Usual
Built for US bookkeeping and CPA firms with 1 to 15 people. Use it for monthly close, tax organizers, year-end 1099 requests, or all three.
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Usual vs FileInvite
Usual collects documents and answers from accounting clients and files what the firm accepts. FileInvite is a document collection platform built for commercial and complex lending, with multi-party requests, borrower portals and PDF conversion. Usual is built for bookkeeping and tax firms; FileInvite is built for loan teams.
Who each is for
FileInvite
A document collection platform for commercial and complex lending, serving loan teams, customer teams and management teams.
Side by side
| Feature | Usual | FileInvite |
|---|---|---|
| Clients' experience | ||
| Opening a request | Yes.Personal link from email, on any phone. No password, no app. | Yes.Borrowers receive a secure link to upload files, complete forms and sign documents on any device. |
| Branding | Yes.The firm's branding is included on every plan. | A custom branded portal and custom domain are listed on Premium. |
| E-signature | Yes.Clients sign an engagement letter in the checklist; the firm keeps a signature record. Not for Form 8879. | Yes.Borrowers can complete forms and sign documents in the portal. |
| Borrower portal | The checklist opens from a link; there is no separate portal login. | Yes.A secure client portal and a persistent document portal are listed. |
| Requests and reminders | ||
| Document collection | Yes.A checklist of items, each with a file upload or an answer. | Yes.Secure document collection with automated reminders and progress tracking. |
| Reminders | Yes.Sent on the schedule the firm sets, by email, and stop when everything is in. | Yes.Automatic reminders, scheduled at intervals you define, with missing items named. |
| Templates | Yes.Built in for monthly close, the individual and business tax organizers, and year-end 1099s. | Yes.Checklists can be built from pre-built templates or from scratch. |
| Multi-party requests | No.One client per request. | Yes.Party-specific document requests with personalized checklists for each party. |
| Email document intake | No.Documents come through the checklist link. | Email Document Intake with AI-powered matching is listed on Enterprise. |
| Review and filing | ||
| Approve or reject a document | Yes.Accept each item, or send back one file with a note. | Yes.One-click approve or reject on each document. |
| PDF conversion | No.Files stay in the format the client uploaded. | Yes.Automatically converts all uploaded files to PDF format. |
| File naming | No.Staff name and file the documents. | Yes.Dynamic renaming to suit the firm's folder and file name conventions. |
| Cloud storage | Yes.Accepted and filed files copy to your Google Drive or OneDrive, in client folders. | Yes.Connects to OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, Dropbox and SharePoint. |
| CRM, API and Zapier | No.No CRM integration, API or Zapier. | Yes.CRM integrations, an enterprise-grade API and Zapier are listed. |
| Security | ||
| Certification | No.No ISO 27001 or SOC 2 report yet. The controls are published at usual.so/security. | Yes.SOC 2 Type II compliant and 256-bit encryption. |
| Encryption | Yes.Every file is encrypted under its own key, derived from a key unique to your firm. SSNs, EINs and bank numbers are encrypted again. | Yes.At rest and in transit encryption. |
| Upload scanning | Yes.Uploads are virus-scanned; staff open a file only after it passes. | Yes.Document virus detection is included on all plans. |
| Staff sign-in | Yes.Two-step sign-in a firm can require for everyone, and a breached-password check. | Yes.Multi-factor authentication is listed. |
| Activity log | Yes.Every view and download is logged, and the log can't be edited. | Yes.A complete audit trail is listed. |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting plan | Starter: $17 per month, or $170 per year, for 20 active clients and 1 person. | Standard plans start at USD $9,900 per year for up to 100 typical commercial loans annually. |
| Billing unit | Per firm, by active client tier. | Annual plans priced by annual loan volume. |
| Volume limit | 20, 100 or 300 active clients. | Up to 100 typical commercial loans annually on Standard; more on Enterprise. |
| Custom plan | Firms above 300 active clients get a custom plan. | Enterprise is custom for higher volume, servicing and multi-party collaboration. |
Where FileInvite fits better
- You collect documents for commercial or complex lending, with several parties on one deal.
- You need party-specific requests and personalized checklists for each borrower, accountant or guarantor.
- You want uploaded files converted to PDF and renamed automatically to the firm's conventions.
- You need CRM, cloud storage, API or Zapier connections.
- You need SOC 2 Type II and an audit trail for a lending compliance review.
- You want a borrower portal with a custom brand and domain on the Enterprise plan.
Switching to Usual
- Start with one service and one client. Use a Usual template for monthly close or a tax organizer and send it to a client you know well.
- Keep FileInvite for commercial lending deals if the firm has a lending practice. Usual handles the accounting client request and reminder loop.
- Set the reminder schedule and the due date before the first real send, so the client sees the same schedule the firm promised.
Questions about this comparison
Which costs less, Usual or FileInvite?
They are built for different work. Usual Starter is $17 per month, or $170 per year, for 20 active clients and 1 person, and Practice is $57 per month for 100 active clients and 5 people. FileInvite Standard starts at USD $9,900 per year for up to 100 commercial loans. A firm that does not originate commercial loans is comparing a different scope, not only a price.
Is FileInvite built for accounting firms?
FileInvite is built for commercial and complex lending, with borrower portals, multi-party requests and loan document workflows. A bookkeeping or CPA firm would use it only if it also originates or services commercial loans.
Does Usual support multi-party requests?
No. Usual sends one request to one client. A deal with a borrower, a guarantor and the borrower's accountant needs a platform built for multi-party collection, such as FileInvite.
Does Usual convert files to PDF or rename them automatically?
No. Usual keeps the file the client uploads, and staff review and file it into the client's folders. FileInvite lists automatic PDF conversion and dynamic renaming.
Can a firm use Usual and FileInvite together?
Yes. A firm with both an accounting practice and a lending practice can keep FileInvite for the lending deals and use Usual for the accounting clients.
Try Usual on your next client
Start free trialSources, checked November 3, 2026
The competitor's public pages can change after the date above. Usual facts come from Usual's own product and pricing.