Independent software reviews
We explain what a product does well, where the tradeoffs sit and who should keep looking.
Accounting
A dependable accounting choice for small businesses that want familiar workflows and access to a broad local partner network.
FromR240per month
Accounting Start, incl. VAT, 1 user
Accounting
Polished cloud accounting with strong collaboration and an extensive app ecosystem, especially appealing when an adviser already works in Xero.
FromR450per month
Starter plan; 80% off for the first 3 months
Accounting
A practical cloud accounting product with accessible reporting and a familiar workflow for owners who want to stay close to the numbers.
FromR322per month
Simple Start; 70% off for the first 6 months
Accounting
Good value accounting with a broad feature set, particularly attractive for teams already invested in the wider Zoho suite.
FromR99per organisation, per month
Standard plan, excl. taxes
Payroll
Focused South African payroll software that keeps routine processing straightforward while covering the local detail payroll teams need.
FromR235.50per month for 10 employees
One plan, excl. VAT, about R23.55 per employee
Payroll
Serious cloud payroll and workforce management for organisations that need more scale, structure and regional reach.
On requestpriced per employee, per month
No public rate card; now sold as Deel Local Payroll
CRM
An approachable CRM with an easy starting point and a broad growth path, though costs need watching as more hubs and seats are added.
Freethen about R112 per seat, per month
Starter, billed annually
HubSpot charges US$7 per seat; converted at R16.00 = US$1
CRM
A flexible CRM with broad automation and strong value, best for teams willing to spend time shaping it around a defined sales process.
Freethen about R224 per user, per month
Standard edition
Zoho charges US$14 per user; converted at R16.00 = US$1
ERP
A broad modular business platform that can deliver excellent value when scope, implementation and customisation are kept under control.
Freethen about R116 per user, per month
One App Free for unlimited users; Standard billed yearly
Odoo charges US$7.25 per user; converted at R16.00 = US$1
ERP
A capable business management platform for organisations already comfortable with Microsoft, provided implementation scope is treated seriously.
FromR1 280per user, per month
Essentials, billed yearly, excl. VAT
Microsoft charges US$80 per user; converted at R16.00 = US$1
Commerce
A polished commerce platform that makes it easier to launch and operate a serious online shop, with extra attention needed for local payments and app costs.
FromR400per month
Basic; about R304 billed yearly, with a R16/month intro for 3 months
Shopify charges US$25 per month; converted at R16.00 = US$1
Commerce
A confident local payment and point of sale option that is easy for smaller merchants to understand and put to work.
FromR0per month on Core
Plus R249, Pro R499; card fees from 1.20% in person
Accounting
The desktop accounting package that a very large share of South African bookkeepers already know by heart, still capable and still sold through a reseller network rather than a checkout page.
On requestquoted by a Sage business partner
Annual licence plus optional modules; no public rate card
Payroll
Sage cloud payroll priced by headcount band, with the statutory work handled for you and a clean path into Sage Accounting for the payroll journal.
FromR97per month
1 to 2 employees, incl. VAT; banded up to 200 plus
Payroll
The desktop payroll that a great many South African payroll administrators trained on, strong on statutory compliance and sold through partners rather than online.
On requestquoted by a Sage business partner
Annual licence banded by employee count; no public rate card
Payroll
The step up for South African employers who have outgrown small business payroll and need real workflow, multi company structures and human resources in one system.
On requestscoped by module and headcount
Licence plus implementation; quoted per project
Payroll
A tidy cloud people system for leave, performance and employee records, useful alongside a payroll rather than instead of one.
On requestpriced per employee, per module
Leave, performance and scheduling are licensed separately
ERP
The mid market step between Pastel and a full ERP, widely implemented in South Africa and usually shaped around your business by a local partner.
On requestquoted by a Sage business partner
Licence, modules and implementation quoted together
Accounting
A South African built accounting and business package with unusually strong inventory and manufacturing depth for its price, and one of the few local vendors that publishes a rate card.
FromR4 049ex VAT per user, per year
Enterprise tier 2 subscription; R7 139 ex VAT per user to buy outright
Accounting
A Durban built accounting and business system sold in modular bundles, strong for stock heavy trading businesses that want to switch capability on as they grow.
On requestquoted by module bundle
Trader through to Premium bundles; no public rate card
Accounting
The working papers and financial statement engine that dominates South African accounting practices, built around local standards and the annual compilation cycle.
On requestlicensed per user, per year
Practice licensing quoted by CaseWare Africa
ERP
A South African founded ERP built for manufacturers and distributors, unusually deep on production and inventory for its bracket and supported locally at a senior level.
On requestscoped per implementation
Licence plus implementation, quoted after a scoping exercise
ERP
SAP for smaller companies, delivered entirely through partners, strong when a group already runs SAP or when international reporting expectations apply.
On requestquoted by an SAP partner
Licence plus annual maintenance and partner implementation
CRM
A South African built field sales system for reps who sell in person, combining route planning, in field ordering and live visibility for sales managers.
On requestpriced per user, per month
Quoted after a demonstration; no public rate card
Commerce
A Durban built card acceptance business that competes on cheap hardware, no monthly rental and support that actually answers at night.
FromR0per month, machines from R699
No monthly rental; in person rates from 2.75% excl VAT, falling to 2.5%
Commerce
The South African QR payment that customers already have on their phones, with nothing to buy and nothing to rent.
FromR0per month
No monthly fee; 2.95% excl VAT per transaction, falling with turnover
CRM
The most straightforward pipeline CRM on this list, and the one a sales team is most likely to keep updating.
FromR224per seat, per month
Lite plan, billed annually
Pipedrive charges US$14 per seat; converted at R16.00 = US$1
Accounting
The serious cloud finance system in the Sage range, aimed at multi entity groups that have outgrown a small business ledger.
On requestquoted by Sage or a partner
Subscription priced by modules, entities and users; no public rate card
ERP
The enterprise ERP at the top of the Sage range, built for manufacturers and distributors and quoted per implementation.
On requestquoted by a Sage business partner
Licence, modules and implementation quoted together; no public rate card
