Design Manager

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.

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

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

• Interior design software
• Project management software
• Design firm accounting
• Interior design procurement
• Design business management

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel

Revenue model

1. 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

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core 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

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Everything But DesigncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEverything 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.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationStripe 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.
• TSYScoreTechnology or IntegrationTSYS 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

Broad 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

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/design-manager-inc-
• Xx.com/DesignManager

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Design Manager