Looking for an Exact alternative?
Exact is strong and proven in Dutch accounting - but for some businesses the per-module price climbs, it feels fragmented, or you want more than administration on one platform. Here are the best alternatives side by side, including the honest answer on your accountant.
Odoo Gold Partner · Amsterdam · experienced with switches off Exact Online and Globe
What is the best alternative to Exact?
It depends on what you need most. If you only need solid accounting that your accountant likes, Exact is hard to beat and a light package like Moneybird or SnelStart is the cheaper option. If you want more than accounting - sales, stock, manufacturing, projects and a webshop on one integrated platform - Odoo is usually the strongest alternative. If you also want HR and payroll integrated, AFAS comes into play.
The best Exact alternatives, honestly scored
We are an Odoo partner, so we are not neutral about what we build. But an honest overview is the only one that counts: for pure accounting with a strong accountant link, Exact is hard to beat. The difference is whether you want more than administration.
| Alternative | Breadth (beyond accounting) | Pricing model | Flexibility / customisation | eCommerce & trade | SMB fit | Short verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OdooTop pick | Broad platform | Per user, all modules included | High (open source) | Native and strong | Strong | Best if you want one integrated platform, beyond accounting |
| AFAS | Broad + HR/payroll | Per employee, all-in | Medium (rigid) | Via integrations | Reasonable | Strong if you want HR and payroll integrated |
| Dynamics 365 BC | Broad ERP | Per user, higher | High (Microsoft stack) | Via apps | Heavier | Strong in Microsoft shops, pricier and partner-dependent |
| Moneybird / SnelStart | Accounting only | Low, per month | Low | No | Small / freelancer | Cheap and simple if you only need accounting |
| Visma.net | Accounting + HR | Per module | Medium | Limited | Reasonable | Solid NL/Nordic mid-option, less broad |
Which alternative fits which situation?
Briefly per option, so you can shorten the shortlist faster:
Odoo
Strongest if you want more than accounting and are done with Exact’s separate modules (and the climbing bill): sales, stock, manufacturing, projects, webshop and finance on one model, all apps included per user. Open source, so extensible without lock-in. Your accounting stays full and exportable to your accountant.
AFAS
Logical if you also want HR and Dutch payroll integrated alongside accounting. Broad and all-in per employee, but more rigid than Odoo, and you pay for people who barely use the system.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Logical if you are already deep in the Microsoft stack (Teams, Power BI, Azure AD). Broad and powerful, but heavier to implement, priced higher and more partner-dependent than Odoo at comparable scope.
Moneybird / SnelStart
The cheap, simple choice if you truly only need accounting and invoicing. No stock, manufacturing or broad platform - but fine for a small administration or freelancer, and accountants know them.
Visma.net
A solid mid-option with accounting and HR, strong in the Benelux and Northern Europe. Less broad and less flexible than Odoo, but safe if you stay close to administration.
What Exact does, and where you find it in Odoo
Exact sells a lot as separate modules. In Odoo it is one platform:
| In Exact | In Odoo |
|---|---|
| Finance & accounting | Native Accounting on one ledger, with VAT and reporting |
| Invoicing & subscriptions | Sales, Invoicing and Subscriptions |
| Order & sales (Exact Trade) | Sales + CRM, flowing through to stock and finance |
| Stock | Multi-warehouse, reservations, backorders, valuation |
| Purchasing | Purchase with reordering rules and vendor pricing |
| Manufacturing | Manufacturing (MRP), bills of materials and work orders |
| Webshop | Native Website & eCommerce on the same stock |
| Accountant & reporting | Full accounting with audit trail; exporting to your accountant stays possible |
Why businesses look for an Exact alternative
The reasons we hear most: Exact sells per module, so the bill climbs the moment you need more than accounting, and it feels fragmented - administration in one module, trade or projects in another. Exact Online is strong in finance, but outside accounting it gets thinner or pricier. And anyone still on Exact Globe (on-premise) faces a cloud migration regardless.
The accountant question: the honest answer
Exact Online is deeply embedded in the Dutch accountancy world: many firms work in it daily. That is a real strength and a reason not to switch lightly if your accounting runs fine there. The honest answer: Odoo has full accounting with an audit trail and reporting, and you can keep serving your accountant via export or a read-only role. But if your accountant insists on working only in Exact, weigh that - or align it up front. For businesses that need more than administration, the integrated platform usually outweighs the firm’s tool preference.
Exact Online or Exact Globe?
If you run on Exact Globe, the on-premise generation, a switch is a bigger step than a cloud-to-cloud move anyway: different data structure, often years of history and customisation. That is no reason to wait, more a reason to do it once and properly: instead of swapping Globe for separate cloud modules, consolidate onto one platform. We handle that with a fit-gap and a data plan, phased, with a trial run before go-live.
How to choose
Three rules of thumb. One: if you only need accounting and your accountant works happily in Exact, a light bookkeeper (or staying) is cheapest. Two: if you want a broad, flexible platform that covers more than administration and grows with you, Odoo is usually the strongest choice. Three: if you want HR and payroll integrated, or you are already deep in Microsoft, then AFAS and Dynamics 365 respectively come into play. Start from what you need most, not from the feature list.
Curious about realistic hours, cost and timelines? See the Odoo implementation benchmark →
Frequently asked questions about Exact alternatives
Is Odoo a good alternative to Exact?
For businesses that want more than accounting - sales, stock, manufacturing, projects, webshop and finance on one model - Odoo is usually the strongest alternative, with all modules included per user. If you truly only need accounting, a light package is cheaper.
Can I keep my accounting and accountant when I leave Exact?
Yes. Odoo has full accounting with an audit trail; you can keep serving your accountant via export or a read-only role. If your accountant insists on working only in Exact, align that up front - that is the one real consideration.
What is the cheapest Exact alternative?
If you only need accounting, Moneybird or SnelStart are cheap. For a broad platform the pricing model matters: Exact charges per module, Odoo per user with all modules included - run it on your own scope.
How is switching from Exact Globe different?
Exact Globe is the on-premise generation; a switch is a bigger step than cloud-to-cloud, with a different data structure and often years of history and customisation. That is exactly when it pays to consolidate onto one platform rather than replace Globe with separate cloud modules.
How long does switching from Exact take?
A well-scoped implementation takes weeks to a few months, depending on scope and customisation. We start with a fit-gap and a data plan; open items and history are planned in explicitly.
Need more than accounting? Pick what fits your business.
We are happy to think along about which alternative fits your situation - even if that is not Odoo, and honest about the accountant question. One conversation saves months of doubt.