Information contained in this post is based on publicly available documentation as of the most recent publish date. Products and features are continually updated and we will make an effort to update the information in this post to reflect those changes.
New software is a serious investment, and it’s smart to do your due diligence to determine which platform is best for your business. But the research required to make an informed decision can be time-consuming and confusing — you may mostly come across complex comparisons that don’t address your real questions.
That’s why we’ve decided to take a different approach.
We know you need more than a feature-by-feature breakdown to feel comfortable committing to a client work management solution, and we believe you deserve the truth about the software you’re about to invest in.
Below, we get straight to the point with what you need to know if you’re considering both BigTime and Accelo.
BigTime is a professional services automation (PSA) software that offers project management, time tracking, billing and more for accounting and consulting firms, creative agencies, IT providers and other professional services businesses. This platform was built to connect teams and offer company-wide visibility and detailed reporting in a modern user interface.
BigTime's capacity planning dashboard (Image from BigTime.net)
BigTime recently acquired Projector PSA — now called Projector by BigTime — in 2022.
Projector by BigTime’s organization-level dashboard (Image from GetApp.com)
BigTime reports that this acquisition will expand its consultative services and result in more frequent functional improvements on both platforms.
Below, we’ll review the combined offerings of both BigTime and Projector by BigTime.
BigTime’s pricing is as follows:
Projector by BigTime offers custom quotes for two tiers:
BigTime helps you match employees' skills to each project (Image from BigTime.net)
According to G2 reviewers, Accelo and BigTime are comparable in the world of cloud-based project management platforms when it comes to core offerings.
Users rate Accelo higher than BigTime for project planning, sales, invoice management, budget tracking and our client portal. BigTime has a bit of a leg up in KPI/baseline visualization, recurring task management and the availability of offline access.
While BigTime may offer some of the features you need, can it help your business grow over time?
Accelo is a PSA alternative to BigTime that offers more intuitive automations and workflow management options. The client-focused platform allows your team members and clients to access project collaboration tools that support better relationships and recurring work.
Let’s review how these two platforms compare in terms of resource management, task and project visibility and customer support.
Accelo's Retainers dashboard displays everything you need to know about your recurring work.
Both platforms are set up for logging time, support automated scheduling and offer robust time entry capabilities. However, Accelo can perform bulk assignments, while BigTime allows auto-scheduling at the project level.
Staffing time is simple in Accelo since no action is dependent on approvals. That means your client payments and payroll will not be delayed while your team waits on managers to approve invoices or timesheets.
If approvals are necessary for your team, BigTime is set up to allow multiple approvals on a single workflow. And Projector by BigTime uses a method called “rolling wave scheduling,” which takes into account the up-and-down nature of a professional services team’s workload.
Daily business operations, particularly in project management, can feel unorganized and lack detail in BigTime, making oversight difficult for project managers. Accelo users frequently report a positive change in visibility for various roles thanks to the way the platform links every stage of the client relationship from prospecting to billing.
External communication is another key area in which teams benefit from visibility. Users love Accelo's Activity Stream, which displays all email communication with clients and other activities performed on their accounts, enhancing visibility for the entire team. BigTime doesn’t currently offer email tracking, making it difficult to follow correspondence history.
Consistent, reliable support is essential to your experience in any software platform. This is where neither Accelo nor BigTime will let you down.
Accelo received 33 new badges in G2's Spring 2023 Awards, including a leader badge in Customer Success. Many users claim BigTime and Projector by BigTime also have helpful support teams.
The best way to get a sense of whether a platform can help you achieve your business goals is to jump in and start using it. Before you make a final choice, see what Accelo can do and ask questions about how it compares to BigTime — or any other solution you’re exploring.
Schedule a demo of Accelo today.
