Accounting

What to look for in accounting tools

Picking accounting software is one of those decisions that gets harder to reverse the longer you wait, so it's worth getting right early. Start with your actual needs, not aspirational ones — a freelancer sending ten invoices a month doesn't need enterprise-grade multi-entity consolidation. For sole traders and small teams, look for clean invoicing, automatic bank feeds, and expense categorisation that doesn't require an accounting degree. As you grow past a handful of employees, payroll integration, multi-currency support, and proper accounts-payable workflows become essential rather than nice-to-have. Pay close attention to how pricing scales: some platforms charge per user, others by feature tier, and a few still offer flat-rate pricing that rewards growth. The hidden costs often matter most — payroll add-ons, payment processing fees, and per-transaction charges on bank connections can double your effective bill. Integration with your bank, payment processor, and tax filing software should be non-negotiable. If you're working with an accountant or bookkeeper, check whether they already have a preferred platform — getting free or discounted access through their practice is common with tools like Xero and QuickBooks.