Resource Planning and PSA · Researched comparison

10 Best PSA Software for Architecture Firms

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Key takeaways

  • Productive and Scoro fit architecture firms best when fee proposals, phase budgets and timesheets must stay in one place.
  • Kantata and Accelo suit larger practices with multi-team resourcing, but both keep pricing behind a quote.
  • monday.com, ClickUp, Asana, Teamwork, Wrike and Smartsheet start between $9 and $10.99 per user per month billed annually, and each offers a free plan or a trial.
  • Pick by billing model first: hourly work needs strong time tracking, while fixed fee work needs phase budgets and overrun alerts.
  • Small studios can start on a free plan or a trial, then move to a subscription tier once phase budgets and invoicing become daily work.

Comparison

How these compare
ToolBest forPrice rangeFree plan
ProductiveFee and phase tracking for studios$9 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
ScoroQuotes, phases and profitability$19.90 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (14 days)
KantataLarge practices with complex resourcingquote onlyNo
AcceloClient lifecycle from quote to invoicequote onlyFree trial (14 days)
monday.comFlexible visual project boards$9 per seat/month (billed annually)Yes
ClickUpTasks, time and docs in one place$9 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
AsanaCoordinating phases and consultants$10.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
TeamworkClient work with templates and billing$9.99 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
WrikeApprovals and portfolio reporting$9.80 per user/month (billed annually)Yes
SmartsheetSpreadsheet style budgets and schedules$9 per user/month (billed annually)Free trial (30 days)

How we choose

We reviewed each vendor pricing page and feature documentation on 2026-11-13 and compared the tools on the factors that matter to architecture firms: phase based budgets, fee proposals, time tracking, resource scheduling, invoicing and reporting. We checked starting prices on the vendor pricing pages and recorded them as billed annually, and we marked tools as quote only where the vendor does not publish a price. We compared free plans and trial lengths from the same pages. We did not claim hands on testing, and we did not use scores or ratings. Our comparison focused on documented features and plan limits, so the limits we list come from the vendor plan pages and documentation rather than from opinion.

Our full method

The shortlist

★ Best overall

The best PSA software for architecture firms

2

Productive

Best for Fee proposals and phase budgets for architecture studios

Website: https://www.productive.io

Best for: Fee proposals and phase budgets for architecture studios

Starting price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Pros: Phase budgets linked to timesheets; strong invoicing and fee tracking

Cons: Advanced reporting sits on higher subscription tiers; setup takes time for firms new to PSA tools

Productive was built for service firms that sell time and manage fixed fees, and that focus shows in how it handles architecture work. You can set a fee for a whole project, split it across phases such as concept, schematic design, design development and construction documents, and watch hours land against each phase budget as the team logs time. When a phase starts to run over, the budget view makes it visible before the fee is gone. Invoicing pulls directly from logged hours and agreed fees, so the gap between timesheets and bills stays small.

Reporting covers utilisation, project profit and team capacity, though the deeper reports need a higher subscription tier. For a studio of 10 to 60 people that bills a mix of fixed fees and hourly work, Productive covers the full arc from proposal to invoice without forcing the team to juggle separate tools.

3

Scoro

Best for Quotes, phase budgets and project profitability

Website: https://www.scoro.com

Best for: Quotes, phase budgets and project profitability

Starting price: $19.90 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Pros: Quoting, planning and billing in one workspace; live profitability views

Cons: No free plan, and the entry price is higher than most rivals; some features need a higher tier

Scoro brings quoting, project planning, time tracking and billing into one workspace, which suits architecture firms that want a single source of truth for fees. You can build a fee proposal, turn it into a project with phases, assign tasks to team members and track time against each phase budget. The dashboard shows project profitability in real time, so a principal can see which jobs are earning their fee and which are drifting.

Scoro also handles invoicing, expenses and retainers, which helps firms that bill in stages tied to design milestones. The trade off is price: the entry tier starts at $19.90 per user per month billed annually, and some features, such as deeper reporting, need a higher tier. There is no free plan, only a 14 day trial, so a small studio should test it with a real project before committing.

4

Kantata

Best for Large practices with multi-team resourcing

Website: https://www.kantata.com

Best for: Large practices with multi-team resourcing

Starting price: quote only

Free plan: No

Pros: Deep resource planning and project financials; strong forecasting

Cons: No public pricing, and implementation can take weeks; no free plan for small firms to test

Kantata, formerly Mavenlink, is aimed at larger professional services firms, and it fits architecture practices that run many projects across several teams. It combines project accounting, resource management and business intelligence, so a practice can plan staffing months ahead, track time against phase budgets and forecast revenue from the pipeline.

Project financials track fees, costs and margins, and the reporting tools can cut that data by client, office or project type. The main drawback for smaller firms is access: Kantata does not publish prices, so every deal starts with a sales conversation and a quote, and implementation can take weeks rather than days. There is no free plan. For a practice of 50 or more people with complex resourcing needs, the depth may justify the effort, while a small studio will usually find it more than the firm needs.

