iCertifi alternative: a fair comparison with ZipCert (2026)
iCertifi is a long-running BS 7671 app on Apple and now Android. ZipCert is a phone-first alternative for sole traders and small firms. We've sourced every iCertifi fact from iCertifi's own pages, checked 29 Oct 2026.
The short answer
Pick ZipCert for one simple app on any phone, synced between engineers, with Board photo fill included in every plan (no tokens). Stay on iCertifi if you need its wider certificate range, Mac and iPad apps, remote QS sign-off or Test Vision.
ZipCert on a phone: EICR walkthrough (illustrative only).
ZipCert vs iCertifi at a glance
| What we compared | ZipCert | iCertifi | iCertifi Cloud Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Solo £15 a month or £150 a year. Extra engineers £7 a month or £70 a year. No VAT added. Founding: £12 a month or £120 a year for the first 20 firms that pay by 31 Dec 2026, held for 12 months | £59.99 for 3 months, £89.99 for 6 months; £125.99 for 12 months. VAT not stated | £24.99 a month or £190 a year. Team 5 £699 a year. VAT not stated |
| Trial | 14-day free trial, no card | Free in trial mode; subscription needed to send, save, print or export. Android: 14-day free trial through Google Play | 7-day free trial |
| Runs on | Phone browser, added to the home screen. No App Store or Play Store app | iPhone, iPad, Apple-silicon Mac, Apple Watch. Android 10+ since 3 Oct 2026 | iPhone, iPad, Apple-silicon Mac only |
| Sync | Drafts sync when you're back in signal | iCloud between Apple devices. Android certificates stay on the phone | iCloud across iPhone, iPad and Mac |
| Works with no signal | Fill in with no signal; syncs when back in signal. Board photo fill needs signal. Issue queues and retries | Yes. AI features such as Board Vision need a connection | Yes |
| Forms | Built to the A4:2026 model form layout (BS 7671:2018+A4:2026) | A4:2026 | A4:2026 |
| AI board photo | Included in every plan, no tokens. EICR and EIC. Marks unsure items "check". No 3-phase boards | Board Vision; AI token packs (10 for £0.99, 50 for £3.99, 250 for £8.99) | Board Vision; uses AI tokens |
| Talk to text | Yes, on every multi-line text box (not readings) | Not listed on the pages checked | Not listed |
| Scheme status | Not NICEIC or NAPIT approved | Says it's not tied to any scheme | Says it's not tied to any scheme |
Sources (checked 29 Oct 2026): icertifi.co.uk/eicr-app/; App Store listing; Cloud Pro pages; icertifi.co.uk/icertifi-apps-on-android/.
What's the same
Both let you fill in certificates with no signal and sync later. ZipCert is built to the A4:2026 model form layout (BS 7671:2018+A4:2026), and iCertifi says it uses A4:2026 forms. Both do EICR, EIC and Minor Works. Both read a photo of the board into the circuit schedule with AI. Both give you a branded PDF.
Where ZipCert is different
Board photo fill is built in
On the EICR and EIC, the AI fills the circuit number, description, device BS, type, rating, kA and RCD fields. Unsure items are marked "check". Needs signal; with no signal it shows "Photo reading needs signal" and doesn't queue. No 3-phase boards. Included in every plan with no tokens. iCertifi sells AI token packs: 10 for £0.99, 50 for £3.99, 250 for £8.99, per its App Store listing.
Talk to text, Point 5 checks and simple signing
Talk instead of typing observations and notes. Point 5 checks catch incomplete items before you issue. Each signature block needs its own tap; one person may sign several blocks. There's no remote QS sign-off.
One login on any phone, synced
ZipCert runs in the phone's browser from the home screen. Drafts sync for the office and other engineers. iCertifi says its Android certificates stay on the phone and don't sync with iPhone, iPad or Mac.
A published price with no VAT added
Solo is £15 a month or £150 a year. Extra engineers are £7 a month or £70 a year.
Tap Issue, get the PDF
A branded PDF is built on your phone when you tap Issue. With no signal, Issue queues, retries and shows a "waiting" note.
Where iCertifi is stronger
- Track record. On UK sites since 2011, with over 6,900 App Store ratings (icertifi.co.uk/eicr-app/).
- More certificate types. App Store listing names 15 types; Cloud Pro lists 16. ZipCert leads with EICR, EIC and Minor Works; EV charge point, solar PV, fire alarm, emergency lighting and PAT are also included.
- Test Vision / MFT scanner. Photograph the tester's screen into the boxes.
- Apple devices. Native apps on iPhone, iPad, Apple-silicon Mac and Apple Watch.
- Supervisor tools (Cloud Pro). Remote QS sign-off, team roles, diary, client tracking link, NFC, Zapier/Make/n8n.
- Import PDF and Circuit Designer / Spark AI.
- Lower single-user yearly price. £125.99 for 12 months (App Store) against ZipCert Solo at £150 a year. ZipCert founding is £120 a year for the first 20 firms that pay by 31 Dec 2026, held for 12 months.
What it costs for your size of firm
- 1 person: ZipCert £150 a year (or £120 founding). iCertifi £125.99 for 12 months, plus any AI token packs.
- 3 engineers: ZipCert £150 + 2 × £70 = £290 a year. iCertifi Cloud Pro Team 5 is £699 a year (up to 5 seats).
- 5 engineers: ZipCert £150 + 4 × £70 = £430 a year. iCertifi Cloud Pro Team 5 is £699 a year.
ZipCert figures have no VAT added. iCertifi's pages don't state VAT.
Switching from iCertifi
Start a ZipCert 14-day free trial, no card, at /try, do your next EICR in it, and keep your iCertifi PDFs for old jobs. ZipCert doesn't import from other apps. Check your own renewal date before you change anything.
Is ZipCert NICEIC or NAPIT approved?
No. ZipCert is not affiliated with NICEIC or NAPIT and does not claim approval. Schemes assess certificate content, not the software brand. Ask your scheme what they need.
See it first
Sample EICR · All samples · Pricing · EICR app · Tradecert alternative
Questions
What is a good alternative to iCertifi?
ZipCert is a phone-first iCertifi alternative for UK sole-trader electricians and small firms. It does EICR, EIC and Minor Works certificates, built to the A4:2026 model form layout (BS 7671:2018+A4:2026), and also includes EV charge point, solar PV, fire alarm, emergency lighting and PAT certificates. You can fill in a certificate with no signal and it syncs when you're back in signal. It runs in your phone's browser from the home screen, so there's no app store download. When you have signal, its AI reads a photo of the consumer board to fill in the circuit schedule, and readings stay editable. You get a branded PDF when you tap Issue; with no signal, Issue queues and retries until you're back in signal. Solo is £15 a month or £150 a year with no VAT added, with a 14-day free trial, no card.
Does iCertifi work on Android?
Yes. iCertifi launched on Google Play on 3 Oct 2026, per iCertifi. Android certificates stay on the phone and don't sync with iPhone, iPad or Mac, and App Store and Google Play subscriptions are separate.
Can I move my iCertifi certificates to ZipCert?
No. ZipCert doesn't import from other apps. Keep your iCertifi PDFs for old jobs. Within ZipCert you can copy from a previous cert.