Why Ledger & Lane
How We Compare to the Alternatives
There's a massive gap between chasing payments yourself and sending customers to collections. That gap is where we live — professional, branded, and built to get you paid.
Feature Comparison
Nine capabilities that matter. One clear winner.
| Capability | Ledger & Lane | DIY | Collections Agency | AR Software | Full-Time Hire |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branded under your company | ✓ | Yes, but inconsistent | — | Limited customization | Yes, at $50K+ per year |
| Human follow-up calls | ✓ | Only when time allows | Yes, but aggressive | — | Yes, if properly trained |
| Preserves customer relationships | ✓ | Varies by situation | — | Impersonal | Yes, if trained well — but costly |
| Systematic follow-up process | ✓ | — | Yes, but hostile tone | Yes, but automated only | Requires training |
| Payment plan negotiation | ✓ | Uncomfortable | — | — | Yes, with oversight |
| Weekly reporting & transparency | ✓ | — | — | Yes, but you review it | Requires oversight |
| Zero owner time required | ✓ | 10+ hours per week | Yes, but at 25–50% | You still manage it | Management overhead |
| Performance-based pricing | 3–6% | N/A | 25–50% of collected | Fixed monthly fee | Fixed salary |
| 48-hour onboarding | ✓ | N/A | 1–2 weeks | Days to weeks | Months to hire and train |
Annual Cost to Collect $500K in AR
The math speaks for itself.
DIY (Owner)
$52K+
per year (hidden)
10 hours/week at $100/hour
opportunity cost
+ write-offs (4–10%)
Collections Agency
$125K+
per year
25–50% of collected
Plus damaged relationships
and lost future revenue
Ledger & Lane
$20K
per year
$500/mo retainer ($6K)
+ 3% of $460K collected
= $13,800 fee. Net: $446K
Full-Time Hire
$55K+
per year
Salary + benefits
+ training + turnover
+ management overhead
Why Ledger & Lane Wins
Every alternative has a trade-off. We built Ledger & Lane to eliminate them.
vs. Doing It Yourself
Your time is worth more than chasing invoices
10+ hours/week chasing invoices. Uncomfortable calls. Invoices slipping through the cracks. 4–10% written off annually.
0 hours on AR. Every invoice followed up systematically. Near-zero write-offs. Full weekly reporting delivered to you.
vs. Collections Agency
Professional and persistent, never aggressive
Demand letters. Threatening calls. Customers never come back. 25–50% of everything they recover.
Branded as your company. Courteous, persistent follow-up. Relationships preserved. 3–6% performance fee.
vs. AR Software
Humans collect cash, not automated emails
Automated reminders your customers ignore. No phone calls. No negotiation. You still manage the process yourself.
A real person calls, emails, and negotiates — under your brand. Fully managed. You just review your weekly report.
vs. Hiring In-House
Same result at a fraction of the cost
$50K+/yr fully loaded. Recruiting. Training. Managing. Turnover risk. Months before they're productive.
$6K/yr retainer + performance fee. Operational in 48 hours. No HR, no turnover, no management overhead.
Ready to see what you're leaving on the table?
Get a free AR audit in 48 hours. We'll show you exactly how much cash is trapped in your receivables — and how to recover it.