21 Best Business Consulting Software Right Now

Business consulting is a challenging undertaking.

From being conscientious problem solvers to efficient communicators, there are several qualities for business consultants to master. Even then, their job is not free of hurdles. The bottlenecks include – Inability to foresee trends, inefficient contact management, unorganized business data, analyzing risks inaccurately, the constant back and forth between multiple applications…the list goes on. 

So, how do you ensure these challenges do not affect your client offerings?

Simple- by investing in the right tech stack!

There are several high-utility consulting software solutions that can improve the productivity of your consulting business, which range from powerful CRM tools to dedicated project management solutions. 

In this blog, we compare the 21 best consulting tools that would add value to the professional advice that you deliver to your clients. Explore the key features, pricing, advantages, and shortcomings of these tools to find the most appropriate tools for your consulting firm.  

What Features to Look for in Business Consulting Software?

According to Statista, the global consulting market was estimated to be $132 billion in 2020. Such a large market size indicates that there is immense potential for business consulting. However, for business consultants to succeed, having access to the right tools is essential. 

To ensure that your clients continue receiving top-notch consulting services, you must invest in consultation software that offers:

• Contact Management

To deliver customized solutions to your clients, you must have relevant contact data available at your fingertips. This can be achieved through powerful contact management systems that bring your client and workforce data to the same platform, enhancing its accessibility. 

• Flexibility

As a business consultant, you must be up to speed with the latest industry trends. You must be agile to deliver current advice to your clients. This requires flexible and adaptable tools that can keep up with your changing business needs.

• Communication

The consulting management software should enable you to communicate with your clients seamlessly. It should provide multiple engagement channels to stay connected with clients. Moreover, the tool should make it possible for team members to communicate with each other. 

Read More: 9 Ways Your Customer Communication Can Increase Referrals

• Customer Support

A tool must be powered with reliable customer support for its effective utilization. The tools that business consultants use should be supported with useful help resources and training material, making their implementation and usage easier. 

• Automation

The business consulting software should automate repetitive tasks, contributing to an improvement in organizational efficiency. Automation of redundant activities can not only save you a considerable amount of time and money but can also eliminate manual errors. 

An Overview of the Best Consulting Software

Here is an overview of the features and pricing of the 21 business consulting software that we will be covering in this blog.

Software	Key Features	Pricing
BIGContacts	Contact management Marketing automation Task management	Starts from $5/user/month
Pipedrive CRM	Sales pipeline management Reporting & analytics Mobile access	Starts from $9.90/user/month
Salesforce CRM	Workflow automation AI-powered analytics Contact management	Starts from $25/user/month
Copper CRM	G Suite integration Sales pipeline management Email templates	Starts from $25/user/month
HubSpot CRM	Contact management Email marketing Pipeline management	Starts from $45/month
Keap CRM	Automated reminders Reporting & analytics Appointment scheduling	Starts from $129/month
EngageBay	Contact management Automated email sequences Appointment management	Starts from $11.99/user/month
Ignition	Pre-designed templates Invoicing e-signatures	Starts from $65/month
Proposify	Template library e-signatures Engagement metrics	Starts from $49/user/month
PandaDoc	e-signatures Approval workflows In-depth analytics	Starts from $19/user/month
BidSketch	Pre-designed templates e-signatures Real-time notifications	Starts from $23/month
Qwilr	e-signatures Content library Access control	Starts from $35/month
ProProfs Project	Gantt charts & Kanban boards Team collaboration Reporting & analytics	Starts from $2/user/month
Avaza	Gantt charts & Kanban boards Time tracking User roles & permissions	Starts from $11.95/month
Zoho	Gantt charts & Kanban boards Project blueprints Reports & timesheets	Starts from $5/user/month
Accelo	Automated rules Project templates Timesheets	Starts from $24/user/month
Workfront	Project templates Approval workflows Visual reports	Available on request
Kantata	Resource management Pre-designed templates Automated workflows	Available on request
Xero	Invoice management Reports & dashboards Cash flow tracking	Starts from $12/month
QuickBooks	Invoice templates Payment reminders Detailed reports	Starts from $12.50/month
Freshbooks	Invoice generator Time tracking Financial reports	Starts from $4.50/month

Types of Business Consulting Software:

Before we begin with the comparison of the 21 best business consulting software, let’s take a look at the broad categories that these tools fall into. 

