Understanding AI costs and tips to manage spend
A helpful guide for UK businesses on managing AI costs, including common AI costs, overspending mistakes to avoid and practical spend management tips.
Best Accounting Software for Charities: Complete Comparison
For charities comparing accounting software, the right choice should help with an array of functions, including recording donations, managing grants, tracking funds and handling expenses.
In this guide, we've compared accounting software options that can suit charities in the UK, covering features that can support invoicing, expenses, VAT, bank reconciliation, payroll, fund tracking and reporting.
We've also explained how Wise Business can support charities that receive international donations, pay overseas suppliers, fund projects abroad, manage multi-currency expenses, and more.
Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.
⚠️ Note: Accounting software features, pricing, integrations, tax tools, bank feeds, inventory tools and multi-currency support can vary by plan, country, eligibility and provider terms.
Check each provider’s website and terms for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Summary of software
| Software | Summary of features and fees |
|---|---|
| Xero | Features: Xero’s UK pricing plans include VAT returns to HMRC, payroll options, expenses, bank reconciliation and multiple currencies on selected plans.3 Fees: Xero’s pricing page shows Ignite at GBP 3.20 per month for the first 6 months, then GBP 16 per month; Grow at GBP 7.40, then GBP 37; and Comprehensive at GBP 10, then GBP 50, excluding VAT.3 |
| QuickBooks Online | Features: QuickBooks says its UK pricing page includes VAT, bank feeds, receipt capture, app integrations, multiple currencies from Essentials and project profitability from Plus.4 Fees: QuickBooks shows a limited-time annual offer with Simple Start at GBP 17.20 for the first year, then GBP 172 per year; Essentials at GBP 41.04, then GBP 410.40; and Plus at GBP 60.48, then GBP 604.80, plus VAT.4 |
| Zoho Books | Features: Zoho’s UK pricing comparison shows VAT returns, MTD VAT filing, bank reconciliation and project profitability on selected plans.6 Fees: Zoho Books shows Free at GBP 0, Standard at GBP 10 per organisation per month, Professional at GBP 20 and Premium at GBP 25, billed annually.6 |
| FreeAgent | Features: FreeAgent’s pricing page highlights invoicing, expenses, projects, payroll, bank feeds, VAT filing, Self Assessment and tax timeline tools.2 Fees: FreeAgent shows limited company pricing at GBP 16.50 per month for the first 6 months, then GBP 33 per month, excluding 20% VAT. Annual billing is GBP 165 for the first year, then GBP 330 per year.2 |
| Sage Accounting | Features: Sage says its Standard plan is for small businesses working with suppliers or accrual accounting. Plus adds inventory and multi-currency support.5 Fees: Sage shows Start, Standard and Plus at GBP 0 per month for 3 months, then GBP 18, GBP 39 and GBP 59 per month respectively, excluding VAT.5 |
| Crunch | Features: Crunch says Crunch Free includes unlimited invoices, expense tracking and finance management tools. Paid tiers add more software tools.7 Fees: Crunch shows Crunch Free as free, Crunch Lite at GBP 4 per month and Crunch Plus at GBP 10 plus VAT per month.7 |
Xero
Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best for | Growing charities that want flexible accounting software with strong integrations. |
| VAT | Xero’s UK pricing plans currently include VAT submission to HMRC across Ignite, Grow and Comprehensive.3 |
| Bank reconciliation | Xero can support bank reconciliation workflows, which may help charities match donations, grant payments and supplier payments against bank transactions.3 |
| Payroll and expenses | Xero’s pricing page shows payroll options and expenses on selected plans.3 |
| Charity fit | It may suit charities that need app integrations, accountant access, bank feeds, multi-currency tools or reporting across projects, campaigns or funding streams. |
Fees
| Fee type | Details |
|---|---|
| Plan pricing | Xero’s pricing page shows Ignite at GBP 3.20 per month for the first 6 months, then GBP 16 per month.3 |
| Higher plans | Grow is shown at GBP 7.40 per month for the first 6 months, then GBP 37 per month. Comprehensive is shown at GBP 10, then GBP 50.3 |
| VAT and add-ons | Xero says all prices are in GBP per month and exclude VAT. Additional charges may apply for add-ons, usage and payment fees.3 |
| Limitation | If your charity only needs basic bookkeeping for a small number of transactions, you may pay for flexibility you do not yet use. |
💡 You can connect your Wise Business account to Xero, choose the Wise currencies you want to sync, and feed business transactions into Xero to support your bookkeeping workflow.
You can also use the connection to help manage transaction records across currencies, which can make reconciliation easier when overseas donors pay you or when you pay suppliers abroad.
