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Sage 50 Review and Pricing

Mike Berner
Written by: Mike Berner, Senior AnalystUpdated Jul 18, 2025
Shari Weiss,Senior Editor
Business.com earns commissions from some listed providers. Editorial Guidelines.
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Editors Score:8.1/10
Sage 50 Accounting is our choice for the best desktop-based accounting software. This desktop solution with cloud connectivity is easy to set up and use, facilitating essential accounting tasks for small businesses.
Thumbs Up Pros
  • Businesses can create customized solutions through Sage's open API.
  • Sage maintains an active community forum where you can get help from experts and fellow users.
  • Sage supports invoice and bill tracking.
Thumbs Down Cons
  • Sage doesn't offer the ability to create recurring invoices, which may be inconvenient if you have a subscription business model.
  • You can’t schedule automatic payment reminders with Sage.
  • Sage doesn’t let you track billable hours and add billable expenses.
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Once a business launches, few things are more critical than accounting and financial management. Sage 50 Accounting includes all the small business accounting tools needed for financial tracking. This desktop-based software features cloud connectivity, allowing you to work offline without risking any progress loss. Since most small business owners aren’t accountants or bookkeepers, we appreciate that Sage is intuitive, easy to set up and use, and provides robust customer support. 

Sage 50 Editor's Rating:

8.1 / 10

Payments
9.0/10
Automatic invoicing
8.5/10
Third-party integrations
8.5/10
Mobile app
9.0/10
24/7 customer support
8.5/10

Why We Chose Sage 50 Accounting as Best for Desktop Users

While cloud-based accounting software offers flexibility and accessibility, desktop-based programs provide some advantages. Since the software resides on your local computer, you have complete control over data storage and security. Desktop software may also run faster and doesn’t require an internet connection, allowing uninterrupted work during outages.

Sage 50 Accounting stands out because it combines the reliability of desktop software with the flexibility of cloud connectivity. This hybrid setup gives users the best of both worlds — local control with optional remote access.

As one of the few accounting platforms that still supports desktop use, Sage 50 includes essential small business accounting software features, such as bookkeeping, inventory management and real-time reporting. For these reasons, it’s our top recommendation for desktop users seeking a powerful, feature-rich accounting solution.

Did You Know?Did you know
Sage 50 Accounting is considered an excellent alternative to QuickBooks, which also offers a desktop-based accounting program.
Sage 50 automation
Sage 50 helps businesses take control of their finances with automation features, customized solutions and remote data access. Source: Sage

Ease of Use

During our testing process, we found Sage 50 Accounting relatively straightforward to learn. Although the user interface (UI) is somewhat dated compared to alternatives like QuickBooks Online, Sage’s dashboard is easy to navigate and displays vital business statistics, such as the top 10 customers based on gross profit figures, reports, account balances, aged receivables, inventory and more. A feed from your bank account allows you to see how money is flowing in and out of your business, and you can generate reports automatically based on these key statistics.

We like that you can customize Sage’s dashboard according to your preferences and configure it to display areas of the business you or your employees deal with regularly. For example, you can customize the dashboard for an accounts receivable (AR) manager to display features such as customer lists and invoices. This flexibility is great if you plan to have users in different roles work with the program.

Sage 50 also includes cash flow tracking, expense management, payroll (with a subscription), job management, job costing, inventory management and more, all easily viewable in the software’s various reports.

Sage 50 Features

Sage 50 Accounting offers a wide range of valuable features without requiring a cloud-based setup. When testing the software, the following desktop tools and functions stood out the most to us.

Cash Flow Management

Sage shines when it comes to providing easy access to tools and reports for managing cash flow. The software includes a “what-if” analysis tool to help you project cash flow, as well as detailed breakdowns of how cash is flowing in and out of your business. We like that the program also shows what you’re owed and what bills are due, so you can keep on top of near-term cash needs.

