How to choose accounting software?
Choose accounting software in five steps: list your requirements (invoicing, bank feeds, VAT, payroll), set a budget (€0–50/month for small business), shortlist 3 tools that match, test each with a free trial on real transactions, and pick the one that your accountant also supports. The most expensive tool is not the best — the best is the one you will actually use.
The mistake most businesses make is choosing software based on features they will never use. A solo freelancer does not need multi-currency consolidation; a 10-person company does not need enterprise ERP. Start with your actual workflow: what documents do you process monthly, what reports do you need, who else needs access (accountant, partner, employee)?
The five factors that matter: (1) Does it connect to your bank? Live bank feeds eliminate manual entry. (2) Does it handle your country's VAT/tax rules? (3) Can your accountant access it? Accountants work faster on tools they know. (4) Is the pricing model fair? Monthly subscriptions charge regardless of volume; per-transaction pricing like Nika charges only for work done. (5) Does it scale? Switching accounting software is painful — pick one that will still fit in 2 years.
Test before committing. Every reputable tool offers a free trial (14–30 days). Enter 2 weeks of real transactions, generate a P&L, and see if the workflow feels natural. If you dread opening the app, you will not keep up with bookkeeping — and the best software in the world is useless if you do not use it.
Related questions
Is free accounting software good enough?
For a solo business with under 30 monthly transactions, yes. Wave, ZipBooks, and GnuCash handle basic invoicing and reporting at no cost. The trade-off is no live bank feeds (some free plans), limited support, and upsell pressure when you need features like payroll or multi-currency.
Cloud or desktop accounting software?
Cloud (browser-based) for almost all small businesses — access from anywhere, automatic updates, bank feeds, and accountant collaboration. Desktop only if you need features unavailable in cloud tools (advanced job costing, offline access, or data sovereignty requirements).