory to WorkGuru?

Yes, migration can be scoped as part of implementation. What comes across, what remains as historical reference, timing and cost depend on the source data and agreed implementation plan.

Do we have to implement WorkGuru ourselves?

No. WorkGuru supports DIY implementation, WorkGuru-assisted onboarding and partner implementation. Choose the level of help that matches the complexity of the rollout.

How should we compare total cost?

Compare subscription, onboarding, migration, training, integrations and ongoing administration. Avoid comparing a single licence price where the platforms package scope differently.

Is WorkGuru cheaper than Factory?

That depends on user count, modules, implementation scope and the systems each option replaces or still requires. Use current published pricing and a like-for-like implementation scenario rather than a blanket savings claim.

Method

How this comparison was prepared

This page was prepared by WorkGuru and compares WorkGuru with Factory. Competitor product information should be based on publicly available sources and reviewed on the date shown above. Features, pricing and product capabilities can change. If information is disputed, review the underlying source and correct the page where required. Link this section to the permanent “How we compare software” methodology page.

Checked 3 Sep 2026. WorkGuru verdicts were preserved from the supplied comparison page. Factory verdicts were re-audited against current first-party Factory product pages and Help Resources. “Not found” means the capability could not be substantiated in the Factory vendor material reviewed; it does not mean Factory definitively cannot perform it.

Scope note: Factory’s current platform is scoped specifically to custom fabrication. Factory’s website currently marks deeper “Capacity planning & auto-scheduling” and “Automated work prioritisation” as “Soon”; those future items have not been treated as fully released capabilities.

  1. WorkGuru — CRM
  2. Factory — Customers
  3. Factory — Main Page — Sales Orders
  4. Factory — Quote Statuses and Action Buttons
  5. WorkGuru — Project Management
  6. Factory — Main Page — Workflow
  7. Factory — Collaborate
  8. Factory — Checklists — Sales Orders
  9. WorkGuru — Scheduling
  10. Factory — Planner
  11. Factory — Planner — Factory Mobile
  12. WorkGuru — Purchasing
  13. Factory — Purchase Orders
  14. Factory — Main Page — Suppliers
  15. WorkGuru — Inventory & Stock Control
  16. Factory — Product Catalogue — Product
  17. Factory — Product Catalogue — Product Kits
  18. Factory — Product Catalogue — Stocktake
  19. Factory — Official Factory platform / product page
  20. Factory — Main Page — Delivery Scheduling
  21. WorkGuru — Financial
  22. Factory — Profitability
  23. Factory — Partial Invoicing
  24. Factory — Accept Online Invoice Payments via Stripe
  25. Factory — Accounting Integrations
  26. WorkGuru — Compliance
  27. Factory — Custom Columns
  28. WorkGuru — Team, Security & Permissions
  29. Factory — Access and User Roles in Factory
  30. Factory — Timesheets
  31. WorkGuru — Automations
  32. Factory — Workflow Settings
  33. WorkGuru — Project Templates
  34. Factory — Duplicating an Order
  35. WorkGuru — Resource Scheduling
  36. WorkGuru — Asset Management
  37. WorkGuru — Production Jobs
  38. WorkGuru — Shopify Integration
  39. WorkGuru — Stock Locations
  40. WorkGuru — Counter Sales
  41. WorkGuru — Xero Integration
  42. WorkGuru — Tanda Integration
  43. WorkGuru — Team Management
  44. WorkGuru — Employment Hero Integration
  45. Factory — Document Templates
  46. Factory — Line Item Card — Workflow
  47. Factory — Custom Planner Events
  48. Factory — Factory FAQ
  49. Factory — Creating and Editing Sales Orders
  50. Factory — Factory Help Resources — broader first-party documentation scope reviewed for capabilities marked “Not found”

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