Sonra is practice management software built for architecture firms - time tracking, budgets, resourcing and invoicing in one tool, with transparent pricing and a 30-day free trial. No sales call required.
BQE Core is one of the most established platforms for architecture and engineering firms, and it covers a lot of ground - time and expenses, billing, project accounting, HR and more. That breadth is exactly what some firms want. But it comes with per-user, per-module pricing, a sales process, and real setup and training effort before your team sees value.
Sonra was built by a former architect for smaller practices that don't need a full back-office suite: time tracking, project budgets, resourcing and invoicing in one simple tool. Sign up, start a 30-day free trial, and have your team tracking time the same week.
How the two stack up on the things architecture firms ask about most.
| Feature | Sonra | BQE Core |
|---|---|---|
| Built specifically for architecture firms | ✓ | ✓ |
| Time tracking by project & phase | ✓ | ✓ |
| Phase-based budgets & project health | ✓ | ✓ |
| Team resourcing & scheduling | ✓ | ✓ |
| Invoicing with online card payments | ✓ | ✓ |
| Role-based access that hides financials from staff | ✓ | ✓ |
| Up and running without an implementation project | ✓ | Module setup & training |
| Transparent self-serve pricing | ✓ | Per-user modules, sales-assisted |
| 30-day free trial, no sales call | ✓ | Demo-led |
| Designed for small firms leaving spreadsheets | ✓ | Full back-office suite |
Comparison based on publicly available information from bqe.com, current as of August 2026. BQE and BQE Core are trademarks of their respective owner; Sonra is not affiliated with or endorsed by BQE Software. Features and pricing change - please verify current details with each vendor.
The reasons architecture practices pick Sonra when they evaluate a BQE Core alternative.
See the price, start a 30-day free trial, and onboard your team - no demo gate and no surprise quotes as you grow.
Just the tools an architecture firm uses every day - time, budgets, resourcing and invoicing - without the configuration overhead. Most teams are live the same week.
Sonra was created by a former registered architect, so the workflows fit how practices actually run projects, bill clients and protect financial data.
What firms ask when comparing the two.
Yes. Sonra is practice management software built specifically for architecture firms, covering time tracking, project budgets, resourcing and invoicing in one tool. It is a strong fit for small and mid-sized firms that want transparent, self-serve pricing and a simpler tool than BQE Core.
Sonra offers transparent, self-serve pricing and a 30-day free trial, so you can sign up and start without a sales call. BQE Core is priced per user, per module, and is typically bought through a sales-assisted process, so the total depends on which modules you take. Sonra is one simple price with everything included.
Time tracking by project and phase, phase-based project budgets with health indicators, team resourcing, a drag-and-drop invoice builder with online card payments, tasks, clients, and role-based access that keeps financials private from individual employees.
No - and that's deliberate. Sonra covers the project side: time, budgets, resourcing, invoicing and online payments. Most small firms keep their existing accounting tools for the books rather than moving the general ledger into their practice management software.
Yes. Sonra is designed for firms moving off spreadsheets or another tool. We'll help you import your existing projects and onboard your staff during your free trial.
Start a 30-day free trial, or book a demo and we'll walk through your firm's workflow.
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