Most accountants don't need a sales CRM. They need practice management software with a good client record, and something for the gap before a person becomes a client. Pick one tool for client work, keep your accounts and tax software, and only add a third thing if enquiries are slipping.
We don't sell practice management, tax or accounts production software, so we've no stake in those picks. We do sell lead and call-answering systems with a simple CRM included, and I've said so where it matters. I haven't tested any of these on a live practice. These picks are my judgement from published prices, and you should trial them.
Prices were hard to pin down. Some vendors show dollars, some don't publish, and third-party figures conflict. I've said where each came from, and I'd ask for a written quote in pounds, with VAT stated.
My picks
- Solo or very small, on a budget: Senta, which publishes the clearest UK price.
- Already on TaxCalc's tax software: look at its practice management first.
- A simple flat fee by client numbers: Pixie, if the sterling price works for you.
- A team paying per user: Karbon or BrightManager, once you've got a written quote.
- Happy to commit for a year: TaxDome, on the same condition.
- Proposals and engagement letters: GoProposal or Ignition, but only if your system doesn't do it.
What you actually need
| Stage | The job | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| Before they're a client | Catch the enquiry, reply, book, follow up the proposal | Often nobody. That's the gap. |
| Becoming a client | Proposal, engagement letter, ID checks, consent | Practice management or proposal software |
| Being a client | Deadlines, tasks, document chasing, portal | Practice management |
| The work | Accounts, tax, MTD submissions | Your accounts and tax software |
Wolters Kluwer's March 2026 survey found 44% of accountants named onboarding and digital migration as an MTD challenge. It's vendor research with no stated sample, but it fits. I'd expect the busiest part of your software this year to be the start of the relationship.
Practice management software
Read on 6 November 2026 unless stated. Check VAT on all of these.
| Tool | Price as found | Where the price came from | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senta | £32 a month for the first user, £25.60 billed annually | Senta's UK FAQ | The clearest sterling price here. |
| Karbon | $59 or $79 and $89 or $99, per user | Karbon's pricing page as we read it | Its UK comparison page shows £29 or £44, and £49 or £59. So ask. |
| Pixie | $129, $199 or $329 by client numbers | Pixie's page as we read it | 30-day trial. Flat fee, not per user. |
| BrightManager | About £31 to £58 per user a month, depending on source | Three third-party readings that disagree | See below. |
| TaxDome | $800 to $1,200 per user a year on a one-year plan | Uku, a competitor | Get this from TaxDome direct. |
| Capium | £140, £280 or £420 | Whito, read 2 September 2026 | Ask what each level covers. |
| TaxCalc | Practice management from £9 | Whito, read 2 September 2026 | Worth a look if you already use its tax software. |
BrightManager's three readings are £31.20 or £39 (Karbon's page), £33.60 or £42 (TaxDome's page, last updated October 2025) and £42.63 or £57.85 (Whito). Two of those come from competitors. That's why I won't give you one figure.
How I'd choose
- Check it works with your tax and accounts software before anything else. Moving those is a much bigger job.
- On your own, with a small client list: per-user pricing should favour you. Senta's the simple option.
- Growing team: a flat fee by client numbers gets more attractive with each hire. That's arithmetic, so run it on your own headcount.
- Compare what's in the headline price. Ask whether AML checks, e-signing and SMS are extra.
Ask two questions before you sign up. Can you export all client data and documents if you leave? Where's it stored, and what does the vendor do with AI? ICAEW expects you to understand that before client information goes in.
Proposals and engagement letters
| Tool | Price as found | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| GoProposal by Sage | $75 to $255 a month by PricingSaaS at 2 November 2026. Whito lists £75 to £255. | Note the different currency. I couldn't open Sage's own page, so ask. |
| Ignition | Price not readable on its page. | 14-day trial. |
These earn their keep if you send many proposals. If you send a few a month, check whether your practice software does this first. Whichever you use, the fee basis still has to be in writing, and our fee guide explains what ICAEW expects. A consumer may also need a cancellation notice.
Do you need a sales CRM?
Under about 20 enquiries a month, I'd say no. That threshold is my judgement. A shared list with four columns would do: who, source, next step, date. I'd expect practice management tools to start at the point someone becomes a client, so this list covers what they miss.
The real test is simple. Could you say today how many enquiries you had last month, how many got a reply within a day, and how many became clients? If not, you need something. It doesn't have to be expensive.
Keep prospects and clients tidy under data protection rules too. Don't import your client list into a marketing tool and start sending. Sole traders count as individuals under the marketing rules, and the template library has a table on this.
The phone is the gap
If you're in a meeting when the enquiry rings, your deadline tracker can't help. I didn't see AI call answering on the pages I read for these tools, though those were mostly pricing pages, and products change quickly.
There's more on this in is an AI receptionist worth it?
Where we fit
We aren't practice management software. We don't do deadlines, tax work, due diligence or engagement letters, so keep your practice system.
We work before the client signs: getting found, answering calls and messages, following up, and asking for reviews. Our plans include a CRM and one inbox for those conversations. Think of it as the front door. I wouldn't put client tax information in it. That belongs in your practice system.
If your problem is what happens after the engagement letter, buy one of the tools above. If your problem is finding clients, and keeping in touch before they sign, that's what we do.
Don't forget the free ones. A Google Business Profile and a shared calendar cost nothing and do a lot.
Questions accountants ask
What's the best CRM for a sole practitioner?
If you just need client records, deadlines and reminders, I'd trial Senta first, because the UK price is clear. If you've few clients, a spreadsheet and a calendar will do for a while. TaxCalc's low entry price is also worth a check if you're on its software.
Is HubSpot or Salesforce good for accountants?
I didn't assess them for this guide. General sales CRMs can work for a practice with a real sales process, but I'd expect most small practices to get more from practice management software.
Does practice management software do AML checks?
I couldn't confirm which tools here do, so ask each one what's included and what costs extra. Your duty stays with you whichever tool you use. ICAS suggests reviewing onboarding documents against the July 2026 CCAB guidance.
Which tools work with Making Tax Digital?
I didn't check MTD support for these tools. Ask each vendor, and don't rely on a comparison page, including this one.
David Bell, founder of Real Business Systems
David helps small UK businesses get found, answer every enquiry and keep customers coming back. We sell some of the services mentioned here, and we say so where they come up.
Sources
- Senta, UK pricing FAQ
- Karbon, pricing and Karbon vs BrightManager (vendor)
- Pixie, pricing
- TaxDome, BrightManager comparison (last updated October 2025, vendor)
- Uku, TaxDome pricing (competitor)
- Whito, best software for UK accountants (read 2 September 2026)
- PricingSaaS, GoProposal (2 November 2026)
- Ignition, pricing
- FF News, Wolters Kluwer survey (30 March 2026, vendor, sample not stated)
- ICAEW, protecting client confidentiality (28 July 2026)
- ICO, electronic mail marketing (under review)
- ICAS, Money Laundering Regulations 2026 (28 September 2026)
Prices and rules change. Check the source before you rely on a figure. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.