Top 20 agency management software tools: faster projects, happier clients

You’re juggling briefs, timelines, budgets, and a glorious soup of tabs. You want less chaos and more clarity—without turning your team into spreadsheet zombies. That’s where agency management software steps in: one hub to plan work, track time, manage resources, invoice cleanly, and keep clients in the loop. This guide keeps it simple, cuts jargon, and shows you the best tools that help agencies actually ship.

Below is a straight-shooting, human list of the Top 20 agency management software options—who they’re for, where they shine, and what to watch out for. We put Shifton first on purpose: it’s the most practical, human-friendly way to align people, time, and money so your agency can scale without the drama.

TL;DR (bookmark this)

• If you want a single, human-first operations core that covers scheduling, time capture, approvals, and clean payroll handoff, start with Shifton.

• If you sell retainers and need profit visibility, check Productive, Scoro, Accelo, Kantata.

• If you want flexible work OS vibes, look at Monday.com, ClickUp, Asana, Teamwork, Wrike.

• If you need resource planning superpowers, try Float and Forecast (with Harvest).

Throughout this guide, we’ll use the phrase agency management software a lot—because that’s exactly what you came for: tools that run your agency without running it into the ground.

What is agency management software? (quick definition)

Agency management software is your control center. It helps agencies plan work, assign people, track time, manage capacity, forecast revenue, invoice clients, and report profits—in one place. Instead of bouncing between 10 apps, you get a single source of truth for projects, people, and money. Good tools feel light yet powerful, automate boring admin, and make profitability visible without gymnastics.

How we picked the winners

We evaluated each platform using criteria that matter to real teams:

• Project flow: from brief → plan → deliver → invoice.

• Resource planning: capacity, skills, availability, and zero overbooking.

• Time capture: fast, accurate, mobile-friendly.

• Financials: budgets, rates, retainers, invoicing, margins.

• Reporting: simple dashboards + drill-downs you’ll actually use.

• Collab: comments, approvals, client visibility (without chaos).

• Integrations: with tools like Slack, Drive, Sheets, accounting, payroll.

• Adoption: easy setup, friendly UI, sane learning curve.

• Value: does it replace three tools, or become a fourth?

The result? A practical, no-fluff list of agency management software you can trust.

The Top 20 agency management software tools

1) Shifton — Best overall for human-first operations and scale

Best for: agencies that want one core system for people, shifts, projects, and time—without clunky overhead.

Why it stands out: Shifton unifies smart scheduling, real-time time tracking, approvals, task ownership, leave/PTO, and payroll handoff—so your ops finally move in one rhythm. It’s multilingual, mobile-ready, and built for distributed teams, creative pods, production crews, and field units. Less tab-switching; more shipping.

Core capabilities:

• Shift & capacity planning with role/skill matching.

• Time Tracking with activity signals and exceptions.

• Task & Team Management with checklists and approvals.

• Time Off Management (vacations, sick, holidays) synced to schedules.

• Reporting with variance and cost insights—see burn and utilization.

• Payroll Management & integrations to close the loop.

Where it shines:

• Cross-functional agencies—creative + production + media—can coordinate in one timeline.

• Heads-up exceptions (overtime, conflicts) keep leaders proactive, not reactive.

• Clean export to accounting/payroll means fewer late nights.

Potential gaps:

• If you only need a simple to-do app, Shifton is more power than you need.

Bottom line: If you want agency management software that treats people and time like first-class citizens—and turns ops from “ugh” to “ahh”—Shifton is the move.

2) Productive — All-in-one PSA for profit-focused agencies

Best for: agencies that live on retainers, need deep margins, and want forecasting visibility.

Why it stands out: Combines projects, budgets, utilization, sales pipeline, and billing—so leaders can see profit in real time and steer capacity with intent.

Good fit if you need: role-based rates, revenue forecasting, and company-wide insights.

Watch-outs: rich feature set means you should invest in setup.

Use case: “We sell retainers and track profitability weekly.” → This agency management software keeps the numbers honest.

3) Scoro — Quote-to-cash control with strong financials

Best for: agencies that need tight control from estimates to invoicing.

Why it stands out: A full “quote → plan → deliver → invoice” flow, with serious project financials, resource planning, and CRM baked in.

Good fit: if you want to track budget burn and margins without spreadsheets.

Watch-outs: more structure than flexible “task boards.”

Use case: multi-service agencies wanting agency management software that replaces a stack of disjointed tools.

4) Accelo — Client work, retainers, and automation

Best for: agencies that want sales → projects → retainers in one automated flow.

