wispa-billing-vendors.html

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   4 <title>WISPA Member Billing Software Comparison 2020</title>
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   8
   9   <h6>WISPA Member Billing Software Comparison 2020</h6>
  10
  11 <p align="left">I put together a concise comparison highlighting the differences between different billing systems.  I tried hard not to make a useless advertisement with a long list of features, but rather a digestable, fair comparison of relevant information about the competition.
  12
  13 <p align="left">Of course I hope you'll consider <a href="http://freeside.biz/">Freeside</a>, but I know we're not the right fit for everyone.  These nine vendors support WISPA through association membership and trade show sponsorshop.  Please consider supporting vendors who support our industry.
  14
  15 <p align="left">I hope this helps you find the right billing vendor for you!
  16
  17 <p align="left">P.S. Friends don't let friends use Quickbooks for subscriber billing.  :)
  18
  19 <p align="left">
  20 -- <br>
  21 Ivan Kohler<br>
  22 President and Head Geek<br>
  23 Freeside Internet Services, Inc.<br>
  24
  25 <br><br>
  26
  27 <table width="98%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tblprod">
  28   <tr><td align="center" valign="top">
  29
  30 <table width="100%" class="comparison" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
  31
  32   <tr>
  33     <td></td>
  34     <td><a href="http://freeside.biz/"><img src="imgs/big-logo.png" alt="Freeside" width=170></a></td>
  35     <td><img src="https://www.wavonline.com/core/media/media.nl?id=3396437&c=4148527&h=68c8da7d49b7c32cd33c" width=130 alt="Azotel"></a></td>
  36     <td><img src="https://www.billmax.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/billmax_logo.jpg" width=130 alt="Billmax"></a></td>
  37     <td><img src="http://www.directlinkadmin.com/img/logo.png" width=130 alt="DirectLink Admin"></a></td>
  38     <td><img src="\1chttps://static.wixstatic.com/media/0efe23_72af937a5e054405ac6996764862672a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_490,h_126,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/FibersmithSuite_FINAL-04.webp" width=130 alt="Fibersmith Vision"></a></td>
  39     <td><img src="https://149367252.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/platypus_logo_250x77.jpg" width=130 alt="Platypus"></a></td>
  40     <td><img src="https://powercode.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/PowercodeLogo-e1484094083135.png" width=130 alt="Powercode"></a></td>
  41     <td><img src="https://sonar.community/uploads/default/original/1X/c35bf221aa51dd0f7dec4485a25364842f1d455e.png" width=130 alt="Sonar"></a></td>
  42     <td><img src="https://visp.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/visp-logo-small.png" width=130 alt="VISP"></a></td>
  43   </tr>
  44
  45   <tr>
  46     <th><a href="http://www.wispa.org">WISPA</a>&nbsp;member</th>
  47     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  48     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  49     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  50     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  51     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  52     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  53     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  54     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  55     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  56  </tr>
  57
  58 <!-- someday there will be trade shows again
  59   <tr>
  60     <th>Exhibiting at <a href="http://www.wispa.org/Events/WISPAPALOOZA-2018">WISPAmerica&nbsp;2018</a></th>
  61     <td><span class="maybe">&#x2714;</span><br>Booth #???</td>
  62     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  63     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  64     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  65     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  66     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  67     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  68     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  69     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  70  </tr>
  71 -->
  72
  73   <tr>
  74     <th>WISP&nbsp;features</th>
