Accounting software replaces the notebook and spreadsheet with one system that records money coming in and going out and turns those records into reports.
Day to day, you use it to log sales and expenses, create and send invoices, track who has paid, and match your records against bank and mobile money payments.
Depending on the software, you can also manage stock, payroll, and tax calculations such as PAYE and VAT, then produce profit and loss statements and cash flow reports without having to build them by hand.
For a small business, this can save time and reduce errors.
You enter a sale once, and it flows through to invoices, VAT, and financial reports, which cuts repeated typing and catches mistakes early. You can see who owes you, what you owe and if you’re really making a profit, which helps with pricing, buying stock, and hiring.
Your records are also in one place and in a format an accountant, a bank, or URA can work with. In Uganda, VAT-registered businesses must comply with URA’s Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing System (EFRIS).
Businesses also need to consider UGX support, mobile money, invoicing, reporting, and subscription costs.
Let’s compare what accounting software Uganda has and see what each offers.
Accounting Software in Uganda Comparison
| Software | Used for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Tugye Accounting | Local tax, payroll, and mobile money | UGX 27,000–110,000/month |
| Basket Books | Small businesses and contractors | Free |
| Zoho Books | Startups and small businesses | USD 20–275/org/month billed annually |
| QuickBooks Online | Teams and multi-currency accounting | UGX 86,380–366,086/month |
| Xero | Businesses managing many invoices | USD 29–75/month |
| TallyPrime | Traders and wholesalers | One-time purchase; USD 630 or USD 1,890 |
| Odoo | Growing businesses needing multiple applications | USD 0–44.90/user/month |
Confirm prices and features with each provider before subscribing. Promotional rates, regional availability, billing currencies, and plan limits can change.
1) Tugye Accounting
Tugye Accounting is worth considering if you run a Ugandan business and want accounting, payroll and mobile money support in one system.
Its features include invoicing, payment tracking, customer records, financial reports, payroll, and local tax records.
Customers can pay through MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money, which can make payment collection more convenient for businesses that receive money through these services.
Tugye also offers built-in URA EFRIS e-invoicing. This could be useful for VAT-registered businesses, but confirm the provider’s accreditation with URA and ask for evidence that the integration meets your business’s invoicing requirements before relying on it.
Their plans include:
- Starter: UGX 27,000 per month for invoices, payments, contacts, and basic business reports.
- Business: UGX 55,000 per month, adding features such as additional users, payroll, advanced controls, and reporting.
- Enterprise: UGX 110,000 per month for larger operations, API access, dedicated support, and additional team controls.
You can start with a free option and upgrade as your business grows. Prepaying for three months or longer may save up to 25%, and the provider accepts mobile money and card payments.
Before signing up, check the number of users included in each plan, if you can transact in other currencies, and which formats are available for exporting your records.
2) Basket Books
Basket Books is a free accounting option for small businesses, contractors, and logistics firms that want to keep their financial records organized without adding a monthly software subscription.
The platform offers invoicing, payment tracking, customer payment reminders, profit and loss reports, VAT management, and mobile money support. Its registration page lists invoicing, reminders, P&L, VAT, and mobile money among its core functions.
Basket Books also serves several business types, including consultants and freelancers, hospitality businesses, manufacturers, construction companies, retailers, NGOs, agribusinesses, and logistics firms.
You can register for free, with an optional field for your URA Tax Identification Number (TIN).
However, you should confirm a few details before transferring your existing records.
The registration information does not clearly establish which currencies are supported, what data export options are available, which mobile money providers are integrated, or if EFRIS is supported.
Review the service terms and data protection policy as well. If you plan to use the platform for VAT reporting, ask the provider to demonstrate how it handles the records and reports your business needs.
3) Zoho Books
Zoho Books is an option for startups and small businesses looking for cloud-based accounting software Uganda with a free entry-level plan.
Its features include invoicing, quotations, transaction tracking, automated payment reminders, and financial reports.
Multi-currency support is available for businesses dealing with international customers, although you should confirm UGX support for the edition available to you.
The platform offers several plans, with pricing depending on the selected tier and billing terms.
The options listed in the supplied pricing information are:
- Free: Basic accounting for eligible small and micro-businesses.
- Standard: Promotional fee of USD 15 per month with a USD 20 regular fee for transaction management, accounts, and reports.
- Professional: A promotional fee of USD 40 per month and a USD 50 regular fee for adding project tracking, inventory, and purchase management.
- Premium: A promotional fee of USD 60 per month and a USD 70 regular fee with additional customization and automation.
- Elite: A promotional fee of USD 120 per month and a USD 150 regular fee with advanced accounting and inventory management.
- Ultimate: A promotional fee of USD 240 per month and a USD 275 regular fee with advanced business intelligence.
Checked the provider’s current before you subscribe.
The free plan may be sufficient if you are starting out and have relatively simple accounting needs. As your business grows, you can compare the paid plans to see which features justify the extra cost.
