17hats vs Assembly: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of 17hats and Assembly to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
17hats
4.8/10
17hats is an all-in-one business management app for solopreneurs and small service businesses, combining CRM, projects, to-dos, invoicing, contracts, scheduling and workflows.
Assembly
6.3/10
Assembly, formerly Copilot, is a branded client portal for service businesses. It combines messaging, a lightweight CRM, billing, files, tasks and an AI app builder.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 4.8/10 | 6.3/10 |
| Customization | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Integration | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Ease of Use | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Security | 4/10 | 8/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 6/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | $60/mo Core | $49/mo Starter |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Free CRM | Contact for pricing |
| Features | ||
| Scheduling | Not listed | |
| Client collaboration | ||
| App integrations | ||
| Task lists | ||
| Timeline view | Not listed | |
| Task management | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| Workflow automation | ||
| Reporting | Not listed | |
| Team messaging | Not listed | |
| File sharing | Not listed | |
| Gantt charts | Not listed | |
| Collaboration tools | Not listed | |
17hats vs Assembly cost by team size
17hats and Assembly cost the same at 1 user.
| Team size | 17hats | Assembly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeFree CRM | FreeFree |
| 5 users | FreeFree CRM | Contact for pricing |
| 10 users | FreeFree CRM | Contact for pricing |
| 25 users | FreeFree CRM | Contact for pricing |
| 50 users | FreeFree CRM | Contact for pricing |
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 17hats
- Higher Analytics score (5/10 vs 4/10)
- Better fit for freelancers (9/10 vs 6/10)
- Includes Time tracking, which Assembly lacks
Why choose Assembly
- Higher Security score (8/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Scalability score (6/10 vs 3/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (5/10 vs 1/10)
- Better fit for agencies (8/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
17hats
Pros
- Combines CRM, contracts, invoicing, payments, scheduling and to-dos, so a solo business can replace several tools with one.
- To-do workflows and advanced workflows automate recurring tasks and document or email sends for each client.
- Unlimited contacts and projects and three users are included, with one predictable flat price.
- A free CRM plan, a restartable 7-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee lower the risk of trying it.
- Built-in financial reports such as profit and loss and sales tax suit owners who handle their own books.
Cons
- It has no Kanban boards, Gantt charts or team chat, so it is weak as a team project management tool.
- Time tracking, scheduling, recurring billing and QuickBooks sync are all paid add-ons.
- Reviewers cite a limited mobile app, a cluttered interface and limited form customization.
- Users have reported QuickBooks sync errors that created duplicate payments, and some scheduled emails failing to send.
- It has no live chat support, and records are inaccessible after cancellation unless exported first.
Assembly
Pros
- Reviewers say a non-technical team can launch a polished, branded client portal quickly.
- Messaging, a CRM, invoicing, contracts, forms and files share one client login.
- A free plan and no-contract self-serve billing make it easy to test.
- SOC 2 Type II, AES-256 encryption at rest and a HIPAA BAA on Advanced suit regulated firms.
Cons
- Project management is basic, with no Gantt charts or dependencies.
- There is no native time tracking or scheduling.
- Automations lack conditional branching, and there is no native mobile app.
- Reviewers report a high cost and friction with international invoicing.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Assembly scores higher on our CRM criteria: 6.3/10 against 4.8/10 for 17hats. The largest gap is in Security: 4/10 for 17hats and 8/10 for Assembly.
Yes, both 17hats and Assembly have a free plan.
Assembly is the better fit for enterprise: we rate it 5/10 for them, against 1/10 for 17hats.
17hats has Time tracking, which Assembly lacks.