  75     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  76     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  77     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  78     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  79     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  80     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  81     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  82     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  83     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  84     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  85     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  86   </tr>
  87
  88   <tr>
  89     <th>CDR&nbsp;billing / Telco&nbsp;features</th>
  90     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  91     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  92     <td><span class="maybe">new/preliminary</span></td>
  93     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  94     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  95     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  96     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
  97     <td><span class="maybe">new/preliminary</span></td>
  98     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
  99     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
 100     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
 101   </tr>
 102
 103   <tr>
 104     <th>Fiber ISP features</th>
 105     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
 106     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
 107     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
 108     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
 109     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
 110     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
 111     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
 112     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
 113     <td><span class="yes">&#x2714;</span></td>
 114     <td><span class="no">&#x2716;</span></td>
 115   </tr>
 116
 117
 118   <tr>
 119     <th>Deployment</th>
 120     <td>Mostly&nbsp;Premise (New:&nbsp;Hosted)</td>
 121     <td>Hosted</td>
 122     <td>Mostly&nbsp;Premise (also&nbsp;Hosted)</td>
 123     <td>Hosted</td>
 124     <td>Premise</td>
 125     <td>Premise</td>
 126     <td>Hosted</td>
 127     <td>Premise</td>
 128     <td>Premise?</td>
 129     <td>Hosted</td>
 130   </tr>
 131
 132 <!--  <tr>
 133     <th>Client</th>
 134     <td>Web</td>
 135     <td>Web</td>
 136     <td>Web</td>
 137     <td>Web</td>
 138     <td>Web</td>
 139     <td>Windows</td>
 140     <td>Web</td>
 141     <td>Web</td>
 142     <td>Web</td>
 143     <td>Web</td>
 144     <td>Web</td>
 145     <td>Web</td>
 146   </tr>
 147 -->
 148
 149   <tr>
 150     <th>License</th>
 151     <td>Open-source</td>
 152     <td>Proprietary</td>
 153     <td>Proprietary</td>
 154     <td>Proprietary</td>
 155     <td>Proprietary</td>
 156     <td>Proprietary</td>
 157     <td>Proprietary</td>
 158     <td>Proprietary</td>
 159     <td>Proprietary</td>
 160   </tr>
 161
 162   <tr>
 163     <th>Price</th>
 164     <td>No per-customer or license charges.  Can purchase implementation, support, and customization services.</td>
 165     <td>?/customer/month</td>
 166     <td>$0.15-$0.20/customer/month</td>
 167     <td>$0.50/customer/month</td>
 168     <td>100 customers free, then $0.05-$0.70/customer/month</td>
 169     <td>$0.63-$1.40/customer/month</td>
 170     <td>$0.50-$1.25/customer/month</td>
 171     <td>$0.15-$0.50/customer/month</td>
 172     <td>?/customer/month</td>
 173     <td>$0.90-$1.30/customer/month</td>
 174   </tr>
 175
 176   <tr>
 177     <th>Monthly price, 1000 customers</th>
 178     <td><span class="smyes">$195</span></td>
 179     <td>$18,000 (one-time, not monthly)</td>
 180     <td>$199</td>
 181     <td>$500</td>
 182     <td>?</td>
 183     <td>$170 <!-- ($167 Platypus + $3 Windows 10 license amortized over 36 months) --></td>
 184     <td>$1330</td>
 185     <td>$1250</td>
 186     <td>$500</td>
 187     <td>?</td>
 188     <td>$1300</td>
 189   </tr>
 190
 191   <tr>
 192     <th>Monthly price, 3500 customers</th>
 193     <td><span class="smyes">$195</span></td>
 194     <td>?</td>
 195     <td>c. $600</td>
 196     <td>$1750</td>
 197     <td>?</td>
