Elec-Mate vs NAPIT FastTest
FastTest carries the NAPIT name — scheme-backed certification software covering electrical installation, fire alarm and emergency lighting documents. Elec-Mate is scheme-neutral and covers the whole trade: AI-assisted certificates, 70+ calculators, RAMS, quoting, invoicing, payments and training. The honest comparison.
1,000+
UK electricians
“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”
Daniel Palmer — DP Electrical
Key Takeaways
- 1FastTest’s draw is the NAPIT name: scheme-backed software that produces electrical installation, fire alarm and emergency lighting certification, sold through the NAPIT shop with subscription and per-device licence options.
- 2You do not need to be a NAPIT member to use either product — and NAPIT members are free to use any certification software, including Elec-Mate.
- 3Elec-Mate’s certificates fill themselves: board photo to circuit schedule, spoken readings to test results, plain-English defects to coded observations with regulation citations.
- 4Beyond certificates, FastTest stops; Elec-Mate continues into calculators, RAMS, quoting, invoicing, payments and training in the same £19.99/month.
- 5Pricing transparency differs: Elec-Mate’s price is public and flat; FastTest is licensed through the NAPIT shop with tiered licence options — check current costs there before comparing totals.
What Is NAPIT FastTest?
FastTest is certification software from NAPIT, one of the UK's leading competent person scheme operators. It produces electrical installation certification along with fire alarm and emergency lighting documents, and is sold through the NAPIT shop as a subscription with additional licence options (including mobile-only licences) for extra users and devices.
FastTest's strengths: the scheme pedigree — software from the organisation that audits the work — plus coverage of fire alarm and emergency lighting documents alongside electrical. For NAPIT members who want everything from one supplier, that is a real draw.
What Is Elec-Mate?
Elec-Mate is scheme-neutral software built for the whole trade: 16 certificate types to BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 (including fire alarm and emergency lighting), the AI suite that fills them (Board Scanner, Voice Test Entry, Defect Code AI, Remedial Cost Estimator), 70+ calculators, AI RAMS, 46+ training courses and the business layer — quoting, invoicing, Stripe payments and Xero sync.
It works identically whichever scheme you are registered with — NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or none. £19.99/month flat, 7-day free trial.
Try Elec-Mate free for 7 days
16 certificate types, 70+ calculators, RAMS, quoting, invoicing, AI agents, and 46+ training courses — from £6.99/mo.
Start free trial
Scheme Software vs Trade Platform
Buying software from your scheme operator feels safe, and FastTest is competent certification software. But scheme membership does not require scheme software — your NAPIT (or NICEIC) assessment cares that the certificate is correct and compliant, not which app produced it.
Compliant Whatever Your Scheme
BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 certificates with the AFDD and domestic lighting RCD fields — accepted for NAPIT, NICEIC and ELECSA members alike.
Try it free for 7 daysOnce the compliance question is settled, the comparison is workflow: FastTest certificates are filled manually; Elec-Mate's fill from a photo and your voice, code their own defects, and price their own remedials. Then the platform carries on to the quote, the invoice and the payment — none of which FastTest attempts.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Feature | Elec-Mate | NAPIT FastTest |
|---|---|---|---|
| BS 7671 electrical certificates | |||
| Fire alarm + emergency lighting certificates | |||
| Scheme-operator brand | Scheme-neutral | NAPIT | |
| Works for members of any scheme (NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA…) | |||
| AI Board Scanner (photo → circuit schedule) | |||
| Voice Test Entry (speak your readings) | |||
| Defect Code AI with BS 7671 citations | |||
| AI Remedial Cost Estimator | |||
| 70+ BS 7671 calculators | |||
| Quoting & invoicing built in | |||
| Stripe payment collection | |||
| AI RAMS generator | |||
| Training courses + mock exams | |||
| Public pricing | £19.99/mo flat | Via NAPIT shop |
The Verdict
If the NAPIT badge on your software matters to you and manual certificate entry is acceptable, FastTest is a legitimate, scheme-backed choice — particularly if fire alarm and emergency lighting documents are a big part of your work.
If you want the certificate to fill itself and the job to carry on to a priced remedial quote, an invoice and a payment — with the calculators, RAMS and training in the same app — Elec-Mate covers all of it, scheme-neutral, at a public flat price of £19.99/month.
The 7-day trial is the test: one EICR, board photo, spoken readings, coded defects, priced remedials. Compare that with manual entry and decide.
What Only Elec-Mate Offers
AI Board Scanner
Photograph the consumer unit; the circuit schedule fills itself.
Voice Test Entry
Speak readings while testing — the schedule of test results types itself.
Defect Code AI
Plain-English defect in, coded C1/C2/C3/FI observation out with the regulation cited.
70+ BS 7671 Calculators
Cable sizing, Zs, volt drop, max demand, adiabatic and more.
Quoting, Invoicing & Payments
The certificate flows into the remedial quote, the invoice and the Stripe payment.
Training + Mock Exams
46+ courses, 20,000+ questions — 18th Edition, 2391, AM2, apprentice quals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Trusted by electricians across the UK
Real feedback from real sparks
“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”
Daniel Palmer
Sole Trader · DP Electrical
“I've won two contracts this month because I could turn quotes around same-day with the AI cost engineer.”
Nathan Perry
Electrician · NP Electrical Services
“The study centre got me through my AM2. Mock exams and flashcards are brilliant.”
Jake Pizey
3rd Year Apprentice · Apprentice
Scheme-neutral. Workflow-complete.
AI certificates, calculators, RAMS, invoicing and training — free for 7 days, whatever your scheme.
“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”
Daniel Palmer, DP Electrical
From £6.99/mo after trial — less than a coffee a week