Accounting software for sole traders
With a sole trader business (in the Netherlands an eenmanszaak: a business you own on your own, without a separate legal entity), you file an income tax return on your business profit every year. Here are the accounting packages whose suppliers state that you can file that return from the package, so you do not retype the figures, with their price, reviews and what else they do.
How we chose
6 of the 35 packages in the Accounting software category have everything below, according to the supplier:
- Income tax return
The order: first the packages with the most features from the table below, then those with the most reviews on SoftwareWatcher. Nobody pays for a place on this list.
The 6 packages
e-Boekhouden.nl
From €14.50 per month
4.8 out of 5 (2 reviews)
- Income tax return
- VAT return
- Importing bank statements
- Insight into the small business scheme (KOR)
- Accountancy portal
- Scan and recognise
- Generating annual accounts
- Free trial account
Exact voor ERP
From €186 per month
No reviews yet
- Income tax return
- VAT return
- Importing bank statements
- Insight into the small business scheme (KOR)
- Accountancy portal
- Scan and recognise
- Generating annual accounts
- Free trial account
AFAS SB
From €59 per month
4.6 out of 5 (1 review)
- Income tax return
- VAT return
- Importing bank statements
- Accountancy portal
- Scan and recognise
- Generating annual accounts
- Free trial account
DigiBoox
From €16.50 per month
5.0 out of 5 (1 review)
- Income tax return
- VAT return
- Importing bank statements
- Insight into the small business scheme (KOR)
- Scan and recognise
- Free package
- Free trial account
Vixum
€1–€5 and €10–€25 per user per month
No reviews yet
- Income tax return
- VAT return
- Importing bank statements
- Accountancy portal
- Generating annual accounts
- Free trial account
Paperdork
Price on request
No reviews yet
- Income tax return
- VAT return
- Importing bank statements
- Accountancy portal
Which one suits you?
Is price what matters most? The lowest monthly price on SoftwareWatcher is € 14.50, from:
Want to start without a subscription? These have a free plan:
Do you also want insight into the small business scheme (KOR)? These packages list it:
Want to know what users think? The most reviews on SoftwareWatcher (2) are for:
5 of the 6 packages offer a free trial account, so you can try first.
Side by side
| Software | Price | VAT return | Importing bank statements | Insight into the small business scheme (KOR) | Accountancy portal | Scan and recognise | Generating annual accounts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| e-Boekhouden.nl | From €14.50 per month | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Exact voor ERP | From €186 per month | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AFAS SB | From €59 per month | Yes | Yes | – | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DigiBoox | From €16.50 per month | Yes | Yes | Yes | – | Yes | – |
| Vixum | €1–€5 and €10–€25 per user per month | Yes | Yes | – | Yes | – | Yes |
| Paperdork | Price on request | Yes | Yes | – | Yes | – | – |
Features and price indications as the suppliers state them on SoftwareWatcher; – means the supplier does not list the feature.
What does accounting software for a sole trader cost?
Of the 6 packages, 4 have a monthly price on SoftwareWatcher. They range from € 14.50 to € 186 per month.
A price comes from the supplier or from our check of its pricing page. A price per user or per year is not counted here; you will find it on the package's own page.
Also read What does accounting software cost? Prices and limits of 10 packages.
What should you look for with a sole trader business?
- Income tax return: you pay income tax on the profit of your sole trader business. A package that builds the return from your bookkeeping carries over turnover and costs, so you retype less. Also check whether it handles deductions such as the self-employed deduction (zelfstandigenaftrek).
- VAT return: besides the annual return, you usually file a VAT return every quarter. It helps if that is done from the same package.
- Business and private: a sole trader business is not a separate legal entity, so legally business and private are one. A separate business account with a bank link keeps private and business apart in your bookkeeping.
- Your bookkeeper: if a bookkeeper files your return, an accountancy portal or a login of their own saves emailing files back and forth.
- A bv later on: if you are thinking of turning your business into a bv (a Dutch private limited company), check whether the package also supports corporation tax and annual accounts. You will find this in the specifications on each package's page.
Frequently asked questions about bookkeeping for a sole trader
Which accounting software suits a sole trader?
A package that prepares your VAT return and your income tax return and imports your bank statements does most of the work for you. This page lists the packages that support the income tax return according to the supplier; then choose on price and the other features you need.
What is the difference between an eenmanszaak and a zzp'er?
An eenmanszaak (sole trader business) is a legal form: you own the business yourself and are personally liable. Zzp'er (self-employed without staff) only says that you work without employees; most zzp'ers have an eenmanszaak. An eenmanszaak may also employ staff. See also the accounting software for freelancers.
Can I file my income tax return from my accounting software?
With the packages on this page you can, according to the supplier. With other packages you make an overview of your profit and fill in the return yourself with the Dutch Tax Administration (Belastingdienst), or your bookkeeper does it.