The best electrical certification software for UK electricians in 2026 is the app that fills in a BS 7671 schedule of test results fastest on site, works without signal, and produces certificates your scheme assessor accepts. Six apps dominate the market: Certio, Tradecert, iCertifi, Certly, Elec-Mate and Electrical Certificate App. At the time of writing, published prices run from £6.99 per month (Elec-Mate) to £18 per month (Tradecert Pro). Only some offer AI board scanning; Certio is the one built around reading the multifunction tester screen with the phone camera and voice dictation of readings. This guide compares all six honestly, including where Certio is not the right choice.
Key takeaways
- All six apps produce EICR, EIC and Minor Works certificates based on the current BS 7671:2018 model forms; they differ on speed of data entry, platforms and price.
- AI features now split the market: Certio, Tradecert, iCertifi and Elec-Mate offer some form of board or meter recognition; Certly does not list AI features.
- Offline capability, data export and QS sign-off matter more than headline features for most contractors.
- NICEIC and NAPIT accept third-party software certificates provided the content matches the Appendix 6 model forms and is signed by a competent person.
- Trial two apps on a real EICR before paying for a year.
What does electrical certification software actually do?
Electrical certification software is an app that produces the certificates and reports required by BS 7671 (the IET Wiring Regulations) in a digital format instead of on paper pads. The core documents are the Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) for new installations and new circuits, the Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC) for additions or alterations to a single existing circuit, and the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) for periodic inspection under Chapter 65. Most apps also cover PAT testing records to the IET Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing (5th edition, 2020).
A good app does four things: captures test results into the schedule of test results with validation against maximum Zs values, records observations with C1, C2, C3 or FI codes, produces a PDF that a client or landlord can rely on, and stores the certificate so you can find it in five years when the next inspection falls due under Regulation 653.2.
How do the six apps compare?
The table below summarises the main differences at the time of writing (September 2026). Details come from each provider's public website and can change; verify before buying.
| App | Platforms | AI board scan | Tester reading capture | Voice entry | Offline | Certificate types | Published price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certio | See Certio pricing | Yes, AI vision drafts the circuit schedule from a photo | Yes, live MFT screen reading via camera | Yes, dictate circuit and reading | See Certio pricing | EICR, EIC, Minor Works, PAT | See Certio pricing |
| Tradecert | iOS, Android, web | Yes, AI import from photos | Not listed | Not listed | Yes, offline-first | EICR, EIC, Minor Works, Emergency Lighting, Fire Alarm, Solar PV, EV, PAT | Pro £18/month + £7 per extra user; free trial with 200 AI tokens |
| iCertifi | iOS only (iPhone, iPad, Mac) | Yes, Board Vision | Yes, Test Vision meter OCR | Not listed | Yes, native app with CloudKit sync | Electrical, gas CP12, fire | Free download; subscription plans |
| Certly | iOS, Android, browser | No AI features listed | No | No | Cloud-based; check offline support | EICR, EIC, Minor Works, Part F, danger notification | £14.99 + VAT monthly or £149.99 + VAT annual |
| Elec-Mate | Check provider | Yes, AI board scanner | Not listed | Yes, voice test entry | Check provider | Electrical certificates; check provider for full list | From £6.99/month |
| Electrical Certificate App | Check provider | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Check provider | Electrical certificates | Check provider |
Where a cell says "check provider" or "not listed", the feature was not stated on the provider's site when this guide was written. Absence from the table is not proof the feature does not exist.
Certio: built around the tester and the voice
Certio is built by a working UK electrician, rather than by a software company. Its design starts from the slowest part of an EICR: typing readings into the schedule of test results.
Three features address that directly. Live MFT screen reading lets you point the phone camera at the multifunction tester display and capture the reading straight into the schedule. Voice dictation lets you say the circuit and the reading with both hands still on the probes. AI vision photographs the consumer unit and drafts the circuit schedule, so the circuit designations, cable sizes and protective device details are pre-filled for you to check.
AI-assisted observations suggest C1, C2, C3 or FI wording with regulation references. The inspector reviews and confirms each one; the app does not decide the code.
Certio covers EICR, EIC, Minor Works and PAT records. It does not currently list fire alarm, emergency lighting or gas certificates, so a multi-discipline contractor may need a second app. For platform availability and pricing see Certio pricing.
Best for: electricians whose main bottleneck is data entry on domestic and small commercial EICRs, and who want AI drafting with a human check on every line.
Tradecert: broad certificate coverage with AI import
Tradecert runs on iOS, Android and the web and describes itself as offline-first, which is a strong point for basements and plant rooms. Its AI import reads photos into the form and it offers AI-generated observations. Real-time multi-user editing suits firms where an apprentice enters readings while the QS reviews from the office.