Based on your needs, you may require one or more of the following categories of software for consulting firms. 

1. CRM Software

Establishing and maintaining strong client relationships is a key responsibility of consultants. A powerful software category for accomplishing this is Customer Relationship Management. CRM tools are inarguably the cornerstone of success for modern enterprises. They help keep track of relevant client information, enabling you to interact with them more personally.

Read More: What is CRM? A Complete Guide To CRM Software

2. Proposal Software

Business consultants require a dedicated tool that helps them craft and shoot client proposals. Such a tool can also empower consultants to collect e-signatures, helping move the deal along quickly. By streamlining the contract management lifecycle, proposal software for consulting can help win more clients.

3. Project Management Software

A project management tool can facilitate the job of business consultants by streamlining processes and centralizing data. It can help collaborate with clients, track time, and move projects forward with ease. 

Read More: What is Project Management Software and Why Do You Need One

4. Billing & Invoicing Software

There are a host of billing and invoicing solutions that can help business consultants manage their finances better. These tools can help generate types of invoices, schedule payment reminders, manage inventory, etc.

Let’s explore the top-rated management consulting software in each of these categories in more detail.

CRM Software:

1. BIGContacts

BIGContacts by ProProfs is a powerful CRM solution that accelerates business growth with automation. The tool lets you manage client data effortlessly, helping deliver personalized solutions to them. BIGContacts is well-recognized for its intuitiveness and ease of use. The tool also provides customization to a great extent, making it a suitable choice for consultants that require an agile and adaptable solution.

Key Features of BIGContacts:

• Get a comprehensive view of clients, including contact details, previous interactions, transactions, notes, social media activity, etc. 
• Craft automated drip email sequences to improve your outreach efforts. 
• Stay updated with business performance metrics with intelligent reports. 
• Keep track of upcoming tasks using the calendar view and to-do lists. 
• Automate tasks, reminders, and recurring activities to improve productivity.

Pricing: 

• Big- $5/user/month
• Bigger- $15/user/month
• Biggest- $25/user/month 
• Enterprise- Custom pricing 

What we liked:

• Delightful customer support and highly useful training resources are available. 
• Clients can be tagged or segmented into lists.

What could be better: 

• More advanced search and deduplication features are required for the CRM tool. 
• The speed of the tool lags sometimes. 

2. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a sales CRM that can help businesses boost their revenue by improving client management. With this powerful CRM system, keeping track of leads in your pipeline becomes effortless. You can easily stay updated with details such as calls, emails, notes, etc., related to clients using detailed contact histories. Pipedrive also helps automate routine tasks, so you focus on improving your offering to clients.

Key Features of Pipedrive:

• Send and manage all your emails from within the CRM system.
• Collaborate with team members with ease by sharing essential information and updates instantly.
• Use a visual sales pipeline with a drag and drop interface to keep the position of deals well-updated.  
• View essential information even when you’re out of the office using the mobile application. 
• Use AI-powered analytics to monitor business performance.

Pricing: 

• Starts from $9.90/user/month 

What we liked:

• Use automatic alerts and reminders to stay on top of all deals. 
• Forecast your revenue accurately and make better business decisions using Pipedrive. 

What could be better: 

• Reporting is limited and should include more advanced metrics. 
• Pipedrive requires better training and support resources.

3. Salesforce CRM

Salesforce, a leading name in the CRM industry, can help business consultants take better control over their client information. The tool offers extensive customization, allowing you to modify its functionality to suit your needs. Salesforce offers detailed contact profiles, including activity history, communications, and intelligent insights, allowing you to make the most out of every deal. 

Key features of Salesforce:

• Get a 360° view of your clients to ensure that you do not miss out on key details or important interactions.
• Use AI-powered analytics to make better business decisions. 
• Automate redundant tasks to improve organizational productivity. 
• Track the stage, commission, quotes, and other essential details for all your leads and customers in one place. 
• Leverage contact information from platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc., to drive more personalized and targeted interactions. 

