Design Manager
Design Manager provides cloud-based project management, accounting, purchasing, and client portal software built specifically for US residential interior design firms, serving approximately 3,000 customer firms since 1984 under Performant Capital ownership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Design Manager does
Design Manager, Inc. is a cloud-based SaaS provider of integrated business management software for residential interior design firms in the United States. Founded in 1984 and first released on MS-DOS in 1986, the company became one of the first applications in its category to move to the cloud in 2007. The platform unifies six core modules — project management, accounting, purchasing and procurement, client portal, reporting, and specifications — into a single system designed around the lifecycle of interior design projects (proposals, deposits, purchase orders, vendor invoicing, client invoicing, WIP tracking). Adjacent capabilities include DesignPay for integrated payment processing, a Product Clipper for sourcing, inventory management, document and file attachments, and direct check printing.
The company generates revenue through annual and monthly SaaS subscriptions priced on a quote basis, supplemented by payment processing economics through DesignPay. Distribution combines a self-serve free trial (no credit card required) targeting solo designers and small studios, an enterprise field-sales motion for mid-market and luxury firms via HubSpot scheduling and a dedicated phone line (1.800.836.2999), and a consulting partner channel anchored by firms such as Everything But Design. Design Manager serves approximately 3,000 customer firms ranging from individual designers to internationally-recognized luxury practices, achieving a 4.97/5 average app rating. The company is incorporated in Delaware, headquartered in New York, and operates with 11-50 employees.
Design Manager is currently owned by Performant Capital, which acquired the business in 2022 following an earlier acquisition by 1stDibs in 2019. Under PE ownership, the company has pursued a roll-up strategy, acquiring DesignSpec and Lojik Design Systems on 2024-10-30 to consolidate adjacent specification-writing tools. Product development has remained active through 2024 and into 2026, with feature waves covering multi-image items, enhanced budgets with tolerance controls, document attachments, check printing, vendor markup overrides, and a Project Time Entry module.
Design Manager firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Design Manager
- Legal name
- Design Manager, Inc.
- Website
- https://designmanager.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Design Manager provides cloud-based project management, accounting, purchasing, and client portal software built specifically for US residential interior design firms, serving approximately 3,000 customer firms since 1984 under Performant Capital ownership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Design Manager industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Interior Design Business Management Software
- NAICS
- Interior Design Services (541410), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where Design Manager is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Design Manager business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel
Revenue model
- SaaS Subscription (Core Platform): Annual or monthly subscription for access to the Design Manager platform including project management, accounting, purchasing, client portal, reporting, and specifications modules. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled 30 days prior to end of term. No refunds for pre-paid subscription fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Platform subscription with free trial available |
| Subscription | Monthly | Platform subscription — monthly billing |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Design Manager product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Design Manager is a cloud-based SaaS platform purpose-built for residential interior design firms, integrating project management, accounting, purchasing/procurement, client portal, reporting, and specifications into a single unified system. The platform manages the complete project lifecycle from client creation through final payment collection with real-time project profitability and item-level margin tracking, eliminating data re-entry between project management and accounting functions.
Product overview
Design Manager is a single unified cloud-based SaaS platform built specifically for residential interior design firms. The core platform integrates six core modules—Project Management, Accounting, Purchasing & Procurement, Client Portal, Reporting, and Specifications—into one connected system. Additional offerings include DesignPay for integrated payment processing, a Product Clipper tool for sourcing, the Design Manager Help Center for self-service support, and the Master Class educational series. The platform traces its origins to 1984 (MS-DOS version) and became one of the first cloud applications in its category in 2007.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Design Manager (Core Platform) Cloud-based SaaS platform for residential interior design firms providing integrated project management, accounting, purchasing, client portal, reporting, and specifications tools. Manages the complete project lifecycle from client creation through final payment collection with real-time project profitability tracking.
- DesignPay
Quantifiable outcome
- Eliminates re-entry of data across project management and accounting systems, preventing profit leakage
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Design Manager
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Design Manager technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature10 records
Design Manager partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Everything But DesigncoreEverything But Design, founded by Staci Davidson, is a consulting partner specializing in Design Manager setup, optimization, back-office systems, project financial management, bookkeeping support, and operational workflows for interior designers. The firm offers a 'Design Manager Success Setup Package' at $1,495 and conducts Master Classes for Design Manager customers and prospects.
- StripecoreStripe Connect is used as the payment processor for integrated payment processing within Design Manager, enabling automated deposit recording, payment tracking, and accounting entries. Stripe's privacy policy governs data shared with Stripe for payment processing.
- TSYScoreTSYS is used as an alternative payment processor for credit and debit card transactions within Design Manager, alongside Stripe. TSYS's privacy policy applies to information shared for payment processing.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Design Manager competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Buildertrend: Large incumbent construction project management SaaS covering scheduling, customer management, and financial tools; an established player in residential construction that competes for similar SMB/mid-market customers.
- CoConstruct: Construction and design-build management software for custom home builders and remodelers; serves an adjacent customer base that often includes interior designers and competes for similar workflow mindshare.
- QuickBooks: General-purpose accounting platform widely used by small interior design firms; cited by Design Manager customers as the tool they migrated away from, representing the most relevant horizontal incumbent.
Direct peers
- Fohlio: Specifications, sourcing, and product library platform for interior designers and architects; overlaps with Design Manager's Specifications and Purchasing modules.
- Studio Designer: Cloud-based business management software purpose-built for interior designers covering proposals, project management, invoicing, and time tracking — the closest direct competitor to Design Manager's core platform.
- DesignFiles: Interior design project management and client presentation software for residential designers; overlaps directly with Design Manager on proposals, mood boards, and client collaboration workflows.
- Ivy: Business management and CRM platform for interior designers — formerly IvyMark — covering vendor sourcing, project pipelines, and client relationship workflows for residential design firms.
Emerging players
- Digs: Collaboration platform for residential design and build projects; partial overlap with Design Manager's client portal and project tracking capabilities, focused on builder-designer collaboration.
- Marq: Creative operations and brand management platform with adjacent vertical workflow capabilities; less direct overlap but serves similarly small creative and design-oriented businesses.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Design Manager social profiles
Digital presenceDesign Manager compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Design Manager financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Design Manager leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Design Manager funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Design Manager M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Design Manager
What does Design Manager do?
Design Manager is a cloud-based SaaS platform purpose-built for residential interior design firms, integrating project management, accounting, purchasing/procurement, client portal, reporting, and specifications into a single unified system. The platform manages the complete project lifecycle from client creation through final payment collection with real-time project profitability and item-level margin tracking, eliminating data re-entry between project management and accounting functions.
Is Design Manager a public or private company?
Design Manager is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Design Manager founded?
Design Manager was founded in 1984. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Design Manager based?
Design Manager is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Design Manager make money?
One revenue line is on record: saaS Subscription (Core Platform).
Who are Design Manager's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Buildertrend, CoConstruct and QuickBooks. Direct peers are Fohlio, Studio Designer, DesignFiles and Ivy. Emerging players are Digs and Marq.
Does Design Manager have an API?
No public API is recorded for Design Manager.
What industry is Design Manager in?
Design Manager's product category is Interior Design Business Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services. Its NAICS code is 541410 and its SIC code is 7372.