Sage 50 Review and Pricing

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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. 

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.

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.

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 50 Pricing

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

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.

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.

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.