There is no best bookkeeping program for everyone, but there are two hard requirements. The package must keep full bookkeeping with a balance sheet, and it must match the bank automatically to open invoices. This article tests 17 packages on those two requirements and then compares support, contract and price. The information comes from the suppliers' terms, price pages and manuals, as at 30 October 2026.
In short
- Requirement 1: full bookkeeping with a balance sheet. Invoicing is not bookkeeping. A private company needs the balance sheet for the KVK, and a bank asks for it with a loan.
- Requirement 2: automatic matching of the bank to open invoices. Gekko and Rompslomp are out, and at SnelStart, Jortt, Visma, Odoo and Minox the cheapest plan is out.
- Then read the contract. Annual contracts at SnelStart, Moneybird, Jortt, Exact and Odoo, among others, renew for the same period. e-Boekhouden.nl and Informer can be cancelled monthly.
In this article
- What must bookkeeping software be able to do at a minimum?
- Which packages are out, and from which plan do they qualify?
- How good are the packages for a self-employed person or small business?
- How good are the packages for a growing business or a group?
- Which contracts renew automatically, and how do you cancel?
- How do the packages compare side by side?
- Which bookkeeping program should you choose for your type of business?
- What do you take with you when you switch?
- Frequently asked questions about bookkeeping software
What must bookkeeping software be able to do at a minimum?
Two things are hard requirements: full bookkeeping with a balance sheet, and automatic matching of the bank to open invoices. A package that cannot do one of the two is out for a private company and for anyone who wants financing. Only then do support, contract and price count.
Requirement 1 is full bookkeeping with a balance sheet. Invoicing is not the same as bookkeeping, and that is the most common mistake. An invoicing package produces invoices and a profit and loss account, but no balance sheet (the overview of assets and liabilities on one day). A private company must file annual accounts with the KVK every year (KVK, filing annual accounts), for a small company a limited balance sheet (KVK, micro and small). A bank also asks for a balance sheet when you apply for a loan, read why small businesses find it harder to get a loan and whether you pay less interest with better annual accounts. The balance sheet is also where most errors are.
Easy booking is not the same as a correct balance sheet
A package that makes booking easy also makes mistakes easy. No program checks by itself whether your balance sheet is correct. So at least once a year, check that these four things match: the bank balance in the package equals the bank statement, the open invoices of customers and suppliers equal the lists, the VAT account equals the returns you filed, and private payments are in the right place. If one of the four does not match, your profit is not correct either, and neither is your tax return. How often things go wrong in records you keep yourself is explained in the article on errors in spreadsheets.
Requirement 2 is automatic matching. The package links a payment in the bank to the invoice that is still open, and books that invoice as paid. This prevents loose bank entries without an invoice, and the lists of what customers owe you and what you owe suppliers stay correct by themselves. Without matching you book payments by hand, and that is where most errors arise.
After that come: direct VAT return from the package (see the article on the VAT return), RGS (fixed coding of ledger accounts under SBR, referentiegrootboekschema.nl), working with your bookkeeper, support, contract and price. Payroll is outside the scope of this article: in the Netherlands it is a separate discipline, with its own software.
Which packages are out, and from which plan do they qualify?
Gekko and Rompslomp are out. At SnelStart, Jortt, Visma eAccounting, Odoo, Minox and Nmbrs Accounting only the cheapest plan is out. The table further on shows from which plan a package meets both requirements.
- Gekko: not full double-entry bookkeeping, no function for journal entries (Gekko, journal entries), and a balance sheet only appears in the Premium annual accounts.
- Rompslomp does have a balance sheet, but writes itself that the bank feed does "NOT" link payments automatically to the matching invoices or expenses (Rompslomp, bank feed).
- Invoicing only, no bookkeeping: Jortt Starter (Jortt, price), Visma eAccounting Factureren, Odoo Invoicing (Odoo, Accounting documentation) and Minox Facturering and Inzicht (Minox, prices). At Jortt a balance sheet is in ZZP, MKB and Plus (Jortt, balance sheet).
