📈 BigTime Alternative

BigTime is built for timesheets.
You need billing intelligence.

BigTime got you this far, but you're still chasing invoices manually, running cash flow in spreadsheets, and living with a 12-week implementation if you ever have to switch. Billtide has built-in AI and ships in 2-3 weeks.

Free trial · No credit card · 2-3 week setup

$120K
Lower 3-yr TCO vs BigTime
100%
AI-native (BigTime: 0%)
2-3 wks
Implementation (BigTime: 12-16 wks)
9-13 wks
Faster to value vs BigTime

Billtide vs BigTime — side by side

The honest breakdown. BigTime has strong time-tracking. Billtide has everything else.

Feature Billtide BigTime
AI Automation ✓ AI-first — invoice generation, collections, cash flow predictions built inOnly us ✗ None — manual workflows only
Invoice Automation ✓ AI-generated — rules engine produces invoices automaticallyBetter Manual — templates and copy-paste required
Collections ✓ Automated — intelligent follow-ups timed to client patterns Manual — email reminders by hand
Implementation Time ✓ 2-3 weeks10-13 wks faster 12-16 weeks — longest in the category
3-yr TCO (50 people) ✓ $324K$120K cheaper $444K — hidden costs add up fast
Integrations ✓ Modern API-first — REST API, webhooks, modern stack QuickBooks-centric — legacy integrations, limited API
Mobile Support ✓ Full parity — iOS and Android, full feature set Limited — core functions only, inconsistent experience
Support ✓ Dedicated — named account manager, fast SLA Tiered — priority support costs extra

Why BigTime users switch

Pulled from G2 and Capterra reviews. BigTime's time-tracking is solid. The billing layer is where firms bleed time.

12-16 week implementation

BigTime is notoriously slow to implement. Firms consistently report that migration takes 3-4x longer than quoted. If you're switching, you're waiting months — and paying for two systems simultaneously.

"Implementation took 4+ months. We were told 8-12 weeks."
📋

Invoices still require manual work

BigTime tracks time well. But invoicing is still a manual process — templates, copy-paste, corrections. Your team exports to spreadsheets to validate amounts before sending.

"We still export to Excel to check invoice accuracy before sending."
💸

Collections is a full-time job

No automated follow-ups. No intelligent escalation. Someone on your team manually chases every late invoice. As your client list grows, so does the backlog.

"No automatic reminders or collection workflows. Everything is manual."
🔌

QuickBooks-centric lock-in

BigTime's integrations are built around QuickBooks. If you're on Xero, FreshBooks, or any modern stack, you're building custom workarounds. The API is limited and undocumented.

"The API is very limited. We couldn't automate the workflows we needed."

The $120,000 difference

3-year total cost of ownership for a 50-person firm. BigTime's implementation costs alone can exceed Billtide's entire 3-year price. The gap compounds from there.

3-Year TCO · 50-Person Firm

Includes licensing + implementation + support + productivity costs

Billtide
$324K
Lowest cost ✓
BQE Core
$384K
+$60K vs Billtide
BigTime
$444K
+$120K vs Billtide
Certinia
$651K
+$327K vs Billtide
"I spent six years as a billing analyst at a professional services firm. We used a legacy tool that felt like BigTime — strong time tracking, weak billing. Every invoice required manual review. Every follow-up was sent by hand. I built Billtide because everything I had to do by hand should have been automated years ago."
Billtide Founder · Former billing analyst, professional services

Stop billing by timesheet. Start billing by intelligence.

Free trial. 2-3 week setup — 10-13 weeks faster than BigTime. Same implementation time as switching to BQE Core — but with AI built in.

You're in. We'll be in touch shortly.

No credit card required.