BigTime vs Jira Comparison
Compare BigTime vs Jira features, pricing, and more.
Last updated: November 2026
BigTime
6.7/10
BigTime is professional services automation software that gives consulting, accounting, architecture and engineering firms time and expense tracking, project budgeting, resource management and invoicing.
Jira
7.3/10
Atlassian's work and issue-tracking platform for planning, tracking, and shipping projects, with scrum and kanban boards built mainly for software and technical teams.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.7/10 | 7.3/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Ease of Use | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Analytics | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Customization | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Scalability | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Support | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Integration | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | $20/user/mo Essentials | $8/user/mo Standard |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | $200/mo Essentials | Free Free |
| Features | ||
| App integrations | ||
| Dashboards | ||
| Reporting | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| Collaboration tools | Not listed | |
| Kanban boards | Not listed | |
| Scheduling | Not listed | |
| Task lists | Not listed | |
| Task management | Not listed | |
| Timeline view | Not listed | |
| Workflow automation | Not listed | |
BigTime vs Jira cost by team size
Jira costs less at every team size we checked.
| Team size | BigTime | Jira |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | $20/moEssentials | FreeFree |
| 5 users | $100/moEssentials | FreeFree |
| 10 users | $200/moEssentials | FreeFree |
| 25 users | $500/moEssentials | $212/moStandard |
| 50 users | $1,000/moEssentials | $424/moStandard |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose BigTime
- Higher Ease of Use score (6/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Support score (8/10 vs 6/10)
- Better fit for small business (8/10 vs 6/10)
Why choose Jira
- Has a free plan (BigTime does not)
- Lower estimated cost for 10 users: Free vs $200/mo
- Higher Cost score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Customization score (9/10 vs 7/10)
- Better fit for product teams (8/10 vs 2/10)
Pros & Cons
BigTime
Pros
- Time and expense capture flows straight into invoicing, and reviewers single out the simple billing and pre-calculated report fields.
- Deep accounting integrations, including QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Sage Intacct and Lacerte, plus NetSuite and Business Central on Enterprise.
- Highly rated support: Capterra users score customer service around 4.8, and reviewers mention live chat.
- Consistently strong ratings on G2, at about 4.5 from more than 1,700 reviews.
- Supports DCAA compliance for government contractors.
Cons
- Only the Essentials tier has a public price, so buyers must talk to sales for higher tiers and add-ons.
- Reviewers report a steep learning curve and odd field naming.
- Its app marketplace is narrow compared with general project management tools.
- It lacks visual work-management features such as Kanban boards and whiteboards.
- No free plan.
Jira
Pros
- The free plan supports up to 10 users and includes scrum and kanban boards.
- Reviewers highlight deep customization of workflows, boards, and fields.
- Sprint and agile management are strong, and Jira integrates with GitHub and Git tools.
- It links closely with Confluence and other Atlassian products, so tickets can be referenced across those apps.
- Time tracking is built into every plan, including Free.
Cons
- Reviewers report a steep learning curve and an interface that overwhelms non-technical users.
- Users report slow issue loading and laggy boards in large deployments.
- Paid Marketplace apps can add hidden costs for reporting, CRM, and helpdesk needs.
- The free plan is limited to 100 emails per day and community support only.
- Troubleshooting failed automation rules can be frustrating.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Jira scores higher on our Project Management criteria: 7.3/10 against 6.7/10 for BigTime. The largest gap is in Cost: 5/10 for BigTime and 7/10 for Jira.
Jira costs less for 10 users: free on its Free plan, against about $200/mo on its Essentials plan for BigTime, billed monthly.
Jira has a free plan; BigTime does not list one.
Jira is the better fit for product teams: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 2/10 for BigTime.