- Bookkeeping at the firm, without a balance sheet for you: SnelStart inOrde and inStap (you cannot do bookkeeping with it yourself, SnelStart, inOrde) and Nmbrs Accounting Minimal (Nmbrs Accounting, bundles). You then do not see your own balance sheet.
Is it true that SnelStart has no balance sheet in its basic plan? Yes, for inOrde and inStap. In the comparison table the column balance (balance and results overview) only appears from inKaart (SnelStart, plans), and you can only enter the opening balance yourself from inKaart (SnelStart, opening balance). From inKaart, SnelStart automatically links a payment to the invoice when reading the bank (SnelStart, banking).
How good are the packages for a self-employed person or small business?
Of the remaining packages, Jortt and Moneybird are the most pleasant for those who do their own bookkeeping. e-Boekhouden.nl, SnelStart and Informer are strong if your bookkeeper uses them.
- Jortt. Strong: very suitable for the self-employed person who does their own bookkeeping. The Boekhoudbot links payments to invoices (Jortt, booking). Weak: relatively expensive when a bookkeeper works in it: the firm pays € 12.50 per month plus € 12.50 to € 24.50 per client (Jortt, bookkeepers' portal).
- Moneybird. Strong: simple, only links automatically when it is "100% certain" (Moneybird, automatic processing), its own ISO 27001. Weak: a limit on bank transactions per month, bank feed only from Groei, no phone (Moneybird, no phone) and for inventory "not very suitable" (Moneybird, inventory).
- e-Boekhouden.nl. Strong: every plan has a balance sheet, a payment is processed automatically when invoice number and amount match (e-Boekhouden.nl, statements manual), free phone support and cheap for firms (e-Boekhouden.nl, prices for bookkeepers). Weak: one set of accounts per subscription, ZZP stops at 240 entries per year, Standaard has no invoicing (e-Boekhouden.nl, FAQ). For whom: small business owners with a bookkeeper who checks the balance sheet every year.
- SnelStart. Strong from inKaart: VAT via its own certificate (SnelStart, VAT return), its own ISO 27001 (SnelStart, security), many firms use it. Weak: one set of accounts and one user per plan, extra set € 3.50 per month (SnelStart, subscription costs).
- Informer. Strong: the BankRobot settles on a match of invoice number and amount (Informer, BankRobot), RGS with bridge statement, and if the firm does the bookkeeping, the client pays nothing (Informer, accountant). Weak: no phone support (Informer, contact).
- Visma eAccounting and Tellow. Visma books automatically when invoice number, amount and name or IBAN match exactly with a direct bank feed (Visma, matching transactions), and uses annual contracts. Tellow is cheap, but only a sole trader can send the VAT return directly (Tellow, VAT return).
How good are the packages for a growing business or a group?
Exact Online, AFAS, Twinfield, Nmbrs Accounting, Odoo and KING all meet both requirements. They differ in working with a firm, the cost of extensions and the contract.
- Exact Online. Strong: matches automatically in every plan (Exact, prices) and is widely used: according to Exact more than 675,000 companies, mainly in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany (Exact, about us), and 594 integrations (Exact, App Store). Weak: each extension is a separate product, inventory costs € 269 to € 699 per month (Exact, wholesale). For whom: growing businesses that need many integrations.
- AFAS. Strong: matches open items automatically (AFAS, matching), Profit has ISO 27001, NEN 7510 and ISAE 3402 type II and phone support (AFAS, Profit SLA). SB costs € 59.99 with 2 users and 5 sets of accounts (AFAS SB, price). Weak: Profit has no price on the website and is often too heavy for a small business. For whom: medium-sized businesses, SB up to 5 employees.
- Twinfield and Nmbrs Accounting (formerly Yuki, Nmbrs, 24 August 2026). Strong: built for working with a firm, Nmbrs with ISAE 3402 type II (Nmbrs, security). Weak: Twinfield costs € 58 to € 114.50 per month (Wolters Kluwer, Twinfield plans), at Nmbrs you start through a firm. For whom: businesses that leave the booking to a firm.
