Canopy pricing plans: Modular pricing explained for 2025

I analyzed Canopy pricing across its Starter, Essentials, Standard, and Pro tiers to see how modular costs add up and when upgrading makes sense for growing firms.

Canopy pricing plans: At a glance

Canopy structures its pricing around the size of your firm and the modules you add. There are two types of plans:

• Plans for Small Firms: Starter and Essentials tiers include core tools and a few optional add-ons.
• Plans for Growing Firms: Standard and Pro tiers follow a modular setup where you select and pay for specific modules and add-ons.

Let’s compare those plans side by side:

Canopy’s modular pricing means features like workflow, document management, and billing are sold separately, so total costs change based on which modules your team adds.

The good news is that Canopy connects all of these add-ons and modules together on the interactive calculator on its pricing page. Using this calculator, you can estimate what you’ll spend on a monthly or yearly basis. I’ll unpack these extras and how they affect pricing later on.

Let’s break the plans down in greater detail.

Plans for Small Firms

Smaller firms can start with Starter or Essentials. Here’s how the plans compare in detail:

Starter plan: $60 per user per month or $540 billed annually

• What’s included: Client engagement and document management tools with secure file sharing, client intake, and branded portals. You can tag clients, control access, and store working papers.
• Best for: Solo accountants or very small firms that need a client-facing portal for document exchange and signatures.
• Pros: Low entry price, includes secure portal and eSignatures, supports branded client communication.
• Cons: Limited to basic document and client tools, no workflow or billing modules included.

Essentials plan: $88 per user per month or $792 billed annually

• What’s included: All Starter features plus full practice management tools. Adds task tracking, invoicing, client analytics, and revenue monitoring.
• Best for: Firms with up to four users that want one system to manage clients, billing, and communication.
• Pros: Broader feature set with centralized client tracking, invoice tools, and revenue dashboards.
• Cons: Pricing increases quickly as users are added, and you still need to buy extra add-ons if you need additional features.

Plans for Growing Firms

If your firm has more than 4 team members, you can go for the Standard or Pro plans. Here’s how the plans compare in detail:

Standard plan: $150 per month with annual contract ($1,800 per year)

• What’s included: Access to Canopy’s client engagement platform that comes with a client portal, mobile app, a CRM, engagements and proposals with eSignatures, questionnaires and organizers, and client requests.
• Best for: Firms that want to build a tailored stack by mixing and matching modules without paying for everything upfront.
• Pros: Flexibility to pay only for the tools you use, suitable for mid-size firms expanding gradually.
• Cons: Add-ons can raise the total cost sharply once workflow and billing are included. You’ll need more setup time to configure modules.

Pro plan: $175 per month with annual contract ($2,100 per year)

• What’s included: The full client engagement platform plus custom reports, custom formulas, and custom roles. Unlimited users included.
• Best for: Established accounting firms with multiple staff who need everything from client communication to billing in one platform.
• Pros: Complete access to all Canopy modules, unlimited portal use, and support for complex client management.
• Cons: This is the most expensive tier, and costs continue to climb with modules and add-ons like eSignatures or transcript pulls.

Canopy’s modular pricing and add-ons

Canopy uses a modular pricing model where each functional area, such as workflow, billing, or tax resolution, is sold separately. This structure gives firms flexibility but can raise total costs once they add the features most teams rely on. 

Here’s a breakdown of the main modules and how they affect pricing:

Example Canopy pricing plan

The Standard and Pro plans are modular, which means firms start with the Client Engagement Platform at the base price, but essential tools like Workflow, Document Management, and Billing are not included. 

Each module is added separately per user, with a five-user minimum.

For example, a five-user team selecting all three add-ons can reach about $600 per month, or $7,200 per year, based on Canopy’s pricing calculator.

Which Canopy plan should you choose?

Canopy works best when your plan matches your firm’s size and how much of the platform you plan to use. The right choice depends on how many team members you have, what modules you need, and whether you prefer flexibility or an all-in-one setup.

Choose Starter if you:

• Manage clients on your own and only need a client portal for accountants for secure file sharing and signatures.
• Want an entry-level system for document exchange without paying for workflow or billing tools.

Choose Essentials if you:

• Need core practice management features like invoicing, task tracking, and revenue monitoring.
• Work with a small team of up to four users and want a single workspace for client communication and billing.

Choose Standard if you:

• Want flexibility to build your setup using modules like workflow, time tracking, and billing as your firm grows.
• Prefer to pay only for what you need instead of a full bundle.

Choose Pro if you:

• Run a larger firm that needs the complete suite, including custom roles, reports, and formulas.
• Manage multiple staff members or departments that collaborate on client engagements, billing, and performance tracking.

Is Canopy worth the cost?

Canopy can be worth the investment if your firm needs one workspace to handle clients, documents, billing, and workflow together. It’s designed for accounting teams that want fewer tools and a more unified system. Here’s how to decide:

• It’s worth it if: You manage recurring client work, need built-in billing, and prefer having everything from document storage to communication in one platform.
• It’s best for: Accounting teams that outgrew spreadsheets or email-based tracking and want organized, audit-ready records with secure client access.
• Skip it if: You only need basic document storage or time tracking. Lighter systems or single-purpose apps can handle those jobs at a lower cost.

