7 Best Kantata Alternatives for Professional Services Automation in 2025

As service-based organizations grow, managing projects, resources, billing, and profitability becomes increasingly complex. While Kantata (formerly Mavenlink) remains a major player in the PSA space, many teams are now searching for smarter, more flexible alternatives in 2025.

Whether you are seeking easier onboarding, faster ROI, or deeper integration across your tech stack, this guide highlights the top seven Kantata alternatives that are redefining professional services automation.

Why Consider a Kantata Alternative?

Kantata offers robust capabilities for enterprise services teams, but it may not be the right fit for everyone. Common reasons for seeking an alternative include:

A complex user interface that slows down adoption across teams
Lengthy setup process requiring extensive training
The pricing structure that may not scale cost-effectively for mid-size firms
Limited flexibility for fast-moving or agile delivery teams
Need for deeper CRM or financial system integrations

1. CogniSaaS – The Most Powerful and Scalable PSA Alternative to Kantata

CogniSaaS is a modern PSA platform purpose-built for growing service delivery teams. It unifies everything from project management and time tracking to forecasting, billing, and client reporting, making it the top choice in 2025.

Why Teams Choose CogniSaaS

Combines project execution and resource planning in one intuitive platform for full delivery visibility
Provides real-time insights into billable hours, utilization, and margins to drive profitability
Enables automated approvals and billing to eliminate manual effort and reduce revenue leakage
Offers customizable dashboards for tracking key delivery and financial metrics across clients and teams
Integrates easily with leading tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, NetSuite, QuickBooks, and more
Scales seamlessly with your organization’s complexity and growth

For a detailed comparison, see this full CogniSaaS vs Kantata guide to help decide which solution better fits your growing services team.

2. Rocketlane – Purpose Built for Onboarding and Client Project Delivery

Rocketlane is a fast-growing PSA solution designed especially for client onboarding and implementation teams. Its client-facing features make it a great fit for services organizations that deliver structured, repeatable onboarding or delivery engagements.

Top Reasons to Use Rocketlane

Dedicated client portals ensure seamless collaboration and transparency throughout delivery
Prebuilt onboarding templates help teams accelerate project launch and reduce setup time
In app time tracking, approvals, and progress updates keep everyone aligned
Visual workflows and notifications make it easy to manage expectations and outcomes

3. Accelo – CRM Centric PSA Platform for Small to Mid-Sized Agencies

Accelo provides an end-to-end PSA experience with built-in CRM features, making it ideal for small to mid-sized professional services firms looking for one tool to manage clients, projects, and revenue.

Key Features of Accelo

Allows you to manage client communication and task workflows in one centralized place
Automates time tracking, invoicing, and recurring billing for greater efficiency
Offers resource scheduling tools to optimize staff workload and utilization
Syncs with popular accounting and email platforms for better visibility

4. BigTime – Easy to Use Time and Billing Software for Growing Firms

BigTime is a streamlined PSA tool focused on time tracking, expense management, and billing. It is a strong fit for firms that need simple, reliable features without unnecessary complexity.

Why Users Love BigTime

Designed for fast-growing service firms that prioritize accurate billing and profitability
Supports time and materials, fixed fee, and retainer-based billing structures
Integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, and other financial systems for seamless accounting
Provides timesheet approvals, expense reporting, and project tracking in a single interface

5. Wrike – Project Management with PSA Add-ons

Wrike is primarily a project management tool, but with advanced features and optional add-ons, it can support some PSA functions like resource planning, time tracking, and reporting.

Wrike’s Standout Capabilities

Visual project timelines, Kanban boards, and task dependencies improve team planning
Built-in time tracking and workload charts support better team management
Real-time dashboards and automation rules help streamline collaboration
Suitable for agencies, marketing teams, and consultancies needing project control and visibility

6. ConnectWise Manage – PSA Built for IT Services and MSPs

ConnectWise Manage is a comprehensive PSA tool tailored for IT service providers and managed service providers. It offers advanced ticketing, contract management, and technician performance reporting.

Why IT Teams Choose ConnectWise

Offers integrated help desk ticketing, time logging, and SLA monitoring
Supports complex billing and contract arrangements with automated workflows
Tracks resource utilization across support, project, and maintenance engagements
Connects with other tools in the ConnectWise ecosystem for end-to-end visibility

7. Scoro – Business Management Meets PSA

Scoro blends PSA with broader business management tools like quoting, budgeting, and financial analysis. It’s well-suited for creative firms, agencies, and consultancies wanting a complete business solution.

What Scoro Offers

Project planning tools linked to quoting, time tracking, and invoicing
Budgeting and forecasting features to plan and monitor financial performance
KPI dashboards and custom reports that support executive decision making
Strong integration options with financial and CRM tools

What Makes a PSA Tool the Right Fit?

As you evaluate PSA solutions for your organization, consider the following:

Usability: Is it easy to learn and adopt across project, finance, and operations teams
Visibility: Does it provide real-time access to key data like utilization and profit margins
Automation: Can you reduce manual processes like billing, reporting, and approvals
Integrations: Will it connect smoothly with your CRM, ERP, and collaboration tools
Scalability: Can it adapt as your team, clients, and operations grow over time

Why CogniSaaS Is the Best Kantata Alternative in 2025

CogniSaaS stands out by offering a flexible, powerful platform that connects the entire services lifecycle. Unlike legacy PSA systems, it’s built to scale with modern services teams and align delivery with business outcomes.

What Makes CogniSaaS Different

Provides unified project and resource management from opportunity to invoice
Offers real-time forecasting and profitability tracking for better decision making
Eliminates data silos with seamless integrations to your core business tools
Enables smart automation to streamline every stage of service delivery
Adapts quickly to your unique workflows and reporting needs