Growth

5 Karbon Alternatives to Consider in 2025

Published

Apr 25, 2025

•

6 min

Looking for Karbon alternatives to manage your accounting firm more effectively?

Karbon is a well-known accounting practice management software. It has been a popular choice for many accountants in the US, Australia and other countries, but as opinions differ, it does not suit everyone. Many tools are worth considering, whether you’re after simpler workflows, lower costs, or better client collaboration.

If Karbon is not your cup of tea and you’re looking for an alternative, there is plenty of software similar to Karbon to test in your accounting practice.

Why consider Karbon alternatives?

Accounting firm owners consider alternatives to Karbon for several reasons. They find Karbon too complicated to work with because of its various functions, which depend on each other.

Other reasons to look for a Karbon alternative include complexity in setup and usability, high costs relative to firm size, and limitations in certain practice management features.

Karbon is complex and has a learning curve

Karbon is known for its complete feature set, which includes integrated email, workflow automation, and team collaboration tools. However, this complexity can lead to a steep learning curve, particularly for smaller firms or those without dedicated IT support.

Setting up Triage, task templates, and workflows can be clunky, and some users have reported difficulties onboarding team members, especially those less tech-savvy.

Accessing a team member’s Triage when unexpectedly out can be challenging. This limitation can cause delays or bottlenecks in the workflow, as it is not always straightforward to retrieve the necessary information or tasks the absent team member was managing without accessing this.

Abigail C., People Advisory Lead & HR Business Partner

Karbon is not the cheapest of software

Karbon’s pricing may be prohibitive for smaller accounting firms. With monthly plans starting at $59 per user, the costs can increase quickly, especially for firms with multiple users.

Some users have expressed concerns about paying for features they do not use, leading them to explore more cost-effective solutions that better align with their specific needs and budget constraints.

Not as effective with project management, documents, and emails

While Karbon offers a comprehensive suite of tools, it lacks certain features that some accounting firms find essential. For instance, the software does not support task dependencies, which can be crucial for complex project management.

Additionally, users have reported performance issues such as slow search functions and email lags. These limitations can impact productivity and efficiency, leading firms to consider alternatives offering stronger functionalities in these areas.

There is no document management feature. When weighing out options, we were bummed that Karbon does not include a way to get KB signatures or document management.

Teresa P., Managing Partner

Top Karbon alternatives for accounting firms

First, before diving into the special skills of every accounting practice management software alternative to Karbon, let’s look at the reviews users have left on review sites G2 and Capterra.

	Karbon	TaxDome	Uku	Financial Cents	Canopy	Jetpack Workflow
Capterra	4,7	4,7	4,8	4,8	4,5	4,8
G2	4,8	4,7	4,7	4,8	4,5	4,2
Trustpilot	4,6	3,0	4,4	3,2	3,2
Most popular plans price	89$	30,5$	38$	69$	starting from 150$	45$

Uku

Ideal for firms that want a planning tool with task automation and clear workflows without complexity.

Uku is a popular practice management platform in Northern Europe and the US. It’s praised for simplifying work with smart templates, built-in time tracking, and task reassignment features. Jason Staats even named Uku one of the top accounting software picks of 2025.

Uku’s key features:

Budget and client agreement monitoring – Automated invoicing ensures that your clients are billed accurately and on time, while client agreement monitoring helps keep track of your contracts and engagements, ensuring that no detail is overlooked.
Workflow and task management with templates – Comprehensive tools to manage daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly tasks. You can create work plan templates from scratch or use templates based on US accounting standards, making task management efficient and standardized.
Time tracking and billing – Track time using a stopwatch or log it manually. The software automatically generates invoices based on tracked time, making billing seamless and accurate. Distinguish between billable and non-billable hours, ensuring precise invoicing.
Team collaboration and workforce management – Team collaboration features that allow task delegation, sharing, and tracking. Whether someone is on vacation or out sick, tasks can be quickly reassigned, ensuring the workflow remains uninterrupted. Workforce management helps HR manage vacations, sick days and overtime.
Business insights and reporting – Advanced business insights features provide detailed insights into time expenses, task completion, and client agreements. This data helps make informed business decisions and improve overall productivity.
CRM and customizable client portal – All critical client information is in Uku’s CRM and accessible to your team. The customizable client portal enhances client communication, allowing for document sharing, task delegation, and automated reminders.

Uku pricing

Solo plan: Free
Team plan: $38-49/month per user
Elite plan: $48-62/month per user
Enterprise plan: $88-99/month per user

Learn more about Uku’s pricing.

Uku vs Karbon

Uku is a strong Karbon alternative, especially for accounting firms that want power without the complexity. It’s easier to use, faster to onboard, and more focused on the needs of small and mid-sized teams. You’ll get smarter workflows, intelligent billing, and support for task dependencies without the slowdowns or steep learning curve some users report with Karbon.

If you’re looking for a more intuitive experience that still gets the job done, Uku is worth a closer look.

TaxDome

Ideal for firms prioritizing client interaction and document management.

TaxDome is a practice management solution for accounting, tax, and bookkeeping firms. It combines workflow automation, client communication, billing, and document management into a single platform.

TaxDome’s key features

Workflow and task management – Automate repetitive tasks with customizable templates, set dependencies, and trigger actions like sending emails or updating client information.
Time tracking and billing – Track time using a built-in timer or manual entries. Generate invoices based on time entries, fixed fees, or recurring payments, and integrate with payment providers like Stripe and CPACharge.
Accounting team collaboration – Assign tasks to team members, monitor progress, and communicate through integrated messaging features, ensuring transparency and efficiency.
Business insights and reporting – Utilize AI-powered reporting tools to gain insights into team performance, task completion rates, and client activity.
CRM and client portal – Manage client data, documents, and communications through a centralized CRM. The customizable client portal and mobile app allow clients to access documents, sign forms, and communicate securely.
User-friendliness – While TaxDome offers a rich feature set, some users note a learning curve due to its comprehensive capabilities. However, extensive training resources and support are available for onboarding and usage.

