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What should you look for in accounting software?

You use an accounting package for years, and you have to keep your records even longer. So look beyond the price of the first month: the bank feed, the VAT return and what you can take with you if you ever switch.

  1. Price at your number of transactions

    Many packages charge per month with a limit on invoices, transactions or administrations. The cheapest plan is no longer the cheapest once you go over that limit.

    Ask the vendor

    What does the plan cost at the number of invoices and bank transactions I have per month, and what happens if I go over the limit?

    Sort by lowest price19 of 21 tools have a public price

  2. Free plan for small records

    If you have few invoices, for example in your first year, a free plan may be enough. Check what is missing, such as the bank feed or the VAT return.

    Ask the vendor

    What is not included in the free plan, and can I move to a paid plan later without entering my transactions again?

    Show tools with a free plan6 of 21 tools meet this

  3. VAT return and working with your accountant

    If you file the VAT return yourself, it saves a lot of work when the package prepares it. If you work with an accountant, you want them to be able to look in without you emailing files back and forth.

    Ask the vendor

    Does the package prepare the VAT return, and can my accountant work in my records with their own login?

    We do not have a filter for this yet. Ask the vendor.

  4. Peppol and e-invoices

    If you supply central government, you already have to send an e-invoice. The government plans to make e-invoicing between businesses mandatory from 1 July 2030, with an exemption for the small business scheme (KOR). A package that already does Peppol is one you will not have to replace.

    Ask the vendor

    Can I send and receive e-invoices via Peppol from the package, and does that cost extra?

    Show tools with Peppol11 of 21 tools meet thisMore about Peppol

  5. Export for the retention requirement

    You have to keep your records for 7 years, and data about real estate for 10 years. Digital files count too and must be usable during an audit. So if you switch, you need to be able to take your old transactions with you or keep viewing them.

    Ask the vendor

    Can I export all my transactions, invoices and receipts in an open format, and can I still access my old records after I cancel?

    How to take your data with you

  6. Data processing agreement and data in the EU

    An accounting package stores the names and addresses of your customers. The Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) gives a cloud service that stores personal data as an example of a processor. A data processing agreement is then mandatory.

    Ask the vendor

    Do you offer a data processing agreement, and in which country are my data and backups stored?

    Show tools with data in the EU and a data processing agreement13 of 21 tools meet thisMore about the data processing agreement

  7. Support in Dutch

    A question about a VAT rate or a bank feed that does not work is one you want to put to someone who knows the Dutch rules and speaks your language.

    Ask the vendor

    Can I call or chat with you in Dutch, and at what times?

    Show tools with support in Dutch17 of 21 tools meet this

  8. Free trial with your own bank

    You only see whether the bank feed works well with your bank when you try it. A free trial lets you test that before you pay.

    Ask the vendor

    Can I connect my own bank account during the free trial, and is my data kept if I take out a subscription afterwards?

    Show tools with a free trial15 of 21 tools meet this

Frequently asked questions about choosing accounting packages

What should you look for in accounting software?

Look mainly at price at your number of transactions, free plan for small records, VAT return and working with your accountant, Peppol and e-invoices, export for the retention requirement, data processing agreement and data in the EU, support in Dutch and free trial with your own bank. For each point we explain why it matters and which question to ask the vendor.

Which questions should you ask a vendor of accounting packages?

What does the plan cost at the number of invoices and bank transactions I have per month, and what happens if I go over the limit? What is not included in the free plan, and can I move to a paid plan later without entering my transactions again? Does the package prepare the VAT return, and can my accountant work in my records with their own login? Can I send and receive e-invoices via Peppol from the package, and does that cost extra?

How many accounting packages in the guide can you use or try for free?

Of the 21 accounting packages in our guide, 6 have a free plan and 15 can be tried for free, according to the vendor's site.

Sources

  1. Ondernemersplein (KVK and government): E-invoicing to the government (in Dutch)
  2. Rijksoverheid: Government chooses to introduce e-invoicing and reporting for businesses (11 September 2026, in Dutch)
  3. Belastingdienst: How long must you keep your records for VAT? (in Dutch)
  4. Ondernemersplein (KVK and government): Keeping and storing your records (in Dutch)
  5. Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens: Data processing agreement (in Dutch)

Texts and sources checked on . The counts follow from the facts in the guide. Rules can change; the source prevails. This is an explanation, not legal or tax advice.

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