Acumatica vs Starling: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Acumatica and Starling 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.
Starling
6.6/10
A UK digital bank business account with built-in invoicing, bookkeeping, and Making Tax Digital tax tools for sole traders and small limited companies.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.4/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Analytics | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 4/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 8/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 8/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 8/10 | 3/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | Contact for pricing | £7/mo Accounting Plus |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Contact for pricing | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials |
| Features | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Expense Management | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Online Payments | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Accountant Access | Not listed | |
| Accounts Payable | Not listed | |
| Audit Trail | Not listed | |
| Budgeting and Forecasting | Not listed | |
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
| Inventory Accounting | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Multi-entity Consolidation | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
Acumatica vs Starling cost by team size
| Team size | Acumatica | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | Contact for pricing | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 5 users | Contact for pricing | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 10 users | Contact for pricing | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 25 users | Contact for pricing | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 50 users | Contact for pricing | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
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 Customization score (8/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Scalability score (8/10 vs 3/10)
Why choose Starling
- Has a free plan (Acumatica does not)
- Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 4/10)
- Higher Ease of Use score (8/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for small business (8/10 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.
Starling
Pros
- The business account has no monthly fee, and UK transfers, invoicing, and up to five expense cards are free.
- The free Essentials tier includes MTD for Income Tax submissions, which helps sole traders and landlords facing the April 2026 rules.
- VAT returns can be filed to HMRC from inside the banking app for £7 a month until April 2027.
- Bank feeds connect to Xero, QuickBooks, and FreeAgent.
- UK-based support is available 24/7 in the app, and Finder ranked it highly for customer satisfaction in 2026.
Cons
- It is not a full accounting system: there is no general ledger, payroll, or multi-entity support.
- Accountants only get view-only access.
- Only GBP and EUR accounts are available, and new USD account applications are paused.
- Eligibility is strict: directors and people with significant control must be UK residents.
- Overdrafts and loans are not available to new business customers, and there are no branches.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Starling scores higher on our Finance Software criteria: 6.6/10 against 6.4/10 for Acumatica. The largest gap is in Cost: 4/10 for Acumatica and 9/10 for Starling.
Starling has a free plan; Acumatica does not list one.
Starling is the better fit for small business: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 5/10 for Acumatica.