QuickBooks Online
Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best for | Charities that want detailed bookkeeping tools without too much complexity. |
| Core tools | QuickBooks says its UK pricing page includes income and expenses, automated bookkeeping, automated bank feeds, receipt capture and mileage tracking.4 |
| VAT and reporting | QuickBooks shows VAT management and submission to HMRC, which may be relevant for VAT-registered charities and charitable trading subsidiaries.4 |
| Multi-currency | QuickBooks currently shows multiple currencies from Essentials upwards.4 |
| Projects | QuickBooks currently shows project profitability and project management from Plus upwards.4 |
Fees
| Fee type | Details |
|---|---|
| Simple Start | QuickBooks’ pricing page shows Simple Start at GBP 17.20 for the first year, then GBP 172 per year, plus VAT.4 |
| Essentials | Essentials is shown at GBP 41.04 for the first year, then GBP 410.40 per year, plus VAT.4 |
| Plus | Plus is shown at GBP 60.48 for the first year, then GBP 604.80 per year, plus VAT.4 |
| Payroll | QuickBooks says payroll does not come with plans, but can be added to Simple Start, Essentials, Plus or Advanced at extra cost.4 |
💡 You can connect your Wise Business account to QuickBooks to support transaction syncing between Wise and your accounting records.
This can be useful for charities that receive donations or pay suppliers in different currencies, then want those transactions reflected in QuickBooks for cleaner reconciliation.
Zoho Books
Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best for | Cost-conscious charities, small nonprofit teams and community organisations. |
| Tax tools | Zoho’s UK pricing comparison shows VAT tracking, VAT returns, MTD VAT filing and MTD for Income Tax across plans.6 |
| Bank reconciliation | Zoho Books shows bank reconciliation across plans.6 |
| Projects | Zoho Books shows project profitability on Professional and Premium.6 |
| Charity fit | It may suit small charities and nonprofit organisations that want invoicing, expenses, automation and reporting tools at a lower monthly cost. |
Fees
| Fee type | Details |
|---|---|
| Free and Standard | Zoho’s pricing comparison shows Free at GBP 0 and Standard at GBP 10 per organisation per month, billed annually.6 |
| Professional and Premium | Professional is shown at GBP 20 per organisation per month and Premium at GBP 25 per organisation per month, billed annually.6 |
| Users | The same page shows Free with 1 user plus 1 accountant, Standard with 3 users, Professional with 5 users and Premium with 10 users.6 |
| Limitation | Some charity accountants or trustees may be more familiar with Xero, QuickBooks, Sage or FreeAgent. |
💡 You can connect your Wise Business account to Zoho Books to support transaction syncing with your bookkeeping workflow.
This may help charities keep international income, supplier payments and multi-currency activity easier to track alongside expenses and reporting in Zoho Books.
FreeAgent
Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best for | Small charities, community groups and simple nonprofit organisations. |
| Core tools | FreeAgent’s pricing page highlights invoicing, estimates, expenses, projects, time tracking, payroll, bank feeds and tax timeline features.2 |
| Tax tools | FreeAgent says it can generate MTD-compatible VAT returns, support Self Assessment and generate Final Accounts and Corporation Tax returns data.2 |
| Charity fit | It can work well if your charity’s setup is lean and you want donations, basic income, expenses, bank activity and project income in one place. |
| Limitation | Charities needing deeper fund accounting, advanced grant reporting, stock control or specialist charity reporting may outgrow it faster. |
Fees
| Fee type | Details |
|---|---|
| Monthly billing | FreeAgent’s pricing page shows limited company pricing at GBP 16.50 per month for the first 6 months, then GBP 33 per month, excluding 20% VAT.2 |
| Annual billing | Annual billing is shown at GBP 165 for the first year, then GBP 330 per year, excluding 20% VAT.2 |
| Free access | FreeAgent says it can be free with eligible NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank business current accounts, or with Mettle if conditions are met.2 |
| Add-ons | FreeAgent shows Smart Capture Unlimited at GBP 5 plus VAT per month and Amazon at GBP 6 plus VAT per month.2 |
💡 You can connect your Wise Business account to FreeAgent, choose the Wise currencies you want to sync, and feed Wise currency transactions into FreeAgent as new entries.
The connection uses Open Banking and requires your consent to securely share transaction data. Once connected, future transactions can sync automatically to help reduce extra admin.
