Comparison

Hourglass vs Deltek

Deltek Vantagepoint is a full project-based ERP — general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, billing and resource planning in one system — built primarily for architecture, engineering and consulting firms with complex accounting needs. Deployments commonly run into six figures in the first year.

Hourglass isn't an ERP. It's a focused delivery platform — time tracking, resourcing, budgets, invoicing and client visibility — that a small-to-mid-size firm can set up itself, the same day, at a published price.

Try Hourglass free

Deltek

A project-based ERP with full financial management — general ledger, AP/AR, project accounting — alongside resourcing and delivery. Implementation typically runs 8 weeks to 9 months depending on complexity, with mid-market first-year costs commonly reported between $100,000 and $600,000.

Hourglass

Time tracking, resourcing, budgets, invoicing and client visibility in one self-serve platform, priced in GBP from free. Not a general ledger replacement — Hourglass connects to your existing accounting system (Xero) rather than replacing it.

Feature comparison

Deltek is a full accounting ERP; Hourglass is a delivery and invoicing platform that plugs into Xero. If you need general ledger and project accounting in the same system, that's a real Deltek advantage — most smaller firms don't.

FeatureHourglassDeltek
Time tracking
Resource / capacity planning
Invoice generation
Client-facing portalLimited
Budget tracking with RAG health scores
Full general ledger / project accounting (ERP)
Published, self-serve pricing
Sign up and start without a sales call
Typical implementation timeSame day8 weeks – 9 months
Typical first-year cost (mid-market)From free$100k–$600k
Built for firm size5–80 people50–1,000+ people
UK-operated, GBP pricing

Deltek implementation time and cost ranges per third-party analysis (Vendr, 2026) — Deltek does not publish list prices.

When to choose Hourglass over Deltek

You’re a 5–80 person agency, consultancy or MSP — not a firm that needs a full project accounting ERP

You already have accounting software (Xero) and want delivery/invoicing that connects to it, not replaces it

You want a published price and a working trial today, not a multi-month implementation project

You want UK-operated support and GBP pricing, not a US-headquartered enterprise vendor

You need to be live in a day, not planning an 8-week-to-9-month rollout

If your firm needs full project-based general ledger accounting alongside delivery — common for larger AEC and government-contracting firms — Deltek's depth may genuinely be the better fit. This comparison is aimed at smaller, growing firms deciding between the two.