Comparisons
Off-the-shelf vs custom, honestly.
Function Point vs a custom agency portal: where the seams show up
Function Point assumes every agency works the same way. If yours does, it is a strong pick. Most agencies find out around month four that theirs does not. Here is where it pinches, and what a custom build fixes.
Read the comparison
Karbon vs a custom workflow for boutique accounting firms
Karbon is the best accounting practice tool I would recommend. It is also priced and built for firms that already work the same way every time. Owner-run firms of 10 to 30 people keep hitting the same three snags. Here is where Karbon wins and where custom makes more sense.
Read the comparison
monday.com vs a custom portal: when the boards stop scaling
monday.com is great at boards your team moves tasks across. It is also the tool I most often help clients stretch, and later move off, once their work outgrows what a board can hold. Here is where that line sits.
Read the comparison
Notion vs a custom portal: where agencies outgrow it
Notion is fine until you bill clients. Once clients approve work, sign off, and expect to see your brand, Notion starts costing you in ways the invoice never shows. Here is where the wiki becomes the wrong tool, and what to use instead.
Read the comparison
Productive.io vs a custom client portal: a real cost breakdown for agencies
Productive.io works if you are willing to run your agency their way. The trap is the settings that look flexible but are not, and the gaps you only notice around month four. Per seat it costs less than anything I build, so here is what the extra money buys, and when it is not worth it.
Read the comparison
Bring me a real operations problem. I will show you the system running before you sign anything.
The Ops Leak Audit is the fixed-price first step: I count the hours your tools cost your team, then price the fix. Rather talk first? Book a 30-minute call. If it is not a fit, you still leave with notes you can use.
