Choosing a CRM for an accounting firm, or deciding you don’t need one
This guide is for owners of 2 to 20 person firms who want more of the right clients and a cleaner path from first call to signed engagement. It starts with whether you need a separate CRM, then covers what to check, what the options cost at list price for one example firm, and what switching involves. Firmary publishes it and is one of the products covered.
Decide first: a separate CRM, or the one you already have
Count two things before you look at any software: the prospects you have in progress on a normal week, and the people who talk to them.
Say your firm signs 40 new clients a year, nearly all by referral, and one partner takes every first call. A proposal tool and a client record will carry that, and most accounting practice suites include both: Canopy, Financial Cents, Karbon and TaxDome all list proposals or engagement letters.1–4
Now say three people answer website enquiries, you run a webinar each quarter, and a typical prospect takes six weeks and two meetings to sign. That firm needs stages, owners and the source of each lead, which is the job a sales CRM is built for. HubSpot lists pipelines and sales workflows on its paid Sales Hub tiers,5,6 and Zoho CRM’s Standard edition adds multiple pipelines and web forms for lead capture.7
Between the two sits the firm whose selling happens in the proposal: packages, options and a signature. Ignition centers on that step, with branded proposals and a Deals pipeline as an add-on below Pro+.8,9
What to check, criterion by criterion
Pipeline. Ask to see a prospect move through stages with an owner and a source attached, then ask for the report. Plan limits matter here: HubSpot allows 15 pipelines on Starter and 100 on Professional,5 and Zoho CRM’s free edition covers contacts and follow-up reminders, with multiple pipelines from Standard.7 Among the practice suites, Financial Cents describes its CRM as built for recurring work rather than a sales pipeline,10 and Karbon doesn’t list a pipeline among its plan features.11
Proposals and engagement letters. Check whether the client can choose between options and whether your own engagement terms carry through to what they sign. Financial Cents puts proposal packages and optional upsells on Scale.2 HubSpot’s quotes, which buyers review, e-sign and pay on one page, come with Revenue Hub Professional and Enterprise.12 TaxDome offers up to three service-package tiers.4 Zoho CRM Professional includes CPQ quote management with price rules.13
Getting paid at signing. Ignition automates payment collection,14 and Karbon Engagements collects payment upfront.3 Compare fees on a real deposit. On a $2,000 card payment at list rates as of 10 Nov 2026, Canopy’s card fee is $66.20.15 HubSpot’s listed card rate of 2.9% comes to $58.00, and $68.00 once its 0.5% platform fee starts after the first year.16 Ignition’s standard card fee is $50.30,17 Karbon’s $52.3018 and TaxDome Payments’ $58.30.19
The hand-off to the work. Check what appears for staff once a proposal is accepted. Canopy can create tasks and invoices.1 Firmary keeps the accepted agreement with the engagement it starts.20 Ignition can create a Financial Cents project, and reaches HubSpot through an automation connector.21
Your ledger. If the first invoice should land in QuickBooks Online or Xero, check the link. Firmary has no QuickBooks, Xero or tax-software integration.22 Ignition integrates with both ledgers.23 Zoho CRM lists a QuickBooks integration on Enterprise.24
AI assistants. Financial Cents’ MCP server is on Scale.25 Claude connects to Firmary today as a custom connector, and ChatGPT support is in testing.26,27 HubSpot offers a remote MCP server that gives MCP-compatible AI tools read and write access to CRM data such as contacts and deals.28 Karbon announced a public MCP server on 3 Jun 2026, and no page on its site confirmed availability when we checked on 10 Nov 2026.29 TaxDome’s firm MCP, rolling out since 28 Oct 2026, needs its $200-a-month AI add-on.30,31 Zoho MCP connects models such as Claude or GPT to Zoho CRM.32
What it costs when only the partners sell
Example: a 6-person firm where 2 partners handle every prospect, with 150 clients on signed agreements. Prices below are list prices read on 10 Nov 2026, on annual billing where the vendor states it:
| Option | What you’d pay for | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Proposals in the practice software you already pay for | Included in the plan1–4 | $0 extra |
| Firmary | Not published33 | |
| HubSpot free tools | Free CRM for up to 2 users34 | $0 |
| HubSpot Sales Hub Professional, 2 seats | $90 or $100 per seat per month (the page doesn’t say which billing option each is), plus $1,500 one-time onboarding35 | $3,660 to $3,900 in year one, then $2,160 to $2,400 |
| Ignition Core | 3 users and 50 active clients, plus 100 more at $5 each a month36 | $7,188 |
| Ignition Pro | 15 users and 350 active clients included36 | $2,748 |
| Zoho CRM Standard, 2 users | US$14 per user per month37 | $336 |
| Zoho CRM Professional, 2 users | US$23 per user per month, adds CPQ quotes13,37 | $552 |
A general CRM charges for the seats that sell, so this firm pays for 2 seats, not 6. Ignition charges by signed clients instead: an active client is one with a signed agreement, and above 76 of them Pro’s $229 a month costs less than Core’s $99 plus $5 for each client over 50, at list price.36,38 Ignition’s Deals pipeline is a further add-on on Core and Pro.9
HubSpot’s pricing page shows $90 and $100 per seat across its billing options (pay monthly, commit annually, pay annually) without saying which price goes with which, so the table gives both.35 If your practice software prices per active client, as TaxDome does, ask whether prospects who receive a proposal but never sign count toward it.39
Test the path from proposal to first invoice
The best demo for this purchase is one real prospect. Build a proposal for a service you sold last month, with your own engagement terms and price. Send it to your personal email, open it on your phone, sign it and pay a deposit with a card. Then switch to the staff view and write down what exists now: a client record, tasks, an invoice, a payment, the signed letter. Anything you had to type twice, you’d type twice for every client you sign.
