Vento vs Fergus
Fergus is job-management software for trades, with a focus on workflow and cash flow. Fergus is strong on job workflow, scheduling and keeping trade businesses on top of cash flow. Vento focuses entirely on the air-conditioning survey-to-sale — heat-load sizing, split/multi-split design and F-Gas — rather than general job workflow.
The comparison below is at a category level: both handle the day-to-day admin of running a trade business, but only Vento is built around air-conditioning design and engineering. Fergus's exact features vary by plan and change over time — confirm current details on Fergus's website.
| Capability | Vento | Fergus |
|---|---|---|
| Air-conditioning design & engineering | ||
| Built specifically for air conditioning | The entire workflow | No |
| Room-by-room heat-load (Manual J) | Built in, instant | No |
| Split & multi-split system design | Scaled, construction-issue drawings | No |
| Unit capacity matching | From a SEER/SCOP catalogue | No |
| Condenser placement & pipe routing | On the drawing | No |
| F-Gas register, CO₂e & leak-check scheduling | Built in | Varies |
| Running-cost estimates on proposals (SEER/SCOP) | Automatic | No |
| Running your business | ||
| Jobs, scheduling & CRM | Yes | Yes |
| Quotes & invoicing | Yes | Yes |
| Branded proposals with e-signature | Good/Better/Best options | Varies |
| Online payments & deposits | Card, Klarna, DD, transfer | Yes |
| Service & maintenance plans | Recurring, with certificates | Yes |
| Mobile app for on-site work | Full workflow on a phone | Yes |
| Running the operation | ||
| Dispatch board | Drag-and-drop, per engineer | Yes |
| Route planning | From Professional | Varies |
| Van & store stock | Ledger-backed levels | Varies |
| Purchase orders & invoice matching | Yes | Varies |
| Subcontractor job access | Per-job link, no account | Varies |
| Lone-worker check-ins | Office alerted if missed | Varies |
| Customer portal | Emailed link, no password | Varies |
| Schedule of Rates pricing | Import NHF, PSA or your own | Varies |
| Batch billing for maintenance contracts | Draft, review, commit | Varies |
"Varies" means the capability exists in some form or depends on plan/integration. General field-service platforms cover many trades; air-con-specific engineering like room-by-room heat-load and refrigerant system design is not something they set out to do. We don't speak for Fergus's product — verify current capabilities directly.
Where Vento wins for air-con installers
- The engineering is built in — Room-by-room heat load, capacity matching and scaled system drawings are part of the workflow — not a separate CAD seat, spreadsheet or add-on a general tool can't provide.
- Purpose-built, not adapted — Vento only does air conditioning, so surveying, sizing, drawings and F-Gas fit how your jobs actually run — where Fergus is built to serve many trades at once.
- Win the job on the visit — Survey, design, proposal, e-sign and deposit happen in one visit, so you leave with a signed job and money in the bank.
If you run several trades, a broad platform like Fergus may suit you. If air conditioning is your business, Vento is built for exactly that.
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