# Float vs Pike: resource scheduling or a full operating system?

> Float is a resource scheduling tool; Pike is a PSA platform that includes resource planning. Choose Float if you only need to schedule people and already run projects, timesheets, and invoicing elsewhere. Choose Pike if you want scheduling, time, invoicing, and margin in one system instead of four tools.

Canonical URL: https://usepike.com/alternatives/float-vs-pike
Last updated: 2026-10-26

## Quick facts

- **What Float is:** Resource management software for professional services firms and in-house teams: visual scheduling, capacity, and time off, with time tracking and budgets on its Pro plan.
- **What Pike is:** A PSA platform for agencies and consultancies: projects, tasks, time tracking, resource planning, CRM, invoicing, and profitability in one system.
- **Float pricing:** Starter $7 and Pro $12 per scheduled person per month on annual billing ($8.50 and $14 monthly). Enterprise on request. Guests view free. 30-day trial on Pro, no free plan. Source: [Float pricing](https://www.float.com/pricing), checked October 25, 2026.
- **Pike pricing:** Core $29 per user per month on yearly billing ($35 monthly) for projects, time tracking, and invoicing. Growth $49 adds full resource management, cost profiles, and profitability. Scale $99. See [pricing](https://usepike.com/pricing).

## Which one should you choose?

**Choose Float if:**

- You only need a visual schedule of who works on what.
- Projects, tasks, timesheets, and invoices already live in other tools you want to keep.
- Seat cost matters most: Float charges only for people on the schedule.

**Choose Pike if:**

- You want scheduling, time tracking, and invoicing to share one set of data.
- You bill from tracked time and want invoices synced to QuickBooks, Xero, or e-conomic.
- You want margin by project and client from real hours and costs, not a separate report.

## Float vs Pike, feature by feature

| Capability | Float | Pike |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Resource scheduling | Core product, on every plan | Full resource management on Growth and up |
| Tentative and confirmed work | Yes | Yes: proposed and confirmed projects |
| Time tracking | Pro plan | Every plan |
| Task management | No: connects to Asana, Jira, and others via Zapier | Yes: list, board, and timeline |
| Invoicing | No | Yes, every plan |
| Accounting integrations | None listed | QuickBooks, Xero, Visma e-conomic, Business Central, Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Exact Online, Fortnox, Tripletex, Dinero, and Sage |
| CRM and deals | HubSpot via Zapier | Built in, plus HubSpot sync |
| Margin and budgets | Pro plan: rate cards, budgets, dashboards | Growth plan: cost profiles, project and client profitability |

Float details come from its own website, checked October 25, 2026. Spot something out of date? Email [hello@usepike.com](mailto:hello@usepike.com) and we will correct it.

## How the pricing compares

Float costs less per seat: $12 on Pro against $49 for Pike Growth, the plan with resource management. The fair comparison counts the tools around Float: a project tracker, a timesheet app if you are on Starter, and an invoicing tool, each with its own seats. If Float is the only tool you need, it is the cheaper choice.

## Where Float is stronger

- A fast, visual timeline that is quick to learn, per Float’s own positioning and frequent reviewer praise.
- Pricing per scheduled person, with free guest viewers.
- A 30-day trial on Pro with no credit card.

## Moving from Float to Pike

Teams moving from Float usually also retire a project tool and a timesheet app. Bring customers and projects into Pike first, then people and allocations, then historical time if you need it for reporting. The [switch playbook](https://usepike.com/switch) covers the order, and [CSV import](https://usepike.com/integrations/csv) handles the data.

## Float vs Pike questions

### Is Float a PSA tool?

No. Float is resource management and scheduling software. It does not include invoicing or task management, which a PSA platform such as Pike covers.

### Does Float do invoicing?

No. Float’s pricing page lists no invoicing, and its integrations page lists no accounting tools. Pike includes invoicing on every plan and syncs invoices to QuickBooks, Xero, and Visma e-conomic.

### Is Pike more expensive than Float?

Per seat, yes. Pike Growth, which includes resource management, is $49 per user per month against $12 for Float Pro. Pike also replaces the project, timesheet, and invoicing tools you would run next to Float.

### What is the best Float alternative for agencies?

If you want only scheduling, compare Runn and Harvest Forecast. If you want scheduling plus time, invoicing, and margin in one system, compare PSA tools such as Pike, Productive, and Scoro.

## Keep comparing

- [Runn vs Pike](https://usepike.com/alternatives/runn-vs-pike): Capacity forecasting compared with a full PSA.
- [Harvest Forecast vs Pike](https://usepike.com/alternatives/forecast-vs-pike): Scheduling on top of Harvest, compared.
- [Capacity calculator](https://usepike.com/tools/capacity-calculator): Check free billable hours before you sign new work.