 198     <td>$368 <!-- ($314 Platypus + $54 Windows 2012 server &amp; SQL server 2014 Standard w/10 CALs, amortized over 36 months) --></td>
 199     <td>$3920</td>
 200     <td>$1500</td>
 201     <td>$4375</td>
 202     <td>?</td>
 203     <td>$3150</td>
 204   </tr>
 205
 206   <tr>
 207     <th>Monthly price, 10,000 customers</th>
 208     <td><span class="smyes">$195</span></td>
 209     <td>?</td>
 210     <td>?</td>
 211     <td>$5000</td>
 212     <td>$641 <!--($472 Platypus + $169 Windows 2012 server &amp; SQL server 2014 Standard w/25 CALS, amortized over 36 months) --></td>
 213     <td>$11,250</td>
 214     <td>$9,100</td>
 215     <td>$3,600</td>
 216     <td>?</td>
 217     <td>$9,000</td>
 218   </tr>
 219
 220 <!--
 221
 222   <tr>
 223     <th>Monthly price, 100,000 customers</th>
 224     <td><span class="smyes">$195</span></td>
 225     <td>?</td>
 226     <td>?</td>
 227     <td>?</td>
 228     <td>?</td>
 229     <td>?</td>
 230     <td>$66.250</td>
 231     <td>?</td>
 232     <td>?</td>
 233     <td>$90,000</td>
 234   </tr>
 235
 236 -->
 237
 238   <tr>
 239     <th>Ongoing development</th>
 240     <td>Active</td>
 241     <td>Active</td>
 242     <td>Active</td>
 243     <td>Active</td>
 244     <td>Active (new product)</td>
 245     <td>Minimal</td>
 246     <td>Active</td>
 247     <td>Active</td>
 248     <td>Active</td>
 249   </tr>
 250
 251 <!-- XXXXX .... survey says?  not opening this can of worms right now
 252   <tr>
 253     <th>Share of WISP market</th>
 254     <td>Small</td>
 255     <td>Large</td>
 256     <td>Small</td>
 257     <td>Small?</td>
 258     <td>New product</td>
 259     <td>Large</td>
 260     <td>New product</td>
 261     <td>New product</td>
 262     <td>New product</td>
 263     <td>Medium?</td>
 264   </tr>
 265 -->
 266
 267   <tr>
 268     <th>Vendor&nbsp;country</th>
 269     <td>US</td>
 270     <td>Ireland (sold through US distributors)</td>
 271     <td>US</td>
 272     <td>US</td>
 273     <td>US</td>
 274     <td>Canada (Platypus in US)</td>
 275     <td>US</td>
 276     <td>Canada</td>
 277     <td>Philippines / Hong Kong</td>
 278   </tr>
 279
 280   <tr>
 281     <th>Vendor&nbsp;business/ownership</th>
 282     <td>Billing software</td>
 283     <td>Billing software</td>
 284     <td>Billing and geologic software</td>
 285     <td>MDU ISP (VideoDirect)</td>
 286     <td>Fiber consulting</td>
 287     <td>Domain names, mobile phone service (OpenSRS, Ting, Tucows)</td>
 288     <td>WISP (Bertram wireless)</td>
 289     <td>Billing software</td>
 290     <td>Billing software</td>
 291     <td>Fiber consulting, billing software</td>
 292     <td>Billing software, managed ISP services (call center, email/web hosting)</td>
 293   </tr>
 294
 295   <tr>
 296     <th>Vendor&nbsp;size</th>
 297     <td>Small</td>
 298     <td>Small</td>
 299     <td>Tiny</td>
 300     <td>Tiny</td>
 301     <td>Medium</td>
 302     <td>Large</td>
 303     <td>Small</td>
 304     <td>Medium</td>
 305     <td>Small</td>
 306     <td>Medium</td>
 307   </tr>
 308
 309   <tr>
 310     <th>Since</th>
 311     <td>1998</td>
 312     <td>2010<!--2005 (2010 USA)--></td>
 313     <td>1997</td>
 314     <td>2015</td>
 315     <td>2019</td>
 316     <td>1996</td>
 317     <td>2003</td>
 318     <td>2015</td>
 319     <td>2015</td>
 320     <td>2019</td>
 321     <td>1996</td>
 322   </tr>
 323
 324   <tr>
 325     <th>Notable&nbsp;fact(s)</th>
 326     <td>Mature and full-featured ISP and CDR billing.  New UI, WISP mapping features and hosted option.</td>
 327     <td>Simple hosted system for small WISPs, almost like a franchise</td>
 328     <td>Old ISP system, dormant for years, revived in 2012</td>
 329     <td>New system with MDU features</td>
 330     <td>New, fiber-focused system from long-time fiber consultants Fibersmith</td>
 331     <td>Windows client/server application; limited web interface.  Can print and mail your invoices.</td>
 332     <td>Humongous trade show booths.  Glassdoor horror stories.</td>
 333     <td>Ex-Powercode team, rapid development, acquired WISPMon in 2017</td>
 334     <td>Can also host your email and answer your support calls</td>
 335   </tr>
 336
 337 </table>
 338 </td></tr>
 339 </table>
 340
 341 <br>
 342 Last updated May 20th, 2020 | <a href="http://freeside.biz/gitlist/www.git/commits/master/wispa-billing-vendors.html">Revision history</a>
 343
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