---
title: "Ilka vs Fathom: monthly Excel client packs or a reporting platform?"
description: "Fathom is a management reporting, forecasting and consolidation platform priced per company. Ilka sends each client the same Excel pack every month with a Source check sheet. Sourced, dated comparison for fractional CFOs and firms."
canonical: "https://www.ilka.co/compare/ilka-vs-fathom"
last_updated: "2026-08-14"
---

# Ilka vs Fathom: monthly Excel client packs or a reporting platform?

## Is Ilka a Fathom alternative for monthly client reporting?

**Verdict:** Choose Fathom for branded management reports, KPIs, three-way cash flow forecasts and consolidations. Choose Ilka when a client wants their own Excel pack, in the same layout every month, delivered without a login. Many firms could use both.

Fathom runs the advisory meeting. Ilka ships the monthly Excel file some clients still ask for.

Best when the deliverable is a recurring .xlsx per client, not dashboards or forecasts

## Side-by-side

| Job | Fathom | Ilka |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Management reports and KPIs | Yes, core job | No dashboards; a locked Excel pack per client |
| Forecasting, budgets, consolidations | Yes | No |
| Excel output | Export of reports and forecasts | Native .xlsx in the client’s own layout, every month |
| Recurring client deliverable | Reports and forecasts in the platform | .xlsx with a Source check sheet, sent on a schedule |
| Xero / QuickBooks | Native connections | Coming soon; Sheets, Airtable, Stripe, custom API, Push API today |
| List price (checked 21 Oct 2026) | Pro $450/mo for 25 companies; Portfolio $67/mo for 100 | Free 1 client; Pro $19/mo 3 clients; Firm $49/mo 10 clients + $5/client |

## Pick the other tool when

Pick Fathom if you need forecasting, budgets and scenarios, multi-entity consolidations, benchmarking or presentation-style reports, or a native Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB or FreeAgent connection today.

## Pick Ilka when

Pick Ilka if the client expects an .xlsx file each month (by email, Drive, SharePoint or a portal) that they can check in Excel, and your figures are in Google Sheets, Airtable, Stripe or your own system (custom JSON API or Push API). Xero and QuickBooks connectors are coming soon.

## Fathom is strong at

Fathom is an analysis, forecasting and presentation platform for accountants and advisors. Its pricing page lists branded management reports, KPIs, three-way cash flow forecasting, budgets and scenarios, multi-currency consolidations, a commentary writer and benchmarking. It also exports reports and forecasts to Excel.

- Native connections to Xero, QuickBooks Online and Desktop, MYOB and FreeAgent, plus Excel and Google Sheets import
- Forecasting, budgets and consolidations Ilka does not do
- Excel export of reports and forecasts

## Ilka is strong at

Ilka does one narrower job: it locks a client pack layout once, then copies each month’s figures from the source into that layout in code (the AI never types a number) and delivers the workbook on a schedule. Every pack carries a Source check sheet that re-adds the totals with live Excel formulas.

- Same .xlsx layout every month, per client
- Source check sheet with live formulas in every delivery
- Email, webhook, Google Drive, SharePoint or client portal delivery

## When to use both

Keep Fathom for the advisory meeting and the forecast. Use Ilka for the monthly Excel file a client, their bookkeeper or their board asks for, so nobody rebuilds it from a Fathom export each month.


## FAQ

### Is Ilka a Fathom alternative?

Only for one job: the recurring Excel pack per client. Ilka has no forecasting, budgets, consolidations, KPI dashboards or benchmarking. If you use those in Fathom, keep Fathom.

### Does Fathom export to Excel?

Yes. Fathom’s help centre describes Excel reports in the Report Centre and downloading forecasts to Excel (checked 21 October 2026). The difference is the workflow: Ilka produces the client’s own locked layout and delivers it on a schedule, with a Source check sheet.

### How does pricing compare?

Fathom’s pricing page (read 21 October 2026) listed Fathom Pro at $450/month for 25 companies plus $17 per extra company, and Fathom Portfolio at $67/month for 100 companies with lighter analytics. Prices excluded sales tax. Ilka is Free for 1 client, Pro $19/month for 3 clients, and Firm $49/month for 10 clients, then $5 per client. The tools do different jobs, so compare what you need, not just the price.

### Can Ilka connect to Xero or QuickBooks like Fathom?

Not yet. Xero and QuickBooks connectors are coming soon. Today Ilka pulls from Google Sheets, Airtable, Stripe, a custom JSON API or the Push API (which Zapier or Make can feed).


## Sources

Competitor facts checked on 2026-10-21.

- [Fathom pricing](https://www.fathomhq.com/pricing)
- [Fathom help: Reports FAQs](https://support.fathomhq.com/en/collections/3142341-reports-faqs)
- [Fathom help: Download your forecast to Excel](https://support.fathomhq.com/en/articles/4606832-download-your-forecast-to-excel)

## Related comparisons

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