Sage Accounting vs Starling: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of Sage Accounting and Starling to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
Sage Accounting
6/10
Cloud accounting software from Sage for UK sole traders and small businesses, covering invoicing, bank feeds, VAT returns, payroll and reporting.
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 | 6/10 | 6.6/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 4/10 |
| Compliance | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Cost | 6/10 | 9/10 |
| Customization | 5/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of Use | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Integration | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Scalability | 4/10 | 3/10 |
| Security | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Support | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Cheapest paid plan | £20/mo Start | £7/mo Accounting Plus |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | £59/mo Plus | Free Business Account + Accounting Essentials |
| Features | ||
| Accountant Access | ||
| Bank Reconciliation | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Tax Compliance | ||
| Budgeting and Forecasting | Not listed | |
| Expense Management | Not listed | |
| Financial Reporting | Not listed | |
| General Ledger | Not listed | |
| Inventory Accounting | Not listed | |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | |
| Online Payments | Not listed | |
| Payroll | Not listed | |
Sage Accounting vs Starling cost by team size
Starling costs less at every team size we checked.
| Team size | Sage Accounting | Starling |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | £20/moStart | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 5 users | £59/moPlus | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 10 users | £59/moPlus | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 25 users | £59/moPlus | FreeBusiness Account + Accounting Essentials |
| 50 users | £59/moPlus | 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 Sage Accounting
- Higher Customization score (5/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Analytics score (5/10 vs 4/10)
Why choose Starling
- Has a free plan (Sage Accounting does not)
- Lower estimated cost for 10 users: Free vs £59/mo
- Higher Cost score (9/10 vs 6/10)
- Higher Support score (7/10 vs 4/10)
Pros & Cons
Sage Accounting
Pros
- Payroll is bundled into every plan, so very small employers do not need a separate payroll subscription.
- Built-in Making Tax Digital VAT filing, plus CIS submissions on Standard and Plus, cover UK compliance needs.
- Monthly billing with no commitment, and introductory discounts that often run for six months.
- Reviewers praise the customisable invoices and the bank and HR integrations.
- Plus allows unlimited users, which reviewers single out.
Cons
- Reviewers report yearly price rises and say support can be slow or unhelpful.
- Users report bank-feed connection problems and occasional lag with large data sets.
- Budgeting, multi-currency and stock management are only on the top Plus tier.
- There are no employee expense claims or time tracking, and receipt capture is capped with per-receipt charges above the cap.
- Role permissions are limited, so duties cannot be cleanly separated between staff.
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 6/10 for Sage Accounting. The largest gap is in Cost: 6/10 for Sage Accounting and 9/10 for Starling.
Starling costs less for 10 users: free on its Business Account + Accounting Essentials plan, against about £59/mo on its Plus plan for Sage Accounting, billed monthly.
Starling has a free plan; Sage Accounting does not list one.