Other helpful tools include cash flow forecasting, customizable reporting dashboards and analytics, platform integration and cloud-based accessibility.

Sage cash flow forecasting
Sage 50’s cash flow forecasting tool can help businesses anticipate financial trends and plan accordingly. Source: Sage

Bank Reconciliation 

Reconciling a business bank account can be tedious, but Sage streamlines this crucial accounting task. When you connect your business checking account, credit card accounts and business savings account to the software, Sage automatically downloads your transaction statements. Its smart bank reconciliation tool then automatically matches your bank transactions to those you’ve created in the system. This allows you to see whether your accounts are cleared or if any unreconciled differences remain.

FYIDid you know
Keeping business and personal accounts separate is crucial, even though many entrepreneurs self-fund their businesses.

Invoices

A professional invoice is critical to getting paid, so we appreciate that Sage offers an invoicing feature that makes it easy to bill customers. Businesses can use invoicing software to convert quotes to invoices, track invoiced hours, record billable expenses, monitor payments in real time and get actionable reports. The invoicing tools also include automatic payment reminders as well as integrations with Stripe and PayPal to streamline payment acceptance. (See our review of Stripe for more information.)

Sage 50 invoices
Sage 50 Accounting makes it fast and easy to create and send invoices from a computer or on a mobile phone via a web browser. Source: Sage

Inventory

Sage’s inventory-tracking features are incredibly helpful to businesses that sell tangible products. Set reorder quantities and adjust stock quantities manually as needed. You can enter items into the system manually with a spreadsheet or import them in bulk ― a time-saver if you carry many items or customized products. Sage also lets you set multiple prices for each item and add categories and descriptions. 

Sage 50 inventory management
You can view quantities in stock and purchase orders using Sage’s inventory management tools. Source: Sage
TipBottom line
If your business has complex inventory needs, consider using one of the best point-of-sale (POS) systems that can sync inventory automatically, create product variations and bundles, and issue low-stock alerts.

Financial Reporting

Organized financial reports make it easier to analyze your business’s data and generate insights about what’s going on under the hood, financially speaking. We were impressed that Sage 50 Accounting offers 150 real-time financial reports to analyze your business’s financial health. These reports include profit and loss statements, trial balance reports, balance sheets, general ledger reports and accounts receivable aging reports. We like that reports can be customized using Sage’s prebuilt options as a starting point.

Sage custom reports
Sage makes it easy to customize various reports and access specialized reports by industry. Source: Sage

Integrations

While still limited compared to rivals, we like that the Sage Marketplace boasts over 350 integrations, including POS systems and some of the best CRM software platforms. Sage also offers add-ons for Sage Payroll as well as Microsoft 365. With the Microsoft integration, you get access to financial reporting in Excel and cloud backups of all your data. Other add-ons include e-filing, HR tasks, direct deposit, checks and forms, data entry, invoice payments, payment processing solutions and time-tracking attendance.

Did You Know?Did you know
If extensive integrations are a priority, check out our review of Xero. This platform integrates with more than 1,000 third-party business apps — among the most of any accounting software packages we reviewed.
Sage 50 integrations
Sage 50 integrations include solutions for time tracking, payment processing, sales tax calculation, and much more. Source: Sage

Expense Control

One unique feature we noticed when testing Sage 50 Accounting is its “Jobs” tab, which allows you to assign unique records, labels and cost codes to your business’s jobs. You’ll be able to identify projects that bring in the most revenue and customize job statuses and your business’s contact fields.

Business owners can also manage their expenses by reviewing income and payment information under the “Customer & Sales” tab. Here you can run what-if scenarios as often as you want, view breakdowns of money in and out, and manage sales invoices by customer IDs. Sage 50 also displays the status of outstanding payments while tracking expenses to stay on budget.

Using Sage’s analytics, you can pinpoint which projects generate the most revenue for your business and customize the job status and contact fields. We think cost-conscious business owners will find a lot to like with this tool.