TaxDome pricing

TaxDome Essentials: $800/year per user (1-year subscription)
TaxDome Pro: $1,000/year per user (1-year subscription)
TaxDome Business: $1,200/year per user (1-year subscription)

Discounts are available for 2- or 3-year subscriptions. There is no monthly plan.

Karbon vs TaxDome

TaxDome can be a strong alternative to Karbon for accounting firms that need an all-in-one solution. It’s cheaper and easier to implement. Yet, there is even better software in terms of price and implementation time.

While Karbon excels at internal team collaboration, TaxDome stands out with its integrated client portal, secure messaging, and built-in e-signatures, which are features that enhance the client experience and reduce back-and-forth.

Financial Cents

Ideal for small firms needing affordability and simplicity.

Financial Cents is a simple practice management tool for smaller accounting firms. It focuses on essential features at an affordable price, making it a good alternative for small or starting accounting firms.

Financial Cents’ key features:

Workflow and task management – Manage your accounting workflows with templates, create recurring projects and add dependencies to tasks.
Time tracking and billing – Time entries can be manually entered. To create invoices, you must integrate Financial Cents with your accounting software, like QuickBooks Online.
Accounting team collaboration – Your team can chat, share files, and receive notifications through the app. In addition, you have an overview of who is working on which task.
Business insights and reporting – Insights on capacity management, time tracking reports and effective hourly rates.
CRM and client portal – Collect client data, like documents, from clients with automated requests and text or email reminders. Client portal streamlines client communication – clients can complete requests, answer questions and upload documents.
User-friendliness –The app has simple features for starting accounting firms or non-tech-savvy bookkeepers. Users have noted that navigation could be more intuitive.

Financial Cents pricing

Solo plan: $19/month per user (billed only annually)
Team plan: $69/month per user
Scale plan: $89/month per user

Financial Cents vs Karbon

Financial Cents is a good fit for firms that want a simpler, more affordable solution than Karbon.

It’s easy to set up, and most teams are up and running in a few hours. The interface is built for speed and clarity. The pricing is much lower than Karbon’s entry plan. Financial Cents is a practical choice if you’re a smaller firm that values cost-efficiency.

Canopy

Ideal for mid-sized firms looking for customizable client and team workflows.

Canopy is one of the accounting management tools made for mid-sized accounting, tax, and bookkeeping firms. It offers a modular pricing model, which makes it easy to stack up your software or keep it minimal.

Canopy’s key features:

Workflow and task management – Recurring tasks with subtasks you can create from templates. Tasks are organized by the client for a more straightforward overview or look at every task the employees are doing.
Time tracking and billing – Built-in timer and manual time entries. Create time budgets for tasks and subtasks. Customizable invoices and rates. Automate the invoicing process and share them straight with clients.
Accounting team collaboration – Assign tasks to team members, set deadlines, and receive notifications. Track employees’ progress in real time and get an overview in a team calendar.
Business insights and reporting – Analyze billing, service items, team members and client profitability.
CRM and client portal – Keeps your client data, records and communication in one place. Customizable Client Portal allows accountants and clients to share files and view invoices.
User-friendliness – The interface is easy to use and simple to implement, yet it is challenging. There are issues with syncing, navigating the interface, and filtering information.

Canopy pricing

Client engagement platform (required): $150/month with unlimited users
Document management: $36/month per user
Workflow: $32/month per user
Time & billing: $22/month per user
Tax resolution: $50/month per user

Canopy vs Karbon

Canopy is a solid Karbon alternative for firms that care about client-facing tools.

While Karbon leans more toward team collaboration, Canopy puts client experience first with a clean portal, secure messaging, and solid document handling. You can also choose only the features you need, which controls the cost.

Canopy is a smart option if your priority is better client communication and more flexible pricing.

Jetpack Workflow

Ideal for firms needing only basic task and workflow management.

Jetpack Workflow is primarily for task management, making it suitable for firms that need a straightforward workflow management tool.

Jetpack Workflow’s key features:

Workflow and task management – Recurring tasks and jobs, similar to project management software.
Time tracking and billing – Limited and time-consuming time-tracking tools. No invoice creating – you must send your time entries to Quickbooks or other accounting software to create invoices for your accounting clients.
Accounting team collaboration – Messaging your colleagues within the Jetpack online app keeps notes and communication in one place.
Business insights and reporting –Basic insights include how much work has been done and which jobs are ahead.
CRM and client portal – No client portal. Accountants can store client information and documents, review activity, and send emails in the CRM section.
User-friendliness – Easy to use and helps keep track of jobs. However, people have said it’s sometimes difficult to avoid entering information on the wrong client.

Furthermore, Jetpack Workflow lacks many features other accounting practice management software have by trying to fit everyone.

Jetpack Workflow Pricing

Starter plan: $45/month per user
Organize plan: $56/month per user
Scale plan: $63/month per user

Jetpack Workflow vs Karbon

Jetpack Workflow is a lighter, more affordable alternative to Karbon. It’s great for smaller firms that don’t need every feature, just solid task tracking, automation, and consistency.

It’s also easier to learn and quicker to roll out. It’s also more budget-friendly than Karbon. Jetpack Workflow works well if you want to manage recurring work and keep everything on track without the bells and whistles.