Total Synergy Alternatives for UK Practices
What Synergy does well, why some UK practices review it, and the alternatives worth putting on a shortlist.
Total Synergy is one of the longest-established practice management systems for architects and engineers. This guide sets out what it covers, the reasons UK practices give for reviewing it, how five alternatives compare and how to run a fair evaluation.
Every product on the shortlist handles time, fees and invoicing. They differ in origin, scope and how much of the project they hold.
What Total Synergy is
Total Synergy, often just called Synergy, is project and practice management software built for architecture and engineering firms. The company says it has served A&E firms since 1999, is headquartered in North Sydney, Australia, and has offices in London and Chicago.
Total Synergy describes its platform as built exclusively for architecture and engineering practices. Its website lists modules for tracking time, processing invoices, allocating resources and document control, with optional add-ons for CRM, HR, email management, deeper analytics and an API. Its G2 listing adds stage-based invoicing, WIP visibility, revenue forecasting and expense tracking.
For integrations, the Total Synergy website lists Xero, MYOB AccountRight Live, QuickBooks Online, Sage and Wiise for accounting, plus Microsoft Teams and SharePoint, HubSpot, Salesforce, BambooHR, BrightHR and Zapier. The company says it is trusted by firms in more than 20 countries and names Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom as its core regions.
Total Synergy does not publish prices on its website and sells through a demo. It holds a rating of 4.4 out of 5 on G2, where reviewers rate its quality of support highly.
The Monograph combination
In 2026, Total Synergy and Monograph announced that they were joining forces to build a single technology company for the architecture and engineering industry, led by Total Synergy's chief executive, Kane Hochster. Monograph told its customers there were no immediate changes to its product, contracts or support. Neither announcement said whether the products will later be merged, so practices comparing the two should ask both about their roadmap.
Why some UK practices look elsewhere
Most practices that review Synergy are not unhappy with what it does. They are asking whether a different shape of product would suit how they now work, or reviewing because a contract renewal or a change of ownership has prompted it.
- Contract renewal.A renewal is the natural moment to check price, fit and alternatives, especially after a few years of growth.
- Roadmap questions.The Monograph combination prompts some customers to ask how each product will develop and where their own version fits.
- UK fit.Practices want RIBA stage set-up, VAT, pounds and UK accounting sync to work without workarounds. Synergy covers much of this; some practices prefer a UK-built product.
- Pricing transparency.Some practices prefer vendors that publish prices so they can model cost as they grow.
- Scope.Some practices want practice management in the same system as specifications, drawing QA, contract administration and compliance records.
- Ease of set-up.On G2's side-by-side comparison, reviewers score Synergy lower on ease of setup than some alternatives, though higher on support.
Write down which of these apply before you look at alternatives. It keeps the evaluation focused on the problem the practice is trying to solve.
Five alternatives worth shortlisting
The products below are the ones UK practices most often compare with Synergy. Notes reflect what each vendor or listing published in October 2026. Confirm current features and prices with each vendor.
- Monograph
- US-built practice management for architecture and engineering firms, covering projects, forecasting and staffing, project accounting and reporting. Its pricing page shows one plan from 45 to 490 US dollars per month depending on firm size, with a Pipeline add-on sold separately. It has a QuickBooks Online integration; Monograph's help centre says Xero is handled by exporting invoices as a CSV file rather than a direct sync. Now part of the same group as Total Synergy.
- Fresh Projects
- UK practice management software for architects, engineers and other built-environment consultancies. Its GetApp UK listing gives the vendor as based in the UK and founded in 2014, with fees by hourly rate, lump sum or percentage of construction cost, RIBA stages, scope change logging, timesheets, resource planning and invoicing. The listing shows Core at £35 and Pro at £45 per user per month excluding VAT, while Ultimate is priced by quote, and names Xero, QuickBooks and Sage connections.
- BQE Core
- Time, billing, project management and accounting software for architecture, engineering and consulting firms. BQE says it was founded over 30 years ago by an architect and an engineer. Pricing is per user, built from a Foundations plan with optional Accounting, CRM, HR and Payroll modules, and is quoted on request. BQE's help centre lists integrations with QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero and MYOB.
- Projectworks
- Professional services software for consulting firms including architecture and engineering, started in Wellington, New Zealand, with offices in the US and London. It covers CRM and proposals, time and expenses, resource planning, invoicing and reporting on margin, utilisation and WIP, with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage Intacct and MYOB integrations. It publishes per-user plans with a minimum of 10 users, and is rated 4.4 out of 5 on G2.