5

Accelo

Best for Client lifecycle from sales quote to final invoice

Website: https://www.accelo.com

Best for: Client lifecycle from sales quote to final invoice

Starting price: quote only

Free plan: Free trial (14 days)

Pros: Retainer tracking and client portal; sales, delivery and billing in one system

Cons: No public per user pricing; setup can feel heavy for small firms

Accelo covers the full client lifecycle, from sales and quoting through project delivery, time tracking and invoicing, which matches how architecture firms win and run work. A fee proposal can become a project with phases and milestones, and time logged against each phase feeds directly into billing. Retainers are a strong point: firms that charge clients a monthly retainer for ongoing advisory or small works can track retainer balances and burn down automatically.

Accelo does not publish per user prices, so firms must request a quote, and the platform can feel heavy for a studio that only needs simple time tracking and invoicing. There is no free plan, though a 14 day trial is available. Accelo fits mid size to large practices that want sales, delivery and billing in one system and are ready to invest time in setup.

6

monday.com

Best for Flexible visual boards for project phases

Website: https://monday.com

Best for: Flexible visual boards for project phases

Starting price: $9 per seat/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Visual timelines and workload views; low cost entry point

Cons: Time tracking and workload views need a higher subscription tier; fee tracking needs integrations; phase budgets need manual setup

monday.com is a flexible work platform that many architecture firms shape into a light PSA by combining boards, timelines and time tracking. You can build a board per project, track phases as groups of tasks, assign work to team members and view the whole portfolio on a timeline or Gantt chart. The workload view shows who is overbooked, which helps a studio spread work across the team. Time tracking is available, and integrations connect the platform to accounting and file tools.

The entry plan starts at $9 per seat per month billed annually and a free plan exists, so a small studio can start at low cost. The limits show at the lower tiers: time tracking, workload views and some automations need a higher subscription tier, and building a proper phase budget view takes manual setup. For firms that value flexibility and a visual workspace over built in project accounting, monday.com is a practical starting point.

7

ClickUp

Best for Tasks, time tracking and docs in one place

Website: https://clickup.com

Best for: Tasks, time tracking and docs in one place

Starting price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Generous free plan; custom fields for fees and phase budgets

Cons: The sheer number of features can overwhelm a small team; advanced time tracking sits on higher tiers

ClickUp packs a wide set of tools into one place: tasks, docs, goals, time tracking and dashboards, which lets an architecture firm run design phases, track hours and report progress without extra software. You can set up a project per job, break phases into lists, assign tasks with deadlines and log time directly on each task. Custom fields can hold fee values and phase budgets, and dashboards can show hours against budget. The free plan is generous, and the entry subscription tier starts at $9 per user per month billed annually.

The breadth is also the drawback: the sheer number of features can overwhelm a small team, and setup takes care to keep boards consistent across projects. Advanced time tracking and reporting features sit on higher tiers. For a studio that wants one tool for tasks, time and docs, and is willing to invest a day in setup, ClickUp offers strong value.

8

Asana

Best for Coordinating design phases and consultants

Website: https://asana.com

Best for: Coordinating design phases and consultants

Starting price: $10.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Clear timeline and portfolio views; good consultant coordination

Cons: Time tracking and workload views need a higher subscription tier; fee tracking needs integrations

Asana is a work management platform that architecture firms use to run design phases, coordinate consultants and keep project timelines visible. Projects can mirror design stages, with tasks for drawings, submissions and reviews, and the timeline view shows how phases overlap across the portfolio. Portfolios and workload views help principals see who is busy and which projects need attention, though workload is limited to higher tiers. Time tracking is available through native features and integrations, and rules can automate routine steps such as moving a task when a phase is approved.

The entry tier starts at $10.99 per user per month billed annually, and a free plan covers basic task work. Asana is less of a finance tool than a dedicated PSA: fee tracking and invoicing need integrations or manual work. For firms that already run projects in Asana and want clean coordination, it is a solid choice.

9

Teamwork

Best for Client work with templates, time and billing

Website: https://www.teamwork.com

Best for: Client work with templates, time and billing

Starting price: $9.99 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Project templates that mirror design phases; invoicing from logged hours

Cons: Workload management and deeper reporting need a higher subscription tier; advanced resource planning sits higher still

Teamwork was built for client work, and its project templates, time tracking and billing features map well to architecture practice. You can create a project from a template that mirrors your design phases, assign tasks, track time and generate invoices from logged hours. Workload views show team capacity, and the client view lets firms share progress with clients. The entry tier starts at $9.99 per user per month billed annually, and a free plan covers small teams getting started.

