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.
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Deltek Ajera (and its bigger sibling Vantagepoint) is a heavyweight in the A/E world - integrated project accounting, billing and resource management trusted by established firms. But it's an enterprise-style purchase: quote-based pricing, a demo-led sales cycle, and a guided implementation before your team is up and running. For a small practice, that's often more system than the problem needs.
Sonra takes the opposite approach: just the practice management essentials - time tracking, project budgets, resourcing and invoicing - with transparent pricing you can see today. Built by a former architect, live the same week, no implementation project.
How the two stack up on the things architecture firms ask about most.
| Feature | Sonra | Deltek Ajera |
|---|---|---|
| Built specifically for architecture & engineering firms | ✓ | ✓ |
| Time tracking by project & phase | ✓ | ✓ |
| Phase-based budgets & project health | ✓ | ✓ |
| Team resourcing & scheduling | ✓ | ✓ |
| Invoicing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Role-based access that hides financials from staff | ✓ | ✓ |
| Public pricing on the website | ✓ | Quote-based |
| Start without a guided implementation | ✓ | Implementation & training |
| 30-day self-serve free trial | ✓ | Demo-led |
| Designed for small firms leaving spreadsheets | ✓ | Full accounting back office |
Comparison based on publicly available information from deltek.com, current as of August 2026. Deltek and Ajera are trademarks of their respective owners; Sonra is not affiliated with or endorsed by Deltek. Features and pricing change - please verify current details with each vendor.
The reasons architecture practices pick Sonra when they evaluate a Deltek Ajera alternative.
See the price, start a 30-day free trial, and onboard your team - no demo gate and no surprise quotes as you grow.
The essentials of project-based practice management without the enterprise footprint - no implementation project, no consultants, live the same week.
Created by a former architect, Sonra fits how small practices actually run projects, bill clients and keep financials private - no enterprise process required.
Ajera has earned its place in established A/E firms, and for some of them nothing lighter will do. Ajera is probably the better fit if:
If you're a small practice where Ajera would be more system than the problem needs - or you never got past the quote-and-implementation stage - Sonra covers time, budgets, resourcing and invoicing with pricing you can see today.
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 Ajera.
Sonra offers transparent, self-serve pricing and a 30-day free trial, so you can sign up and start without a sales call. Deltek doesn't publish Ajera pricing - you request a quote, and the total typically includes implementation and support on top of the subscription. Sonra has transparent, self-serve pricing you can see before you sign up.
Time tracking by project and phase, phase-based project budgets with health indicators, team resourcing, a drag-and-drop invoice builder, 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. Most small firms keep their existing accounting tools for the books rather than moving the general ledger into their practice management software.
Yes. Export your projects and time entries from Ajera and we'll help you map them into Sonra during the 30-day trial. Your accounting history stays in your books - Sonra takes over the project side: time, budgets, resourcing and invoicing.
Start a 30-day free trial, or book a demo and we'll walk through your firm's workflow.
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