BQE CORE vs Synergist
BQE CORE
bqe.com
Synergist
synergist.co.ukSide by side
| Figure | BQE CORE | Synergist |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | £300/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 3 |
| Spec score · Agency Project Management Software | 8.7 (#3) | 7.5 (#23) |
| API | BQE says its public APIs can be used to create custom integrations. | Synergist offers an open API for sharing data with other systems and automating record creation; custom fields and views are available through it. |
| Founded | 1995 | 2003 |
| Project management | Project tools provide live progress and budget visibility, estimates, fee schedules, task allocation, forecasting, Gantt charts and phase-based billing. | Project tools include phase and stage planning, Gantt and list views, milestones, dependencies, project templates and budget and profit tracking. |
| Security | CORE supports two-factor authentication, with text, voice call, or authenticator app as options. | Synergist says it is ISO 27001 certified and encrypts data in transit and at rest; cloud accounts have separate instances hosted in the UK or EU on AWS. |
| Support | BQE advertises 24/7/365 support and complimentary public group training for CORE customers. | Telephone and email helpdesk support is available Monday to Thursday 9am–5.30pm and Friday 9am–5pm UK time. |
| What it does | BQE CORE is a cloud SaaS business-management platform for professional-services firms covering time and expenses, projects, billing, accounting and reporting. | Synergist is agency management software that brings projects, people and financials together, including CRM, quoting, project planning, resource scheduling, timesheets, purchasing, billing and reporting. |
Plans
BQE CORE
- AccountingPriced on request
- CRMPriced on request
- FoundationsPriced on request
- FoundationsPriced on request
- HRPriced on request
Synergist
- Foundation£300 a month
- Professional£650 a month
- Enterprise£1,600 a month
In their own words
BQE CORE
BQE CORE is a cloud-based platform for managing projects, time and expenses, billing, accounting, HR, and business intelligence at professional services firms. It is designed for architecture and engineering businesses and also serves other professional services firms. Project tools show progress and budgets, support task allocation and forecasting, and include interactive Gantt charts. Time and expense features include pre-populated timesheets, receipt capture, and overtime calculation. Billing supports manual, batch, and recurring invoices, flexible schedules, and online payments. Reporting includes real-time KPIs, customizable dashboards, and scheduled reports. Integrations include QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Xero, MYOB AccountRight, DocuSign, Microsoft Office 365, Power BI, Google, and Zapier; public APIs can be used to build custom integrations. iOS and Android apps are available. The Android app supports project and expense work, invoicing, and reports, but adding, editing, or deleting records requires an internet connection. Pricing is on request; there is no free plan, but a free trial is offered.
Synergist
Synergist is agency management software for coordinating project work, people, and finances. Its scope includes CRM, quoting, project planning, resource scheduling, timesheets, purchasing, billing, and reporting. Project tools cover phase and stage plans, Gantt and list views, milestones, dependencies, templates, and budget and profit tracking. The iOS and Android app provides client and job information, task entry, time and expense logging, and receipt photography. Accounting integrations include Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, MYOB, Access, KashFlow, and Pegasus Opera 3; other integrations include Microsoft and Google sign-in, calendar and file services, and HubSpot or Salesforce CRM. An open API supports data sharing and automated record creation. It is offered as a cloud service or on-premise, with browser access and native Windows or Mac server support for on-premise deployments. Plans start at £300 a month for Foundation, with a one-time onboarding fee; the pricing page specifies an initial 12 billing months and three months' notice to cancel.