The limits are at the lower end: workload management and deeper reporting need a higher subscription tier, and the most advanced resource planning sits higher still. For a studio of 5 to 40 people that wants a clear, client focused project tool with honest time tracking and invoicing, Teamwork is easy to adopt and quick to set up.

10

Wrike

Best for Approvals, dependencies and portfolio reporting

Website: https://www.wrike.com

Best for: Approvals, dependencies and portfolio reporting

Starting price: $9.80 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Pros: Structured approvals for drawings and submissions; clear Gantt views

Cons: Resource management is limited on the entry tier; the interface can feel complex for small studios

Wrike is a work management platform with strong project views, approvals and time tracking, which suits architecture firms that run formal review cycles. Projects can follow design phases, with tasks, subtasks and approval steps for drawings and submissions, and the Gantt view shows dependencies across the portfolio. Resource views help managers balance workloads, though resource management is limited on the entry tier. Time tracking logs hours against tasks, and reports can show time by project or phase.

The entry tier starts at $9.80 per user per month billed annually, and a free plan covers basic task management. Wrike can feel complex for a small studio, and some features need a higher tier. For mid size firms that need structured approvals, clear dependencies and portfolio reporting, Wrike is a capable option.

11

Smartsheet

Best for Spreadsheet style budgets and project schedules

Website: https://www.smartsheet.com

Best for: Spreadsheet style budgets and project schedules

Starting price: $9 per user/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (30 days)

Pros: Familiar grid views for fees and schedules; strong dashboards

Cons: No free plan, and resource management can be an add on; building phase budget views takes manual work

Smartsheet is a spreadsheet style work platform that architecture firms use to track project plans, budgets and schedules in a familiar grid. Sheets can hold phase budgets, fee schedules and task lists, while Gantt views show timelines and dependencies. Resource management is available, though on some plans it is an add on, so firms should check what is included. Dashboards can pull hours, costs and milestones into one view for principals, and forms can collect timesheet or site data from the team.

The entry tier starts at $9 per user per month billed annually, and a 30 day trial is available, but there is no free plan. Smartsheet suits firms that think in spreadsheets and want flexible tracking without a rigid project structure. The trade off is setup: building a good phase budget and billing view takes manual work.

What to check before you buy

Before you commit, run a trial with a real project, not a demo file. Set up the actual phases, enter the real fee, and log a week of time so you can see whether phase budgets, overrun alerts and invoicing behave the way your practice needs. Check the cost at your full team size, not just the headline price, and confirm which features sit on higher subscription tiers. Confirm that the tool exports timesheets and invoices in formats your accountant accepts, and check how it handles expenses and consultant fees. Ask about support hours and onboarding, and check whether resource management is included or sold as an add on.

FAQ

What is PSA software for architecture firms?

PSA software combines project planning, time tracking, resource scheduling, fee management and invoicing in one system. For an architecture firm it links a fee proposal to design phases, tracks hours against each phase budget, shows who is available, and turns logged time into invoices. It replaces the patchwork of spreadsheets, timesheet tools and accounting exports that many studios still use.

How much does PSA software cost for a small architecture studio?

Most tools in this guide start between $9 and $10.99 per user per month billed annually, so a studio of 10 people pays roughly $90 to $110 per month before tax. Scoro starts higher at $19.90 per user per month. Kantata and Accelo do not publish prices, so a small studio should request a quote and compare the total annual cost at its full team size.

Can a small architecture firm use a free plan?

Yes, monday.com, ClickUp, Asana, Teamwork and Wrike all offer a free plan, though each limits features such as time tracking, workload views or reporting. Productive, Scoro, Accelo and Smartsheet offer a trial of 14 or 30 days instead. Kantata has no free plan and no trial. A free plan works for task tracking, but phase budgets and invoicing usually need a subscription tier.

What is the difference between a PSA and a project management tool?

A project management tool tracks tasks, deadlines and team workload. A PSA adds the commercial side: fee proposals, phase budgets, time tracking tied to billing, resource planning and invoicing. For architecture firms the difference matters because fees are tied to phases, so a tool that only tracks tasks cannot show whether a phase is still earning its fee.

Do architecture firms need resource scheduling in a PSA?

Resource scheduling matters once a firm runs several projects at once, because it shows who is booked, who is free and where a bottleneck is forming. A studio of 5 people can manage capacity on a shared calendar, but a practice of 20 or more benefits from a tool that shows allocations by week and flags overbooking before a deadline slips.

Sources we checked

  • https://www.productive.io/pricing
  • https://www.scoro.com/pricing
  • https://www.kantata.com/pricing
  • https://www.accelo.com/pricing
  • https://monday.com/pricing
  • https://clickup.com/pricing
  • https://asana.com/pricing
  • https://www.teamwork.com/pricing
  • https://www.wrike.com/pricing
  • https://www.smartsheet.com/pricing
How we score

Need the method behind these picks?

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The best PSA software for architecture firms#1 PICK