- Avoice
- A connected platform for UK architecture practices. Projects carry RIBA stages and fees, with timesheets, invoicing, financials and cash flow, CRM and deals, and people and staffing alongside specification writing, drawing QA, contract administration and compliance registers. UK hosted, with Xero and QuickBooks sync.
- 01
A&E practice management
Total Synergy, Monograph, Fresh Projects.
- Strong at
- Fees by stage, timesheets, resourcing, invoicing
- Check
- UK accounting sync and RIBA stage set-up
- 02
Billing and PSA
BQE Core, Projectworks.
- Strong at
- Time, billing, project accounting, reporting
- Check
- How architecture-specific the set-up is
- 03
Connected platform
Avoice.
- Strong at
- Practice management in the same record as specs, QA, CA and compliance
- Check
- Finance features against what you use in Synergy
Knowing which group a product sits in tells you what it is likely to cover and what you would still run elsewhere.
Synergy vs Monograph
Synergy and Monograph are now part of the same group, but they remain separate products with different origins. The choice between them comes down to accounting integration, region and how each fits your practice size.
Total Synergy
Broad A&E platform with document control and add-ons. Lists Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks Online and Sage. Pricing by demo.
Monograph
Practice management with forecasting and staffing. QuickBooks Online integration, Xero by CSV export. Pricing published by firm size.
Based on each vendor's published information in October 2026, including the 2026 announcement that Monograph and Total Synergy are joining forces.
For a UK practice on Xero, the accounting link is the most practical difference: Synergy lists a Xero integration, while Monograph's help centre describes a CSV export. For a full comparison of Monograph with other options, see Monograph alternatives for UK practices and Avoice vs Monograph.
How to evaluate fairly
The fairest test is the same live project, run through each shortlisted product, with the same script. It shows how each one handles your fees, your stages and your accounting set-up.
Questions to ask every vendor, including Synergy
- Stages: Can a project carry RIBA stages 0 to 7, our sub-stages and a fee per stage?
- Invoicing: Can we invoice by stage, instalment, percentage complete and time charge, in pounds with VAT?
- Accounting: Is the link with our accounting system a live sync or an export, and what moves in each direction?
- WIP and margin: Where do we see unbilled WIP and margin by project and stage?
- Price: What is the total three-year cost for our headcount, including onboarding and add-ons?
- Roadmap: What is planned for the next 12 months, and what changes after any ownership changes?
- Migration: Who moves our live projects, fees, rates and timesheet history out of Synergy, and how long does it take?
For the steps of a switch, from data clean-up to cutover, see how to switch practice management software.
Questions practices ask
Short answers for practices reviewing Total Synergy.
What is Total Synergy software?
Total Synergy is project and practice management software for architecture and engineering firms, covering time tracking, invoicing, resourcing, WIP, forecasting and document control. The company says it has served A&E firms since 1999 and is headquartered in North Sydney, Australia, with offices in London and Chicago.
Has Total Synergy merged with Monograph?
In 2026 the two companies announced they were joining forces as one company for the architecture and engineering industry, led by Total Synergy's chief executive. Monograph said there were no immediate changes to its product, contracts or support, and neither company said the products would be merged.
How much does Total Synergy cost?
Total Synergy does not publish prices on its website and quotes through a demo. Ask for a three-year total for your headcount, including any add-ons such as CRM or document management.
What are the main alternatives to Total Synergy in the UK?
Commonly compared products include Monograph, Fresh Projects, BQE Core and Projectworks, and connected platforms such as Avoice that also hold specifications, drawing QA and contract administration. The right choice depends on your accounting system, practice size and how much of the project you want in one system.
Does Total Synergy integrate with Xero?
Yes. Total Synergy lists Xero among its accounting integrations, alongside MYOB AccountRight Live, QuickBooks Online, Sage and Wiise. Check exactly what syncs, and in which direction, during the demo.
Where Avoice fits
Avoice suits UK practices that want the practice management they have in Synergy plus the project's delivery work in the same system.
In Avoice, projects carry RIBA stages and fees, timesheets roll up against each stage, and invoices are raised from approved time and synced to Xero or QuickBooks. Financials and cash flow show fees invoiced, unbilled WIP, margin and a cash flow forecast, people and staffing shows capacity and allocation, and Clients and CRM turns a priced deal into the project's stages, fees and hours budget. The same project holds the specification, drawing QA, RFIs, submittals and compliance registers. Data is hosted in the UK. Before committing, agree the migration scope, responsibilities, timescale and any costs with Avoice.
To run the section 05 test with one of your own projects, book a demo.