Access Financials vs Sage 50: which accounting software is right for your business?

Access Financials and Sage 50 are both financial management and accounting software for businesses. Although they have some similarities, they also have some key differences. If you are looking to switch finance software and are looking at Access Financials and Sage 50, it can be difficult to understand which of these two options is best for you.

At The Access Group we’ve helped thousands of finance professionals select the right financial management solution for them and their business. We supply end to end finance and accounting solutions to a broad range of commercial and not for profit organisations. So, we've put together this article to help you select the right financial management solution for your business.

Access Financials vs Sage 50: deployment differences

Sage 50 is a combination of cloud and desktop accounting. This means that only some elements of the software can be accessed remotely in the cloud while some others can only be accessed on premise, locally on a desktop.

Access Financials is a true cloud-based financial management system meaning it is hosted on the cloud and accessible through the internet. This means that instead of installing and running the software on your local computer or server, you can access it through a web browser or mobile app from anywhere with an internet connection.

Cloud-based finance software offers many benefits, including:

• Accessibility: Users can access the software and their data from anywhere with an internet connection, making it easy to work remotely or on-the-go.
• Scalability: Cloud-based software can easily accommodate growing businesses by scaling up or down as needed.
• Security: Cloud-based finance software providers typically have robust security measures in place to protect your data from cyber threats.
• Collaboration: Multiple users can access the same data at the same time, making it easy to collaborate with team members and stakeholders.
• Automatic updates: Cloud-based software providers typically update the software automatically, ensuring that users always have access to the latest features and security updates.

The hybrid approach of Sage 50 offers greater flexibility and control over data, as users can choose to store data on their local machines or in the cloud. This also means that users can work offline, which is useful in areas with limited internet connectivity. However, hosting Sage 50 on the desktop requires maintenance and IT support, which can add to the cost of ownership.

Access Financials, on the other hand, offers the convenience of cloud hosting, which means that users do not need to worry about IT infrastructure or maintenance. All data is stored in secure data centres and is accessible from any device with an internet connection.

Access Financials vs Sage 50: which businesses are they suitable for?

Both Access Financials and Sage 50 can be suitable for various industries including Not For Profit, Professional Services and more - but they differ in the size of businesses they can support.

Sage 50 is a popular accounting software used by small-sized businesses. It offers features such as general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, inventory management, and payroll processing. Sage 50 is known for its ease of use and affordability, making it a popular choice for sole traders, small business owners and businesses just starting out.

Access Financials is suitable for small to medium-sized businesses as well as larger organisations. It offers features such as general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, purchase order processing, project accounting, and inventory management. Access Financials is known for its flexibility, scalability, and customisability, making it a good choice for businesses with complex accounting needs. It is designed to scale with your business thanks to its modular approach and can support your needs - from growing your business, to group-level accounting, or managing multiple projects.

Features: How Access Financials and Sage 50 compare

Access Financials and Sage 50 share some common features but they also have key differences. The table below shows an overview of how the two solutions compare to each other.

If you’d like to see a more detailed comparison including sector specific features such as fund reporting, construction reverse VAT, and more, take a look at this comprehensive checklist.

Overall, in terms of features, Sage 50 is best suited for smaller businesses that need basic accounting features without complex add-ons, whereas Access Financials is best suited for medium businesses that need advanced accounting features and robust reporting and analytics.

Access Financials vs Sage 50: pricing comparison

Access Financials and Sage 50 have different pricing structures and options.

Access Financials offers scalable plans to suit your organisation. It allows you to start with a solution that is right for your business today and you can add features as you grow. There are three popular packages available:

• Scaling businesses: for the business that has outgrown its accounting package, starting from £97 per user per month
• Advanced accounting businesses: for the more complex business requiring additional functionality, starting from £142 per user per month
• Project-based accounting businesses: for those seeking to manage projects easily and profitably, with pricing tailored to your business needs

You can view the full details on Access Financials’ pricing packages and what they include here.

Access Financials also allows you to create your own package to suit your needs if none of the above are the perfect fit. The pricing model will be based on the number of users and features.

Sage 50 also offers three different accounting software options with varying levels of functionality. These have set pricing depending on the number of users and subscription length. Additional users can be added at an extra cost.

• Sage Business Cloud Accounting, starting from £12 per month*
• Sage 50 Accounts Standard, starting from £77 per month*
• Sage 50 Accountings Professional, starting from £155 per month*

Sage 50’s packages are overall more affordable than Access Financials’ packages but they do differ in the breadth of features available so each has a place in the market and will be suitable for a different type of business.

*Pricing information accurate at the time of writing.

Access Financials vs Sage 50: which one is better suited to my business?

The choice between Access Financials and Sage 50 ultimately depends on the specific needs of your business. If you have basic accounting needs and want an affordable, easy-to-use software, Sage 50 may be the best choice for you. If you have more complex, advanced accounting needs or want a software that can be customised to fit your specific business processes, Access Financials may be the better option.

We’re happy to help you determine the best way forward, even if you decide your path doesn’t include one of our systems, so contact us or book a demo today and let’s see what is going to work best for your organisation.

Once you've chosen your finance software, you're likely going to be switching from your current system to your new one. Our switching hub has many resources to guide you through this process.