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 Financial Cents
Usual collects documents and answers from clients, sends the reminders and files what the firm accepts. Financial Cents is a practice management platform that adds workflows, time tracking, invoicing and proposals to a client portal. Usual is narrower and priced by firm and active client count; Financial Cents is a broader practice system priced per user.
Who each is for
Financial Cents
A practice management platform for small and growing accounting, bookkeeping and tax firms, from a 2-person bookkeeping shop to a 30-person CAS firm.
Side by side
| Feature | Usual | Financial Cents |
|---|---|---|
| Clients' experience | ||
| Opening a request | Yes.Personal link from email, on any phone. No password, no app. | Yes.Branded client portal with secure file uploads and e-signature. |
| Branding | Yes.The firm's branding is included on every plan. | Branded client portal is listed on the Scale plan. |
| E-signature | Yes.Clients sign an engagement letter in the checklist; the firm keeps a signature record. Not for Form 8879. | Yes.E-signatures are listed on every plan. |
| Requests and reminders | ||
| Document requests | Yes.A checklist of items, each with a file upload or an answer. | Yes.Client document requests with automated reminders. |
| Reminders | Yes.Sent on the schedule the firm sets, by email, and stop when everything is in. | Yes.Auto requests with reminders that send themselves. |
| Reusable templates | Yes.Built in for monthly close, the individual and business tax organizers, and year-end 1099s. | Yes.Work templates are listed on every plan, and the homepage describes accounting-specific workflow templates. |
| Review and filing | ||
| File storage | Files live in Usual's client folders, with versions and a recycle bin. | Yes.Secure file sharing and document management, with unlimited file storage on every tier. |
| Cloud drive sync | Copies accepted and filed files to Google Drive or OneDrive. No SharePoint. | Yes.Google Drive, OneDrive, and SharePoint sync. |
| Tax software integrations | No.No tax software integration. | Drake, UltraTax, ProConnect, ProSeries and CCH Axcess are listed on the Scale plan. |
| QuickBooks Online | No.No QuickBooks Online sync. | Yes.Native QuickBooks Online sync on every plan. |
| Invoicing | No.No invoicing or billing. | Yes.Invoicing and billing are listed on every plan. |
| Proposals and engagement letters | Clients can sign an engagement letter in the checklist; there is no proposal builder. | Yes.Proposals and engagement letters are listed on every plan. |
| Zapier and open API | No.No Zapier connection and no public API. | Zapier and an open API are listed on the Scale plan. |
| Security | ||
| Two-step sign-in | Yes.Two-step sign-in a firm can require for everyone, and a breached-password check. | Mandatory 2FA option is listed on the Enterprise plan. |
| Reporting | Yes.Every view and download is logged. | Work reports and filters are listed on every tier. |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting plan | Starter: $17 per month, or $170 per year, for 20 active clients and 1 person. | Solo: $19 per month billed annually, for one user. |
| Team plan | Practice: $57 per month, or $570 per year, for 100 active clients and 5 people. | Team: $49 per user per month billed annually, or $69 per user per month on a monthly plan. |
| Billing unit | Per firm, by active client tier. | Per user, per month. |
| Minimum seats | 1 person on Starter, 5 on Practice. | 1 user on Solo; no minimum on annual Team or Scale, 5 users minimum when billed monthly. |
| Client limit | 20, 100 or 300 active clients. | No overall client maximum is stated, and file storage is unlimited on every tier. |
| Free trial | Yes.14 days, no credit card. | Yes.Free 14-day trial, no credit card required. |
| KBA signatures | No.No KBA. Signatures are not for Form 8879. | $1 to $2 per KBA, depending on package size. |
Where Financial Cents fits better
- You want one system for workflow, client CRM, time tracking, invoicing and proposals, not only document collection.
- You need native QuickBooks Online sync. Its pricing page lists the integration on every plan.
- You need Zapier or an open API. Both are listed on the Scale plan.
- You need tax software handoff to Drake, UltraTax, ProConnect, ProSeries or CCH Axcess. Those are listed on the Scale plan.
- You want Google Drive, OneDrive or SharePoint sync for client files.
- You want a one-person plan at $19 per month, billed annually.
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 Financial Cents for workflow, time tracking and invoicing if the firm uses those, while Usual handles the 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 Financial Cents?
They price differently. 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. Financial Cents Solo is $19 per month billed annually for one user, and Team is $49 per user per month billed annually. Compare the number of people who need access and the active client limit.
Does Usual sync with QuickBooks Online?
No. Usual does not connect to QuickBooks Online, Xero or a tax program. Financial Cents lists native QuickBooks Online sync on every plan and tax software integrations on its Scale plan.
Does Usual replace a practice management tool?
No. Usual does the client document request, reminder and review loop. It does not have workflow boards, time tracking, invoicing or proposals, so a firm that needs those should keep its practice management tool.
Do clients need an account to use Usual?
No. Usual clients open a personal link from email and finish the checklist on their phone, with no password and no app. Financial Cents describes a branded client portal with secure file uploads and e-signature.
Can a firm use Usual and Financial Cents together?
Yes. A firm can keep Financial Cents for workflow, time and billing, and use Usual for the client request and reminder loop. Start with one client so the team can compare the two experiences before moving the whole book.
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.