Why it stands out: Purpose-built for client work, with retainers, capacity, and automation that ties your lifecycle together.

Good fit: service firms scaling beyond basic PM tools.

Watch-outs: can feel “PSA-heavy” for very small teams.

Use case: agencies hunting for agency management software that automates admin and surfaces profitability.

5) Kantata (PS Cloud) — Enterprise-grade PSA for pro services

Best for: larger agencies or those on Salesforce that need robust governance.

Why it stands out: Deep resource management, forecasting, and project controls with mature reporting. Also publishes thoughtful guides on agency ops.

Good fit: complex engagements, multi-office resourcing.

Watch-outs: enterprise setup; plan your rollout.

Use case: when agency management software must satisfy exec-level reporting and compliance.

6) Monday.com — Flexible “work OS” for campaigns & delivery

Best for: visual planners who want customizable boards, automations, and dashboards.

Why it works for agencies: easy intake forms, status flows, and cross-team visibility.

Watch-outs: financial depth requires add-ons/creative setup.

Use case: you need accessible agency management software that teams adopt quickly.

7) ClickUp — One app to replace many

Best for: agencies mixing product, creative, and ops with intense task volumes.

Why it works: docs, tasks, whiteboards, goals, automations—lightweight but broad.

Watch-outs: guardrail your workspace or it can sprawl.

Use case: you want agency management software that’s flexible and affordable.

8) Asana — Clean coordination for cross-functional teams

Best for: agencies that care about clarity and timelines.

Why it works: clear tasks, dependencies, workload, and portfolio views.

Watch-outs: financials/time require integrations.

Use case: you need agency management software for delivery discipline and client-ready roadmaps.

9) Teamwork — Built by and for agencies

Best for: classic agency workflows with time, invoicing, and client permissions.

Why it works: templates for retainers/projects, client view controls.

Watch-outs: advanced forecasting is lighter than PSA tools.

Use case: mid-size shops wanting practical agency management software without enterprise baggage.

10) Wrike — Powerful work orchestration

Best for: agencies that love custom workflows and approvals.

Why it works: blueprints, request forms, proofing, and strong automation.

Watch-outs: can feel heavyweight; train your team well.

Use case: you want agency management software for compliance and handoffs.

11) Smartsheet — Spreadsheet-native control

Best for: teams that think in grids and love formulas.

Why it works: familiar UI, projects + capacity + dashboards.

Watch-outs: financial depth depends on how far you go with sheets.

Use case: a sheet-first take on agency management software with grown-up governance.

12) Notion — Docs, projects, and knowledge in one canvas

Best for: content-heavy agencies that need living docs + tasks.

Why it works: flexible databases, wikis, and embeds for briefs to delivery.

Watch-outs: time/financials require integrations.

Use case: lightweight agency management software for content pipelines.

13) Jira Work Management — When engineering and creative collide

Best for: agencies that straddle dev and design.

Why it works: workflows, issue types, roadmaps; strong for technical delivery.

Watch-outs: creative teams may prefer simpler UX.

Use case: agency management software for hybrid dev-creative squads.

14) Basecamp — Minimalist project hubs

Best for: small studios and client collaboration.

Why it works: messages, to-dos, files, schedules—simple and calm.

Watch-outs: limited native financials.

Use case: no-frills agency management software for clear comms.

15) Trello — Kanban-first coordination

Best for: tiny teams and visual flows.

Why it works: boards, lists, cards—fast and friendly.

Watch-outs: scaling ops means lots of power-ups.

Use case: starter agency management software for simple pipelines.

16) Workamajig — Creative operations classic

Best for: agencies wanting traffic, finances, and creative under one roof.

Why it works: long-standing creative ops features, proofing, and accounting tie-ins.

Watch-outs: legacy UX; plan onboarding.

Use case: established shops needing durable agency management software.

17) Function Point — Project + financials for creative shops

Best for: design/advertising studios with quoting, time, and invoicing needs.

Why it works: estimate → deliver → bill loop in one place.

Watch-outs: fewer dashboard frills than newer tools.

Use case: straightforward agency management software for small/mid studios.

18) Float — Pure resource planning excellence

Best for: agencies that live and die by capacity and availability.

Why it works: drag-and-drop scheduling, skills, and time off in one map.

Watch-outs: pair with a PM/financial tool.

Use case: complement to your agency management software for crystal-clear resourcing.

19) Harvest + Forecast — Time + planning combo

Best for: clean time tracking with lightweight resourcing and invoicing.