Pricing: 

• Starts from $25/user/month

What we liked:

• View essential information from anywhere using the mobile application.
• Improve the tool’s functionality with API and integration templates.  

What could be better: 

• The implementation process can be tedious.
• Customer support needs improvement. 

4. Copper CRM

Copper is a CRM that is ideally suited for Google Workspace users. The tool centralizes client information, allowing you to drive more effective interactions. It lets you personalize emails, automate routine tasks and track deals using a visual pipeline. Moreover, the tool lets you keep track of your business performance with detailed reports. Copper also offers project management capabilities, saving you from the hassle of using a separate tool.

Key features of Copper:

• Automate repetitive tasks to improve the overall effectiveness of your operations.
• Improve your client outreach with email templates and personalization. 
• Track leads using a visual sales pipeline with a drag and drop interface. 
• Manage projects from within the CRM platform using Kanban boards. 
• Manage business data from anywhere using the mobile application. 

Pricing: 

• Starts from $25/user/month 

What we liked:

• Customizable reporting templates are available.  
• Automate reminders and schedule tasks based on custom triggers. 

What could be better: 

• It does not work well for businesses that work outside the G Suite. 
• The tool lacks the ability to include file attachments in bulk emails.

5. HubSpot CRM

HubSpot offers a broad range of business management tools, including a powerful CRM solution. This tool can empower business consultants to deliver personalized solutions to clients. The built-in reporting can help you stay on top of your business data. It is easy to use and customizable, so you can make the most of your customer data with ease. 

Key features of HubSpot CRM:

• Track client information and activity in one place, and optimize upcoming interactions accordingly.
• Craft engaging emails from scratch or connect with clients instantly using templates.
• Get relevant business insights with reporting and analytics.
• Use the mobile CRM application to access important client information anytime. 
• Keep track of all available opportunities with the help of a visual pipeline.

Pricing: 

• Free plan available
• Paid plans start from $45/month

What we liked:

• Get overviews of all business operations with comprehensive dashboards. 
• Craft and deliver personalized emails in bulk. 

What could be better: 

• The tool has a steep pricing structure. 
• The tool offers limited reporting capabilities. 

6. Keap CRM

Keap is a powerful CRM with sales and marketing automation capabilities. The tool helps manage client data effortlessly and automate interactions such as emails and texts. Keap lets you visualize business data with ease using comprehensive analytics dashboards. Moreover, the tool can be utilized to schedule appointments, manage leads, set up reminders, and collect payments from clients.

Key features of Keap:

• Automate reminders and follow-ups to improve your day-to-day efficiency. 
• Use advanced reporting and analytics to get better visibility into business performance. 
• Generate invoices and accept payments from clients. 
• Capture more leads for your business and manage them effectively using customizable sales pipelines. 
• Enable clients to book appointments with your team members. 

Pricing: 

• Starts from $129/month 

What we liked:

• Use engaging email templates to connect with clients instantly. 
• View client information on the go using Keap mobile application. 

What could be better: 

• The tool has a steep learning curve.
• Glitches and bugs frequently occur after software updates. 

7. Engagebay

EngageBay is an all-in-one CRM platform that helps you manage your sales, marketing, and customer support from the same place. The tool lets you build stronger relationships by sending personalized messages to the targeted audience. EngageBay lets you set up email templates and automated sequences, ensuring that you never lose touch with your prospects and customers.

Key features of Engagebay: 

• Use the efficient contact management solution to engage with clients through multiple channels.
• Schedule and manage appointments with clients from within the CRM system. 
• Craft automated email sequences to engage with clients at the right time. 
• Plan your tasks and projects using a simple drag and drop interface.  
• Segment contacts into distinct lists to improve targeting efforts. 

Pricing: 

• Free plan available
• Paid plans start from $11.99/user/month

What we liked:

• Prioritize high-value clients with predictive lead scoring.
• Make calls to your contacts directly with EngageBay CRM telephony.

What could be better: 

• Limited templates are available. 
• The setup process needs to be simplified. 

