What accounting software costs in South Africa, October 2026
Five accounting products, their entry plans and the next plan up, read from the vendors on 11 October 2026. Two include VAT, two leave it out and one does not say.
- Author
- Software Register editorial
- Category
- Pricing
- Date
- 11 October 2026
- Reading time
- 2 minutes
Starting price a month, in rand
- R270/mo incl VAT
- R322/mo
- R450/mo incl VAT
- Free
- R1 375/mo excl VAT
A buyer comparing accounting software in South Africa meets five names fast: Sage Accounting, Xero, QuickBooks Online, Zoho Books and Sage 50cloud Pastel. All five publish a rand price. They do not publish it on the same footing, so the cheapest looking figure is not always the cheapest bill.
The prices, side by side
Monthly prices, in rand, read from each vendor's own page on 11 October 2026. The last column says whether the vendor's figure includes VAT.
| Product | Entry plan | Next plan | VAT basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sage Accounting | Start R270 | Standard R490 | Including VAT |
| Xero | Starter R450 | Standard R795 | Including VAT |
| QuickBooks Online | Simple Start R322 | Essentials R508 | Not stated |
| Zoho Books | Free, then Standard R99 | Professional R199 | Excluding VAT |
| Sage 50cloud Pastel | Start R1 375 | Core R1 915 | Excluding VAT |
Put them on the same VAT footing
South African VAT is 15 percent. A figure that includes VAT is the net price multiplied by 1.15. Take the VAT out of Sage Accounting's R270 and you have R234.78. Take it out of Xero's R450 and you have R391.30. Add it to Zoho Books Standard's R99 and you have R113.85. Add it to Sage 50cloud Pastel's R1 375 and you have R1 581.25.
Which side matters depends on you. A business registered for VAT claims the VAT back, so the figure excluding VAT is its real cost. A business that is not registered pays the figure including VAT and cannot recover it. The compulsory registration threshold is R1 million of taxable turnover in twelve months.
What the entry plan leaves out
- Xero Starter allows 20 invoices and five bills a month. Standard lifts the limits.
- Sage Accounting Start is for one user. VAT returns and two to five users sit on Standard.
- Zoho Books Free covers one user and an accountant while revenue stays under R1 million a year, and leaves out VAT tracking and bank feeds. Standard adds both.
- QuickBooks Simple Start is for one user. Essentials covers three, Plus five and Advanced twenty five.
Offers do not change the plan price
Xero gives new South African customers 80 percent off the first three months, and QuickBooks lists 90 percent off for six months. Both make the first quarter cheap and then end. Compare the plans on the price that applies after the offer.
Where to go next
Read the head to head pages for Sage Accounting against Xero, Zoho Books against Xero and Xero against QuickBooks Online, or open the whole accounting category with every plan priced.
Know when a price moves.
One short email when a price changes or a product is withdrawn.
