Acumatica vs Kontist: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Acumatica and Kontist to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Acumatica
6.4/10
Acumatica is a cloud ERP covering financials, distribution, manufacturing and construction for mid-sized businesses, priced by resources used rather than user seats.
Kontist
6.1/10
Kontist is a German mobile business account for freelancers and small companies, with automatic tax set-asides, invoicing, receipt management and bundled sevdesk accounting.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.4/10 | 6.1/10 |
| Scalability | 8/10 | 3/10 |
| Analytics | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Compliance | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Integration | 8/10 | 5/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Cost | 4/10 | 8/10 |
| Customization | 8/10 | 4/10 |
| Ease of Use | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | €11/mo Start |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | Free Free |
| Features | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Accounts Payable | Not listed | |
| Audit Trail | Not listed | |
| Budgeting and Forecasting | Not listed | |
| Corporate Cards | Not listed | |
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
| Inventory Accounting | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Multi-entity Consolidation | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
Acumatica vs Kontist cost by team size
| Team size | Acumatica | Kontist |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | Contact for pricing | FreeFree |
| 5 users | Contact for pricing | FreeFree |
| 10 users | Contact for pricing | FreeFree |
| 25 users | Contact for pricing | FreeFree |
| 50 users | Contact for pricing | FreeFree |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose Acumatica
- Higher Scalability score (8/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Customization score (8/10 vs 4/10)
Why choose Kontist
- Has a free plan (Acumatica does not)
- Higher Cost score (8/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Ease of Use score (8/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for small business (7/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
Acumatica
Pros
- Unlimited user licensing lets companies add staff to the system without per-seat fees.
- Industry editions for construction, manufacturing and distribution extend the core financials.
- Reviewers on Capterra and TrustRadius praise its customization and integration flexibility.
- Its multi-entity and intercompany accounting support companies that run several legal entities.
- The 2026 R2 release added AI-assisted bank matching and 1099 preparation for the IRS IRIS system.
Cons
- List prices are not published, so every buyer needs a sales consultation for a quote.
- Reviewers frequently cite a steep learning curve and tedious setup.
- Customers depend on implementation partners, and customization can be costly.
- Some users report that upgrades disrupt custom workflows and settings.
- Reviewers say reporting and the warehouse management module could be stronger.
Kontist
Pros
- Automatic real-time tax and VAT set-asides, which Trustpilot reviewers repeatedly praise
- Free plan with no monthly fee, a German IBAN and a Visa debit card
- Every plan includes a free period of sevdesk accounting, up to a full year on Plus
- Deposits are held at BaFin-licensed Solaris SE and protected up to 100,000 euros
- The app is available in both English and German, which helps expat freelancers
Cons
- Only available to people who live in and pay tax in Germany
- Reviewers report slow, mostly email-based support that has to be chased repeatedly
- Free tier includes only 5 SEPA transactions a month, and extra transactions cost a fee
- No full double-entry ledger, so proper bookkeeping depends on sevdesk or another tool
- Past complaints include account closures and the handling of unauthorized payments
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Acumatica scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.4/10 against 6.1/10 for Kontist. The largest gap is in Scalability: 8/10 for Acumatica and 3/10 for Kontist.
Kontist has a free plan; Acumatica does not list one.
Kontist is the better fit for small business: we rate it 7/10 for them, against 5/10 for Acumatica.