Proposal Software:

1. Ignition

Ignition offers you the ability to create proposals and get them signed by clients digitally to close more deals. The tool lets you personalize proposals based on your business needs. You can also embed videos in these proposals. Ignition helps centralize client bills, making them easier to manage. The tool can be used to collect automated payments after your proposals get signed.

Key features of Ignition:

• Create proposals with use using pre-designed templates. 
• Automate invoicing and payments to avoid any delays.
• Enable clients to sign proposals and make payments from anywhere.
• Use business dashboards to stay updated with relevant client information, renewals, proposal performance, etc.  
• Collect multiple e-signatures for your proposals.

Pricing: 

• Starts from $65/month 

What we liked:

• Accept payments from clients after they review and sign your proposal.
• Integrate the tool with applications such as Xero, Zapier, Karbon, etc., to further streamline workflows.

What could be better: 

• Setting up recurring processes can be a challenge. 
• Reporting could be more advanced. 

2. Proposify

Proposify is an efficient tool for creating and delivering proposals, quotes, contracts, etc., to clients. The tool provides an extensive library of templates that can be customized as per your requirements. Moreover, keeping track of the statuses of proposals becomes easier with Proposify’s advanced search and filter options. The tool also helps you stay updated with engagement metrics to optimize future initiatives.

Key features of Proposify:

•  Enable clients to sign documents digitally from any device. 
• Track engagement metrics for your proposals to find out how your clients interact with them.
• Deliver proposals using encrypted links to ensure confidentiality. 
• Create a library of templates, content, images, etc., for future use. 
• Get real-time notifications and automated reminders to stay on top of all deals.

Pricing: 

• Starts from $49/user/month

What we liked:

• Integrate with tools such as Xero, QuickBooks, etc., to generate invoices and accept payments easily.
• Define user roles and approval workflow to ensure the safety of your data.

What could be better: 

• The tool lacks collaborative editing capabilities. 
• Better customization options are required. 

3. PandaDoc

PandaDoc is an easy-to-use and customizable tool for creating and managing your business proposals, quotes, and contracts. The tool enables you to collect e-signatures and payments from clients with ease. They can also comment on documents, making issue resolution quicker. PandaDoc ensures the security of your data, helping you stay compliant with industry standards. 

Key features of PandaDoc: 

• Collect e-signatures easily and use audit trails to keep track of who signed the documents. 
• Streamline your document management with approval workflow and version control.
• Set up real-time notifications to get alerted when clients interact with your proposals. 
• Request and collect payments from your clients as soon as they sign the contracts. 
• Get access to insights for your documents with in-depth analytics. 

Pricing: 

• Free version available
• Paid plans start from $19/user/month

What we liked:

• Create a template library for your proposals to save time and effort. 
• Use custom roles and permissions to collaborate with team members and clients. 

What could be better: 

• Customer support and tutorials for the tool can be improved. 
• The tool should offer more CRM integration options.

4. BidSketch

BidSketch lets you create professional-grade proposals without any back and forth. It offers templates that can help you build proposals quickly and easily. The tool lets you fasten the whole approval process with e-signatures and automated next steps. You can enable your clients to comment on the proposals or export them to PDF. 

Key features of BidSketch: 

• Use pre-built templates and a content library to create highly effective proposals quickly. 
• Reduce time spent on proposal approval and management with e-signatures.  
• Creating custom landing pages for clients which enable them to view, approve and comment on your proposals.
• Get notified instantly when clients view or engage with your proposals. 
• Make use of in-depth analytics to track the effectiveness of your proposals.

Pricing: 

• Starts from $23/month 

What we liked:

• Automate the next steps for your clients and let them know what to expect by including approval messages in your proposals.
• The IP addresses and e-signatures are stored securely and in compliance with US and international laws.

What could be better: 

• Better customization options are required for templates.
• Formatting issues can occur with text pasted into BidSketch proposals. 

5. Qwilr

Qwilr lets business consultants capture the attention of their clients by creating interactive proposals. The modular design allows you to create these proposals quickly and easily. The tool also lets you create custom proposals with information sourced from the CRM with a single click. You can enable your clients to accept the deal and sign from within the proposals to accelerate the whole process.  