Sage job costs
Sage helps you track job costs and estimate how much you’ll make. Source: Sage 

Sage 50 Pricing

Sage sells three plans for its Sage 50 Accounting software, with subscriptions paid on either a monthly or annual basis:

Plan

Pricing

Ideal for

Features

Pro Accounting

  • $61.92 per month
  • $625 paid annually

Solopreneurs, entrepreneurs and very small businesses

  • One user
  • Invoicing
  • Purchase order and approval
  • Expense management
  • Bank reconciliation
  • Reports
  • Inventory management
  • Job cost control 

Premium Accounting

  • From $109.67 (1 user) to $252.33 (5 users) per month 
  • From $1,100 (1 user) to $2,523 (5 users) paid annually

Small businesses

Everything in Pro, plus: 

  • Support for multiple companies
  • Advanced budgeting tools and reports
  • Audit trails 
  • Industry-specific functionality

Quantum Accounting

  • From $188.67 (1 user) to $482.08 (10 users) per month 
  • From $1,896 (1 user) to $4,841 (10 users) paid annually

Larger businesses and enterprises

Everything in Premium, plus:

  • Role-based user permissions 
  • Workflow management 

Additional pricing considerations include:

  • Payroll: You can bundle Sage 50 Accounting with Sage’s payroll software. Prices start at $1,043 annually.
  • Add-ons: Other optional paid add-ons include AutoEntry for document data, prepaid check ordering and payments through Stripe and PayPal.
  • Additional users: If you need additional users on the Quantum plan, you’ll need to call for a quote.
  • Trial period: We like that Sage offers a 30-day trial period without requiring software installation. Although this trial version isn’t fully featured, it doesn’t require a credit card to sign up and should give you a solid idea of the program’s capabilities.

Implementation/Onboarding

When you’re ready to fully implement the software, we love that Sage provides complimentary training and a dedicated Sage Customer Success representative. You’ll receive assistance in migrating your existing accounting data to the Sage 50 Accounting system, ensuring a seamless transition for users switching from another accounting platform. 

If you’re transitioning from QuickBooks, Sage support experts will import your data for free so you don’t have to. If you need further assistance while setting up the program, Sage University is a great resource during onboarding and beyond (more on this below).

Customer Support

Many software providers skimp on customer service, but we were impressed by Sage’s many customer support resources:

  • Community Hub: We like this 24/7 online forum, where you can ask Community Hub members questions, read product announcements and browse the Support and Insights blogs. Sage’s support team and fellow users collaborate to answer questions.
  • Online reference materials: All the vendor’s product reference materials and guides are available through the searchable Sage knowledge base. You can also download software and updates, find serial numbers and activation codes, and add or activate licenses.
  • Sage University: Sage University offers training courses to help small business owners maximize the software’s benefits. These online classes give you a comprehensive understanding of the program and provide general advice for running a business.
  • One-on-one support: If you prefer to speak with an expert directly, you can call or chat with customer support agents. You can also schedule sessions through Sage 50 Expert Services.
  • Sage Masterclass: You’ll receive exclusive benefits to Masterclass as a Sage 50 member. The Member Masterclass offers talks, articles and expert advice in a four-part format. It also covers how businesses can adopt AI and trendspotting, discover practical digital strategies and unlock new opportunities.

