Ignition: My Updated Review and an Offer Worth Grabbing
Early last year, I wrote a full review of Ignition and how it transformed my proposals, onboarding, and billing. That review resonated with a lot of tax pros because so many were struggling with scope creep, unclear expectations, and accounts receivable issues.
Almost two years later, I am still using Ignition every single day. It remains one of the few tools that has stayed in my system because it continues to make my practice smoother and more predictable. Most tools do not have that kind of staying power. Ignition does because it stays focused, delivers what it promises, and does not try to do too much.
With Black Friday here, Ignition shared a special offer with me to pass along to readers. I will include it at the end. First, here is what has changed since my original review and why Ignition still deserves a place in my firm.
What Has Improved Since My 2024 Review
Better templates
Ignition has refined its template library. The language is cleaner, and the structure is tighter. Clients sign faster when they understand exactly what you are offering. Clear expectations accelerate the entire onboarding process and reduce follow-up questions. This gives you a good place to start, but I always recommend customizing the specifics for your practice.
Automated billing that actually works
A full year of automated recurring billing has been a game-changer. Clients know what they pay and when they pay it. I do not chase invoices. I do not remind anyone. The system handles all of it. Predictable billing creates predictable cash flow. That alone is worth the subscription. For me, not dealing with accounts receivable is priceless.
Smoother proposal workflow
The proposal system feels even more refined now. Clients can approve quickly from their phones. I can build and send a new engagement in a couple of clicks. There is no friction. Every tool should feel like this.
Better visibility into revenue
The dashboard gives an instant overview of projected revenue and pending engagements. When you can see your pipeline clearly, you make better decisions. Ignition makes revenue planning easier.
New Features Worth Noting
Forms
Ignition’s new Form Builder is something I am testing right now. It lets you collect client information up front before you create a proposal. That may sound simple, but it solves a real problem. Most firms waste time chasing missing details or clarifying basic information after the fact. With forms built directly into the Ignition workflow, you start with better information, and the entire proposal process becomes cleaner. I am still experimenting with how it fits into my onboarding, but the potential is obvious.
Price Insights
Ignition also rolled out Price Insights. Pricing in our world is personal. It depends on your firm, expertise, niche, workflow, and the client. No tool can replace that judgment. Still, I think Price Insights can be a helpful gauge for people who struggle with pricing or who want to check where they stand relative to the broader market. It is not about copying what others charge. It is about having data to inform your decisions instead of guessing. Used that way, it becomes a useful reference point.
What I Appreciate Most Today
Ignition does not try to do too much. It is not trying to be a CRM. It is not trying to be a full practice management system. It is not trying to be workflow software. It excels at what it does best: proposals, engagement letters, onboarding, and billing.
That focus is rare. Too many tools in our industry try to solve everything and end up solving nothing well. Ignition stays in its lane and delivers a clean, dependable experience. I do not need it to run my entire firm. I need it to handle the parts of my firm that must be handled perfectly. That is exactly where Ignition shines.
What Still Makes Ignition Stand Out
It forces clarity
Ignition requires you to define what is included and what is not. That eliminates scope creep and protects your time, your team, and your workload. The biggest struggle for many firms is defining exactly what they are offering, and Ignition makes that unavoidable in the best way.
I also think it is important not to overdo engagement letters. Too many firms try to be overly verbose in an attempt to cover every possible scenario. Clients do not read twelve pages of legal language. Clear and concise terms are far more effective. If you are an InCite community member, Matt Metras and I led a workshop on engagement letters and billing, where we discussed this in detail. Ignition supports this approach by keeping everything focused, straightforward, and client-friendly.
It feels good for clients
No portals. No guesswork. Just a clean approval process. Clients understand what they are signing and can move through the process without confusion.
It makes your firm look polished
The entire experience is professional and consistent. Clean proposals raise the bar for how clients perceive your firm. That matters. I am big on aesthetics, and this is where Ignition shines.
It integrates with the rest of my tools
Ignition connects directly with the systems most firms already rely on. The QuickBooks Online and Xero integrations allow accepted proposals and billing information to flow automatically into your accounting system. It also ties into reporting tools and workflow platforms like Zapier. That means you can automate onboarding steps or trigger tasks without rebuilding your entire tech stack.
The value is simple. You do not need a dozen disconnected tools. Ignition passes client information, accepted engagements, and billing details exactly where they need to go. This reduces manual work and keeps your firm cleaner. I want tools that talk to each other without duct tape, and Ignition continues to expand the integrations in a thoughtful, practical way.
One way I take advantage of this is by having a new client book a discovery call with me; their information from calendly is pushed to Ignition via Zapier. It makes it easy for me to complete the engagement proposal while they are on the phone or in the Zoom session.
How It Has Helped My Firm This Year
The biggest change has been predictability. Automated billing stabilized cash flow. Onboarding became faster and more consistent. Clients sign quickly. Clients pay on time.
Ignition has also helped my team. Everyone can see what was promised to a client. There is no confusion. When expectations are documented clearly, the entire firm operates better. Another automation is that the services we are engaged for are sent to Asana and created as tasks via Zapier. We use Asana for all of our task management. This takes out a manual step.
The Black Friday / Cyber Monday Offer
Ignition gave me a special Black Friday / Cyber Monday deal to share with readers. If you have been thinking about moving your proposals and billing into a streamlined, automated system, this is the right time to do it.
You get 50% off for 3 months on Pro and Pro+ plans.
I rarely promote deals unless the product is one I personally use. Ignition is one of the few tools that continues to earn its space in my tech stack.
Final Thoughts
There are many tools competing for a place in your firm. Very few deliver long-term value. Ignition has continued to improve, stay focused, and make my practice more efficient. If you want a cleaner way to handle proposals and billing, it is still the best option I have found.
If you want to see how I use Ignition or have questions about my setup, feel free to join the subscriber chat. I am always happy to walk through my system and share what works in real practice.
