Compare Jetpack Workflow vs Karbon vs Aero Workflow [2024]

Workflow management platforms help firms run more efficiently and complete essential tasks in less time. 

This type of software keeps all tasks, projects, and team members organized in one central location so that everything stays on track.

So, which software has the best workflow management capabilities for accounting firms? 

There are several popular tools that we’ve seen successful firms use to manage client work and become more productive – including Karbon, Aero Workflow, and Jetpack Workflow. 

While these platforms share similarities, each focuses on distinct features that may make one a better choice for your business.

To help you decide which is right for your firm, we’ve prepared a side-by-side comparison based on the features most important to successful accounting firms.

What do Aero Workflow, Jetpack Workflow, and Karbon Do?

Aero Workflow, Jetpack Workflow, and Karbon are software systems designed to help accounting firms work more efficiently. While the specific capabilities of each platform vary, the main overlapping feature between all three is workflow management. 

In general, workflow management solutions provide teams with better visibility into current client work, offering a clear view of who is working on what tasks to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. 

These tools often provide features to break down projects into individual tasks and deliverables, helping teams understand what still needs to be completed ahead of the deadline. 

Plus, workflow management platforms can help automate and standardize recurring tasks with custom templates, helping to improve efficiency and minimize redundant administrative tasks. 

Let’s take a closer look at these three platforms to see how they measure up against each other. 

3 Project Management Tools for Accounting Practices

Karbon is a practice management solution that includes workflow management as one of its core functions. The platform is designed to help firms manage both client-facing and back-end operations. 

This includes a customizable client portal where clients can access and update their information, sign important documents, submit information, and make payments.

Aero Workflow attempts to transform your accounting firm by helping you standardize services, organize tasks and information, and track the status of open client work. 

The platform allows you to create and store service procedures, customize task templates, schedule recurring or one-time tasks, and track progress and time spent on client work. 

Jetpack Workflow acts as the center of activity for your accounting or bookkeeping firm. Within the platform, you can quickly organize all tasks in one place — including standardizing processes with custom templates, automating recurring work, tracking progress on current tasks, and viewing upcoming work to ensure you never miss critical deadlines. 

Jetpack Workflow makes it easy to keep track of what everyone on your team is working on and proactively identify upcoming needs to stay on top of what’s on the horizon.

A Quick Overview of Each Tool

Karbon

Karbon is an all-in-one practice management solution designed to help accounting firms manage all aspects of their practice, from new client onboarding to project management, billing, and team collaboration. 

Workflow management is only a small portion of the Karbon platform, while a more central focus of the solution appears to be strengthening client relationships. 

Main Features

Aero Workflow

Aero Workflow is a cloud-based solution that helps firms standardize routine accounting work procedures, schedule tasks, and track progress on open work. 

The platform has an emphasis on creating detailed procedures for common tasks. This gives you and your staff a clear picture of what needs to be done and how to do it. The aim is that it will help promote  a more efficient, profitable, and scalable firm.

Main Features

Jetpack Workflow

Jetpack Workflow is a cloud-based platform that focuses on solving workflow and project management challenges for accounting professionals such as staff accountants, CPA firms, and bookkeepers.

Jetpack is designed to help you remain productive as you grow your firm, with quick implementation in just a few days. 

You easily standardize your checklists with the free template library, automate critical deadlines with custom scheduling functions, view all of your work in one place with convenient filters, stay on track with the “My Work” page to see what’s next, and monitor what your team is working on.

Main Features

The Differences Between Karbon, Aero Workflow, and Jetpack Workflow

Now that you have an overview of each tool, let’s look at some of their fundamental differences.

Features

Karbon – Karbon’s key features include automatic client data collection, recurring task generation for regular monthly/quarterly/annual tasks, and storage for reports, spreadsheets, and other documents alongside your workflow process.

Aero Workflow – Aero Workflow’s main features consist of time & project tracking, the ability to schedule one-time and recurring tasks, and a training hub to create and store processes.

Jetpack Workflow – Jetpack Workflow centralizes all project and task tracking  in one location, similar to Aero Workflow and Karbon. It also offers pre-made templates specific to the accounting process, capacity planning tools to allocate your team and resources in real-time, and detailed reporting to help you see the scope of work over your entire client base.

Integrations

Karbon – Supports  25+ direct integrations and additional integrations via  Zapier.

Aero Workflow – Has  6 pre-built  integrations: Quickbooks Online, QuickBooks Time, Office 365, Connect My SaaS, Zoho Flow, and Integrately.  Aero is also connected to Zapier. 

Jetpack Workflow – Integrates with over 100 tools like Google Workspace, QuickBooks Online, and HubSpot via Zapier. 

Ease of Use

Karbon – Has an above-average interface. However, some users report the extensive amount of supported features can make for a steep learning curve and lengthy implementation process.  

Aero Workflow – Does not have the most modern interface, and some users feel it’s a bit clunky. However, it offers a variety of webinars, demo videos, and a knowledge base to help users get the most out of the platform.

Jetpack Workflow – Known for its quick setup that only takes a few days rather than weeks like other tools. It also offers regular webinars, training sessions, a knowledge base, and a support team to help navigate the system. Plus, the accounting-specific templates simplify the process of documenting services and processes, which are easy to tweak as needed.

Price

Karbon – Charges a monthly fee per user, which varies based on the plan you select. The Team Plan is $59 per user/month and the Business Plan runs $89 per user/month, both paid annually. The price difference stems from the additional features supported by the Business Plan. There’s also an Enterprise Plan with custom pricing for teams of 20 to 20,000.

Aero Workflow – Offers three different plans based on the number of users you need to support. The Startup Plan supports up to five users at $108/month. The Growth Plan supports 6-25 users at $200/month, and the Scaling Plan supports 26-50 users at  $295/month, all with annual billing.

Jetpack Workflow – Offers one unlimited plan. Pricing starts at $30 per user/month with annual billing.

Customer Service

Karbon – Has extensive resources, a fast response time, and various contact methods such as chat, email, and 24/7 phone support.

Aero Workflow – Has a lot of helpful resources such as webinars, a knowledge base, and even ‘white glove’ onboarding. As far as their response time goes, they point you to one of their resources before connecting you with a real person. Live chat is available during business hours, but there is no phone number or email readily available without logging into your account.

Jetpack Workflow – Has a variety of helpful resources to help you master the platform, including free self-guided training courses through Jetpack University and complimentary one-on-one training sessions with the account team when you first set up your account. There’s multiple ways to get in touch with any questions or concerns, including phone, chat, and email, with fast response times across channels. 

Choosing The Right Tool for Your Business

So, what’s the best workflow management software for your firm? 

Aero Workflow might be a good choice if you want a basic workflow management platform that uses fixed rate pricing. Karbon offers a sleek and intuitive platform, though workflow management isn’t its core function, and the extensive feature list could be overwhelming if you’re only looking for a tool to help you organize and track work progress.  

That leaves Jetpack Workflow. It’s the preferred choice for thousands of accountants and bookkeepers, offering one simple plan that gives users access to the platform’s full features, an easy-to-use interface, and accounting-specific workflow management tools that help firms scale and streamline client work. 

To get started, schedule a demo or start a 14-day free trial.