Comparison
Applied Epic vs AMS360: choosing between the two biggest agency systems
Applied Epic and AMS360 are the two systems most mid-size and larger independent agencies weigh against each other. Both are cloud agency management systems built to run the whole shop: policies, accounting, reporting, and carrier downloads. They come from the two biggest vendors in the space, Applied Systems and Vertafore. The choice usually comes down to three things: how big you plan to get, how much your book leans on native insurance accounting, and which ecosystem you want to be inside for the next decade.
Side by side
How the two paths compare
| Applied Epic | AMS360 | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Applied Systems | Vertafore |
| Primary strength | Enterprise-scale AMS that unifies P&C and employee benefits | Cloud AMS with strong native insurance accounting |
| Scale claim | 7 of the 10 largest agencies are standardized on Epic, per Applied | Built to scale from small independent to large multi-location firms, per Vertafore |
| Deployment | Browser-native and cloud-based | Cloud-based |
| Lines of business | P&C and employee benefits in one platform | P&C, with commercial handled from submission to certification |
| Accounting | Integrated accounting built for insurance | Full general-ledger accounting, billing, and commission splits |
| Carrier connectivity | Insurer connectivity via Ivans | Carrier downloads and connectivity |
| Published pricing | Not published | Not published |
Where each fits
When Applied Epic vs AMS360 fits
You are mid-size or larger and want the system the biggest agencies run. Applied says 7 of the 10 largest agencies are standardized on Epic.
You write both P&C and employee benefits and want them in one platform with a single view of the customer.
You are already in the Applied ecosystem for insurer connectivity through Ivans and want the AMS to match.
Where Relay fits
Native insurance accounting matters to you. AMS360 carries a full general ledger built for agency accounting, billing, and commission splits.
Your book leans commercial and you want one system that runs from submission to certification with client-ready proposals.
You prefer Vertafore's ecosystem, including the InsurLink client portal and AMS360's newer built-in AI agents for email and reconciliation.
Other paths
Alternatives worth weighing
HawkSoft
Independent, workflow-first AMS for personal and commercial lines.
Best for: Small to mid-size agencies that want tight PL and CL workflows without enterprise overhead.
EZLynx
Applied Systems' all-in-one platform built around a personal lines rater.
Best for: Personal-lines-heavy agencies where fast comparative rating is the priority.
The honest take
What we would tell a friend who runs an agency
Relay sits around whichever of these you run, not instead of it. It is not an AMS. It does not keep your book of record, run your general ledger, or download policies from carriers. Epic and AMS360 do that. What neither removes is the typing at the edges: the inbox, the documents that arrive as PDFs, the ACORD forms, the portal logins. Ask Relay triages the inbox, Document Parsing reads loss runs and dec pages into structured data, and ACORD Generation drafts the forms, all live today and all reviewed by a licensed person before they leave. AI Quoting, which automates carrier portal work for human review, is a Research Preview, so do not count on it as production. Relay's value does not depend on which AMS you chose. The re-keying is the same work in both.
FAQ
Common questions
What is the main difference between Applied Epic and AMS360?+
Applied Epic is the more widely used enterprise system and unifies P&C and employee benefits in one platform; Applied says 7 of the 10 largest agencies run on it. AMS360 is Vertafore's cloud AMS with a strong reputation for native insurance general-ledger accounting. Epic leans scale and benefits; AMS360 leans commercial lines and accounting.
Are Applied Epic and AMS360 cloud-based?+
Yes. Applied Epic is browser-native and cloud-based. AMS360 is Vertafore's cloud agency management system. Both are delivered through the browser rather than a local install.
Is pricing published for either system?+
No. Neither Applied Systems nor Vertafore publishes Applied Epic or AMS360 pricing. Both are quoted per agency based on size and modules, so treat any third-party price you see as an estimate, not the vendor's number.
Does Relay compete with Applied Epic or AMS360?+
No. Relay is not an AMS and does not replace your book of record or your accounting. It works alongside Epic or AMS360 to remove the typing around them: inbox triage, document parsing, and ACORD drafting, all reviewed by a licensed person. Its AI Quoting is a Research Preview.
Part of the Relay comparison library. Updated 2026-07-11.
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