Online accounting has revolutionised how self-employed people in Belgium manage their finances. Gone are the days of piles of paper invoices dropped off with the accountant every quarter: in 2026, digital tools let you scan, sort, record and file in a few clicks. But faced with so many available solutions, how do you choose the one that fits your needs and the specifics of the Belgian tax system? This guide compares the best online accounting software and helps you make the right choice.
Why switch to online accounting software in 2026?
The electronic invoicing obligation
Since 1 January 2026, structured electronic invoicing via Peppol has been mandatory for B2B transactions between VAT-registered businesses in Belgium (law of 6 February 2024). This obligation makes adopting digital tools almost essential.
The concrete benefits
| Benefit | Impact |
|---|---|
| Time savings | 40 to 60% less time spent on admin |
| Fewer errors | Automated entry, less risk of manual mistakes |
| Collaboration with your accountant | Real-time sharing with your accountant |
| Financial visibility | Real-time dashboard (turnover, cash flow, VAT) |
| Compliance | Automatic updates to rates and regulations |
| Archiving | Digital storage compliant with Belgian law (7 years) |
| Mobility | Access from any device |
What Belgian law says about bookkeeping
The bookkeeping obligations of the self-employed in Belgium are set out in Book III of the Economic Law Code (CDE):
- Self-employed individuals (turnover < EUR 500,000): simplified bookkeeping (income journal, expense journal, financial transactions journal, annual inventory)
- Self-employed individuals (turnover > EUR 500,000): double-entry bookkeeping
- Companies (SRL, SA, SC): double-entry bookkeeping mandatory, annual accounts filed with the BNB
Belgium's specific bookkeeping obligations
The Minimum Standardised Chart of Accounts (PCMN)
Every Belgian business keeping double-entry accounts must use the PCMN (royal decree of 12 September 1983, as amended). The main account classes are:
| Class | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Equity and provisions | Capital, reserves, retained profit |
| 2 | Formation expenses and fixed assets | Equipment, vehicles, patents |
| 3 | Stock | Goods, raw materials |
| 4 | Receivables and payables (< 1 year) | Customers, suppliers, VAT |
| 5 | Investments and cash | Bank accounts, cash |
| 6 | Expenses | Purchases, services, remuneration |
| 7 | Income | Turnover, financial income |
Good Belgian accounting software builds in the PCMN by default and updates it automatically.
VAT returns
VAT-registered businesses must file periodic VAT returns (monthly or quarterly) with FPS Finance via the Intervat platform. Compliant online accounting software automatically generates the VAT return's XML file.
Monthly returns: mandatory if annual turnover exceeds EUR 2,500,000 (excluding VAT), or by choice.
Quarterly returns: for businesses with turnover below EUR 2,500,000.
The annual listing of VAT-registered customers
Every year before 31 March, VAT-registered businesses must file an annual listing of their Belgian VAT-registered customers and the turnover generated with each one (art. 53quinquies of the VAT Code). Good online accounting software generates this listing automatically.
The intra-Community statement
If you carry out transactions with customers in other EU countries, you must file a statement of intra-Community transactions (monthly or quarterly). Your online accounting software should handle this declaration.
Comparing online accounting solutions
1. Yuki – the benchmark for automated pre-accounting
Origin: Netherlands (active Belgian subsidiary)
Price: from EUR 44/month
Key features:
- AI-based automatic document recognition (invoices, receipts, bank statements)
- Automatic bookkeeping with continuous learning
- Bank integration with all major Belgian banks (KBC, BNP Paribas Fortis, ING, Belfius, etc.)
- Automatic generation of VAT returns (Intervat file)
- Annual listing and intra-Community statement
- Built-in Belgian PCMN
- Real-time collaboration with your accountant
- Peppol-compliant
Ideal for: self-employed people and SMEs who want to automate their bookkeeping as much as possible.
2. Exact Online – the complete solution for SMEs
Origin: Netherlands (well established in Belgium)
Price: from EUR 30/month
Key features:
- Full double-entry bookkeeping
- Built-in invoicing and quotes
- Project management and time tracking
- Automatic bank reconciliation (via CodaBox/Isabel)
- VAT returns and annual accounts
- Multi-currency and multi-company
- Belgian PCMN
- Peppol-compliant
- Over 350 third-party integrations
Ideal for: growing SMEs that need a complete solution.
