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 Liscio
Usual collects documents and answers from clients, sends the reminders and files what the firm accepts. Liscio is a client portal with file intelligence, secure messaging, organizers and tax software handoff. Usual is narrower and prices by firm and active client count; Liscio is a broader client communication and file platform priced per user.
Who each is for
Liscio
A client-file, request and signing platform for accounting and bookkeeping firms, from sole practitioners to large firms.
Side by side
| Feature | Usual | Liscio |
|---|---|---|
| Clients' experience | ||
| Opening a request | Yes.Personal link from email, on any phone. No password, no app. | Yes.Secure client portal. |
| Branding | Yes.The firm's branding is included on every plan. | Custom branding is listed on the Liscio Platform plan. |
| E-signature | Yes.Clients sign an engagement letter in the checklist; the firm keeps a signature record. Not for Form 8879. | Yes.eSignature is listed on the Liscio Platform plan, and its homepage says documents can be signed without a separate tool. |
| Mobile apps | No.The client checklist opens in a phone browser; there is no mobile app. | Yes.Web and mobile apps are listed on the File Intelligence plan. |
| Secure messaging | No.No client chat or secure message thread. | Yes.Secure messages tied to each client's files and requests. |
| Requests and reminders | ||
| Document collection | Yes.A checklist of items, each with a file upload or an answer. | Yes.Send a checklist of the documents and answers you need for onboarding, tax organizers and more. |
| Reusable checklists | Yes.Built in for monthly close, the individual and business tax organizers, and year-end 1099s. | Yes.Reusable checklists are listed among its features. |
| Tax organizers | Yes.An individual and a business organizer, with conditional questions. | Yes.Tax organizers are listed among its features. |
| Organizer from last year's return | Yes.Next year's organizer starts from last year's answers. | Yes.Its File Intelligence can create an organizer and request list from a prior-year return. |
| Email integration | Yes.Reminders can come from the firm's own domain on the Practice plan. | Yes.Email integration with Outlook and Gmail is listed on the Liscio Platform plan. |
| Review and filing | ||
| File classification and naming | No.Staff review and file accepted documents themselves. | Yes.New documents are read, classified, and named on arrival. |
| Existing folder migration | No.No automatic migration of an existing folder structure. | Yes.Your existing folders and files are moved in as is, with names and structure intact. |
| Where files live | Files live in Usual's client folders, with versions and a recycle bin. | Yes.Files can stay in SharePoint, OneDrive or Google Drive, or in Liscio. |
| Tax software handoff | No.No tax software integration. | Yes.Print returns into Liscio from UltraTax CS, Lacerte, ProSeries, Drake, CCH Axcess or ProSystem fx. |
| Return delivery | No.No return delivery workflow. | Yes.Return delivery is listed among its features. |
| File history | Yes.File versions, a recycle bin and a log of every view and download. | Yes.File history per client is listed on the File Intelligence plan. |
| Security | ||
| Activity timeline | Yes.Every view and download is logged. | Yes.An activity timeline is listed among its features. |
| File security | 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. | Its page describes secure file exchange and storage. |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting plan | Starter: $17 per month, or $170 per year, for 20 active clients and 1 person. | File Intelligence: $19 per user per month, billed annually. |
| Platform plan | Practice: $57 per month, or $570 per year, for 100 active clients and 5 people. | Liscio Platform: $49 per user per month, billed annually. |
| Billing unit | Per firm, by active client tier. | Per user, per month, billed annually. |
| File and client limits | Plans cover 20, 100 or 300 active clients. | Unlimited files, subject to fair use; no numeric user or client maximum is listed. |
| Custom plan | Firms above 300 active clients get a custom plan. | Tax Enterprise is custom for large volumes and custom file routing. |
Where Liscio fits better
- You want new documents classified and named automatically. Its File Intelligence plan lists that on arrival.
- You want to keep files in SharePoint, OneDrive or Google Drive instead of moving them into a new system.
- You need secure client messaging tied to each client's files and requests.
- You need a mobile app for clients. Its File Intelligence plan lists web and mobile apps.
- You need to print returns into the client portal from UltraTax CS, Lacerte, ProSeries, Drake, CCH Axcess or ProSystem fx.
- You want a lower per-user starting price. File Intelligence is $19 per user 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.
- Decide where the files will live. Usual keeps accepted files in its own client folders, so agree which folder maps to the firm's current structure.
- Keep Liscio for secure messaging and file intelligence if the firm relies on them, while Usual handles the request and reminder loop.
Questions about this comparison
Which costs less, Usual or Liscio?
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. Liscio File Intelligence is $19 per user per month billed annually, and Liscio Platform is $49 per user per month billed annually. Compare the number of people who need access and the features each plan includes.
Does Usual have a mobile app?
No. Usual clients open the checklist in a phone browser from a link in email, with no app to install. Liscio lists web and mobile apps on its File Intelligence plan.
Does Usual classify and name uploaded files?
No. Usual keeps the file the client uploads, and staff review and file it into the client's folders. Liscio's File Intelligence reads new documents and proposes a name and classification.
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. Liscio describes a secure client portal for files, requests and messages.
Can a firm use Usual and Liscio together?
Yes. A firm can keep Liscio for secure messaging, file intelligence and return delivery, and use Usual for the client request and reminder loop. Start with one client so the team can compare the two experiences.
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.