Sage Accounting
UK cloud accounting with payroll and the Sage Copilot AI assistant included in all three plans
What is Sage Accounting?
Sage Accounting is Sage's cloud accounting software for UK small businesses and VAT-registered sole traders. It sends unlimited invoices with automatic chasing, connects bank feeds that match and categorise transactions, files Making Tax Digital VAT returns and CIS, and runs payroll with HMRC submissions. Sage Copilot, its AI assistant, drafts payment reminders, checks VAT data for mistakes and flags unusual pay. UK plans are billed monthly in pounds, excluding VAT: Start (1 user), Standard (3 users, suppliers, quotes, receipt capture) and Plus (unlimited users, budgets, inventory, multi-currency). Payroll is included for a set number of employees, with more at £1.85 each a month.
Good for
- UK small businesses that want accounting and payroll in one subscription
- VAT-registered sole traders filing Making Tax Digital VAT returns
- Construction businesses that submit CIS returns
Key features
- Unlimited sales invoices with automatic invoice chasing; Sage Copilot drafts reminders in your tone
- Bank feeds that import, match and categorise transactions and learn from your category choices
- Making Tax Digital VAT returns with AI-powered mistake detection, plus CIS submissions
- Payroll with PAYE and National Insurance calculations, pension auto enrolment, salary payments and an employee app, in every plan
- AI-powered capture of receipts and invoices on Standard and Plus
- Sage Copilot business insights that flag risks, trends and unusual pay
- Cash flow forecast and custom reports from Standard; budgets, multi-currency and inventory on Plus
Limitations to know about
- Sold on Sage's UK site in GBP excluding VAT; Sage's US site lists Sage 50 and Sage Intacct, not Sage Accounting
- Start has 1 user and no receipt capture; Standard is capped at 3 users
- Budgets, inventory and multi-currency need the Plus plan
- Captures above the plan allowance cost £0.20 each
Sage Accounting pricing
Sage Accounting has no free plan. It offers a 30 days free of Accounting Standard, taken instead of the 90%-off offer. Start, Standard and Plus cost £20 to £59 a month.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Start | £20/mo excl. VAT, or £2/mo for the first 6 months (90% off) | 1 user; unlimited invoices, automatic invoice chasing, VAT and CIS submissions, bank reconciliation, Sage Copilot, payroll for 1 employee |
| Standard | £43/mo excl. VAT, or £4.30/mo for the first 6 months (90% off) | 3 users; adds cash flow forecast, quotes and estimates, supplier invoices, custom reports, 30 receipt and invoice captures then £0.20 each, timesheets and leave management; payroll for 1 employee |
| Plus | £59/mo excl. VAT, or £5.90/mo for the first 6 months (90% off) | Unlimited users; adds budgets, multi-currency banking and exchange rates, stock and inventory, shift scheduling, performance management, 100 captures then £0.20 each; payroll for 5 employees |
Costs on top of a plan
- Extra payroll employees: £1.85 per employee/month (Above the employees included in each plan)
- Extra receipt and invoice captures: £0.20 per approved capture (Above 30 included on Standard or 100 on Plus)
- AutoEntry: From £12/mo + VAT for 50 credits (Separate pay-as-you-go capture service for receipts, bills and bank statements, priced in credits)
Sage Accounting alternatives
Xero
Cloud accounting with three US plans, no per-user fees, Gusto payroll and the JAX AI assistant
QuickBooks Online
Intuit's cloud accounting for US small businesses, from a free tier to plans with AI bookkeeping
FreeAgent
UK accounting for sole traders, companies and landlords, free with a NatWest Group business account
Zoho Books
Accounting with a free plan under $50K revenue, six US plans priced per organization and the Zia AI assistant
FreshBooks
Invoicing and accounting for freelancers and service businesses, priced by number of billable clients
Wave
Free invoicing and double-entry bookkeeping for small businesses, with a $19 Pro plan for bank sync
Compare Sage Accounting with these side by side
Head to head: Sage Accounting vs Xero
Frequently asked questions
Is Sage Accounting free?
No, Sage Accounting does not have a free plan. It offers a 30 days free of Accounting Standard, taken instead of the 90%-off offer. Paid plans start at £20/mo.
How much does Sage Accounting cost?
Start, Standard and Plus cost £20 to £59 a month. On Start: uK price excluding 20% VAT; 1 user; payroll for 1 employee included, then £1.85 per employee a month; no receipt capture. Promotion: 90% off (£2/month) for the first 6 months. Prices as published on Sage Accounting's pricing page on 21 October 2026.
Is payroll included in Sage Accounting?
Yes. Sage Payroll is included in all three UK plans: 1 employee on Start and Standard and 5 on Plus, with more employees at £1.85 each a month.
Is Sage One now Sage Accounting?
Yes. Sage says Sage One became Sage Accounting in 2016.
What is Sage Accounting used for?
Sage Accounting is Sage's cloud accounting software for UK small businesses and VAT-registered sole traders. People use it for uK small businesses that want accounting and payroll in one subscription, vAT-registered sole traders filing Making Tax Digital VAT returns and construction businesses that submit CIS returns.
What are the alternatives to Sage Accounting?
Tools that do a similar job include Xero, QuickBooks Online, FreeAgent, Zoho Books and FreshBooks. Each has its own page here with its plans, limits and prices.
Who makes Sage Accounting?
Sage Accounting is made by Sage Group plc, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. The company was founded in 1981.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from the pages below, read on the dates shown: Sage Group plc's own pages first, and a named public reference where they are silent.
- sage.com/en-gb/sage-business-cloud/sage-accounting/ (UK plan prices, 90%-off promotion, users per plan, plan comparison table, payroll and capture allowances, free trial, Sage Copilot features, devices, FAQ) read 21 October 2026
- sage.com/en-gb/sage-business-cloud/sage-accounting/features/connect-my-bank/ (bank feeds, automatic matching and categorisation, multi-currency on Plus) read 21 October 2026
- sage.com/en-gb/sage-business-cloud/sage-accounting/features/autoentry/ (AutoEntry receipt and document capture, credit pricing) read 21 October 2026
- sage.com/en-gb/sage-copilot/ (Sage Copilot AI features) read 21 October 2026
- sage.com/en-us/accounting-software/ (US product line-up) read 21 October 2026
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sage_Group (company founding year and headquarters) read 21 October 2026
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