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Proposals · head to head

Cone vs Microsoft Dynamics 365

Cone logo

Cone

Proposals

Proposal to payment software for accounting and bookkeeping firms, with engagement letters and direct debit

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Dynamics 365 logo

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Proposals

AI-powered business applications for intelligent enterprise

From
$50/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cone the product is shaped around accountancy engagements, so a freelancer or agency outside professional services pays for engagement letter and compliance features they will never open.; Microsoft Dynamics 365 business Central Essentials is $80 per user per month and Premium is $110 per user per month, both requiring annual billing to get that rate
  • They diverge on capability: Cone covers Engagement letters, Microsoft Dynamics 365 covers Financial management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cone and Microsoft Dynamics 365 actually diverge.

Attributes where Cone and Microsoft Dynamics 365 differ
AttributeConeMicrosoft Dynamics 365
Starting priceOn request$50/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWebCloud, Web, Mobile
FoundedUnknown1975

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Proposals).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cone

  • Engagement letters
  • Electronic signature
  • Recurring billing
  • Direct debit collection
  • Scope creep flagging
  • Service line templates
  • Client onboarding tasks

Only in Microsoft Dynamics 365

  • Financial management
  • Supply chain
  • Manufacturing
  • Project operations
  • Customer service
  • Microsoft 365
  • Power BI
  • Power Apps

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cone

  • A bookkeeping practice moving clients from ad hoc invoicing onto signed recurring fee agreementsnot Microsoft Dynamics 365
  • An accountancy firm that needs engagement letter wording attached to every proposal for compliance reasonsnot Microsoft Dynamics 365
  • A practice losing revenue to out of scope work that is never billed because nobody notices itnot Microsoft Dynamics 365
  • Standardising pricing across a firm so that partners stop quoting the same service at different ratesnot Microsoft Dynamics 365

Microsoft Dynamics 365

  • Enterprise CRM and business applications across Sales, Customer Service, Finance, Supply Chain Management, and Business Centralnot Cone

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cone

  • The product is shaped around accountancy engagements, so a freelancer or agency outside professional services pays for engagement letter and compliance features they will never open.
  • Recurring collection depends on which payment rails are supported in your country, and direct debit coverage varies enough that the headline benefit may not apply to your client base.
  • Practice management integration is shallower than the incumbents, so client records often exist in two systems and have to be reconciled.
  • Pricing is not published, which makes it hard to compare against a general proposal tool without entering a sales process first.
  • As a younger vendor in a market that consolidates through acquisition, roadmap continuity carries more risk than choosing an established practice software supplier.

Microsoft Dynamics 365

  • Business Central Essentials is $80 per user per month and Premium is $110 per user per month, both requiring annual billing to get that rate
  • Sales Order Agent and Payables Agent features require separately purchased Copilot Credits on top of the per-user license
  • Agent features additionally require a linked Azure subscription

Pricing, plan by plan

Cone

On request
  • Cone$undefined/year
    • Proposals and engagement letters
    • Electronic signature
    • Recurring billing and direct debit mandates

Microsoft Dynamics 365

$50/month
  • Finance$135/month
    • Financial management
    • Accounting
    • Budgeting
  • Supply Chain Management$165/month
    • Supply chain planning
    • Inventory management
    • Demand forecasting

Which should you pick?

Choose Cone if

  • You need engagement letters.
  • You also want electronic signature.
Cone review

Choose Microsoft Dynamics 365 if

  • You need financial management.
  • You work on Cloud, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want supply chain.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 review

Questions people ask

Is Cone or Microsoft Dynamics 365 better?
Neither clearly leads. Cone starts at On request and Microsoft Dynamics 365 at $50/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cone or Microsoft Dynamics 365?
Cone starts at On request and Microsoft Dynamics 365 at $50/month.
Does Cone or Microsoft Dynamics 365 run on more platforms?
Cone runs on Web. Microsoft Dynamics 365 runs on Cloud, Web, Mobile.
What is Cone best used for?
Cone is most often used for a bookkeeping practice moving clients from ad hoc invoicing onto signed recurring fee agreements, an accountancy firm that needs engagement letter wording attached to every proposal for compliance reasons, a practice losing revenue to out of scope work that is never billed because nobody notices it, standardising pricing across a firm so that partners stop quoting the same service at different rates. Of those, a bookkeeping practice moving clients from ad hoc invoicing onto signed recurring fee agreements and an accountancy firm that needs engagement letter wording attached to every proposal for compliance reasons are not what Microsoft Dynamics 365 is typically brought in for.
What can Cone do that Microsoft Dynamics 365 cannot?
Cone covers Engagement letters, Electronic signature, Recurring billing, Direct debit collection. Microsoft Dynamics 365 covers Financial management, Supply chain, Manufacturing, Project operations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cone: Is this only for accountants?

It is designed for accounting and bookkeeping firms. Other professional services firms use it, but general freelancers will find most of it irrelevant.

Microsoft Dynamics 365: What are the pricing options for Microsoft Dynamics 365?

Microsoft does not publish specific pricing on its main Dynamics 365 page. Each application (Sales, Customer Service, Finance, Supply Chain Management, Business Central) has separate pricing that must be obtained by contacting Microsoft sales or visiting application-specific pricing pages.

Source
Cone: Does it handle recurring fees?

Yes, and that is the main reason firms adopt it. Acceptance creates the fee schedule and the collection mandate together.

Microsoft Dynamics 365: Does Dynamics 365 offer a free tier or trial?

No free tier information is published on the main landing page. Customers must contact sales to discuss trial availability or pricing options for their specific use case.

Source
Cone: How are payments collected?

Through supported card and direct debit providers, whose processing fees apply on top of the subscription.

Cone: What is scope creep flagging?

It compares work performed against the scope agreed in the proposal and surfaces the difference so it can be billed rather than absorbed.

Cone: Is pricing published?

Not in a form that can be quoted reliably. Expect a sales conversation before you can compare it on cost.

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