A practical comparison of the two leading practice management platforms for UK accounting firms, with honest recommendations based on firm size, budget, and workflow needs.
Purpose-built workflow management for accounting firms.
Best for: Growing firms (10+ staff) wanting a single source of truth
Pricing: From $59/user/month (Team plan). Volume discounts available. Free trial available.
Affordable practice management with powerful automation.
Best for: Smaller firms wanting automation without the price tag
Pricing: From £12/user/month. Significantly cheaper than alternatives. Free trial available.
How Karbon and Senta compare across the features that matter most for UK practice management.
| Feature | Karbon | Senta |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | Powerful repeating templates with multi-step logic | Custom workflows with automated scheduling |
| Email Triage | Routes emails to workflows automatically, a standout feature | No dedicated email triage capability |
| Client Portal | Client task lists but no full portal | Built-in client portal for document sharing at no extra cost |
| Task Management | Detailed task lists tied to workflows | Automated task scheduling with templates |
| Deadline Tracking | Strong deadline visibility across all workflows | Compliance calendar with HMRC integration |
| Reporting | Comprehensive reporting on productivity and workflow status | Basic reporting, more limited in scope |
| Team Workload | Excellent capacity planning and workload visibility | Limited workload management features |
| CRM Features | Basic client records within workflows | Full CRM with client record management built in |
| Integrations | Xero, QBO, Dext, Zapier, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace | Xero, QBO, Companies House, HMRC |
| User Interface | Modern and polished, purpose-built for accountants | Functional and capable, though less refined |
| Client Communication | Built-in communication tools tied to workflows | Powerful automated email sequences for client outreach |
| Pricing | From $59/user/month, premium pricing | From £12/user/month, dramatically cheaper |
Pricing is where Senta has a significant advantage. Both charge per user per month, but the difference is substantial.
Priced in USD. Volume discounts available for larger teams. Free trial offered.
Priced in GBP. All features included at one price. Free trial available.
For a team of 10, Karbon would cost approximately $590/month (roughly £470 at current exchange rates), while Senta would cost £120/month. That is nearly four times the price. For smaller firms, this difference is hard to justify unless the additional workflow power and email triage features directly translate into saved hours. For larger firms where efficiency gains compound, Karbon's investment pays for itself more quickly.
The right choice depends on your firm's size, budget, and workflow complexity. Here is our recommendation for each scenario.
Karbon
Karbon is the stronger choice for growing and mid-sized firms. The workflow automation, email triage, and team workload visibility provide the structure larger teams need to stay on top of deadlines and client work. The higher cost is justified by the productivity gains at scale.
Read full Karbon review →Senta
Senta delivers roughly 80% of the practice management capability at a fraction of the price. For firms where budget is a real constraint, Senta offers remarkable value. The built-in CRM, client portal, and email automation engine punch well above their weight for the monthly cost.
Read full Senta review →Karbon
If your firm is drowning in client emails and struggling to keep inboxes under control, Karbon is the clear winner. The email triage feature routes incoming messages directly into the relevant workflow, eliminating the chaos of shared inboxes and missed communications.
Read full Karbon review →Book a free discovery call and we will help you choose the right practice management platform for your specific needs.
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