Why it works: fast timesheets, simple budgets, contractor-friendly.

Watch-outs: limited project/portfolio depth.

Use case: a modular way to add agency management software essentials.

20) Zoho Projects (and Zoho One) — Budget-friendly suite

Best for: value hunters who like integrated CRM, desk, and finance options.

Why it works: projects plus an ecosystem (CRM, Books, Desk) under one roof.

Watch-outs: some features feel basic vs. PSA platforms.

Use case: entry-level agency management software that grows with you.

Shifton vs. the rest (in real life)

• One rhythm for work and pay: Scheduling and real-time time capture roll up to approvals and payroll handoff. That tight loop means fewer “Where did the hours go?” moments.

• Exception-based management: Overtime, conflicts, or missing time jump out before they become fires.

• Human-friendly UX: Managers plan, teams clock, leaders see insights. No drama.

• Scales across formats: Retainers, fixed fee, production sprints—Shifton adapts.

If your agency wants agency management software that reduces admin while increasing control, Shifton is the shortest path from chaos to clarity.

Quick chooser: which lane are you in?

• We sell retainers & need profit visibility: Productive, Scoro, Accelo, Kantata.

• We need flexible “boards + automations”: Monday.com, ClickUp, Asana, Teamwork, Wrike.

• We want resource planning superpowers: Shifton, Float, Forecast.

• We’re small and want to keep it simple: Basecamp, Trello, Function Point.

• We want an affordable suite: Zoho Projects (or Zoho One).

• We want a human-first ops core: Shifton.

All of these are agency management software in one way or another—the right pick depends on your flow, margins, and culture.

How to choose the right agency management software

1. Map your flow (intake → estimate → plan → deliver → invoice).

2. List must-haves (e.g., people scheduling, time, retainers, purchase orders, approvals).

3. Define guardrails (budgets, billable targets, utilization expectations).

4. Check integrations (Slack, Drive, accounting, payroll).

5. Pilot with a real client for 2–4 weeks.

6. Measure outcomes (on-time delivery, margin, admin hours saved).

7. Decide on the record—one agency management software should be the source of truth.

8. Roll out in waves (Ops first, then the rest).

9. Train and template—lock in best practices.

10. Review quarterly—clean your boards, prune automations, revisit rates.

This approach ensures your agency management software actually sticks—and pays for itself.

Real-world examples (fast scenarios)

• Campaign sprints with freelancers: Shifton schedules design and copy blocks, tracks time in real time, and flags overruns so PMs reset scope before the invoice goes sideways.

• Retainer with variable scope: Productive/Scoro model retainers, track burn, and forecast capacity so AMs renegotiate early.

• Studio with recurring jobs: Teamwork or Function Point make templated delivery easy; Shifton handles staffing and overtime risks.

• Hybrid creative + dev: Jira Work Management + Asana/ClickUp for the hybrid flow; Shifton or Float for capacity planning.

In every scenario, your agency management software should surface the next best decision, not force you to dig for it.

FAQs 

Q1: Do we really need agency management software if we already use boards and spreadsheets?

Yes—when headcount, clients, or retainers grow, spreadsheets crack. Agency management software gives you one place for time, capacity, budgets, and receipts.

Q2: What’s the minimum set of features to count as agency management software?

Projects, time tracking, resource planning, and basic financials (budgets/rates). Add invoicing and reporting for a true agency management software foundation.

Q3: How long should rollout take?

A focused agency can pilot agency management software in 2–4 weeks, then scale in waves. Train, template, and keep it simple at first.

Q4: How do we get team buy-in?

Pick agency management software with fast time entry, clear schedules, and clean dashboards. If it saves people time on day one, adoption follows.

Q5: Can we mix tools?

Sure. Many teams use Shifton for people/time + a PM tool for briefs. The trick: pick one agency management software as the system of record.

Methodology 

We compared platform docs and public product pages, reviewed features relevant to agencies (retainers, capacity, invoicing), and looked for simple workflows that reduce admin. We also prioritised how well each agency management software handles real-world client work: shifting scopes, mixed billing, distributed teams, and fast approvals.

Final thoughts: pick the tool that buys back your time

At the end of the day, your clients don’t pay you to maintain tools—they pay you to ship excellent work. The right agency management software fades into the background and gives you back the hours you’ve been feeding to spreadsheets and status meetings.

If you want one system that treats people, time, and money as a single storyline, start with Shifton. It’s the shortest, kindest path from “too many tabs” to “we’ve got this.”