A ServiceTitan alternative built for large trades
Looking for a ServiceTitan alternative? Puffly is a free CRM with missed-call text back and an AI receptionist for large trades.
The short version
ServiceTitan is software for larger residential and commercial service companies. It is built for businesses with dispatchers, a call center, a fleet and a back office that runs on reports. Puffly is a free CRM for the owner who still answers the phone and needs every lead and every missed call in one place.
These two products mostly serve different buyers, so this page is less about switching and more about whether you are ready for a system the size of ServiceTitan. Everything below comes from the vendors’ public pages as of October 21, 2026.
Who should switch
A small plumbing, HVAC, electrical, or roofing company that is not a multi-truck operation.
An owner who was quoted a full operating system and only needed the leads and the missed calls.
A shop that wants a free CRM while it decides whether it needs dispatch and inventory software.
Why owners switch
ServiceTitan is an operating system for large residential service companies. A two-person shop does not need that weight to stop losing calls.
Puffly is a free CRM with a lead inbox, missed-call text back, and an AI receptionist. You can start there and move to a heavier system when the trucks justify it.
We are not saying ServiceTitan lacks a phone product. We are saying the buyer is different: a large back office versus an owner who still runs the call.
Where ServiceTitan is still a good fit
Dispatch, inventory, memberships, and reporting for multi-truck HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies are ServiceTitan’s territory.
A company with a call center and a dispatcher gets more from a full operating system than from a CRM.
If you already run the business on ServiceTitan, replacing it with a CRM would drop the back office. That is a reason to stay.
Feature comparison
A mark means the product publicly offers that capability. A dash means we did not find it described in their public docs as of October 21, 2026. It may exist under another name.
| Feature | Puffly | ServiceTitan |
|---|---|---|
| missed-call text back | ✓ | — |
| AI receptionist | ✓ | — |
| lead inbox | ✓ | — |
| review requests | ✓ | — |
| free plan available | ✓ | — |
What ServiceTitan does well
ServiceTitan’s site lists dispatching and scheduling, call handling, invoicing, a service catalog, mobile estimates, payroll, commission tracking, memberships, call recording, reporting and marketing tools. It sells in packages, called Starter, Essentials and The Works as of October 21, 2026, and it works on a per-technician basis.
For a company with a dozen technicians, a dispatcher and a membership program, that depth is the reason to buy it. Puffly does not dispatch a fleet, track truck inventory, run payroll or bill memberships, and it should not be your answer if you need those.
What it takes to get started
ServiceTitan does not publish a rate card. Its plans page asks you to request a quote, and the figure depends on technician count and the package. That is normal for enterprise software, but it means you cannot compare costs with a calculator. Expect a sales conversation, an onboarding period, and some setup work to bring your service list, customers and jobs across.
Puffly takes the opposite path. You sign up, connect a tracking number and start catching calls the same day. The CRM is free to start, with no card. Puff Voice and Puff Text are paid add-ons if you want an AI receptionist or automatic missed-call texts.
The part Puffly is built for
A call that rings out is the first place a small service company loses work. Puffly sends a text back when a call on your tracking number goes unanswered, logs the caller as a lead, and keeps the whole thread in one inbox. It respects consent and quiet hours, sends once per caller per day, and you control the wording.
Puff Voice answers from the services, hours and questions you provide. It takes a message when it does not know and hands the call to you when the caller asks for a person. If you later grow into dispatch, memberships and reporting, you can move to a heavier system, and your leads and contact history are already organized.
How to decide
If you have a dispatcher, many trucks, or a membership business, start with ServiceTitan or another full suite and ask for a quote. If you are one to a few trucks, still deciding what you need, and you mostly want to stop losing calls, start with the free CRM and add pieces as the business earns them. Plenty of companies sit between the two and use a lighter field-service tool plus Puffly for the phone.
Side by side
Written from each company’s public pages as of October 21, 2026. Plans and features change, so confirm on their site.
| Topic | ServiceTitan | Puffly |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Larger service companies with dispatchers and a back office | Owners who still run the phone and need every lead tracked |
| Costs | Quote-based, per technician; no public rate card | Free CRM; paid Puff Voice and Puff Text add-ons |
| Getting started | Sales conversation and onboarding | Sign up and connect a number the same day |
| Dispatch, payroll, memberships | Yes | No |
| Call recording and call handling | Listed on their site | Puff Voice transcripts and summaries |
| Missed-call text back | Not described as its own feature on their site | Automatic text on an unanswered call |
| Reporting | Advanced reporting | Lead and call activity in the CRM |
Check on ServiceTitan’s site before you decide
Other comparisons
Trades it fits
Questions people ask
Is Puffly for the same companies as ServiceTitan?
ServiceTitan is aimed at larger residential service companies. Puffly is a free CRM for the owner who needs every lead and every missed call in one place.
Does ServiceTitan have a free plan?
ServiceTitan is sold as paid software for larger operations. Puffly’s CRM is free to start.
What does Puffly not do?
Puffly does not dispatch a fleet, track truck inventory, or run membership billing. If you need those, ServiceTitan is the better fit.
Start with the free CRM.
Leads, contacts, and tasks are free. No card to start.
Start freeServiceTitan is a trademark of its owner. Comparison based on public info as of October 21, 2026.