Studio Designer vs NYA
Per-user billing versus flat per firm, and where each one genuinely wins. Studio Designer prices from its own page, checked 2026-07-31.
By Idan Mann, founder of NYA
The short answer
Studio Designer is per-user software built around double-entry accounting — $69–$109 per user monthly on annual billing, so five seats run $345/mo on Essentials. NYA is flat per firm ($129/mo covers five seats) with reflected ceiling plans built in, and exports books to QuickBooks or Xero instead. Pick by whether you need the ledger inside the tool.
All competitor prices on this page were taken from the vendor's own pricing page on July 31, 2026 and are linked at the bottom. Prices change — tell us if you spot one that has.
These two products are aimed at different problems. Studio Designer grew out of design-firm accounting; we grew out of project delivery and drawing. The pricing difference follows from that.
| Studio Designer | NYA | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $69 / user / mo (annual) | $49 / mo flat |
| Billing model | Per user | Flat per firm |
| Three seats | $207 / mo | $129 / mo |
| Five seats | $345 / mo (Essentials) | $129 / mo |
| Double-entry accounting | Yes — its core strength | No (export to QuickBooks/Xero) |
| Reflected ceiling plans | Not advertised | Yes |
| Free trial | Contact sales | 7 days, cancel anytime |
Choose Studio Designer if…
Choose NYA if…
- Your books already live in QuickBooks or Xero and you do not want to move them.
- Your headcount changes, and per-user pricing makes budgeting unpredictable.
- You produce lighting and ceiling plans and want them in the same tool as the selections they specify.
- You want to try the software before talking to a salesperson.
| Software | 1 seat | 3 seats | 5 seats | Billing model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYA | $49 | $129 | $129 | Flat per firm |
| DesignFiles (Full Service) | $75 | $135 | $195 | $75 + $30/user |
| Programa (Pro, annual) | $71 | $133 | $195 | $71 + $31/seat |
| Studio Designer (Essentials, annual) | $69 | $207 | $345 | Per user |
| Studio Designer (Premier, annual) | $109 | $327 | $545 | Per user |
| Gather (Spec Pro) | $199 | $277 | $355 | $199 + $39/seat |
| Houzz Pro | $249 | $369 | $489 | $249 + $60/user |
Billing rules that change the maths
- Tier changes only swing one way. Studio Designer's own pricing FAQ states you can upgrade from Essentials to Enterprise or Premier mid-subscription, but can only downgrade when the annual period ends. NYA has no tiers to get locked into — plans change or cancel any month.
- Your bookkeeper can be half price on Studio Designer. Accountants, CPAs and bookkeepers in its Financial Consultant Partner program pay 50% of the tier's user rate — three designers plus a partner-program bookkeeper on Essentials annual is $241.50/mo. On NYA the same firm is $129/mo with the bookkeeper included.
- Monthly billing costs more. Studio Designer's tiers rise $10/user/mo month-to-month ($79/$89/$119); NYA's published prices are the monthly prices.
Over a year
- Solo: Studio Designer Essentials $828; NYA $588.
- Three people: Studio Designer Essentials $2,484; NYA $1,548.
- Five people: Studio Designer $4,140 on Essentials and $6,540 on Premier; NYA still $1,548.
- All figures are the published rates multiplied out — annual billing for Studio Designer, NYA's flat monthly price × 12.
Starting out also differs: Studio Designer routes new firms through a demo and an implementation conversation (its FAQ describes a faster path only for people who used it at a previous company), while NYA's trial is self-serve — onboarding first, then 7 days with a card on file.
Common questions
- Which is cheaper for a five-person studio?
- NYA. Five seats on Studio Designer Essentials cost $345/mo at annual rates ($545/mo on Premier); NYA's Studio plan covers up to five people for a flat $129/mo. The gap comes entirely from per-user versus per-firm billing.
- Does NYA replace Studio Designer's accounting?
- No. Studio Designer's double-entry ledger is its core strength and NYA does not replicate it — NYA exports to QuickBooks or Xero instead. If you want the general ledger inside the same system as your projects, Studio Designer serves that better.
- Does Studio Designer have a free trial?
- Studio Designer routes trials through contact with sales. NYA's trial is self-serve: onboarding first, then 7 days with a card on file and no sales call.
- Does Studio Designer draw ceiling plans?
- It does not advertise reflected ceiling plans. NYA includes an RCP editor with dimensioned PDF export alongside selections, approvals and invoicing.