Key features of Qwilr: 

• Create a library of reusable blocks, including testimonials, pricing plans, and case studies for your proposals.
• Use the tool’s in-built e-signature feature to close deals faster.
• Automatically generate proposals by integrating the tool with your CRM system.  
• Set up permissions for who can edit the proposals.
• Add meeting links, virtual greetings, or product demos to the proposals. 

Pricing: 

Starts from $35/month

What we liked:

• Pre-designed proposal templates can save a significant amount of time. 
• Personalize popups by dynamically adding information from your CRM.

What could be better: 

• Customization options are limited for font, color, triggers, etc.  
• It can be challenging for multiple users to collaborate on a quote. 

6. Visme

Visme is an all-in-one content creation platform that offers professionally designed templates tailored to your industry and specific proposal needs. This tool offers thousands of customizable templates along with beginner-friendly design features that can help to streamline your proposal process. Drag and drop elements into place, use dynamic fields to update all your content in one place instantaneously, and integrate your CRM tools, such as Hubspot or Salesforce, to personalize each proposal. 

Key features of Visme:

• Easily customize pre-designed templates or create your own
• Obtain branded templates in seconds with an AI-powered branding feature
• View analytics to review how clients navigate through proposals 
• Collaborate and work simultaneously on projects with teams 
• Download your proposal as a PDF, shareable link, HTML5, GIF, MP4 and more

Pricing: 

• Basic Plan: Free 
• Starter Plan: $12.25
• Pro Plan: $24.75
• Visme for Teams: Customizable Plan

What we liked:

• Allows you to import data and personalized CRM properties into the content.
• Control viewer analytics to see views from anonymous or non-anonymous viewers.
• Integrate the tool with applications, such as Hubspot, Zapier, Google Drive,Monday.com, Typeform and more.

What could be better: 

• The free plan is limited.
• Reporting could be more advanced.

Project Management Software:

1. Proprofs Project

ProProfs Project lets business consultants be meticulous in their planning. The tool makes it easy to set due dates, track progress, assign tasks, set up timesheets, and optimize workflows. It also streamlines communication, enhancing the flow of information between team members. ProProfs Project provides efficient risk management and real-time notifications, helping drive your projects to successful outcomes.

Key features of ProProfs Project:

• Use Gantt charts and Kanban boards to plan and visualize your projects.  
• Collaborate with team members using comments, share files, discuss tasks, and use a shared calendar to keep track of who is working on what.  
• Set the start dates, end dates, and priority statuses for your projects to meet deadlines consistently. 
• Automate invoicing to make the billing process more efficient. 
• Identify bottlenecks and stay updated with performance using custom reports and advanced analytics.

Pricing: 

• Starts from $2/user/month

What we liked:

• Track the status of your projects in real-time with 24×7 mobile access.
• Manage projects with ease using a simple drag and drop interface.  

What could be better: 

• It does not allow you to set baselines or track milestones for your projects. 
• While a mobile application is available, it requires improvement in performance. 

2. Avaza

Avaza can contribute to a significant improvement in the productivity of business consultants with its advanced project management capabilities. This platform enables you to manage invoices, allocate resources, collaborate on tasks, share files, etc. It lets you bring project management, invoicing, expense management, and business reporting to the same platform. Moreover, the tool can be utilized to set up recurring invoices, so clients can be billed automatically.

Key features of Avaza: 

• Manage projects using Gantt charts or Kanban boards. 
• Create quotes to be shared with clients and convert them into invoices or projects. 
• The tool offers a client portal that makes it easy for customers to view quotes, track invoices, and make payments.  
• Keep track of billable hours with Avaza’s time-tracking functionality. 
• Set up user roles and task-based permissions, share project files, add comments for team members, and convert emails into tasks. 

Pricing: 

• Free plan available
• Paid plans start from $11.95/month

What we liked:

• Make better business decisions with visual financial reports. 
• Get access to essential data on the go with the native mobile application. 