Certificate coverage is the widest of the six: EICR, EIC, Minor Works, Emergency Lighting, Fire Alarm, Solar PV, EV charging and PAT. That matters for contractors working under Section 712 (solar PV) and Section 722 (EV charging) who want everything in one place.
Pricing at the time of writing is £18 per month for Pro plus £7 per extra user, with a free trial that includes 200 AI tokens. The token model means heavy AI use may cost more; check current terms.
Best for: multi-discipline contractors and small firms needing several users on one job.
iCertifi: the long-established iOS option
iCertifi has been around since 2011, which makes it one of the most mature products in the market. It is native iOS only, running on iPhone, iPad and Mac with CloudKit sync between devices. Android users are excluded, which is the main limitation.
Its AI features are named Board Vision (board recognition), Test Vision (meter OCR for reading a tester display from a photo) and Spark AI. Test Vision is the closest competitor to Certio's live MFT screen reading, though the two approaches differ: one reads a captured photo, the other reads the display live. iCertifi also covers gas CP12 certificates and fire documents, useful for firms doing landlord compliance packages.
The app is a free download with subscription plans; the provider publishes current prices.
Best for: Apple-only firms, and multi-trade landlord compliance work combining electrical, gas and fire.
Certly: straightforward cloud certification
Certly is a cloud product available on iOS, Android and in a browser. It covers EICR, EIC, Minor Works, Part F (ventilation) and danger notification forms, with an in-built calendar and instant QS sign-off. It does not list any AI features, which some electricians prefer: a simpler app with fewer things to go wrong.
Pricing is published clearly at £14.99 plus VAT monthly or £149.99 plus VAT annually. For an electrician who types quickly and wants a predictable bill, it is a solid option.
Best for: contractors who want a simple, transparent, cloud-based tool without AI.
Elec-Mate: low entry price with AI features
Elec-Mate starts from £6.99 per month, the lowest published entry price of the six. It offers an AI board scanner, voice test entry, a defect AI for observations, and sending certificates by WhatsApp, which clients and letting agents often prefer to email.
Its voice entry overlaps with Certio's dictation feature, so if voice is your priority, trial both and compare accuracy on a noisy site. Check the provider for platform support and what the entry tier includes versus higher tiers.
Best for: price-sensitive sole traders who want AI features at the lowest monthly cost.
Electrical Certificate App: check the current feature set
Electrical Certificate App is a long-standing name in UK search results for this category. We have not verified its current feature list, AI capability or pricing for this guide, so it appears in the table for completeness only. Check the provider's site directly before comparing it against the others.
How should you choose electrical certification software?
Use these criteria, roughly in order of importance for a working electrician.
Does it produce compliant BS 7671 model forms?
The certificate must contain the information in the BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 Appendix 6 model forms. Amendment 4 was published on 15 April 2026 and Amendment 2 is withdrawn on 15 October 2026, so check that the provider has updated its forms and its maximum Zs tables. An out-of-date form is a finding at your next NICEIC or NAPIT assessment.
How fast is data entry on site?
A domestic EICR has perhaps 10 to 20 circuits, each with a dozen fields. Whether the app types those for you (MFT reading, voice, board scan) or you type them yourself is the biggest difference in hours per job. Trial on a real board, not a demo.
Does it work offline?
Test it with airplane mode on. Then check that sync does not overwrite or duplicate certificates when the connection returns.
Who owns the data, and can you export it?
You need your certificates for at least the interval to the next inspection, and longer for defence in a dispute. Confirm you can export PDFs and the underlying data in bulk if you leave the provider.
Does it support QS sign-off?
If you are a Qualified Supervisor reviewing an apprentice's work, you need a review-and-sign workflow. Certly and Tradecert both describe this explicitly.
Is the pricing model right for your volume?
Flat monthly pricing suits high-volume contractors. Per-user and token-based pricing can be cheaper for a sole trader doing a few certificates a month but climbs with a team. Do the sums on your actual certificate count.
Are AI features accurate enough to save time?
AI board scans and meter reading are only faster if you spend less time correcting them than you would have spent typing. Every provider, including Certio, expects you to verify the output. Check a scanned schedule against the board carefully the first few times.
For a fuller checklist see our buyer's guide at Electrical Certification Software: What to Look For (Buyer's Guide).
How Certio helps
Certio produces the EICR, EIC, Minor Works certificate and PAT records on the BS 7671 model forms and turns them into branded PDFs. Photograph the consumer unit and the circuit schedule drafts itself; point the phone camera at a Megger MFT-X1 and the reading goes straight into the schedule of test results, or dictate it while your hands stay on the probes. Suggested observation wording with the regulation reference is there for you to check and confirm. The judgement stays yours; the typing goes. Starter is free for 7 days, then £5 a month.