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Field Service · head to head

BigChange vs IFS Ultimo EAM

BigChange logo

BigChange

Field Service

UK job management with vehicle tracking built in, acquired by Simpro Group in 2024

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IFS Ultimo EAM logo

IFS Ultimo EAM

Field Service

Dutch enterprise asset management with role-based user tiers, now sold inside the IFS portfolio

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: BigChange simpro Group bought BigChange in October 2024 and also owns Simpro, AroFlo and ClockShark, so a UK buyer comparing BigChange with Simpro is choosing between two products whose roadmaps are set by the same owner.; IFS Ultimo EAM iFS sells two overlapping EAM products, Ultimo and IFS Cloud EAM, and a buyer signing a multi-year term is depending on the vendor funding both roadmaps at current levels.
  • They diverge on capability: BigChange covers Built-in vehicle tracking, IFS Ultimo EAM covers Three user licence types.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BigChange and IFS Ultimo EAM actually diverge.

Attributes where BigChange and IFS Ultimo EAM differ
AttributeBigChangeIFS Ultimo EAM

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Field Service).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in BigChange

  • Built-in vehicle tracking
  • Job scheduling
  • Mobile worker app
  • Financial workflow
  • Customer portal
  • Digital forms builder
  • Stock and equipment
  • Driver compliance

Only in IFS Ultimo EAM

  • Three user licence types
  • Industry solutions
  • Safety and compliance
  • Mobile maintenance
  • Spare parts management
  • Contractor management
  • Fleet management module
  • Condition-based triggers

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

BigChange

  • A UK facilities maintenance contractor with sixty vans that wants engineer location and job progress on one screen instead of a tracking portal and a scheduling toolnot IFS Ultimo EAM
  • A plant hire business that needs delivery, collection and service jobs planned against actual vehicle positions and driver hoursnot IFS Ultimo EAM
  • A commercial HVAC firm producing statutory service certificates on site and invoicing the same day from the job recordnot IFS Ultimo EAM
  • A waste and drainage operator that must evidence daily vehicle checks and driver behaviour to satisfy an insurer or an operator licencenot IFS Ultimo EAM

IFS Ultimo EAM

  • A hospital where hundreds of ward staff must report faults but only the estates planners need full maintenance functionalitynot BigChange
  • A manufacturer needing permits to work and lockout-tagout tied to the same work order as the maintenance tasknot BigChange
  • A public transport operator managing vehicle maintenance and depot facilities in one system rather than twonot BigChange
  • A mid-sized European site that wants an EAM configured for its industry in weeks rather than a blank platform implementationnot BigChange

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

BigChange

  • Simpro Group bought BigChange in October 2024 and also owns Simpro, AroFlo and ClockShark, so a UK buyer comparing BigChange with Simpro is choosing between two products whose roadmaps are set by the same owner.
  • The telematics is bundled rather than optional, so businesses that do not run a van fleet, or that are locked into an existing tracking contract, pay for capability they cannot use or duplicate.
  • Nothing is priced publicly and the vehicle hardware brings an equipment element into the contract, so total cost depends on van count as well as user count and cannot be estimated before a sales call.
  • Contracts have historically been multi-year with hardware attached, which makes leaving mid-term expensive and reduces your leverage at renewal.
  • The product is built around UK operating practice, accounting packages and compliance documents, so it is a weak fit for North America and needs configuration work in mainland Europe.

IFS Ultimo EAM

  • IFS sells two overlapping EAM products, Ultimo and IFS Cloud EAM, and a buyer signing a multi-year term is depending on the vendor funding both roadmaps at current levels.
  • IFS does not publish list pricing for Ultimo, so the widely quoted entry figures come from third-party review sites rather than the vendor and should not be used to build a budget.
  • Strength is concentrated in Europe, and organisations needing local-language support, partners and implementation resource in North America or Asia will find the channel much thinner.
  • The industry solution templates that accelerate go-live also encode assumptions, and organisations whose processes differ from the template spend the saved time on reconfiguration instead.
  • Reporting and analytics beyond the standard set generally push customers to Power BI, so plan for a separate business intelligence licence and the modelling work behind it.

Pricing, plan by plan

BigChange

On request
  • BigChange JobWatch$undefined/month
    • CRM, quoting and invoicing
    • Scheduling and dispatch
    • Mobile worker app with custom forms

IFS Ultimo EAM

On request
  • IFS Ultimo EAM$undefined/month
    • Priced per user with Self-Service, Light and Full tiers at different rates
    • Price per user does not change with the number of industry solutions enabled
    • Cloud subscription is the standard route; on-premise is legacy

Which should you pick?

Choose BigChange if

  • You need built-in vehicle tracking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want job scheduling.
BigChange review

Choose IFS Ultimo EAM if

  • You need three user licence types.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want industry solutions.
IFS Ultimo EAM review

Questions people ask

Is BigChange or IFS Ultimo EAM better?
Neither clearly leads. BigChange starts at On request and IFS Ultimo EAM at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BigChange or IFS Ultimo EAM?
BigChange starts at On request and IFS Ultimo EAM at On request.
Does BigChange or IFS Ultimo EAM run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is BigChange best used for?
BigChange is most often used for a uk facilities maintenance contractor with sixty vans that wants engineer location and job progress on one screen instead of a tracking portal and a scheduling tool, a plant hire business that needs delivery, collection and service jobs planned against actual vehicle positions and driver hours, a commercial hvac firm producing statutory service certificates on site and invoicing the same day from the job record, a waste and drainage operator that must evidence daily vehicle checks and driver behaviour to satisfy an insurer or an operator licence. Of those, a uk facilities maintenance contractor with sixty vans that wants engineer location and job progress on one screen instead of a tracking portal and a scheduling tool and a plant hire business that needs delivery, collection and service jobs planned against actual vehicle positions and driver hours are not what IFS Ultimo EAM is typically brought in for.
What can BigChange do that IFS Ultimo EAM cannot?
BigChange covers Built-in vehicle tracking, Job scheduling, Mobile worker app, Financial workflow. IFS Ultimo EAM covers Three user licence types, Industry solutions, Safety and compliance, Mobile maintenance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BigChange: Who owns BigChange?

Simpro Group, which acquired it from Great Hill Partners in October 2024. Simpro is backed by K1 Investment Management and also owns Simpro, AroFlo and ClockShark.

IFS Ultimo EAM: Is Ultimo still sold separately from IFS Cloud EAM?

Yes. IFS positions Ultimo at the mid-market and IFS Cloud EAM at large enterprises, and sells both.

BigChange: Is the vehicle tracking a separate purchase?

No. Telematics hardware and data are part of the BigChange subscription, which is the main reason it is chosen over job management tools that integrate a third-party tracker.

IFS Ultimo EAM: How does the user licensing work?

Three tiers: Self-Service for request and view, Light for occasional use, Full for planners and managers. Rates differ per tier.

BigChange: Does BigChange publish pricing?

No. Pricing is quoted after a demo and depends on user numbers, vehicle numbers and contract length.

IFS Ultimo EAM: Does enabling more industry solutions cost more per user?

No. The per-user price stays the same regardless of how many industry solutions you select.

BigChange: Is it usable outside the UK?

It is sold mainly in the UK and Ireland with some European deployment. Accounting integrations and compliance content assume UK practice.

IFS Ultimo EAM: Is on-premise still available?

Cloud subscription is the route IFS sells. On-premise exists in the installed base but is not the direction of travel.

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