Accounting technology / Glossary / What accounting software do accountants use

What accounting software do accountants use?

Definition

Accountants work in the ledgers their clients use, chiefly Xero and QuickBooks, plus regional ledgers such as FreeAgent in the UK and Pennylane in France, Germany and Spain. Each vendor gives practices a free console to manage every client file from one login, with certification and discounts on client subscriptions.

Also calledAccounting software for accountantsSoftware accountants use

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Xero partner program: Free to join
Intuit Accountant Suite: Core plan free
FreeAgent: Free Practice Dashboard

Ledgers and accountant consoles

Xero's partner program is free with no ongoing costs. A practice needs at least one registered accountant and a staff member who completes Xero advisor certification within 30 days. From Bronze status partners get a free Xero subscription for the practice, Partner Hub to manage clients, a listing in Xero's advisor directory and discounts on client subscriptions; Practice Management for jobs, time and billing comes with Silver, Gold and Platinum. QuickBooks gives accountants Intuit Accountant Suite, where they open client books on QuickBooks, QuickBooks Advanced and Intuit Enterprise Suite. Its Core plan is free; Accelerate is free until 20 January 2027 and then $149 a month, and stays free for ProPartner Accountants at Premier tier and above. ProAdvisor is becoming the ProPartner Accountants program. FreeAgent gives practices a free Practice Dashboard, and they pay only for client licences, with client discounts that grow with the number of active licences. Pennylane is used by more than 6,500 accounting firms that share live numbers with clients, and covers bookkeeping through tax returns, e-invoicing and a client portal.

Common questions

What accounting software do most accountants use?+

The ledgers their clients run on. Xero and QuickBooks both run accountant programmes with a console for every client file; FreeAgent and Pennylane run the same for their markets.

Is accounting software free for accountants?+

The accountant consoles are. Xero's partner program has no cost and gives Bronze partners a free subscription for the practice, Intuit Accountant Suite Core is free, and FreeAgent's Practice Dashboard is free.

What is an accountant console?+

A single login where a practice opens every client's books, such as Xero Partner Hub, Intuit Accountant Suite or FreeAgent's Practice Dashboard, with bulk tasks and client reports.

Do accountants get discounts on client subscriptions?+

Yes. Xero Bronze partners and above get discounts on client subscriptions, FreeAgent's client discounts grow with active licences, and QuickBooks ProAdvisors get discounts for themselves and eligible clients.