To be a successful accounting firm requires precision in three areas: process, people, and profitability. Streamlined procedures and efficient protocols ensure smooth operations while fostering positive and strong partnerships with clients through collaboration and communication ensures growth and profitability.
Yet, too many accounting firms find themselves buried under missed deadlines, scattered client communications, and disorganized workflows. In fact, a recent study shows that 37% of accountants miss client deadlines because of poor communication.
That's where tools like Financial Cents promise to help accounting firms break free from chaos and improve workflow through automation, client management, and time tracking in a unified platform. However, is Financial Cents everything your company needs? Are there better alternatives in the market?
In this blog, we'll give you a detailed Financial Cents review, breaking down its standout features, pricing model, and alternatives to help you find an accounting software that is right for your unique needs.
What is Financial Cents?
Financial Cents is accounting practice management software that helps accounting firms streamline their operations. It offers task management, document storage, team collaboration, and workflow automation. Designed for small and mid-sized accounting firms, it is touted to be an affordable and efficient solution to accounting firm challenges.
Top Features of Financial Cents
As a software for accounting firms, Financial Cents streamlines the accounting workflow process and boosts productivity with a host of features. Below are its top features:
1. Workflow Automation
Financial Cents offers workflow automation that helps reduce manual work and instead focus on billable hours. The recurring work feature helps stay on top of deadlines, ensuring efficiency, while the dashboard offers visibility and prevents missed deadlines.
2. Client Management
This tool helps you automate data collection from clients, sending requests and reminders periodically until all tasks are completed. It also offers a passwordless portal for clients to directly upload all documents securely, automates onboarding for faster integration, and supports in-app communication.
3. Time Tracking and Billing
Financial Cents solves time-tracking and missed payment issues with automated billing and invoicing software that logs hours, sends client reminders, and allows monitoring in a single platform. Apart from recurring invoices, it also supports one-off payments and provides flexible payment options to clients.
4. Client Database
You can store and organize all client information in a single place to keep track of client interactions, identify the communication line, and even automate client data collection. The unified platform is especially useful to eliminate miscommunication and lost data.
5. Integrations
Apart from email integrations that provide full visibility into client and team communication, Financial Cents supports other vital integrations like QuickBooks, Typeform, Anchor, and Zapier for seamless cross-application management.
Who is Financial Cents for?
Financial Cents is best suited for:
- Accounting firms
- Bookkeeping firms
Pricing and Plans
From solo entrepreneurs to large firms, Financial Cents has pricing plans that suits a range of clients. Every plan comes with a free 14-day trial and a free 30-day money-back assurance. This way, you can try it out with no risk. Now, let’s see the Financial cents pricing in detail.
Also Read: Discover how AI in accounting is transforming the industry and helping firms optimize efficiency.
Yearly Plans (Billed Annually)
- Solo Plan ($19/month): Includes workflow automation, invoicing, a client portal, document management, and QuickBooks integration.
- Team Plan ($49/month per user): Offers collaboration tools, e-signatures, unlimited tags, integrated email, and enhanced automation.
- Scale Plan ($69/month per user): Offers auto-follow-ups, task dependencies, SmartVault integration, and a branded client portal for more automation and customization.
- Enterprise (Custom Pricing): Tailored for large firms, this plan includes IP whitelisting, advanced security, custom user permissions, and dedicated support.
Monthly Plans (Billed Monthly)
- Team Plan ($69/month per user): Includes the same features as the yearly plan, offering flexibility without a long-term commitment.
- Scale Plan ($89/month per user): Provides full automation and integration features, ideal for firms seeking advanced workflow enhancements.
- Enterprise (Custom Pricing): This offers the highest level of security, customization, and dedicated customer success support.
3 Best Alternatives to Financial Cents
Financial Cents as a software for bookkeepers and accountants does have certain cons including limited features for some, lackluster workflow automation compared to competitors, and steep pricing for growing firms. If Financial Cents doesn’t fully align with your firm’s needs, here are three top alternatives worth considering.
1. Cone
Cone is a mighty alternative to Financial Cents, offering an intuitive accounting practice management software with automation features designed to enhance efficiency and productivity. Its features are powerful for accounting firms, including:
Features:
- Automated Billing System: Invoice and payments without the chaos.
- Proposals: Save time with ready-to-use proposal templates that you can customize.
- Invoice Automation: Reducing manual billing work through automatic invoicing.
- Payments Integration: Accepts online payments directly from invoices.
- End-to-End Workflow Automation: Automating task assignments, deadlines, and approvals.
- E-mail Integration: Integrates with e-mails.
- Client portal: Connects with clients for client requests.
- Workflow and task management: Manages tasks and workflows seamlessly.
- QuickBooks & Xero Sync: It syncs in real time with the financial data.
Cone Pricing:
- Starter: $5/user/mo (billed annually) | $8/user/mo (billed monthly)
- Essentials: $11/user/mo (billed annually) | $16/user/mo (billed monthly)
- Growth: $17/user/mo (billed annually) | $24/user/mo (billed monthly)
Also Read: Learn how integrated email accounting practice management software can boost efficiency by centralizing communication.
2. Karbon
Karbon practice management software is collaborative software for accounting firms that need advanced workflow automation and team communication tools.
Its top features include:
- Automated Task Workflows: Customizable workflows to improve efficiency.
- Collaboration Tools: Real-time team collaboration and task tracking.
- Email Integration: Connects emails with client records for better visibility.
- Billing & Time Tracking: Tracks billable hours and automates invoices.
- Document Sharing: Securely stores and shares client files.
- Team: $59/user/mo (billed annually) | $79/user/mo (billed monthly)
- Business: $89/user/mo (billed annually) | $99/user/mo (billed monthly)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing available
3. Canopy
Canopy accounting software is a client-focused practice management software built for tax professionals and accountants who need robust document management and workflow automation.
Its features include:
- Secure Document Management: Encrypted file sharing and storage.
- Built-in CRM: Organizes client information and communication.
- Automated Workflows: Streamlines task management and tax preparation.
- Custom Dashboards: Provides a visual overview of projects and deadlines.
- Mobile Accessibility: Cloud-based platform with mobile-friendly functionality.
Canopy Pricing:
- Starter: $540/year ($45/user/mo, billed annually) | $60/user/mo (billed monthly)
- Essentials: $792/year ($66/user/mo, billed annually) | $88/user/mo (billed monthly)
Be a Go-Getter with Cone
If Financial Cents isn’t the perfect fit, there are alternative options that can greatly improve the way you go about your accounting. Cone is an all-in-one solution that can boost your accounting practice with workflow automation, powerful integrations, comprehensive CRM capabilities, project management, proposal-to-payment solutions, a robust client portal, and much more for a reasonable price.
Start your Cone’s free trial today!