Twenty
Twenty's ORM v2 migration is down to permission and repository edge cases
Comparison · CRM
Act vs Thryv
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Act and Thryv — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Act vs Thryv: at a glance
What is Act?
Act! pivots from CRM-only to payment processor while modernizing its Cloud UX.
Act! is in the middle of a methodical Cloud modernization, rebuilding list views, navigation, and notifications to match the consistency users expect from modern CRMs. Alongside that polish work, Act! has just shipped Act! Payments via Propelr — turning the CRM into a place where credit card transactions close, not just leads. The product is still recognizably a small-business CRM, but its surface area is widening.
What is Thryv?
Two weeks after the platform relaunch, Thryv's feed is all demand generation for it.
The early-August relaunch post — Thryv as a single AI-powered platform for local businesses replacing a stack collected piecemeal — is now the anchor everything else points back to. Since then the feed has been consistent supporting content: review management under AI-driven search, business listing accuracy, fast lead follow-up, social media, and now AI lead scoring. A customer story on an HVAC business going from page 17 to the top of search supplies the proof point.
Act vs Thryv: editorial side-by-side
Act
6.3CRM
Act! pivots from CRM-only to payment processor while modernizing its Cloud UX.
◆ Current state
Act! is in the middle of a methodical Cloud modernization, rebuilding list views, navigation, and notifications to match the consistency users expect from modern CRMs. Alongside that polish work, Act! has just shipped Act! Payments via Propelr — turning the CRM into a place where credit card transactions close, not just leads. The product is still recognizably a small-business CRM, but its surface area is widening.
◆ Where it's heading
The release cadence shows two parallel tracks: weekly UX rationalization (notification center, list parity, faster task editing) and category expansion through embedded financial services. Act! is following the same playbook HubSpot and Pipedrive have run — keep the legacy users happy with quality-of-life work while quietly bolting on revenue-bearing features that compete with Stripe-adjacent SMB tools. Payments is the most directional move in years.
◆ Prediction
Expect deeper payments integration next — recurring billing tied to opportunities, dunning workflows from the contact record, and likely a payments-driven pricing tier that monetizes transaction volume rather than seats.
Thryv
6.3CRM
Two weeks after the platform relaunch, Thryv's feed is all demand generation for it.
◆ Current state
The early-August relaunch post — Thryv as a single AI-powered platform for local businesses replacing a stack collected piecemeal — is now the anchor everything else points back to. Since then the feed has been consistent supporting content: review management under AI-driven search, business listing accuracy, fast lead follow-up, social media, and now AI lead scoring. A customer story on an HVAC business going from page 17 to the top of search supplies the proof point.
◆ Where it's heading
The editorial line maps closely onto the consolidation pitch, working through the capabilities the platform claims one post at a time — listings, reviews, follow-up, scoring — each framed as a problem caused by using separate tools. The recurring argument is that discovery is moving to conversational and AI-mediated search, which makes structured business data and review volume the things worth managing. None of these posts document a shipped change, so the relaunch remains the only product event visible in this feed.
◆ Prediction
Expect the supporting series to keep working through the platform's remaining modules, with AI-assisted features positioned as the differentiator; actual feature releases will need a different source, since this feed carries marketing rather than release notes.
Alternatives to Act and Thryv
Other CRM products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Act or Thryv.
Phorest
Phorest lets salons price the stylist, not just the service
Woodpecker
Woodpecker's public feed is an SEO content engine, not a changelog.
Vendasta
A daily SEO blog pitching AI service lines to agencies, with no product releases in it.
Recruiterflow
Staking the AI-native ATS claim in editorial while shipping nothing visible.
NetHunt CRM
NetHunt's feed is evaluation-stage SEO content, with no product releases visible in it.
Recent activity from Act and Thryv
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 2d agoThryvHow AI Lead Scoring Helps Local Businesses Win More Customers
- 3d agoThryvReview Management: The Secret to Standing Out in an AI-Driven Marketplace
- 4d agoThryvFrom Page 17 to #1: How Mr. Mini Split Turned Online Visibility Into 5X Revenue Growth
- 7d agoThryvWhy Fast Follow-Up Is Critical for Converting Leads
- 10d agoThryvThe Power of Social Media for Small Businesses: How to Turn Posts Into Business Growth
- 11d agoThryvHow to Stop Losing Customers to Competitors with Better Business Listings
- 3mo agoActAccept Payments with Act! Advantage ⚡
- 3mo agoActAccept Payments with Act! Advantage
- 4mo agoActNotification Center and List Experience Enhancements
- 4mo agoActNotification Center and List Experience Enhancements Date of Release 02/27/26 This update enhances usability across Act!
- 4mo agoActNotification Center and Added Email Campaign Support
- 4mo agoActNotification Center and Email Campaign Support
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Act and Thryv?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Act and Thryv are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 6.3 vs 6.3, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Act better than Thryv?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Act and Thryv are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 6.3 vs 6.3, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other CRM products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Act?
Top Act alternatives in CRM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Act alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/act for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Thryv?
Top Thryv alternatives in CRM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Thryv alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/thryv for the full list with editorial commentary on each.