Assembly vs Ignition

Assembly's goal is to centralize everything. It gives clients a single, branded portal for messaging, file sharing, and payments. It replaces scattered emails and creates a professional first impression. Ignition's goal is to get you paid. It builds billing directly into your proposals. You collect payment details upfront, and everything happens automatically after the client signs. The key trade-off is breadth vs. depth. Assembly covers the entire client lifecycle. Ignition focuses intensely on the proposal-to-cash workflow.

With Assembly, clients get a modern, 24/7 portal. They can log in to see their entire relationship—messages, documents, invoices. It's designed to feel like a natural extension of your firm. Ignition delivers a frictionless signing and payment experience. The client reviews a professional proposal, signs, and enters payment details in one smooth flow. It's a focused, one-time interaction. Assembly builds ongoing client engagement. Ignition streamlines the initial commitment and subsequent billing.

Assembly includes invoicing, payment links, and pay links. You can create invoices and clients pay online. It handles the standard billing cycle. Ignition automates the entire process. Payment is tied to the signed proposal. Recurring billing and scope changes are handled without manual invoicing. It's designed to eliminate payment chasing. Ignition's approach is more automated for service-based billing. Assembly offers more general invoicing flexibility.

Assembly plans include multiple team seats. The Professional plan supports 3 internal users. Teams share a single back office to manage client relationships and tasks. Ignition plans are also tiered by users. The focus is on managing proposals and agreements across a team. It enables bulk actions for renewals and updates. Both scale for teams, but Assembly's collaboration is around client communication. Ignition's is around agreement and billing workflows.

Assembly offers API and Zapier/Make on the Professional plan. It's designed to connect with your existing tech stack without replacing it. Ignition integrates with tools like XPM and Karbon. It connects to accounting software to streamline data flow between proposals and your books. Assembly offers broad integration potential. Ignition offers deeper integration with specific accounting ecosystems.

Assembly provides SOC2 and HIPAA compliance. The Advanced plan includes a signed BAA and audit logs. Custom SSO is available on the Enterprise plan. Ignition's security protocols are not detailed on their site. You need to contact them for specifics on data handling and compliance. Assembly has clear, documented security features for regulated industries. Ignition's offering in this area is less transparent.

Assembly offers full white-labeling on the Advanced plan. You can use a custom domain and remove all branding. The portal can feel entirely your own. Ignition provides professional templates for proposals. You can customize the content and design of your agreements. The focus is on the proposal itself. Assembly customizes the entire client-facing portal. Ignition customizes the key sales document.

Assembly's support scales with plans. Enterprise customers get a dedicated success manager and Slack channel. Standard support is on the Starter plan. Ignition offers priority support with a 1-hour response on Pro+ plans. Core plans have a 4-hour response. Setup assistance is included on most plans. Both offer premium support options. Assembly's top-tier support includes dedicated personnel.