Overall, Canopy offers strong structure and visibility once everything is set up. The trade-off is that pricing scales fast with users and add-ons, and the modular setup can be complex for small teams that just need the basics. 

I think that firms that want predictable costs or built-in automation might find more value in Canopy alternatives that bundle these features together.

Canopy alternatives and pricing comparison

Canopy isn’t the only option for firms that want structure around client work. I compared a few platforms that offer similar features at different price points to show where each one fits best, depending on your firm’s size and workflow.

Let’s take a look at some Canopy competitors:

Assembly

Assembly starts at $39 per month and gives accounting and service firms a single platform to manage clients from first contact through ongoing work. It combines branded client portals, billing, contracts, automation, and messaging in one connected system.

We designed Assembly to keep every client interaction in one organized view, from proposals and signatures to payments and communication. Our goal was to help teams save time by replacing disconnected tools with a single, structured system. Once everything is set up, Assembly gives both your team and your clients a clear, professional experience that supports every stage of the relationship.

TaxDome

TaxDome starts at $800 per year on a 1-year commitment and targets accounting and bookkeeping firms that want a single platform for document management, client portals, and automation. It includes unlimited clients, eSignatures, and storage at no extra cost.

The all-in-one structure gives predictable pricing, but customization is limited once your workflows get complex. While I think it’s convenient for firms that value simplicity and automation, larger practices may find the reporting and integrations less flexible than competitors. If you want to learn more, I also did a TaxDome vs Canopy comparison.

Karbon

Karbon is priced from $59 per user per month and focuses on workflow visibility and email-driven collaboration. It helps teams assign jobs, manage recurring tasks, and keep track of client communication directly from the inbox.

The platform shines at internal coordination, but I’ve found it leaves less room for client-facing tools. You’ll get detailed task tracking and workflow dashboards, but features like billing and secure client portals require pairing it with another system.

Canopy vs Assembly: Side-by-side comparison

Canopy and Assembly both help firms organize client work, automate jobs, and manage billing in one system. The difference is that Canopy follows a modular model with separate add-on fees, while Assembly includes core tools like client portals, billing, and automation in its base price.

Let’s look at how they compare:

Assembly vs Canopy: Which should you choose?

Canopy pricing can look appealing at first, but the modular setup makes the overall cost depend on how many features and users you add. 

Assembly, on the other hand, offers a tiered model with all core tools included, which gives teams a clearer view of total cost from the start. Both platforms support accounting and service firms, but they take different paths to managing client work.

Use this quick guide to see which platform fits your setup:

• Canopy is better for: Accounting firms that want modular control and prefer to pay only for the tools they use, such as workflow or billing.
• Assembly is better for: Teams that want a professionally branded client experience with everything in one connected system, ready to go from day one.
• Choose both if: You already use Canopy for accounting workflows but want to bring on Assembly to handle broader client communication, billing, and automation across departments.

Ready to simplify client management and billing? Try Assembly for free today.

My bottom line on Canopy pricing

Canopy makes sense for firms that want flexibility and are comfortable building their own setup piece by piece. Its modular pricing gives you control over which tools you pay for, whether that’s workflow automation, billing, or tax resolution. For smaller teams, this can keep early costs lower.

The trade-off is that the final bill often rises once you add more users and modules. Key features like billing, workflow, and document management are separate, which means your total can grow faster than expected. Managing those pieces can also make setup and training more time-consuming.

Firms that want predictable costs and a faster setup often find more long-term value in Assembly. Assembly includes client portals, billing, automation, and CRM tools under one plan so teams can manage client work and communication in a single workspace. It also connects with platforms like Airtable, ClickUp, and Calendly to fit into your existing workflows.

If your firm is scaling and needs structured client management without juggling multiple add-ons, Assembly offers a clearer, more complete pricing model that supports growth from day one.

Frequently asked questions

What is included in Canopy’s pricing?

Canopy’s pricing includes the Client Engagement Platform as its base, which covers client management, portals, and CRM tools. Other key features like workflow, billing, and tax resolution are sold as separate modules that add to your total cost.

Does Canopy charge per user?

Canopy charges per internal user on the Starter and Essentials plans, while the Standard and Pro tiers include unlimited user access. Each additional user on the lower plans adds to the monthly total, and pricing rises as more users and modules are added.

How much does Canopy cost for small firms?

Small firms typically pay between $60 and $88 per user each month, or $540 to $792 per user per year, depending on whether they choose monthly or annual billing for the Starter or Essentials plan. Add-ons like eSignatures and extra contacts increase the total cost.

Is Canopy good for accounting firms?

Yes, Canopy is built for accounting firms that want centralized client management. It combines billing, document sharing, and workflow tools, though firms looking for predictable pricing may prefer bundled platforms.

Does Canopy offer discounts?

No, Canopy doesn’t publicly list any discounts. Pricing is quote-based for larger firms, and total costs vary depending on your selected modules and the number of users.