3. Octopus – the quintessential Belgian accounting software
Origin: Belgium
Price: from EUR 45/month
Key features:
- Full bookkeeping (built-in PCMN)
- Generation of annual accounts in BNB format
- Automated VAT returns (Intervat)
- Balance sheet, income statement, annexes
- Management of fixed assets and depreciation
- Built-in invoicing
- Peppol-compliant
- Interface in French and Dutch
Ideal for: accountants, accounting firms and SMEs who want to manage their bookkeeping in-house.
4. ClearFacts – collaborative pre-accounting
Origin: Belgium
Price: via your accountant (generally included in their fees)
Key features:
- Automatic scanning and recognition of invoices (OCR)
- Automatic filing of documents
- Digital archiving compliant with Belgian law
- Real-time collaboration with your accountant
- Mobile app for scanning receipts
- Integration with major accounting software (Octopus, Bob, Winbooks)
- Peppol-compliant
Ideal for: self-employed people who work with an accountant and want to simplify exchanges.
5. Bob (Sage Bob 50)
Origin: Belgium (developed by Sage)
Price: from EUR 65/month
Key features:
- Full bookkeeping compliant with Belgian law
- Commercial management (purchases, sales, stock)
- Payroll management module
- VAT returns, annual accounts, tax forms
- Built-in Belgian PCMN
- Multi-company
- Peppol-compliant
Ideal for: SMEs and large companies that need a full ERP solution.
6. Winbooks – connected accounting
Origin: Belgium
Price: from EUR 40/month
Key features:
- Double-entry bookkeeping
- Automatic invoice recognition
- Automated VAT returns
- Annual accounts in BNB format
- Bank integration (CodaBox, Isabel)
- Mobile app (Winbooks Connect)
- Peppol-compliant
Ideal for: accounting firms and SMEs looking for proven Belgian software.
7. Dexxter – for starters and secondary self-employed activity
Origin: Belgium
Price: from EUR 12/month
Key features:
- Simplified bookkeeping suited to the self-employed
- Built-in invoicing
- Automatic calculation of VAT and estimated tax
- Tracking of expenses and professional costs
- Personal income tax simulation
- VAT exemption scheme management
- Very intuitive interface
- Peppol-compliant
Ideal for: people who are self-employed as a secondary activity (indépendant complémentaire) and starters who want a simple, affordable solution.
Comparison table
| Solution | Price/month | Belgian | PCMN | VAT returns | Annual accounts | Peppol | Target audience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuki | EUR 44+ | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Self-employed, SMEs |
| Exact Online | EUR 30+ | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SMEs |
| Octopus | EUR 45+ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Accountants, SMEs |
| ClearFacts | Via accountant | Yes | Via accountant | Via accountant | Via accountant | Yes | Self-employed |
| Bob (Sage) | EUR 65+ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SMEs, large companies |
| Winbooks | EUR 40+ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Accounting firms, SMEs |
| Dexxter | EUR 12+ | Yes | Simplified | Yes | No | Yes | Starters, secondary self-employed |
Bank integration: a key criterion
CodaBox and Isabel
Two platforms dominate Belgian accounting bank integration:
CodaBox: a platform that centralises CODA files (bank statements) and SODA files (payslips) from all Belgian banks. Your accounting software connects to CodaBox to automatically import your bank statements and carry out bank reconciliation.
Isabel 6: a multi-bank platform that lets you manage payments, receipts and statements from all your banks through a single interface. Isabel also includes accounting features.
The CODA format
CODA (Coded statement of Account) is a standardised Belgian file format for electronic bank statements. All Belgian accounting software supports this format. It enables automatic import and reconciliation of bank transactions.
The SODA format
SODA (Social Documents Application) is a standardised format for social documents (payslips, NSSO statements). It is distributed via CodaBox and can be imported directly into your accounting software.
The accountant's role: collaboration, not replacement
Do you still need an accountant with online software?
Yes, in the vast majority of cases. Online accounting software does not replace the expertise of a bookkeeper or accountant. It makes collaboration easier and reduces the time spent on data entry, but the following tasks still require a professional:
- Closing the annual accounts and filing them with the BNB
- Tax returns (personal income tax, corporate tax) and tax optimisation
- Strategic advice (choice of legal form, tax planning, director's remuneration)
- Compliance checks (adherence to Belgian accounting standards)
- Representation in the event of a tax audit
Accountant fees in Belgium
| Type of service | Indicative rate (2026) |
|---|---|
| Simplified bookkeeping (self-employed) | EUR 800 – 2,000/year |
| Double-entry bookkeeping (SRL) | EUR 2,000 – 5,000/year |
| Personal income tax return (self-employed) | EUR 200 – 500 |
| Corporate tax return (company) | EUR 500 – 1,500 |
| One-off tax advice | EUR 100 – 200/hour |
| Company formation | EUR 500 – 1,500 (excluding notary fees) |
Important: accountant fees are 100% deductible professional expenses.