Limitations

Although Sage 50 Accounting has many advantages for users who want a desktop accounting solution, we found a few potential drawbacks:

  • Higher prices: Sage is more expensive on a monthly basis than pure cloud-based software, such as QuickBooks Online, Xero and FreshBooks. (See our FreshBooks review to compare prices.)
  • Dated UI: During our testing, we found Sage 50 Accounting’s UI to be rather dated compared to other accounting software programs we evaluated. However, this may be an intentional strategy to keep the software familiar for longtime users who may dislike needing to learn new formats.
  • Fewer integrations: Sage offers more than 350 integrations, which puts it in the middle of the pack for accounting software. Other leading accounting services, such as QuickBooks Online and Xero, boast more than 750 integrations each.
  • Mobile access limitations: There is no dedicated mobile app for Sage 50 in the U.S. because Sage Business Cloud Accounting (a separate, fully cloud-based product with a mobile app) was discontinued in this market in December 2024. As a result, U.S. businesses must use Sage 50 on a desktop or laptop, or access it via a mobile web browser. Sage Business Cloud Accounting is still available in some international markets, where mobile app support remains. While Sage 50 does offer cloud connectivity — allowing online backups and limited remote access — it is not fully cloud-hosted, and your data is stored locally.
FYIDid you know
Tech-savvy business owners should also read our review of Zoho Books to learn about a competing accounting software product that allows extensive customization for automating processes.

Methodology

We studied dozens of the best accounting and invoicing software solutions to help small businesses find the right accounting software for their needs. As part of each analysis, we evaluated each program’s software features, including payment and invoicing capabilities, integrations, mobile apps, report generation, supported user count and customer service options. We also assessed pricing and free trial availability and considered user reviews for independent opinions on each product’s pros and cons. 

When determining the best accounting software for desktop users, we focused on options for small businesses that weren’t solely cloud-based and still included everything that small business owners expect from modern accounting software.

Sage 50 FAQs

Sage 50 retired its Sage Business Cloud Accounting option as of December 24, 2024, in the U.S. For those outside the U.S., Sage 50 Accounting is different from Sage Business Cloud. Sage 50 Accounting is now the company's flagship small business accounting service in this market. However, Sage 50 does have cloud connectivity in the U.S., which means you can work remotely from anywhere as long as you have a laptop, desktop or mobile web browser.
As a desktop-based solution, you will need to install the Sage 50 Accounting software on your computer to access the program. However, the product's hybrid nature and cloud backup abilities mean your data is always safely stored and accessible remotely.
Both Sage 50 Accounting and QuickBooks offer a robust set of accounting features designed specifically for small businesses. One difference is that QuickBooks offers more invoicing tools and is more affordable than Sage 50. Check out our detailed QuickBooks Online review to learn more.

Bottom Line

We recommend Sage 50 Accounting for …

  • Business owners seeking a desktop-based accounting solution with robust features and cloud connectivity. 
  • Businesses that want to retain the ability to do accounting work on a local device rather than in the cloud. 
  • Cost-conscious business owners who want to carefully track job expenses. 

We don’t recommend Sage 50 Accounting for …

  • Small business owners on a budget who need a basic, inexpensive accounting solution. 
  • Business owners who want to do a lot of their finance work on the go via a mobile app. 
  • Accounting teams that prefer a sleek, modern UI.

Amanda Hoffman contributed to this review.

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Mike Berner
Written by: Mike Berner, Senior Analyst
Mike Berner brings to business.com over half a decade of experience as a finance expert, having previously served as an economic analyst for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His expertise lies in conducting quantitative analysis and research, providing invaluable guidance for navigating the modern financial landscape. Berner, who has a bachelor's degree in economics and a bachelor of business administration in finance, enjoys simplifying complicated financial concepts for entrepreneurs and business owners. From deciphering the intricacies of business loans and accounting to identifying the best payroll systems and credit card processors, he offers comprehensive insights tailored to meet diverse business needs. At business.com, Berner covers business plans, funding solutions, accounting software, the ins and outs of credit card processing and more. Beyond dedicating himself to exploring and evaluating the latest financial solutions, Berner has also become adept at explaining how businesses can take advantage of artificial intelligence tools. His passion for sharing knowledge extends to various platforms, including Substack, TikTok and YouTube, where he imparts tips and strategies on topics like sales tactics, savvy investing and tax saving.
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Check out The Best Accounting Software for Restaurants business.com recommends.