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Software · head to head

Factorial vs Pilot

Factorial logo

Factorial

Software

HR software that employees love

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pilot logo

Pilot

Software

Bookkeeping, CFO, and tax for startups

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Factorial has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Factorial beyond a $8 per user per month starting price the pricing page publishes no plan tiers and no rate card, directing buyers to request a tailored quote; Pilot the Essentials bookkeeping plan at $99 per month covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses, and is cash-basis only using bank and credit card data
  • They diverge on capability: Factorial covers HR Management, Pilot covers Bookkeeping.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Factorial and Pilot actually diverge.

Attributes where Factorial and Pilot differ
AttributeFactorialPilot
Starting priceFree$29/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20162017

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Factorial

  • HR Management
  • Time Off
  • Time Tracking
  • Documents
  • Payroll
  • Performance
  • Recruiting
  • Shift Management

Only in Pilot

  • Bookkeeping
  • CFO services
  • Tax preparation
  • R&D tax credits
  • Financial reporting
  • Stripe
  • Brex
  • Gusto

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Factorial

  • Managing employee records, onboarding and offboardingnot Pilot
  • Tracking time off, attendance and shiftsnot Pilot
  • Running recruitment and performance reviews alongside HR datanot Pilot

Pilot

  • Outsourced monthly bookkeeping for startups and small businessesnot Factorial
  • Federal, state and Delaware franchise tax filing for US companiesnot Factorial
  • Fractional CFO support for financial planning and fundraisingnot Factorial

Where each one falls short

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

Factorial

  • Beyond a $8 per user per month starting price the pricing page publishes no plan tiers and no rate card, directing buyers to request a tailored quote
  • Time management, talent management, finance and IT management are sold as separate modules rather than included in the base product

Pilot

  • The Essentials bookkeeping plan at $99 per month covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses, and is cash-basis only using bank and credit card data
  • A dedicated US-based bookkeeper, accrual-basis books and phone support require the Core plan, which is contact sales and billed annually
  • Core caps bill management at 10 vendor bills per month
  • Keeping an existing QuickBooks account with historical data requires the Custom plan
  • Accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll administration and CFO advisory are Custom plan only
  • Monthly reports arrive on the 10th business day on Core and the 6th business day only on Custom
  • Tax filing is sold separately, starting at $1,000 per year for single member LLCs and $2,000 per year for partnerships and S-Corps, billed annually
  • The tax service must be purchased together with Pilot Bookkeeping
  • Partnership and S-Corp tax filing includes up to 25 1099-NEC filings

Pricing, plan by plan

Factorial

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic HR
    • Time Off
    • Documents
  • Business$5/month
    • All Free features
    • Payroll
    • Performance

Pilot

$29/month
  • Core$599/month
    • Bookkeeping
    • Accrual basis
    • Monthly close
  • Plus$849/month
    • CFO support
    • Custom reporting
    • Board deck

Which should you pick?

Choose Factorial if

  • You need hr management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time off.
Factorial review

Choose Pilot if

  • You need bookkeeping.
  • You also want cfo services.
Pilot review

Questions people ask

Is Factorial or Pilot better?
Neither clearly leads. Factorial starts at Free and Pilot at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Factorial or Pilot?
Factorial has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Factorial and $29/month for Pilot.
Does Factorial or Pilot run on more platforms?
Factorial runs on Web, Ios, Android. Pilot runs on Web.
Can I use Factorial for free?
Yes. Factorial has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pilot starts at $29/month.
What is Factorial best used for?
Factorial is most often used for managing employee records, onboarding and offboarding, tracking time off, attendance and shifts, running recruitment and performance reviews alongside hr data. Of those, managing employee records, onboarding and offboarding and tracking time off, attendance and shifts are not what Pilot is typically brought in for.
What can Factorial do that Pilot cannot?
Factorial covers HR Management, Time Off, Time Tracking, Documents. Pilot covers Bookkeeping, CFO services, Tax preparation, R&D tax credits. Both handle QuickBooks, Web support.
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