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Karbon vs Senta vs TaxDome: Best Practice Management for UK Firms

A three-way comparison of the leading practice management platforms for UK accounting firms, with honest recommendations based on firm size, budget, and workflow needs.

At a Glance

Karbon

Our Pick

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.

Senta

Best Value

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.

TaxDome

All-in-one practice management combining CRM, workflow, billing, and client portal.

Best for: Firms wanting a single platform to replace multiple tools

Pricing: From around $25/user/month. All features included on all plans.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

How Karbon, Senta, and TaxDome compare across the features that matter most for practice management.

FeatureKarbonSentaTaxDome
Workflow AutomationBest-in-class workflow templates with conditions and triggersSolid recurring job workflowsGood automations with pipeline stages
Email ManagementTriage inbox ties emails to clients and jobs automaticallyBasic email loggingBuilt-in email sync but less refined
Client PortalBasic client-facing featuresSimple portal for document sharingFull-featured portal with messaging, documents, and payments
CRM FeaturesContact management with some CRM toolsBasic client recordsComprehensive CRM with pipeline tracking and lead management
Billing & InvoicingTime tracking and basic billingLimited invoicing featuresFull invoicing, proposals, and integrated payment collection
Task ManagementStrong task assignment and tracking within workflowsTask lists tied to jobsTask management within pipelines
Team WorkloadExcellent workload planner with capacity visibilityBasic team overviewLimited workload visibility
IntegrationsWide ecosystem including Xero, QBO, Slack, and ZapierFewer native integrationsGrowing integration library but more limited
User InterfaceModern, clean, and intuitive designFunctional but dated appearanceFeature-rich but steeper learning curve
Client CommunicationEmail-centric communicationAutomated client reminders and chaser emailsPortal messaging and email combined
Proposals & E-SignNo native proposals or e-signaturesBasic engagement letter featuresFull proposal builder with e-signatures and payment links
PricingPremium pricing, higher per-user costMost affordable option for small firmsMid-range pricing with generous feature set
Winner Tie

Pros & Cons

Karbon

What We Like

  • Purpose-built for accounting firms not adapted from generic project management
  • Workflow automation eliminates manual task tracking
  • Email triage reduces inbox chaos dramatically
  • Excellent visibility into team workload and deadlines
  • Strong and growing integration ecosystem

Watch Out For

  • Significant learning curve requires proper onboarding
  • Pricing can be steep for smaller firms
  • Overkill for solo practitioners or very small teams
  • Takes 2-3 months to see full benefits after setup

Senta

What We Like

  • Excellent value significantly cheaper than Karbon
  • Powerful email automation engine
  • Good for automating routine client communications
  • Includes client portal at no extra cost
  • UK-built with UK compliance in mind

Watch Out For

  • Interface is less polished than Karbon
  • Fewer third-party integrations
  • Reporting is more limited
  • Less suitable for very large teams (30+ staff)

TaxDome

What We Like

  • Replaces multiple tools with one platform
  • Competitive pricing for the feature breadth
  • Client portal is well-designed and easy to use
  • Rapid development with frequent feature releases

Watch Out For

  • Individual features less deep than dedicated alternatives
  • Workflow automation not as powerful as Karbon
  • Smaller UK user base compared to Karbon or Senta
  • Learning curve for the full platform

Which Should You Choose?

The right choice depends on your firm size, budget, and whether you value depth of workflow tools or breadth of built-in features.

For Larger Firms (10+ Staff)

Karbon

Karbon is the strongest choice for growing and mid-size firms that need sophisticated workflow automation, workload planning, and a polished user experience. Its email triage alone can save hours each week.

Read full Karbon review →

For Budget-Conscious Firms

Senta

Senta offers the most affordable entry point for small practices that need reliable job management and automated client chasers without paying a premium. It does the essentials well at a fraction of the cost.

Read full Senta review →

For All-in-One Simplicity

TaxDome

TaxDome replaces multiple tools by bundling a client portal, CRM, invoicing, proposals, and e-signatures into a single platform. If you want fewer subscriptions and a self-service client experience, TaxDome delivers.

Read full TaxDome review →

Not sure which practice management platform is right for your firm?

Book a free discovery call and we will help you choose the right setup for your practice.

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