For Accounting Firms
✨ DocTick vs Karbon

A Lightweight Karbon Alternative for Collecting Client Documents

Karbon is practice management for accounting teams. If your main need is getting documents from clients, DocTick offers a checklist, magic-link uploads, and files saved to your own Google Drive from $0.

Zero storage liability Direct Google Drive sync No client passwords or apps
The Transparent Verdict

Which one is right for your firm?

We believe in honest software recommendations. Here is how to choose between Karbon and DocTick.

Choose Karbon if:

Karbon
  • 1You want practice management in one place: workflows, to-do lists, client management, and team collaboration.
  • 2You need time tracking, budget reporting, billing, and payments alongside client requests.
  • 3You want shared email triage and task automation for a team.
  • 4You want a client portal with a free mobile app for iOS and Android.

Choose DocTick if:

Recommended
  • You mainly need to request and receive client documents against a checklist.
  • You want clients to upload with a magic link rather than set up a password.
  • You want files saved in your own Google Drive, organized in folders.
  • You want a free plan or flat $14.99/month with no per-user pricing.
Side-by-Side Breakdown

Feature Comparison: DocTick vs Karbon

See exactly how features, client workflows, and architectures compare.

← Swipe horizontally to view full table →
Feature / Capability
DocTick
Our Pick
Karbon
Starting Price
Karbon's price includes practice management; DocTick covers document collection only.
Free Starter or $14.99 / month Pro
$59 / user / month (Team), billed annually
Client Login
Magic link; no account or password
Email invitation; client creates a password on first login; MFA optional
Document Requests & Checklists
Itemized checklist; approve or reject-with-note per item
Client requests and checklists with uploads in the client portal
Automated Client Reminders
Pro plan
Business and Enterprise plans
Where Files Are Stored
Choose based on whether you want files in Drive or inside your practice system.
Your own Google Drive, in folders
Karbon document management, organized against clients and jobs
Practice Workflow & Task Management
•No
Yes, workflow, to-do lists, and task automation
Billing & Payments
•No
Yes, billing, payments, and engagements
Time Tracking & Reporting
•No
Yes, time tracking and budget reporting
Email Integration
•No
Yes, integrated email and email triage
Mobile App
•No (mobile web upload)
Yes, free client app for iOS and Android
Cost & Commitment Comparison

Transparent Pricing with No Forced Upfront Contracts

See the real financial difference between committing to Karbon vs flexible month-to-month DocTick.

Karbon Pricing
$59 – $89 / user / month (Team, Business); Enterprise pricing on request

Per user; annual rates shown, higher monthly rates available (per Karbon's pricing page, Oct 2026)

Commitment: Annual billing is the lower rate; monthly billing is listed for teams of 4 or more

Limits: Automatic client reminders are listed for Business and Enterprise, not Team. The page does not name a currency on its own, so check current pricing in your region on Karbon's site.

Save Hundreds Annually
DocTick Pricing
$0 Starter Free or $14.99 / month Pro

Flexible month-to-month; cancel anytime

Solo Savings: About $528 – $888 / year

3-Person Firm Savings: About $1,944 – $3,024 / year

Critical Analysis

Why Professionals Are Moving to DocTick

Practice Management vs Document Collection

Karbon's pricing page lists email triage, team collaboration, workflow, client management, a client portal, document management, and billing and payments on all plans. Business adds automatic client reminders, task automation, and industry integrations. DocTick is only the document request piece. Clients get a checklist, upload each item, and you approve it or reject it with a note. If you want your whole team working in one practice system, Karbon is built for that. If you already have tools for the rest and need a lighter way to collect documents, DocTick fits.

How Clients Get In

According to Karbon's Karbon for Clients page, your accountant emails an invitation, the client opens the link and creates a password on first login, and multi-factor authentication is optional. Clients can use the web portal or Karbon's free mobile app. With DocTick, the client opens a magic link from their email and uploads from a phone or computer, with no account or password. The trade-off is that DocTick has no client app and no ongoing client portal; each request is its own link.

Cost Comparison

Per Karbon's pricing page, Team is $59 and Business is $89 per user per month billed annually; monthly billing costs more and is listed for teams of four or more. Enterprise pricing is not published. At the Team rate, one user is about $708 per year. DocTick is free for up to 3 active requests, and Pro is $14.99/month with unlimited requests, automated reminders, and custom branding. The two are not like-for-like, since Karbon includes practice management, billing, and time tracking.
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about switching from Karbon to DocTick.

Only the document request part. DocTick has no workflow or practice management, billing, time tracking, email integration, or mobile app. If you rely on Karbon for those, keep it.

Switching from Karbon takes about a minute

Create a free account, connect your Google Drive, and send your first checklist in under 60 seconds. No credit card, no contract.

More Comparisons

Compare DocTick Against Other Tools

See how DocTick stacks up against other portals, collection tools, and cloud storage.

Accounting Practice Management Suite

DocTick vs TaxDome

No client passwords and no annual contract

Document Collection for Commercial Lending

DocTick vs FileInvite

$14.99/month, month-to-month, no implementation project

Client Intake & Questionnaire Software

DocTick vs Content Snare

Save 65%+ on document intake without form builder complexity

Cloud Storage File Drop Feature

DocTick vs Dropbox File Requests

Turn basic file drops into structured client checklists with automated reminders

Cloud Storage Shared Folders

DocTick vs Google Drive Shared Folders

The missing client portal layer for your Google Drive

Document Management & Client Portal

DocTick vs SmartVault

No client portal login and no 2-user minimum

Accounting Practice Management Suite

DocTick vs Canopy

Just need document collection? Skip the full-suite price

Client Collaboration & File Management for Accountants

DocTick vs Liscio

A focused checklist tool for firms that don't need a full client platform

Secure File Sharing & Client Portal

DocTick vs ShareFile

Checklist-based document requests for $14.99/mo, no seat minimum

Tax Document Gathering App

DocTick vs TaxCaddy

Collect tax documents with a link: no client account, no app download

PBC Request & Audit Collaboration Platform

DocTick vs Suralink

Itemized document requests without an enterprise platform

Accounting Practice Management

DocTick vs Financial Cents

Document requests only, at $14.99/mo, with files in your own Drive

Ready for effortless document collection?

Connect your Google Drive in 30 seconds. Start sending clean, password-free checklists that clients actually finish on time.