Comparison
InvoiceWriteNow vs Sage Accounting: which is right for a small South African business?
Sage is the accounting package many South African accountants work in. If you need bank reconciliation, VAT returns and a general ledger, that is what it is for. If you need to quote, invoice and get paid, you can do that for less, with less to learn.
InvoiceWriteNow is best for
Freelancers, trades and small businesses whose accountant does the books; anyone who mainly needs quotations, invoices, recurring billing and payment tracking.
Sage Accounting is best for
Businesses that do their own bookkeeping in-house and need a full ledger, bank reconciliation and VAT201 preparation in one system.
Side by side
| Feature | InvoiceWriteNow | Sage Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free Starter plan; Pro R199/month (R159 annual); Business R449/month (R359 annual). Priced in Rand. | Monthly subscription in Rand, tiered by features; no free plan. |
| Scope | Invoicing and quotations only, deliberately. | Full accounting: ledger, bank feeds, VAT returns, inventory, invoicing. |
| VAT and tax invoices | 15% VAT and SARS tax invoice fields built in; switch off if not registered. | Full VAT handling including returns. |
| Payments | EFT details on the invoice; PayFast for card, Instant EFT, SnapScan, Zapper and more. | Online payment integrations available. |
| Send from your own email | Send from your own email address (SMTP) on Pro and Business. | Sent via Sage's mail service. |
| Recurring invoices | Recurring monthly invoices on Pro and Business. | Yes. |
| Quotations | Quotations convert to invoices in one click. | Yes. |
| Team | Up to 10 team members with approvals on Business. | Multi-user on higher tiers. |
| Learning curve | First invoice in a few minutes. | Accounting concepts required; often set up by an accountant. |
Sage Accounting details are summarised from its public website and may change; check its pricing page for current figures. InvoiceWriteNow pricing is shown excluding VAT.
About Sage Accounting
Sage Business Cloud Accounting (often just "Sage Accounting") is a cloud accounting suite widely used in South Africa. It includes invoicing alongside bank feeds, VAT returns, inventory and reporting, priced per month in Rand with tiers by feature set. Check Sage's pricing page for current figures.
Verdict
Choose Sage if you run your own books and file your own VAT. Choose InvoiceWriteNow if you want to quote, invoice and track payments quickly and hand a clean export to your accountant. Many small businesses use InvoiceWriteNow for the client-facing documents and let their accountant work in Sage.
Frequently asked questions
Can I move from Sage to InvoiceWriteNow?
Yes. Continue your invoice numbering from your last Sage number and export your old invoices for your records.
Does InvoiceWriteNow do bank reconciliation?
No. It is an invoicing tool. Payments are marked on invoices and reports export for your accountant.
Ready to send your first invoice?
Free plan, no card, first document in two minutes. Upgrade when the invoices start stacking up.