Switching, and getting your prospects out again
Adding a CRM beside practice software means two systems hold the same people. Decide which one owns a client’s contact details before you connect them, and check the direction of every sync.
What the vendors say about moving in and out:
- Canopy: self-guided implementation is $199, refunded if six setup milestones are done within 60 days.40 Its help center describes exporting the client list as CSV.41
- Financial Cents: premium onboarding is listed only on Enterprise.42 A 2021 help article lists exports of projects, clients and time tracking data.43
- Firmary: clients, tasks and time entries import from CSV with a review step; engagements, documents, messages and billing history aren’t imported.44 Staff with permission can export clients, contacts and tasks as CSV, and an owner can export the whole firm.45
- HubSpot: Sales Hub Professional and Enterprise carry one-time onboarding fees of $1,500 and $3,500.35,46
- Karbon: import is self-service on Team and assisted on Business; data export is listed as standard on both.47
- TaxDome: client import help is in the plan, and the vendor puts most implementations at 6 to 8 weeks.48 Accounts, jobs, invoices and time export as zipped CSV files.49
- Zoho CRM: the free edition allows spreadsheet imports and up to 10 data exports.50
Ignition’s export options weren’t among the facts we checked. Ask for an export of open proposals and signed agreements before you commit.
Questions to ask in a demo
- Show me a prospect going from first enquiry to signed engagement letter. What did someone type twice?
- Can the client choose between service tiers in the proposal, and add optional extras?
- Do our own engagement terms carry through to the document the client signs?
- Can the client pay a deposit or set up autopay when they sign, and what are the card and ACH fees?
- What’s created automatically when a proposal is accepted: a client record, tasks, a first invoice?
- Which plan includes the pipeline, and is it an add-on?
- Do prospects who never sign count toward our price?
- If we connect a separate CRM, which system owns the client’s contact details?
- When we raise the first invoice, what reaches QuickBooks Online or Xero, and does anything come back?
- Is there a one-time onboarding fee, and what does it cover?
- Can we export prospects, proposals and signed agreements if we leave?
A checklist to print
- Counted prospects in progress and the people who work them
- Chosen: practice-software proposals, a proposal tool, or a general CRM
- Built one real proposal with our own engagement terms
- Signed it as a client, on a phone
- Paid a test deposit and noted the fee
- Seen what staff get after signing: client, tasks, invoice
- Priced only the seats that sell
- Checked whether prospects count toward a per-client price
- Onboarding fees in writing
- Ledger sync: what moves, and which way
- Seen an export of proposals and signed agreements
Join the Firmary waitlist
Firms join the Firmary waitlist and are emailed when they can join.
Sources
Each product fact on this page links to a numbered source. Quotes are copied as the page’s text reads on the date shown, spacing included.
- 1
Canopy
Auto-generate tasks and invoices when engagements are signed or completed to reduce manual work.
- 2
Financial Cents
Proposals & engagement letters
- 3
Karbon
Team includes core workflow, email, collaboration, time and budgets, billing, payments, and Engagements.
- 4
TaxDome
Proposals and engagement letters ... Up to 3 tiers for clients to pick from.
- 5
HubSpot
Up to 15 total pipelines per account across object types. | Up to 100 total pipelines per account across object types. | Up to 350 total pipelines per account across object types.
- 6
HubSpot
Up to 50 workflows with restricted triggers and actions. | Up to 300 fully customizable workflows.
- 7
Zoho CRM
Multiple sales pipelinesTrack multiple sales operations with different stages without any clutter.
- 8
Ignition
Branded online proposals Unlimited E-signatures per proposal Single … Engagement letters Automated engagement letters or contract terms Industry standard engagement terms template Customized engagement terms
- 9
Ignition
Create and track leads, send proposals, and close deals - all in one place.
- 10
Financial Cents
It is built around delivering recurring client work, not just tracking sales.
- 11
Karbon
Shared contact profiles, activity timelines, and automated client requests.
- 12
HubSpot
HubSpot’s quote software is available with Professional and Enterprise editions of Revenue Hub.
- 13
Zoho CRM
Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) Match products to customer requirements and streamline quote management with built-in price rules.
