BaseBuilders vs Unanet

Billing-First Simplicity vs Full ERP Complexity

If you’re an architecture or engineering firm evaluating software, the real decision isn’t just between BaseBuilders andBaseBuilders vs Unanet.

It’s this:

Do you want to run your firm around billing and profitability… or manage an entire enterprise system?

Unanet AE ERP is a full ERP platform—project management, CRM, accounting, reporting, and more in one system.  

BaseBuilders is a billing-first PSA, built specifically to help small A/E firms get invoices out faster and understand profitability in real time.

That difference drives everything below.

Quick Comparison

The Core Difference

BaseBuilders: Built Around Billing

BaseBuilders starts with the reality most A/E firms live in:

• Billing is slow
• Scope creep kills profit
• Spreadsheets are everywhere

So the system is designed around:

• Fast, batch billing (Rocket Billing)
• Phase-based contracts (fixed, hourly, NTE, etc.)
• Real-time profitability
• Minimal setup and friction

Everything else is secondary.

Unanet AE ERP: Built to Run the Entire Business

Unanet AE ERP is designed as an all-in-one system:

• CRM (prospects, opportunities)
• Project management
• Resource planning
• Time & expense tracking
• Full accounting + financials
• Reporting and analytics  

It’s a centralized system of record—one platform for everything.

That sounds good… until you consider what it costs in complexity.

Where BaseBuilders Wins

1. Billing Speed

BaseBuilders is built to answer one question:

“How fast can you get invoices out?”

• Batch billing across dozens of projects
• Real-time WIP visibility
• Minimal review friction
• No accounting workflows slowing things down

Unanet, by contrast, follows ERP-style billing workflows:

• More approvals
• More controls
• More steps

That’s not wrong—but it’s slower.

2. Simplicity and Adoption

Unanet is powerful—but with that comes:

• Longer onboarding
• More training required
• Higher internal resistance

Even their positioning emphasizes a full business system with multiple modules.  

BaseBuilders is intentionally narrower:

• Your PMs can actually use it
• Your admins don’t fight it
• Your owner understands it in minutes

BaseBuilders is optimized for lean, fast-moving teams

3. Time to Value

ERP systems require:

• Configuration
• Data migration
• Process alignment

BaseBuilders skips most of that.

4. Right-Sized for Small Firms

Unanet is built to scale across:

• Larger A/E firms
• Government contractors
• Multi-entity organizations  

That’s useful… if you need it.

If you’re a 10-person firm:

• You’re paying for features you won’t use
• You’re managing complexity you don’t need

BaseBuilders stays focused on:

• Projects
• Phases
• Billing
• Profit

Where Unanet Wins

To be fair, Unanet is stronger in specific areas:

1. Full Accounting System

• General ledger
• AP/AR workflows
• Financial compliance

(BaseBuilders intentionally integrates instead)

2. CRM + Business Development

• Prospect tracking
• Pipeline management
• Proposal workflows

(BaseBuilders has lighter proposal tracking)

3. Enterprise Reporting

Unanet offers:

• Extensive dashboards
• Deep reporting tools
• Business intelligence layers  

But this comes with:

• Setup time
• Maintenance overhead

4. Resource Planning Depth

• Forecasting
• Capacity planning
• Utilization analytics  

More powerful than BaseBuilders—but also heavier.

Here Are Some Full Feature Tables

The Real Tradeoff

This isn't a feature comparison. It's a philosophy decision:

If you want...

Faster billing, less friction, clearer profitabilit - choose BaseBuilders

One system to run everyting (including accouting) - choose Unanet

Who Should Choose BaseBuilders

• 5–25 person A/E firms
• Still using spreadsheets + QuickBooks
• Struggling with slow billing
• Want faster cash flow
• Care more about profit than process

Who Should Choose Unanet

• Larger firms (20+ employees)
• Need full ERP (including accounting)
• Have internal admin/accounting teams
• Willing to invest in setup and training
• Want one system for everything

Final Verdict

Unanet is a battleship.

BaseBuilders is a skiboat.

If you’re a small A/E firm trying to:

• Invoice faster
• Stop leaking profit
• Get control of your numbers
  

You don’t need a battleship. You need something that actually moves. That’s BaseBuilders.