What could be better: 

• Due dates cannot be set for sub-tasks. 
• Scheduling recurring tasks and invoices need to be simplified. 

3. Zoho

Zoho Projects is a cloud-based solution offered by Zoho to help businesses track and manage their work diligently. This tool enables time tracking and resource management. Zoho Projects helps simplify and automate tasks, contributing to improved outcomes for your projects. You can easily customize the layouts, fields, views, and functions of the tool to suit your business needs.

Key features of Zoho:

• Plan projects, create task dependencies, and track progress using Gantt charts and Kanban boards.
• Automate projects using Blueprints and business rules. Set up automated email alerts based on custom triggers.
• Boost team collaboration with a detailed feed, forums, comments, chat, etc. Make it easier to collaborate on all types of files.
• Track, prioritize, and fix bugs seamlessly with efficient issue management. 
• Get access to detailed reports and timesheets to gain insights into your projects.

Pricing: 

• Free for 3 users
• Paid plans start from $5/user/month

What we liked:

• Create templates for projects and get things done quickly. 
• Set and track milestones for your projects.

What could be better: 

• The tool should improve its functionality to search for tasks.
• The dashboard needs improvement. Customization options are limited.

 4. Accelo

Accelo helps improve your business’s profitability by streamlining client work. The project management solution offers real-time visibility into various aspects of project progress, helping ensure on-time delivery.  Accelo also helps improve resource allocation and management by allowing you to track due dates and team member availability with ease. The tool can also be used to set up real-time notifications for your projects.

Key features of Accelo:

• Use automated rules, custom workflows, and adaptive scheduling to enhance project management.
• Track time easily with in-built timesheets and timers.
• Use project templates to save time and improve efficiency.
• Track project expenses and generate invoices for clients. 
• Gain relevant business insights with detailed reports.

Pricing: 

• Starts from $24/user/month

What we liked:

• Set up and track milestones for your projects.  
• Integrate with tools such as G Suite, Microsoft, QuickBooks, Jira, Slack, etc. 

What could be better: 

• The functionality to manage multiple projects simultaneously can be improved. 
• The interface of the client portal required enhancement. 

5. Workfront

Adobe Workfront allows you to streamline and automate workflows, contributing to improved business outcomes. This tool can be utilized to plan, execute, and review projects seamlessly. It offers complete visibility into your projects and allows you to track relevant KPIs. You can use this consultant software to unify your team by bringing all data and processes to a single place. 

Key features of Workfront:

• Save time with project templates and automatic assignment. 
• Keep track of all changes with version control and comment tracking. 
• Use visual reports and dashboards to stay updated with the performance of your projects. 
• Streamline approval workflows and ensure that your projects are well-reviewed.
•  Define custom user roles and permissions to keep your data secure.

Pricing: 

• Available on request 

What we liked:

• Dashboards are configurable, allowing you to view only the most essential details related to your projects.
• Configure and visualize your workflow. Boost collaboration with real-time notifications.

What could be better: 

• Gantt charts can be challenging to modify. 
• The setup process can be complex and tedious. 

6. Kantata

Kantata was formed by the association of Mavenlink and Kimble. This tool helps automate processes and optimize resource allocation for your business. It helps delight customers with on-time and high-quality project deliverables. The tool also powers your team collaboration efforts and helps align staffing demand with resource availability. Kantata can also be utilized to automate workflows and improve forecasting accuracy. 

Key features of Kantata:

• Improve resource planning and management to improve project performance. 
• Make use of robust analytics and business intelligence features to optimize processes. 
• Use pre-designed templates to save time and increase productivity. 
• Streamline and automate workflows to improve the quality of your business solutions. 
• Bring all your client project data to a single platform, making it easier to access for the team members.   

Pricing: 

• Available on request 

What we liked:

• Make accurate financial forecasts and get real-time insights into your business profitability. 
• The tool offers customizable dashboards and reports.

What could be better: 

• Creating reports should be made more user-friendly.
• The onboarding process can be improved. 

Billing & Invoicing Software:

1. Xero

Xero is an accounting tool that can help business consultants manage their financial data with ease. The tool can be used to generate quotes and invoices. Xero also provides the functionality to manage and clear bills, track inventory, and send purchase orders. The tool supports multiple currencies, lets you track your financial health, and stores all your files and recipients in one place.