- 14
Ignition
Automated invoice creation via ledger integration Import unpaid invoices from accounting software Flexible billing options Manual or automated billing Bill for out of scope work Send one-off invoices
- 15
Canopy
Standard Cards 3.30% + $0.20 ... ACH Payments 1% (cap $10)
- 16
HubSpot
FREE For 1 year, then 0.5% per transaction, ACH capped at $10 … Credit/debit processing fees 2.9%No additional fees ACH processing fees 0.8%Max of **$10** per transaction
- 17
Ignition
ACH Payments An additional fee of 0.3% applies to payments above $3,000 … | 1% + $0.30 ($5.00 max) |
- 18
Karbon
Standard Cards Most standard Visa/Mastercard credit and debit cards 2.6% + $0.30 ... ACH Direct Debit 1% + $0.30 (max $5.00)
- 19
TaxDome (help)
Cards & wallets: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction ... ACH debit: 1% per transaction (maximum $10)
- 20
Firmary Ours
Firms define their services, send a proposal, and keep the accepted agreement with the engagement it starts.
- 21
Ignition
Create projects in Financial Cents when Ignition proposals are accepted to streamline project management and stay organized.
- 22
Firmary Ours
Firmary doesn’t integrate with accounting software (such as QuickBooks or Xero) or tax software.
- 23
Ignition
Streamline your workflow with Ignition + QuickBooks: Turn invoices into proposals and automate invoicing and reconciliation.
- 24
Zoho CRM
QuickBooks integrationSync QuickBook records with Zoho CRM and create quotes and invoices easily.
- 25
Financial Cents
Available on the Financial Cents Scale plan.
- 26
Firmary Ours
Staff can connect Claude to Firmary today as a custom connector. It acts as the staff member, within their permissions and the firm’s AI rules; Claude asks before running a change unless the staff member has set that tool to always allow, and every change made through Claude is recorded in the firm’s audit log.
- 27
Firmary Ours
ChatGPT support is in testing (not live).
- 28
HubSpot
The **HubSpot MCP server** enables you to give any MCP-compatible AI tool or agent secure read and write access to your HubSpot CRM data — contacts, deals, engagements, and more.
- 29
Karbon (press)
Public MCP server: Connects Karbon to external AI tools via an open standard
- 30
TaxDome (press)
The public API and MCP server are rolling out to all TaxDome firms over the coming weeks.
- 31
TaxDome
Yes, with the TaxDome AI add-on. The open Model Context Protocol (MCP) connector lets your AI tool read and act on TaxDome data directly.
- 32
Zoho CRM
It connects LLMs like GPT or Claude to Zoho’s APIs, data models, and actions, so agents gain the context, access, and control they need to turn natural instructions into real actions across your business apps.
- 33
Firmary Ours
Firmary’s pricing isn’t published.
- 34
HubSpot
Free for up to 2 users. No credit card required.
- 35
HubSpot
Starts at $90/mo/seat $100/mo/seat Billing period Pay Monthly Commit annually Pay Annually ... *Cost shown does not include the required, one-time Professional Onboarding for a fee of $1,500.
- 36
Ignition
$229/month(billed annually) Save % (billed annually) Save 18% [Start free trial](https://go.ignitionapp.com/sign-up) Clients Active clients with signed agreements 350 Cost per additional active client (over plan inclusion) +$3 Users User accounts 15
- 37
Zoho CRM
Standard US$14 US$14/user/month … Professional US$23 US$23/user/month … Enterprise US$40 US$40/user/month
- 38
Ignition
Cost per additional active client (over plan inclusion)
- 39
TaxDome
An active client is a client with any activity in the past 12 months, such as logging in, uploading documents, sending messages, or receiving an invoice. Contacts without activity cost nothing.
- 40
Canopy
Self-guided implementation costs $199 dollars. You receive a full refund when you complete six setup milestones within 60 days.
- 41
Canopy (help)
Check if your role has the “Export client & contacts” permission enabled. ... Your clients will be downloaded to a .CSV file named
- 42
Financial Cents
Premium training & onboarding Dedicated customer success manager
- 43
Financial Cents (help)
You can easily export the following data from Financial Cents. ... All your client work/ projects ... All your clients and their information ... Time tracking data
- 44
Firmary Ours
Firms import clients, tasks and time entries from CSV, review the rows before anything is created, and inviting clients is a separate step. Documents, messages, engagements and billing history aren’t imported.
- 45
Firmary Ours
Staff with permission export clients, contacts, tasks, time entries, aged receivables and the audit log as CSV and documents as a ZIP; an owner can export the whole firm.
- 46
HubSpot
*Cost shown does not include the required, one-time Enterprise Onboarding for a fee of $3,500.
- 47
Karbon
Data Import Self-Service Assisted Fully Managed Data Export Standard Standard Custom
- 48
TaxDome
Most firms complete TaxDome implementation in 6–8 weeks.
- 49
TaxDome (help)
To export all the data from your active accounts to a CSV file ... You’ll receive a zipped CSV file containing all your time-tracking data ... If you want your documents to be stored on your computer, copy their folders from ... then paste them to your local drive.
- 50
Zoho CRM
Import data from spreadsheets for free. Export data from Zoho CRM for up to 10 times for free.