- Odoo. Strong: the Accounting app matches with standard and custom rules (Odoo, bank reconciliation), with inventory, web shop, projects and several companies in one system. With a registered bookkeeper the bookkeeping apps are free, also with several companies (according to the terms Odoo offers registered firms). Otherwise more apps cost € 24.90 per user, with several companies € 44.90 (Odoo, pricing). Weak: no RGS chart of accounts as standard (Odoo, Dutch chart of accounts). For whom: businesses with inventory, projects or several companies.
- KING Finance, Asperion and Minox. Strong: KING has ISO 27001 (Björn Lundén, certifications) and consolidation in Pro, Asperion and Minox phone support. Weak: KING and Asperion use annual contracts, at KING support is no longer free after 15 minutes (KING, SLA), at Minox access after cancelling costs money (Minox, access after termination).
Beware of customisation, in any large package
The more a package can do, the greater the temptation to have it adjusted. In Odoo, a database with custom modules can only move to a new version once those modules have been adapted, and a new version comes out every year (Odoo, upgrade). Research shows that customisation costs maintenance later (Light, 2001), often rebuilds functions that already exist (Rothenberger and Srite, 2009), and that SMEs have little room for it (Zach et al., 2014). Work with the standard for a year first.
Which contracts renew automatically, and how do you cancel?
Before you sign, check monthly or yearly, automatic renewal and the notice period. An annual contract that renews itself holds you if you cancel too late.
- Cancellable monthly: e-Boekhouden.nl, "for an indefinite period" with one month's notice (e-Boekhouden.nl, terms article 5). After 12 months at 50% off you pay the normal rate, and it stays a monthly plan (e-Boekhouden.nl, prices). Also Informer (Informer, article 8.1), Nmbrs Accounting (Nmbrs, article 2.4.2) and Exact on a monthly plan (Exact, articles 4.3, 5.1 and 5.8). Minox per quarter (Minox, article 6.2).
- Renewal for the same period: SnelStart renews "each time tacitly … for the same period", with notice up to two weeks before the end (SnelStart, terms article B.2.1). With annual billing that means a year. The same goes for an annual plan at Moneybird (Moneybird, annual plan), Jortt (Jortt, article 3.5), Exact and Odoo (Odoo, articles 1 and 5.2).
- Annual contract: Visma eAccounting (Visma, article 2.1), Asperion with 3 months' notice (Asperion, article 9) and KING (KING, article 19). Twinfield and AFAS Profit start with at least one year (Twinfield, articles 12 and 16.4, AFAS Profit, article 6.2).
Download your data before the contract ends. At Moneybird the records are deleted after cancelling (Moneybird, article 19). Exact may adjust its rates monthly, notified a month in advance "where possible" (Exact, articles 4.3, 5.1 and 5.8).
How do the packages compare side by side?
Price of the first plan that meets both requirements, per month, excluding VAT unless stated otherwise, as at 30 October 2026. Rompslomp and Gekko are out.
