Compare Clearmargin vs. ZEP

Freelancers and small teams face not a billing issue, but rather a juggling act involving multiple tools. They might utilize one application for proposals, another for tracking their hours, a spreadsheet for managing expenses, yet another tool for invoicing, and possibly QuickBooks after receiving a suggestion to do so. Consequently, important tasks can easily be overlooked; invoices may be dispatched late, hours could go unrecorded, and expenses might not be accounted for, resulting in unexpected losses. The mental strain of managing all these elements can be quite draining. Clearmargin consolidates everything needed for smooth financial management into a single platform, including proposals, time tracking, expense logging, invoicing, and payment processing. Users can create professional proposals that outline the scope, timeline, and pricing with ease. Time can be monitored using a convenient quick-entry strip or a running timer. Expenses can be recorded and allocated to specific projects, and shared costs like software subscriptions can be automatically divided among various clients. When billing time arrives, invoices can be generated from project data with just one click, and payments, whether via credit card or ACH, can be accepted directly through invoices via Stripe Connect, all while enjoying standard processing rates. This holistic approach not only simplifies the administrative burden but also enhances overall efficiency, allowing freelancers and small teams to focus on their core work without the constant worry of financial details slipping away.

ZEP — The new standard for projects. ZEP is the software for Management Consulting, IT Consulting and Engineering: book hours against clients and projects, steer utilization and margins, from the proposal to the invoice. Four product lines cover the path from the first booked project hour to organization-wide control — you start with the line your business needs today and move up as it grows, keeping your data. ZEP Track — Project Time Tracking: your team books hours against clients and projects, budgets and absences sit in one place, and the payroll export is included. ZEP Control — Project Management: plan tasks and capacity and see what a project earns. Revenue, costs and utilization come out of the hours your team has booked. ZEP Operations — Professional Services Automation: the entire project lifecycle in one system — proposal, booked hours, travel expenses, suppliers, invoicing and the export to project-specific financial accounting. ZEP Business — ERP for Professional Services: run the project business across several entities, with internal cost allocation, document management, HR and resource planning included. The AI chat (ZEP Assistant) is included in all four lines at no extra cost, as are all interfaces: ZEP's own REST and SOAP APIs, single sign-on and an unlimited number of third-party integrations. For teams without a project business, ZEP Clock covers working hours, overtime and absences including the payroll export, with travel expense management and HR available as optional add-ons. Get to know ZEP in an online presentation or test it free for 14 days. ZEP GmbH has been developing software for project-based companies for more than 25 years. Developed and hosted in Germany, ISO 27001 certified.