Key features of Xero:

• Accept payments using Xero quickly and securely. 
• Pay bills, track your cash flow, and manage your expenses. 
• Track the quotes, invoices, expenses, and profitability of your projects with ease.
• Find all the invoices and payments related to your clients in one place. 
• Stay updated with your financial health with accounting reports and dashboard. 

Pricing: 

• Starts from $12/month 

What we liked:

• The mobile app enables you to track your finances from anywhere, anytime. 
• Multi-factor authentication ensures the security of transactions.

What could be better: 

• There is no way to set up auto-billing or recurring payments. 
• The tool does not offer the functionality to automate follow-ups for overdue invoices.

2. Quickbooks

QuickBooks is a well-known accounting solution that offers invoicing, expense tracking, payroll management, and automatic bookkeeping. You can use this powerful tool to better organize and manage your finances without the involvement of any complex spreadsheets. It offers insights into your profitability, helping you stay updated with your financial health at all times.

Key features of QuickBooks:

• Track all your payments and expenses by syncing transactions automatically and keeping them updated in your QuickBooks account.
• Create and send invoices quickly using professional-looking templates.
• Manage and pay bills directly from your QuickBooks account. You can also schedule the payment for later.
• Recurring invoices and payment reminders can be automated.  
• Use the tool for employee timesheets and project tracking. 

Pricing: 

• Starts from $12.50/month 

What we liked:

• Interactive and detailed reports offer real-time insights into business performance. 
• Use a single dashboard to monitor all business transactions.  

What could be better: 

• Limitations on file size, users, number of transactions, and integrations can hamper the overall effectiveness of the tool. 
• It does not offer advanced features for invoice designing.

3. FreshBooks

FreshBooks allows you to stay on top of your financial data and make more profitable business decisions. This accounting software can help manage invoices, expenses, and payments. It also offers time-tracking, project management, and team collaboration functionality. The tool enhances client management by bringing all estimates, invoices, payments, and other information related to your clients to a single place. 

Key features of FreshBooks:

• Share estimates and proposals with clients, and convert them into invoices with ease. 
• Keep track of every billable hour with the help of a timer. 
• Improve project management with file sharing, client collaboration, and profitability tracking. 
• Keep track of your financial performance with comprehensive dashboards and reports. 
•  Accept online payments and send receipts to clients automatically. 

Pricing: 

• Starts from $4.50/month

What we liked:

• Use the invoice generator to create custom invoices for your clients. 
• View your accounting data from anywhere with the mobile application. 

What could be better: 

• Reporting needs to be more user-friendly. 
• The application can be too slow to load and frequently crashes when working with a large data volume. 

Choose the Right Business Consulting Software 

There you have it! 

These tools would be great add-ons to your suite of business tools as a consultant. 

However, to make sure that you get the best results, you must invest in the most optimal tools. Take into account the following when making this selection: 

• Does the tool align with your business goals?
• Is the tool customizable to be adapted as per your needs? 
• Is it easy to use?
• Does the tool offer integration with other business applications?
• Does the vendor offer quality customer support and onboarding resources?
• Is the tool affordable?

The answers to these questions can help identify if the business consulting software that you plan on investing in is the right choice for you.

Grow Your Consulting Business With the Right Tech Stack 

Using the right tools may sound like an obvious course of action for any business consultant. However, selecting the most appropriate consulting software can be challenging. In that case, refer to this detailed comparison guide to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the top-rated solutions on the market today.

The right applications can accelerate your business growth by helping you automate redundant activities and focus on delivering high-value services to clients. Such tools can help you deliver relevant recommendations that contribute to improved profitability for your clients. 

You need a combination of the best software for consultants to accomplish this. For instance, you must invest in a powerful proposal tool such as Proposify to reach out to prospects and bring them on board. Following this, you require a dynamic CRM solution such as BIGContacts to maintain client records and improve engagement with them. Furthermore, you should invest in an invoicing solution that helps bill clients and accept payments from them.