# Who makes this shortlist, and how tools get on it

Source: https://bestaccountingpracticemanagementsoftware.pages.dev/about/

> Firmary publishes this site and makes Firmary, one of the products below. It's labeled "Ours" wherever it appears.

This site is published by Firmary, LLC, which makes Firmary practice management software. Firmary is one of the products listed.

**What this site does.** It matches practice management software to the kind of firm each tool suits, for owners of 2 to 20 person US CPA, tax and bookkeeping firms who already know what the software is for. The general explainer, covering what the software does and how its pricing works, is on a separate site we also publish.

**Why there's no ranking.** No tool is right for every firm, and we make one of the tools. A ranking from us would be worth little. Instead, each tool gets one "best for" pick that follows from a fact on its own pages, with the catch printed next to it. Tools appear in alphabetical order everywhere on the site.

**How tools got on the list.** Seven practice management tools were considered for small US firms. Each stayed because its own pages gave enough dated facts for every column of the comparison. Firmary gets a pick only where the reason is live on firmary.app today, which is its Claude connector. A second Firmary pick was considered and left out because other tools publish similar features that firms can buy now.

**How facts are checked.** We read each vendor's pricing, product, help and security pages on 10 Nov 2026 and quote them in the source notes. Trade press is used only where it carries a dated change the vendor's page doesn't. When a page doesn't mention a feature, we say it isn't listed rather than that the tool lacks it. We didn't test the products.

**Our conflict of interest.** We'd like you to choose Firmary, and we make money if you do. That is why our row says "Ours", why every claim carries a source, and why the comparison has a section on when another tool fits better.

**Corrections.** Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email support@firmary.app and we'll check it and fix the page.

Every source cited on this shortlist was read on 10 Nov 2026.

## What this site compares

- **Price**: The public list price, the unit it's charged on, and how it's billed. Read from the vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. If no price is published, we say so.
- **How it's priced**: Per user (seat), per active client, per connected client, or per firm. From the vendor's pricing page.
- **Free trial or free plan**: Whether a firm can try it before paying, and for how long. From the vendor's pricing or sign-up page.
- **Switching and onboarding**: What the vendor says about moving in: imports, migration help, stated onboarding time, and what it costs. From the vendor's migration or implementation pages.
- **Getting your data out**: What you can export, in what format, if you leave. From the vendor's help or product pages. If nothing is published, we say so.
- **AI features**: AI features the vendor says are available now, with what they cost; announced or beta features are labeled as such. From the vendor's pages and dated trade press. Beta and waitlist status is stated.
- **API and AI-assistant connections**: A public API, and whether staff or clients can connect AI assistants such as Claude or ChatGPT (for example over MCP). From the vendor's developer pages and dated announcements.
- **QuickBooks and Xero links**: A built-in integration with QuickBooks Online or Xero, and what it syncs. From the vendor's integrations page.
- **Tax software links**: A built-in integration with tax preparation software (for example Drake, Lacerte, UltraTax, CCH Axcess, ProConnect). From the vendor's integrations page.
- **Security attestations**: Independent audits the vendor says it holds, such as SOC 2 Type II, as the vendor states them. From the vendor's security or trust page. We report what the vendor says; we didn't see the reports.
- **E-signing**: Built-in electronic signatures, including knowledge-based authentication (KBA) where tax forms such as 8879 need it. From the vendor's product, pricing or help pages.
- **Client app or portal**: Where clients log in to answer requests, upload files, sign and pay; whether it carries the firm's brand and has a mobile app. From the vendor's product or pricing pages.