Resource planning and project management platform for agencies, formerly Mavenlink.
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Kantata vs BigTime
Comparing Kantata and BigTime to help you pick the right Agency Time & Billing Software for your needs.
| Feature | Kantata | BigTime |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Platforms | Web | Web, iOS, Android |
| Editorial rating | ★ 4 / 5 | ★ 4.1 / 5 |
| Starting price | Contact sales | $20/month per user |
| Community votes | 9 | 10 |
Kantata Pros & Cons
- Strong resource and capacity forecasting across multiple concurrent projects, a genuine differentiator from simpler time-tracking tools
- Established track record specifically in the agency and professional-services space, with deep domain-specific workflow design
- Project margin and profitability forecasting help agency leadership make informed go/no-go decisions on new work before committing resources
- Resource allocation views let managers see team capacity at a glance rather than reconstructing it manually from spreadsheets
- Combines project management, resourcing, and billing in one connected system rather than three separate disconnected tools
- Pricing isn't published and is generally aimed at larger, more established agencies, not solo freelancers or very small shops
- Steeper learning curve than simpler time-tracking and billing tools like Harvest or BigTime
- Brand transition from Mavenlink to Kantata has created some confusion in reviews and comparisons still referencing the older name
- Full value requires genuine organizational discipline around resource planning, which smaller, less structured agencies may not yet have
BigTime Pros & Cons
- Strong project profitability and staff utilization reporting purpose-built for billable-hour businesses
- Real-time budget burn tracking surfaces project overruns early, while there's still time to adjust scope or staffing
- Purpose-built specifically for professional services workflows rather than adapted from general project management software
- Mobile apps let billable staff log time accurately from wherever they're actually working, improving billing accuracy
- Integrates with common accounting software (QuickBooks, and others) to sync billing data without duplicate entry
- No free tier, with even the entry Express plan requiring payment from day one beyond a trial
- Overkill for freelancers or very small teams with simple, single-client billing needs
- Deeper budgeting and profitability features are reserved for Pro and Premier tiers, not available on the cheaper Express plan
- Less suited to project-based creative agencies than firms with a more purely billable-hour, professional-services model
Verdict: Kantata vs BigTime
Kantata and BigTime both serve the Agency Time & Billing Software category well, but suit different priorities. BigTime carries the stronger editorial rating (4.1 / 5), BigTime supports more platforms (3 vs 1). Based on community engagement, BigTime is currently the more widely adopted choice (10 votes), but the better fit ultimately depends on your specific pricing, platform, and feature requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which is cheaper, Kantata or BigTime?
- Kantata and BigTime use a similar pricing model (both paid), so the cheaper choice depends on which specific plan tier and feature set you need rather than the base pricing model.
- Is Kantata or BigTime rated higher?
- BigTime has the higher editorial rating at 4.1 out of 5, compared to Kantata's 4 out of 5. This is Kreemhunt's own staff rating, not a public user aggregate — review the pros and cons below for specifics that matter to your use case.
- Which platforms do Kantata and BigTime support?
- Kantata is available on Web. BigTime is available on Web, iOS, Android. BigTime covers more platforms overall, which matters if your team works across a wider range of devices and operating systems.
- Can I switch from Kantata to BigTime (or vice versa)?
- Most agency time & billing software tools, including Kantata and BigTime, support data export in standard formats, making migration possible though rarely fully automatic. Expect to manually verify that custom configurations, integrations, and historical data transfer correctly, and budget time for the team to adjust to workflow differences between the two products.
- Should I choose Kantata or BigTime?
- Kantata and BigTime both serve the Agency Time & Billing Software category well, but suit different priorities. BigTime carries the stronger editorial rating (4.1 / 5), BigTime supports more platforms (3 vs 1). Based on community engagement, BigTime is currently the more widely adopted choice (10 votes), but the better fit ultimately depends on your specific pricing, platform, and feature requirements.