Runn vs Float: The Complete Comparison for Agencies

Runn and Float both replace resource-planning spreadsheets, but they solve different problems. Here's how they compare on features, pricing, and fit.

Both Runn and Float represent specialized resource planning and project management tools designed for project-based businesses trying to improve resource allocation and capacity planning. Effective resource management has become critical for project success and business profitability, especially as teams move beyond spreadsheet-based planning.

While many businesses still rely on spreadsheets for resource planning, dedicated resource management software like Runn and Float offer advantages in accuracy, automation, and planning visibility. These platforms help professional services firms, consultancies, creative agencies, and marketing organizations improve resource utilization across multiple projects.

What is Runn?

Runn is a resource-planning platform founded in 2018, focused on strategic project planning and business performance. It centers on capacity planning, profitability tracking, and long-range decisions for growing organizations, mostly professional services, consultancies, and software teams.

Its pitch is strategic visibility: how resources are allocated, which projects are profitable, and what capacity you'll need down the line. Runn connects to Clockify, Harvest, and WorkflowMax so planning data flows alongside time and financial systems teams already use.

Source: Runn

What is Float?

Float is a resource-management tool built around scheduling and daily allocation. It's a tactical tool: granular task management and clear visibility into who's available and what's booked, wrapped in an interface teams pick up fast.

It's popular with creative agencies, production studios, and marketing teams juggling shifting priorities. Float integrates with Jira, Asana, Teamwork, and Slack, and syncs with Google Calendar and Outlook.

Source: Float

Key Differences Between Runn and Float

Functional Focus

Float primarily emphasizes detailed resource scheduling at a granular level, with task management and daily assignment capabilities. The platform is strongest at tactical resource allocation: helping teams understand who is working on what projects and when assignments are scheduled.

Runn offers a broader approach that includes strategic project planning, resource management, and business performance tracking within a unified platform. This helps organizations understand resource allocation, project profitability, and long-term capacity planning implications.

The difference in functional focus affects user experience and problem-solving. Float works well for teams needing detailed scheduling control, while Runn serves organizations requiring strategic insights into resource utilization and business performance across multiple projects and clients.

Planning Perspective

Float takes an individual task-based approach with strong daily scheduling capabilities, making it useful for teams that need detailed control over resource allocation and project timelines. The platform provides granular visibility into team member assignments and project progress.

Runn offers a higher-level strategic capacity planning perspective that helps businesses understand resource utilization patterns across projects, teams, and time periods. This strategic approach supports long-term planning and business development decisions.

These different planning perspectives shape the workflow. Teams focused on day-to-day operations may prefer Float's detailed approach, while organizations planning for growth and profitability often benefit from Runn's strategic capabilities.

Reporting Capabilities

Runn provides advanced project reporting capabilities that show project performance, resource utilization metrics, and profitability analysis. The platform's reporting supports data-driven decisions through analytics and forecasting.

Float offers more limited reporting that focuses primarily on resource allocation and team availability tracking. While sufficient for basic operational needs, the platform may lack the analytical depth required for strategic business planning and profitability work.

The reporting difference affects how well a company can make decisions about resource allocation, pricing strategy, and business development. Organizations that require deeper business intelligence typically benefit from Runn's advanced reporting.

Scalability

Float generally accommodates smaller teams effectively but may face limitations as organizations grow beyond approximately 500 users. The platform works well for small to medium-sized teams with straightforward scheduling requirements.

Runn is designed to accommodate larger organizations and enterprises with complex resource planning needs. The platform supports growing businesses that expect larger team sizes, increasing project complexity, and more sophisticated resource management.

This scalability difference matters when you think about long-term software strategy. Growing businesses should consider expansion plans when evaluating each platform so the chosen solution can support future needs.

Feature Comparison

Pricing and Value Proposition

Pricing structures vary between platforms, with different tiers offering different levels of functionality and team size support. Both platforms typically offer free trial periods that let organizations test features and evaluate fit before committing to subscriptions.

Value analysis should consider subscription costs, setup time, training requirements, and potential productivity gains. Organizations should evaluate total cost of ownership, including setup, ongoing administration, and the efficiency improvements they expect from better planning.

ROI considerations include time savings from better resource allocation, fewer project overruns through better capacity planning, and stronger profitability through strategic resource management. The right platform can deliver returns through better operations and clearer planning decisions.

When to Choose Each One

Pick Runn if:

• You manage multiple complex projects and need resource allocation tied to profitability.
• You're scaling and want a tool that grows into enterprise use.
• Forecasting and financial reporting drive your planning decisions.
• You already run time tracking or financial systems you want to connect.

Pick Float if:

• Daily scheduling, not long-range planning, is the main job.
• Your team is small to mid-sized with fairly stable headcount.
• Fast adoption matters and you want minimal training.
• Priorities shift often and you need to reshuffle assignments quickly.

What if you need capacity and profitability?

The Bottom Line

Runn and Float both beat spreadsheets; they just aim at different jobs. Runn wins on strategic planning, profitability, and scale. Float wins on fast, tactical scheduling for smaller teams. Start with your time horizon: if you're planning the week, lean Float; if you're planning the quarter and its margins, lean Runn.

And if you're an agency that needs both capacity and profitability in one place, it's worth looking at purpose-built options like Supervisible before adapting a general tool to agency-specific workflows.

Discover how agencies use Supervisible to manage resources while tracking project profitability and financial performance. See how it works. →