Exact, Twinfield, SnelStart, AFAS or Odoo? Dutch accounting software compared

Short answer: if you only need bookkeeping, SnelStart and Twinfield handle Dutch requirements well, and Twinfield is the natural choice if your accounting firm uses it. Exact Online covers a lot of ground, but you pay per module. AFAS is strongest on HR and payroll for companies with staff. Odoo is a complete business system in which accounting, sales, inventory and projects share one database, but it takes more set-up and has fewer Dutch-specific features out of the box.

To be clear from the start: FID Finance works only with Odoo, which is exactly why we list Odoo's drawbacks too. The information comes from the vendors' own websites and documentation, as of 12 November 2026. Prices are per month, excluding VAT unless stated otherwise, and they change regularly.

At a glance

Exact Online

A broad platform that grows with you, from invoicing to production and projects. You build it from separate modules, each with its own subscription.

Strengths

• Broad: accounting, trade, production, projects, CRM and payroll from one vendor.
• Peppol e-invoicing is included in every package.
• A large network of accountants and close to 600 integrations in the App Store.

Watch out for

• Costs add up: Essentials is €49 with one bank account and 25 sales invoices a month, Plus is €99, and CRM and payroll are extra.
• Under its terms, Exact can change prices monthly.
• Data is stored with Amazon Web Services in Ireland.

Twinfield

Wolters Kluwer's accounting package, mostly used through accounting firms that run it for their clients.

Strengths

• Built for collaboration between business owner and accounting firm.
• VAT and EC sales list returns from within the package, and e-invoicing through its own Peppol connection.
• Integrations with payroll packages such as Loket.nl and Nmbrs.

Watch out for

• Accounting only: no sales, inventory or projects.
• Since 2025, integrations pay for API access, and partners pass on a charge per set of books.
• Prices are not published by the vendor. Onderneming.nl quotes €58 for bookkeeping and €78.50 with invoicing; through an accounting firm, prices are on request.

SnelStart

Popular with start-ups and smaller businesses, with packages that grow into orders, inventory and point of sale.

Strengths

• Strong on Dutch requirements: VAT returns through Digipoort without eHerkenning, free bank feeds with the major Dutch banks, and RGS.
• Data in the Netherlands (Microsoft Azure), ISO 27001 certified.
• Low entry price: €15.50, with VAT returns from €22.

Watch out for

• No CRM of its own, and no payroll for business owners themselves (it is available in the accountants' package).
• E-invoices are sent without attachments.
• Features differ between SnelStart 12, Web and Polaris, and the higher packages are priced on request.

AFAS

A full ERP for organisations with staff, with HR and payroll as its main strength.

Strengths

• Excellent payroll and HR: its own module covers more than 200 Dutch collective labour agreements.
• Everything in one database: finance, CRM, projects and orders.
• Hosted in the Netherlands, with RGS and the latest audit file format (XAF 4.0).

Watch out for

• Priced on request, based on the number of employees. Smaller businesses can choose AFAS SB (€59.99) or AFAS Direct (from €375).
• Automatic bank feeds only with ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank, Knab and BNG.
• A large system that quickly becomes too heavy for small businesses.

Odoo

A complete business system in which accounting, sales, purchasing, inventory, manufacturing and projects share one database. What happens in sales shows up in the books straight away.

Strengths

• Everything in one system, with no integrations between separate packages to maintain.
• VAT returns via SBR, XAF export and free Peppol e-invoicing are built in.
• Low licence costs: one app is free with unlimited users, otherwise from €19.90 per user in the first year.
• Upgrades, hosting and support are included in the licence.

Watch out for

• The Dutch localisation is less complete: RGS is not part of the standard chart of accounts, and payroll in practice runs through a partner.
• Bank feeds via Ponto cost extra, and API access requires the more expensive plan.
• Set-up takes time and money, and upgrading to a new version is mandatory every two years.

Which package suits which business?

• Small business, bookkeeping only: SnelStart, or Twinfield if your accounting firm uses it.
• Growing SME that wants to add modules over time: Exact Online.
• Many employees, demanding HR and payroll: AFAS.
• Sales, inventory, projects and accounting in one system: Odoo, provided it is set up properly.

If you choose Odoo, we take care of the financial set-up and fill in the Dutch-specific parts, such as the link with your payroll provider.

Frequently asked questions