Astra Engage vs Practice CS

Astra Engage is a business platform combining CRM, pipeline, proposals, projects, service desk, portals, and an AI workbench. Astra AI can research leads and companies, help scope work, and turn signed proposals into project plans. Proposals support itemized and recurring services, PDF generation, and electronic signatures with audit trails. Project tools include Gantt charts, Kanban boards, milestones, task dependencies, multiple assignees, and time tracking. Every plan includes basic CRM for accounts and contacts; the full CRM adds leads, opportunities, activities, and forecasting. Product pages describe connections among CRM accounts, projects, proposals, portals, and the product catalog. Security details include per-tenant AES-256-GCM encryption, daily automated backups, point-in-time recovery, and 90-day retention. The infrastructure is described as SOC 2 Type II audited, with HIPAA business associate agreements available alongside dedicated database silos. The site advertises a 14-day trial with full access and no credit card; extensions are available in five-day increments. Each plan includes three seats. Listed prices are $37 a year for Starter, $127 a year for Professional, and $208 a year for Enterprise; billed amounts are $449/year, $1,529/year, and $2,499/year respectively.

Practice CS is practice management software for accounting firms, available on the web and Windows with hybrid deployment. It tracks billable time, billing, deadlines, and the costs associated with firm work. Customizable dashboards show current information about operations, staff projects, and client statuses. Firms can create electronic invoices, post bills online, and accept credit card payments. Detailed business data supports custom report formatting. Optional Project Management and Staff Management modules track projects and tasks, schedule staff, and assign work. Workflow automation, scenario modeling, multi-year projection, tax depreciation, and data import are listed capabilities. Client portals support file sharing and electronic signatures through related products and modules. Client Management and Mobile CS provide status monitoring and real-time updates about client interactions. Practice CS can launch UltraTax CS and Accounting CS, and integrates with Accounting CS and Workpapers CS. Pricing is paid and available on request.