The ITAA: the institute for tax advisers and accountants
Since 2020, the ITAA (Institute for Tax Advisors and Accountants) has been the professional body bringing together accountants and tax advisers in Belgium. Only ITAA members can legally practise these professions. Always check that your accountant is registered with the ITAA (a directory is available at itaa.be).
Automating repetitive accounting tasks
Automatic bank reconciliation
Most online accounting software offers automatic bank reconciliation: payments received into your account are automatically matched with the corresponding invoices. This works particularly well with Belgium's structured communication system (+++XXX/XXXX/XXXXX+++).
OCR invoice recognition
Tools such as Yuki, ClearFacts or Dext use optical character recognition (OCR) combined with artificial intelligence to automatically extract data from scanned or photographed invoices: supplier name, amount, VAT, date, and so on.
Typical workflow:
- You photograph a purchase invoice with your phone
- The app sends the image to the OCR server
- Data is extracted and a bookkeeping entry is suggested
- You (or your accountant) validate it
- The entry is recorded and the invoice archived
Automated payment reminders
Set up automated reminders for unpaid invoices. Most software lets you configure:
- A courteous reminder 7 days after the due date
- A second reminder 15 days after
- A formal notice of default 30 days after
Tax estimation
Tools such as Dexxter offer a real-time tax simulation based on your income and expenses for the current year. This lets you anticipate your tax burden and plan your advance tax payments.
Accounting data security
Hosting and encryption
Your accounting data is sensitive. Check that your solution offers:
- Hosting within Europe (GDPR compliance)
- SSL/TLS encryption for data transfers
- Encryption at rest (AES-256) for stored data
- Two-factor authentication (2FA) for account access
- Automatic daily backups
- ISO 27001 certification (information security)
GDPR compliance
Accounting data contains personal data (names, addresses, VAT numbers). Your software must comply with the GDPR (Regulation 2016/679):
- A data processing agreement (DPA) in place
- Rights of access, rectification and erasure of data
- A record of processing activities kept by the provider
- Notification in the event of a data breach (72 hours)
How much does online accounting cost?
Indicative total budget for a self-employed person
| Item | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| Invoicing software | EUR 0 – 300 |
| Accounting software | EUR 150 – 540 |
| Accountant's fees | EUR 800 – 2,000 |
| CodaBox (if needed) | EUR 0 – 120 |
| Total | EUR 950 – 2,960/year |
Indicative total budget for an SRL
| Item | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| Invoicing and accounting software | EUR 360 – 1,200 |
| Accountant's fees | EUR 2,000 – 5,000 |
| CodaBox / Isabel | EUR 120 – 600 |
| Filing annual accounts with the BNB | EUR 70 – 400 |
| Total | EUR 2,550 – 7,200/year |
Reminder: all these costs are 100% deductible professional expenses.
How to migrate to online accounting software
Step 1: Choose the right moment
Ideally, migrate at the start of an accounting year (often 1 January for the self-employed). This avoids having to import a mid-year history.
Step 2: Export your data
From your old system (Excel, previous software), export:
- Your chart of accounts
- Account balances
- Your customer and supplier database
- Open (unpaid) invoices
Step 3: Set up the new software
- Configure your chart of accounts (Belgian PCMN)
- Configure your VAT rates (6%, 12%, 21%)
- Import your customer/supplier database
- Configure your bank integration (CodaBox or a direct connection)
- Configure your invoice templates and mandatory statements
- Configure your Peppol connection
Step 4: Involve your accountant
Your accountant should validate the setup and test the workflows (invoicing, bookkeeping, VAT returns). This is a good opportunity to choose the optimal settings together.
Step 5: Test phase
Run both systems in parallel for 1 to 2 months to check the consistency of the results.
Conclusion
Online accounting software is no longer optional for the Belgian self-employed in 2026: it is a necessity, both for efficiency and to comply with the electronic invoicing obligation. Belgian solutions such as Octopus, ClearFacts, Winbooks and Dexxter offer native compliance with the Belgian tax system, while international solutions such as Yuki and Exact Online bring advanced automation features.
Choosing the right tool depends on your profile (secondary self-employed activity, main self-employed activity, SME), your budget, and how you collaborate with your accountant. In any case, do not hesitate to test several solutions (most offer a free trial) before committing.
This article was written by the Espero-Soft team for the blog dedicated to entrepreneurs in Belgium. For personalised advice, consult your ITAA-approved accountant.