One important consideration is local compliance. Confirm the availability of the relevant edition, Uganda-specific tax requirements, UGX support, and EFRIS compatibility before using Zoho Books as your main accounting system.
4) QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online is worth considering if several people need access to your accounts or your business handles transactions in different currencies.
Its features include invoicing, financial reports, report exports, and multi-currency accounting. Recurring invoices are available from the Essentials plan, which can save time if you bill customers regularly.
The plans accommodate different team sizes:
- Simple Start: One user.
- Essentials: Three users.
- Plus: Five users.
- Advanced: Up to 25 users.
The introductory prices include:
- Simple Start: UGX 8,638 per month for six months, then UGX 86,380 per month.
- Essentials: UGX 12,751 per month for six months, then UGX 127,513 per month.
- Plus: UGX 18,921 per month for six months, then UGX 189,213 per month.
- Advanced: UGX 36,609 per month for six months, then UGX 366,086 per month.
The introductory offers may apply only to eligible new customers. Check the current terms before budgeting for a subscription.
Also confirm that the plan available to you supports your required tax reports and EFRIS process. Multi-currency features alone do not establish compliance with Uganda’s tax requirements.
5) Xero
Xero is designed for businesses that want cloud-based accounting, online invoicing, and financial reporting. It may suit sole traders, self-employed professionals, and growing businesses that issue invoices regularly.
Its features include online invoices and quotations, bill management, bank reconciliation, cash flow forecasting, financial reports, and performance dashboards.
The premium plan also offers multi-currency accounting, which can help businesses dealing with international customers and suppliers.
They offer three plans with 80% off the starter and the standard plans for the first 3 months.
The regular prices are:
- Starter: USD 29 per month after the introductory period, with limits on invoices and bills.
- Standard: USD 50 per month after the introductory period, with more extensive invoicing and bill management.
- Premium: USD 75 per month, with multi-currency support.
These prices are regional and may not be the prices available to a Ugandan business, so confirm first.
Before subscribing, confirm regional availability, UGX support, local tax requirements, payment processing fees, and data export options. Also compare invoice limits carefully if your business sends many invoices each month.
6) TallyPrime
TallyPrime is suited to traders, wholesalers, and businesses that need accounting alongside inventory management. It can be useful if you handle frequent stock movements and want to keep purchasing, sales, and financial records together.
Its features include invoicing, accounting, inventory management, banking and cash flow tools, connected services, and business operations features.
Both the Silver and Gold editions include one year of Tally Software Services (TSS).
The listed one-time purchase prices are:
- TallyPrime Silver: USD 630 for single-PC use.
- TallyPrime Gold: USD 1,890 for multi-user access across multiple PCs.
When purchasing, ask about renewal or service fees after the included TSS period.
Also verify EFRIS integration and any additional setup needed before purchasing it for tax compliance.
If you need to access desktop accounting software while away from your office, remote hosting is another option.
At Truehost, we offer Windows VPS hosting, which provides a remote Windows environment. You would need to purchase your TallyPrime license separately, as Truehost does not sell the software license.
7) Odoo
Odoo may suit a growing business that needs accounting alongside sales, inventory, customer management and other business applications.
Rather than offering accounting alone, Odoo combines multiple business tools in one platform.
Depending on the applications and configuration you choose, you can manage invoicing, sales, eCommerce, customer relationships, inventory, HR-related functions and project management.
Its pricing options include:
- One app free costs €0 for one app and unlimited users.
- Standard costs €19.90 per user/month when billed yearly or €24.90 monthly.
- Custom costs €35.90 per user/month when billed yearly or €44.90 monthly.
The yearly prices reflect a 12-month introductory discount for initial users.
The Custom plan adds features such as multi-company support, Odoo Studio, external API access and additional hosting options. However, implementation, data migration and customisation can add to your costs, particularly if your business needs several departments to share data.
Odoo Online hosting is included with the Standard and Custom plans. The Custom plan also allows Odoo.sh or on-premises deployment, with Odoo.sh hosting charged separately.
At Truehost, we also offer Odoo hosting. This is a hosting service, separate from an Odoo software subscription or accounting service.
Before committing, check that your chosen configuration supports your accounting and tax requirements, including EFRIS where applicable. Ask the implementation provider to explain any integrations or custom development your business will need.
Which Accounting Software Should You Choose?
For VAT-registered businesses, prioritize EFRIS integration and verify the provider’s accreditation with URA.
If you own a startup but on a tight budget, compare Basket Books and Zoho Books’ free plans, including their limits and local compliance.
For businesses managing stock, consider TallyPrime or Odoo, and teams with multiple users, Compare QuickBooks Online and Odoo.
If your business has international transactions, consider QuickBooks, Zoho Books or Xero’s established plan after confirming UGX and local availability.
If you want to automate the transfer of information between business applications, our Truehost’s n8n self-hosting provides a place to run workflow automations, subject to the integrations available for your chosen tools.
Truehost provides the hosting services mentioned above but does not sell or support the accounting products reviewed here. Before subscribing, confirm current prices, features, regional availability and tax compliance directly with each software provider.