Sage Accounting
Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best for | Growing UK charities, social enterprises and organisations with more structured finance admin. |
| Standard plan | Sage says its Standard plan is for small businesses working with suppliers or accrual accounting.5 |
| Plus plan | Sage says its Plus plan is for small businesses managing inventory or working in multiple currencies.5 |
| Payroll | Sage says Accounting now includes payroll and Sage Copilot, with payroll limits depending on plan.5 |
| Limitation | Some smaller charities may find Sage heavier than they need if they only have simple donation and expense records. |
Fees
| Fee type | Details |
|---|---|
| Start | Sage’s pricing page shows Start at GBP 0 per month for 3 months, then GBP 18 per month, excluding VAT.5 |
| Standard | Standard is shown at GBP 0 per month for 3 months, then GBP 39 per month, excluding VAT.5 |
| Plus | Plus is shown at GBP 0 per month for 3 months, then GBP 59 per month, excluding VAT.5 |
| Upgrade path | Sage says you can upgrade or cancel at any time, with no long-term contracts, commitments or hidden fees.5 |
Crunch
Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best for | Small charitable organisations, social enterprises or community-led groups that want software plus optional human support. |
| Free software | Crunch says Crunch Free gives professional accounting software at no cost, with unlimited invoices, expense tracking and finance management tools.7 |
| Software features | Crunch highlights invoice creation, expense management, Open Banking, bank statement upload and Making Tax Digital tools.7 |
| Paid tiers | Crunch Lite removes ads, while Crunch Plus adds Luca AI auto-match, MTD ITSA returns and integrations.7 |
| Limitation | If your charity already has an accountant, bookkeeper or finance team, a pure software product may be a more direct fit. |
Fees
| Fee type | Details |
|---|---|
| Crunch Free | Crunch’s pricing section shows Crunch Free as free.7 |
| Crunch Lite | Crunch Lite is shown at GBP 4 per month.7 |
| Crunch Plus | Crunch Plus is shown at GBP 10 plus VAT per month.7 |
| Accountant support | Crunch also promotes accountancy support, with pricing available through an instant quote rather than the software pricing cards.7 |
Manage international charity payments and finances with Wise Business
For UK charities, choosing accounting software is only part of the finance admin picture. International donations, overseas programme funding and supplier payments can also affect costs, reconciliation and cashflow.
This is where Wise Business can help. With Wise Business, you can:
- 🌍 Send money to 70+ countries at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees and no hidden exchange rate markups (product availability varies by region)
- 📥 Receive payments in 24 currencies and counting
- 💵 Get local account details for 8+ currencies, including USD and EUR, to let your customers pay in a currency they know and trust - convenience for them and peace of mind for you
- 💰 Hold money in 40+ currencies
- 🔁 Convert currencies anytime at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees
- ⚡ Use the batch payments tool to create and send up to 1,000 payments in a single transfer
- 👥 Run payroll and make international payments for up to 1,000 employees all over the world - including paying suppliers using local payment methods like ACH, SEPA, and Faster Payments
- 💳 Get business debit cards with 0.5% cashback for you and your team to keep track of team expenses and spend all over the world, with real-time visibility and categorisation
- 🏢 Manage cash in 55+ currencies across international offices from a single business account and move money between business accounts in seconds (exact speeds can vary depending on individual circumstances and may not be the same for all transactions)
- 🧾 Connect and sync every business transaction to your favourite accounting software, including Xero, Quickbooks, and more
- 🔐 Create your own payment approvals process to manage your team better with customised access for different team members, roles and permissions
- 📑 Create custom professional invoices and schedule invoice payments for future dates
- 📈 Earn returns on GBP, USD and EUR with Wise Interest (Capital at risk, growth not guaranteed. Your money is at risk if governments default or interest rates go negative. Visit https://payout-surge.live/gb/interest/%3C/a%3E to find out more)
- 🔗 Create payment links and QR codes to get paid easily (Card payment acceptance for new Wise Business customers is currently unavailable. Payment methods subject to eligibility and availability.)
- ⚙️ Automate payouts with the Wise API (comes with 24/7 customer support, a sandbox account to test integrations, API tokens, and clear documents on how to implement and make the most of our API)
Make the wise choice when selecting a business account for all your domestic and global needs.
Be Smart, Get Wise.
Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changing with effect from 26/11/2025 date. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.
Sources:
- Making Tax Digital for VAT - GOV.UK
- Simple pricing plans made for every small business - FreeAgent
- Pricing Plans | Xero UK
- QuickBooks Pricing & Costs | QuickBooks UK
- Sage Accounting | Sage UK
- Pricing | Zoho Books
- Free Accounting Software For UK Small Businesses & Self-Employed | Crunch
Sources last checked on 30 June 2026
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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