01Client asks
Client chatP0927
Could we add a careers page before launch? We are hiring two designers in May.
Seen by 3 on your team
Agency management software
One app to run your agency, from first message to paid invoice.
Projects, team chat, a separate client chat and portal, timesheets, budgets and billing by the hour, project, subscription or credits. Built inside a working agency and used on every client project.
- Web, iOS and Android apps
- Google sign-in
- Slack and Zoom built in
02Team plans it
In progressDevelopment
Careers page
- Due
- Apr 24
- Estimate
- 8.0h
Visible to client
03Time is tracked
ApprovedWeek 16
| Mon | Careers page | 2.0h |
| Tue | Careers page | 3.5h |
| Wed | QA and copy | 1.0h |
Total6.5h
04Client is billed
SentINV-1042
Development
6.5h × $150$975.00
6.5h × $150$975.00
April total$8,420.00
Email delivered
Built and run every day inside Design in DC, a full-service agency in Washington, DC.
- Active client projects
- ~100
- Code updates since 2023
- 2,300+
- Roles, Admin to Client
- 8
Most agencies run client work across six tools. The thread lives in email, the hours in a timer, the margin in a spreadsheet and the invoice somewhere else. Robust puts all of it on one project record, so the conversation, the work and the invoice stay connected, however you charge.
Product
Everything your team needs to deliver. Chat, tasks, time, calls and an AI assistant on every project.
Northwind rebrand
P0927 · Active
Internal chat3Client chat1TasksOverview
Pinned Launch checklist and staging links
Maya asked for a careers page before launch. I added it to Development, estimate 8h. Alex, can you take the build?
3 replies · last 10:18
On it. I will reuse the team grid from About and have it on staging by Thursday.
Seen by 4
Heads up, April budget is at 71% with two weeks left.
Urgent ping from Jordan
Ringing on iPhone
Ringing on iPhone
Message Internal chat
Client portal
A separate room for every client. Your team works out loud. Your client sees only what you choose to share.
Northwind rebrand
P0927 · Development phase
Conversations
Internal chat
Team only3
Team only3
Client chat
Shared with Northwind1
Shared with Northwind1
Client chat access
Jordan ReyesFull
Alex LinFull
Dana KimRead only
ContractorNone
Tasks
- FinishedBrand guidelines
- In progressHomepage build
- In progressCareers page
- StuckFix staging deploy scriptInternal
- NewRate review for Q3 retainerInternal
2 tasks hidden from the client
Budget planner
$24,000
- Real spent
- $13,920
- Markup
- 20%
- Desired %
- 40%
Real hours
142.5h
Team view: internal chat, private tasks and project finances are visible.
Two chats per project
An internal chat for the team and a client chat for the client. Clients have no access to team channels or direct messages.
Access per person
Give each team member full, read-only or no access to client chat. Juniors can follow the conversation without posting.
Shared on purpose
Phases, tasks and links stay internal until someone marks them visible to the client.
A portal clients use
Roadmap, tickets, invoices and chat behind one login, on desktop or phone.
Robust AI
An assistant that knows the project. Ask about the work, the client or the money, in plain words.
- Reads everything on the project: files, tasks, timesheets, invoices, budgets and call transcripts.
- Drafts into the project folder: client updates, summaries and documents you can edit.
- Respects every permission: it sees only what the person asking can see.
Robust AI
Northwind rebrand · P0927Powered by Claude from Anthropic
Northwind rebrand · P0927Powered by Claude from Anthropic
What is blocking launch, and how much of the April budget is left?
One task is stuck: Photography from client, waiting since Apr 9. The Apr 16 call notes say it arrives Monday.
April budget: $5,976 of $8,420 used, $2,444 left, about 16h at the current rate.
Looked up: Tasks · Monthly budget · Calls
Ask about Northwind rebrand
Billing
Bill for time. Projects. Subscriptions. Credits. Set up each client the way you charge them, and mix models across the same account.
Hourly
By the hour
Timesheet hours become invoice lines at the rate you set per role or per person.
56.1h × $150Time
Fixed fee
By the project
Agree a price, split it into deposit and milestone invoices, and track real hours against it.
$24,000 · 3 paymentsProject
Recurring
By subscription
Retainers, hosting and care plans billed every month, with a monthly budget to deliver against.
$2,500 / monthMonthly
Prepaid
By credits
Sell a block of credits up front and draw it down as requests are delivered.
40 credits · 12 leftCredits
Mobile
Answer clients from anywhere. Project chat, client chat, tasks and timesheets on your phone.
- Urgent ping rings like a phone call when something cannot wait, until someone answers on any device.
- Message reminders bring a thread back at the time you choose.
- Notifications by channel: all messages, mentions only or nothing.
Pricing
One price for your team. Clients are always free.
Prices billed annually, or month to month at $490, $990 or $1,890. Every plan includes every feature and starts with a 14-day free trial. Setup starts at $2,500 and covers data import, configuration and training. Over 50 people? Talk to us.
Studio
$390/month
or $490 month to month
Up to 10 team members
- Unlimited clients, free
- All four billing models
- Client portal and client chat
- AI Chat and Zoom calls
- Email support
Most popular
Agency
$790/month
or $990 month to month
Up to 25 team members
- Unlimited clients, free
- All four billing models
- Client portal and client chat
- AI Chat and Zoom calls
- Priority support
Scale
$1,490/month
or $1,890 month to month
Up to 50 team members
- Unlimited clients, free
- All four billing models
- Client portal and client chat
- AI Chat and Zoom calls
- Priority support and a named contact
Founding agencies
Half price for your first year, setup included.
The first five agencies get 50% off for 12 months and no setup fee, in exchange for a case study and a monthly feedback call. Cancel in the first 90 days if it is not the right fit.
FAQ
Questions agencies ask.
Who is Robust for?
Service agencies, studios and consultancies that work closely with clients and want projects, chat and billing in one place, whether they charge by the hour, the project, a monthly subscription or credits.
We do not bill by the hour. Does Robust still fit?
Yes. Set up a client on a fixed project fee, a recurring subscription or prepaid credits, and use time tracking only to see what the work costs you.
Can clients see our internal conversations?
No. Every project has an internal chat for your team and a separate client chat. Clients can only reach the client chat and the items you mark visible.
Do we have to give up Slack?
No. Connect any project chat to a Slack channel and messages sync in both directions.
Does it work with Xero?
Robust exports timesheets and contractor bills in Xero's import format and keeps a link to each record in Xero.
Is there a mobile app?
Yes. The iOS and Android apps cover project chat, client chat, tasks and timesheets, with push notifications and urgent pings.
How much does Robust cost?
Plans start at $390 a month for up to 10 team members billed annually, or $490 month to month, with unlimited clients included and a 14-day free trial. Setup starts at $2,500. The first five founding agencies get 50% off for a year and no setup fee.
Do you have free tools for agencies?
Yes, free to use whatever software you run: an agency retainer calculator, a utilization rate calculator, a client onboarding checklist and a retainer agreement template.
See your agency in Robust.
A walkthrough with the team that built it and uses it every day.
