Choosing bookkeeping software: what to look for?
Written by Ilias Aarrass7 min read · Published on · Last reviewed on 
In short
A full bookkeeping package for freelancers costs roughly 10 to 30 euros a month and is deductible; the difference lies in the bank link, the receipt app and access for your bookkeeper.
- Your records must stay readable for seven years, including after you switch packages.
- Data on immovable property must be kept for ten years instead of seven.
- Free packages usually lack exactly the bank link, the VAT filing and the scanning app.
- Switch at year-end or at the start of a VAT quarter, taking a full export with you.
Good bookkeeping software makes your administration a lot easier: it saves time, reduces the chance of errors and helps with your VAT return. But there's a lot of choice. This article explains what to look for when choosing bookkeeping software.
Why use bookkeeping software?
Bookkeeping software automates much of your administration: creating and sending invoices, tracking costs, and preparing your VAT return. That saves time and reduces errors. For most freelancers good software is the foundation of tidy, auditable bookkeeping. If you currently use a spreadsheet, first read bookkeeping in Excel: it explains when that suffices and when it pinches.
What to look for when choosing?
Look at ease of use, the price, and whether the software suits your type of business. Important is whether you can link your business account, whether it supports invoices and VAT returns, and whether it grows with you as your business gets bigger. A free trial helps to test whether it suits you.
Does your bookkeeper use certain software?
If you have a bookkeeper, ask which software they use. If you work in the same system, you can easily share data and save time and costs. Many bookkeepers have a preference or offer a package themselves that fits well with their working method.
What suits you?
The best software is the software you actually use and understand. A complicated package with features you don't need is counterproductive. For a starting freelancer a simple, affordable program often suffices. Choose something that suits your current situation and grows with your business.
What really matters in the choice
Most freelancer packages do the same things: send invoices, scan receipts, link the bank and file VAT. The difference sits in details you only notice after three months.
- A direct link with your own bank, not just file imports. That saves manual work every week. How you then match those transactions is covered in bank feeds and matching.
- VAT filing straight from the package, including the reverse-charge boxes if you need them.
- A receipt app that recognises and pre-books the photo; that decides whether you keep it up.
- Access for your bookkeeper in the same package, so you are not emailing exports back and forth.
- Exportability of your data. Your records must stay readable for seven years, even if you ever switch.
Free, entry-level or complete: what does each tier buy?
Free packages and trials are fine for experiencing how bookkeeping software works, but the limits usually sit exactly on what you need daily: a real bank link, VAT filing from the package and a scanning app often only come with the paid version. An entry subscription of around ten euros a month solves that for most freelancers without staff or stock.
Pricier subscriptions mainly add things you only need as the business grows: stock management, team time tracking, quotes and projects, or multiple administrations. Do not pay for that as a precaution; you can always upgrade, and the cost is deductible as a business expense either way.
Switching later: how to do it without gaps
A wrong first choice is no disaster, because you can always switch. Do it at a logical moment, preferably year-end or the start of a VAT quarter, so each package holds a completed period. Before cancelling the old subscription, make a full export of your ledger including attachments, and check you can open it without the package: your seven-year retention obligation simply continues over the old years.
What you get per price range
Accounting software for freelancers runs from free to around thirty euros a month. The difference is mainly the bank feed and access for your bookkeeper.
| Price range | What you get | Where it pinches |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Invoicing and a basic overview | No bank feed, often no VAT return |
| Around € 10 to € 15 a month | Bank feed, receipt scanning, VAT returns | Sometimes a cap on the number of entries |
| Around € 20 to € 30 a month | Everything, plus hours, projects and bookkeeper access | You pay for features you may not use |
| Included with your bookkeeper | The full package without a separate subscription | You are tied to that firm's software |
Frequently asked questions
What does bookkeeping software cost a freelancer?
Roughly 10 to 30 euros a month for a full package with bank link and VAT filing. The cost is a deductible business expense.
Can I not just use a spreadsheet?
It is allowed, as long as your records are complete and verifiable. But without a bank link and VAT calculation, errors are likely, and growth exposes the limits. A package quickly repays its monthly price.
Which package is best?
There is no best; there is a best match with how you work and with your bookkeeper. Choose on the bank link, the app and the collaboration, and use the free trial seriously.
Does such a package file my income tax too?
Usually not; it produces the profit and loss statement and balance sheet the return rests on. The income tax return itself is filed in the tax portal or outsourced.
Can I switch packages easily later?
Yes, provided you can export your data. Watch for that when choosing: your old records must stay readable for seven years, even after switching.
With a bookkeeper, do I still need my own package?
Often you then work in the firm's package: you scan receipts and invoice, they do the rest. Ask how the roles are divided before buying a separate subscription.
Sources
- Keeping records: 7 and 10 yearsBelastingdienst · belastingdienst.nl
Sources checked on
This article provides general information based on the rules known for 2026 and does not replace personal tax advice. For your specific situation, we're happy to take a look with you.