| Program | Balance sheet / matching | Contract | Price | Key assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exact Online | Yes / yes | Monthly or yearly | € 49 | Widely used, extensions expensive |
| AFAS SB | Yes / yes | Monthly | € 59.99 (VAT not stated) | All in one price, up to 5 employees |
| AFAS Profit | Yes / yes | At least 1 year | On request | Broad and strongly certified |
| Twinfield | From MKB / yes | First year fixed | € 78.50 | For working with a firm |
| Nmbrs Accounting | From Small / yes | Monthly | € 24.50 | Firm books, you follow along |
| Odoo | In Accounting / in Accounting | Monthly or yearly | € 0 with Accounting only, otherwise € 24.90 per user | Broad, with the right bookkeeper |
| KING Finance | Yes / yes | 12 months | € 23.65 | Consolidation in Pro |
| Jortt | From ZZP / from ZZP | Monthly or yearly | € 21.95 | Strong for the self-employed, expensive via a firm |
| Moneybird | Yes / yes, with limit | Monthly or yearly | € 29 billed yearly, € 35 monthly (VAT not stated) | Pleasant for own bookkeeping, no phone |
| e-Boekhouden.nl | Yes / yes | Monthly | € 9.95 (VAT not stated) | Cheap, one set of accounts |
| SnelStart | From inKaart / yes | Monthly or yearly | € 22 | Many firms, growth costs extra |
| Informer | Yes / yes | Monthly | € 15 | Good RGS, no phone |
| Visma eAccounting | From Standaard / with bank feed | Annual | € 28 | Simple inventory |
| Tellow by Shine | Yes / yes | Renews itself | € 12.99 | Direct VAT for sole traders only |
| Asperion | Yes / yes | 12 months, 3 months' notice | € 19 | Long notice period |
| Minox | From Basis / yes | Quarterly | € 45 (VAT not stated) | Mainly via firms |
If you work with a bookkeeper, their fee comes on top. Read what a bookkeeper costs and why the cheapest bookkeeper often costs more.
Which bookkeeping program should you choose for your type of business?
First choose a package that meets both requirements, then by your type of business and the contract, and only then by price. Also ask which package your bookkeeper uses.
| Your business | Good fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Self-employed with few invoices, does own bookkeeping | Jortt ZZP, Moneybird | Balance sheet and automatic matching, pleasant to use, cancellable monthly. |
| Sole trader or company with a bookkeeper | Your bookkeeper's package, from the plan with a balance sheet | For example e-Boekhouden.nl, Informer, SnelStart inKaart, Nmbrs Small or Odoo Accounting via a registered bookkeeper. |
| Business with inventory or a web shop | Odoo, Exact Online, AFAS Profit. Simple: Visma eAccounting | Inventory, purchasing and sales linked to the bookkeeping. |
| Business with projects | Odoo, AFAS Profit, Exact Online | Hours and costs per project in the same system. |
| Group with several companies | Odoo via a registered bookkeeper, Exact Online Premium, AFAS Profit, Twinfield | Several sets of accounts in one system. |
Not sure whether to do it yourself or outsource? Read the article on outsourcing or doing it yourself.
What do you take with you when you switch?
You take the audit file with you, with your ledger and all entries. According to the tax authority, most bookkeeping packages in the Netherlands support this file (Belastingdienst, audit file). Invoices and receipts often have to be downloaded separately. You must keep everything for 7 years, including from the old package (Belastingdienst, retention periods).
Preferably switch at the start of a financial year, and only cancel once you have downloaded and checked everything.
Frequently asked questions about bookkeeping software
Does every bookkeeping program have a balance sheet?
No. Gekko only has a balance sheet in the Premium annual accounts. Jortt Starter, Visma Factureren, Odoo Invoicing and Minox Facturering are invoicing without bookkeeping. At SnelStart the business owner only gets a balance sheet from inKaart. A private company needs a balance sheet for its annual accounts at the KVK.
What is automatic matching?
The package links a payment in the bank to the open invoice and books it as paid. This leaves no loose bank entries and keeps the list of open invoices correct. Rompslomp and Gekko do not do this automatically.
Sources
- Light, B. (2001). The maintenance implications of the customization of ERP software. Journal of Software Maintenance and Evolution: Research and Practice, 13(6), 415-429. doi.org/10.1002/smr.240
- Rothenberger, M.A. and Srite, M. (2009). An investigation of customization in ERP system implementations. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 56(4), 663-676. doi.org/10.1109/TEM.2009.2028319
- Zach, O., Munkvold, B.E. and Olsen, D.H. (2014). ERP system implementation in SMEs: exploring the influences of the SME context. Enterprise Information Systems, 8(2), 309-335. doi.org/10.1080/17517575.2012.702358
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