5 Media Services Alternatives That Aren't Slow & Clunky (And One That Actually Makes You Money)
Founded in 1978, Media Services has a long-standing reputation for reliable union payroll. But productions that use their MediaWeb accounting software are often paying a steep price: a “dated, clunky, and unintuitive” interface, “slow processing,” and a frustrating “lack of automation.”
It feels like a tool from a different era—because it is.
If you’re tired of fighting with outdated software just to get payroll compliance, it’s time for a better model. What if you could use any payroll provider you want, but run your financials on a blazing-fast, modern, cloud-based platform? What if that platform were so efficient that it actually became a profit center for your company?
That’s Periscope Apps Production Accounting Software. Here is an honest comparison of how we stack up against the old guard and other common alternatives.
Part 1: The Business Model Comparison (The "Big Picture")
| The Big Picture | Periscope (The New Standard) | Media Services (The "Old Guard") | Other Alternatives (Greenslate, C&C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| User Interface | Blazing-fast, intuitive, and modern | "Dated, clunky, and unintuitive" (with a steep learning curve) | Varies, but often complex or dated |
| Payroll Service | Payroll-Agnostic. You have total freedom. | You are heavily pushed to use their payroll | Forces you to use their payroll (Greenslate) or is a legacy giant (C&C) |
| Pricing Model | One low monthly subscription for your entire company (unlimited projects) | Opaque, bundled with payroll, and "more expensive for smaller productions" | Massive per-project licensing fees |
| Business Impact | Becomes a profit center for your company | A bundled cost center | A major budget drain on every production |
Part 2: Core Accounting Features: Head-to-Head
| Core Feature | Periscope | Media Services | Greenslate | Cast & Crew PSL+ | ABS Payroll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget Import | (Seamless 1-Click) | Manual | Manual | Limited | |
| Film Cost Report | Limited | ||||
| A/P Aging Report | |||||
| Check Printing | |||||
| Bank Reconciliation | |||||
| Petty Cash & CC Mgt. | |||||
| General Ledger Report | |||||
| Trial Balance | |||||
| The Bottom Line: | All the features of a "legacy" tool, built on a blazing-fast, modern platform. |
A Detailed Look at the Alternatives
Here’s a breakdown of the most popular Media Services alternatives and why they still don’t solve the core problems of cost and flexibility.
1. Periscope Apps Production Accounting Software
Overview: Periscope is user-friendly, intuitive, and lightning-fast, delivering all the power of traditional legacy tools, now rebuilt on a modern, cloud-based platform. Get your production finances done 10x faster and experience the future of film accounting today.
Core Strengths: Periscope is both payroll-agnostic and accounting-first, giving you the freedom to choose your vendors while benefiting from our superior financial model. The platform features a cloud-based, professional-grade accounting suite that scales seamlessly across productions of any size, all under one affordable subscription. Providing users with a one-click import feature into Periscope Accounting, users can work and collaborate without wasting valuable time.
The Periscope Production Accounting Difference: With a modern, paperless workflow and a revolutionary business model, Periscope lets you manage your entire slate for just $49 per month. Say goodbye to fragmented systems. Run your production accounting in one unified, cloud-based app, designed to keep everything at your fingertips.
2. ABS Payroll and Accounting
Overview: ABS is considered a good alternative for smaller productions, offering a straightforward platform that simplifies payroll without unnecessary complexity.
Core Strengths: Its user-friendly interface and simpler workflows reduce the learning curve compared to MediaWeb’s older, more cumbersome system.
The Periscope Production Accounting Difference: ABS is a “lite” tool for small projects. Periscope is a professional, scalable platform you can grow with. We offer a full, professional-grade accounting suite that scales from your first indie film to a full slate of studio features, all under the same predictable subscription.
3. Cast & Crew (PSL+)
Overview: PSL+ offers a cloud-based platform that is more user-friendly and automated than MediaWeb, with a lower learning curve.
Core Strengths: Automates many payroll and onboarding tasks, and crew members benefit from self-service access.
The Periscope Production Accounting Difference: Switching from Media Services to C&C is like jumping from one legacy giant to another. You’ll still be stuck with massive per-project fees and a fragmented ecosystem. Periscope gives you a single, unified, modern app and a revolutionary business model that lets you run unlimited projects for one low monthly price.
4. Greenslate
Overview: Greenslate offers a modern, cloud-based platform that emphasizes automation and real-time collaboration, streamlining budgeting, cost reporting, and payroll in a single system.
Core Strengths: A more integrated, end-to-end platform than MediaWeb, managing everything from onboarding through post-production.
The Periscope Production Accounting Difference: Greenslate has the exact same business model problem as Media Services: it’s a payroll company first. Their software is designed to lock you into their payroll service. Periscope is payroll-agnostic and accounting-first. We give you total freedom to choose your vendors and a superior financial model.
5. Revolution Entertainment Services (ProBooks)
Overview: ProBooks is an affordable, easy-to-use platform tailored to indie films and commercials, with a more modern and intuitive interface than MediaWeb’s.
Core Strengths: Simplifies payroll, budgeting, and basic accounting, with streamlined workflows that reduce manual work.
The Periscope Production Accounting Difference: ProBooks is a good modern tool, but it’s still built on the old, inefficient per-project cost model. Periscope provides the same modern, paperless workflow plus a revolutionary business model. Why pay per project when you can run your entire slate for one low monthly fee?
Stop Choosing Between
Old Tech and Vendor Lock-In.
You don’t have to tolerate a “dated, clunky, and unintuitive” interface just to get reliable payroll. You don’t have to be forced to use a specific payroll provider just to get your work done.
Periscope is the only platform that is payroll-agnostic, built on a blazing-fast modern framework, and features a revolutionary business model that turns your accounting department into a profit center.