Sage alternative
An easier, lower cost Sage alternative
Sage Accounting starts at £20 a month plus VAT, and £43 plus VAT if you need CIS. Mint Books gives UK small businesses invoicing, VAT returns and CIS tracking for £19.99 a month in total.
No card needed to try it. Cancel any time.
Price side by side
MINT BOOKS ESSENTIAL
£9.99
a month, the total you pay
Unlimited invoices and quotes, expenses, 1 bank feed, online card payments
MINT BOOKS PRO
£19.99
a month, the total you pay
Adds VAT returns to HMRC, tax tools, CIS, unlimited bank feeds, 2 users
SAGE START
£20
a month + VAT (£24)
1 user, VAT returns, payroll included
SAGE STANDARD
£43
a month + VAT (£51.60)
3 users, CIS, suppliers, accruals
Sage prices as shown on sage.com/en-gb on 26/09/2026, before any introductory offer. Sage adds VAT at 20%; Mint Books prices are the total you pay.
What you get for the money
| Mint Books Pro | Sage Start | Sage Standard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price a month | £19.99 | £20 + VAT | £43 + VAT |
| Invoices and quotes | Unlimited | Yes | Yes |
| VAT returns to HMRC (MTD) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CIS | Subcontractor tracking | No | Yes |
| Users | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Payroll | No | Yes | Yes |
Why people choose Mint Books
🧮
Easier to use
Mint Books talks about income, expenses and what you owe. You do not need to know how a ledger works.
💷
Lower cost
£19.99 a month in total for VAT returns, CIS tracking and two users.
📷
Receipts from your phone
Photograph a receipt and Mint Books fills in the details for you.
🏦
Bank feeds
Your bank transactions come in by themselves, ready to match to invoices and expenses.
👀
Accountant access
Your accountant can see your books with read-only access.
🇬🇧
Built in the UK
VAT returns go to HMRC through Making Tax Digital on Pro.
Where Sage is stronger
Stay with Sage if you:
- run payroll in your accounts software (Sage includes it, Mint Books does not)
- track stock or inventory
- need unlimited users
- have years of history in Sage that your accountant relies on
Moving from Sage
1
Start your trial and add your business
Sole trader, limited company, partnership or LLP. You get 14 days with every Pro feature switched on.
2
Connect your bank or upload a statement
Link your bank for a live feed, or upload your bank statement as a CSV file to bring in past transactions.
3
Bring in your expenses and opening balances
Import expenses from a CSV file and enter the balances you are carrying over, so your figures start from the right place.
4
Invite your accountant
Give your accountant read-only access so they can see your books without changing anything.
Mint Books does not copy your data straight out of other software. You bring your bank history in from a statement file, import expenses from a spreadsheet and enter your opening balances. Keep your old account open until your accountant has your year-end figures.
Questions people ask
Is Mint Books cheaper than Sage?
Yes. Mint Books Pro is £19.99 a month in total. Sage Start is £20 plus VAT (£24) and Sage Standard, which you need for CIS, is £43 plus VAT (£51.60).
Does Mint Books handle CIS?
On Pro, Mint Books tracks the CIS deducted from your invoices when you work as a subcontractor. It does not file contractor CIS returns.
Can Mint Books send my VAT return?
Yes, on Pro, through Making Tax Digital.
Does Mint Books do payroll?
No. Use separate payroll software alongside Mint Books.
Can I try it first?
Yes. 14 days with every feature, no card needed to start. Start your trial.
Try Mint Books for 14 days
If you mainly invoice, spend and do your VAT, see how much simpler it can be.
Then from £9.99 a month. See pricing · Compare all