Switching from Sage?
Modern beats legacy.
One unified platform with world-class design replaces Sage's fragmented product range. No more juggling Sage 50, Sage Payroll, and Sage HR separately.
Free data migration - No credit card - 30 days free
Six frustrations Sage users know too well.
Fragmented product range
Sage 50, Sage Payroll, Sage HR, Sage CIS - four separate products, four separate licences, four separate logins, four separate updates. Interlink Accounts unifies accounting, payroll, CIS, AML, and practice management in one beautiful platform.
Desktop-era design
Sage 50 still looks like it belongs in Windows XP. Sage Accounting Online is an improvement, but the UX remains cluttered and dated. Interlink Accounts was designed to be stunningly beautiful - every screen a masterpiece, with sub-200ms page loads.
Confusing pricing
Sage offers dozens of plans across its product range. Working out the true cost for your practice - accounting plus payroll plus CIS plus HR - requires a spreadsheet. Interlink Accounts has three simple plans with everything included.
Decade-long cloud migration
Sage has been "moving to the cloud" for over a decade. Features from Sage 50 Desktop are still missing from Sage Accounting Online. Data migration between Sage products is painful. Interlink Accounts was cloud-native from day one.
No unified practice view
Managing multiple clients in Sage means switching between organisations constantly. There is no single dashboard showing all client deadlines, bank feed statuses, compliance tasks, and outstanding work across your entire practice.
Expensive separate add-ons
Sage Payroll starts at £7/mo per company. Sage CIS is another £7/mo. For a practice running 20 payrolls with CIS, that is £280/mo in add-ons alone. Interlink Accounts includes payroll and CIS on every plan at no extra cost.
Interlink Accounts vs Sage - the complete picture
| Feature | Interlink Accounts | Sage |
|---|---|---|
| Unified platform | ✓ Everything in one app | ✗ 4+ separate products |
| Page load speed | < 200ms | 1-4 seconds (Online) / Desktop app |
| Payroll included | ✓ Full PAYE, NI, pension, RTI | £7+/mo separate product |
| CIS included | ✓ Deductions, returns, verification | £7+/mo separate add-on |
| Unlimited users | ✓ Every plan | ✗ Limited by plan tier |
| MTD ITSA ready | ✓ Quarterly updates built in | ⚠ In development |
| Multi-client dashboard | ✓ Unified practice view with RAG status | ✗ Separate client logins |
| Built-in AML/KYC | ✓ Risk assessment + ID verification | ✗ Not available |
| Dark mode | ✓ Full dark theme | ✗ Not available |
| Keyboard shortcuts | ✓ Full system + command palette | ✗ Minimal |
| Cloud-native architecture | ✓ Built for the cloud from day one | ⚠ Migrating from desktop legacy |
| Receipt OCR | ✓ Unlimited, included | ⚠ AutoEntry add-on |
| White-label client portal | ✓ Your brand, your colours | ✗ Not available |
| Time tracking & WIP | ✓ Built-in with live timer | ✗ Not available in Accounting |
| Cash flow forecasting | ✓ AI-powered with scenarios | ⚠ Basic cash flow only |
| Bank reconciliation | ✓ AI auto-categorisation, invoice settlement, editable rules, batch apply | ⚠ Manual matching only |
| Modern UI/UX | ✓ Premium, fast, beautiful | ✗ Dated interface |
Sage pricing and features verified March 2026. Interlink Accounts features based on current release.
Calculate exactly how much you'll save.
Add up your Sage subscriptions - Accounting, Payroll, CIS. Then see the Interlink Accounts alternative.
Your estimated Sage cost
Migrating from Sage is straightforward.
Whether you are on Sage 50 Desktop or Sage Accounting Online, export your data and our guided import tool maps everything automatically.
Export your Sage data
Export your chart of accounts, contacts, invoices, and transaction history from Sage 50 or Sage Online. We provide step-by-step instructions for both.
We import and map
Our guided import tool maps your Sage data structure to Interlink Accounts automatically. Completes in 30-60 minutes.
Run in parallel
Run both systems for one VAT period. Compare your VAT return figures. Gain complete confidence before committing.
Switch fully
Cancel your Sage subscriptions when you are ready. All your data is in Interlink Accounts. No rush. No pressure. No lock-in.
The Interlink Accounts Migration Guarantee
- Free guided data migration from Sage 50 Desktop or Sage Accounting Online
- Dedicated migration specialist available via email and phone during your transition
- Full parallel running period - take as long as you need to gain confidence
- Complete data export at any time - your data is always yours, no lock-in
- If anything doesn't migrate correctly, we fix it - personally, within 24 hours
We were paying for Sage 50, Sage Payroll, and Sage CIS across 35 clients. Three separate products, three separate bills, three separate update cycles. The morning we switched to Interlink Accounts, everything was in one place. One login, one dashboard, one invoice. The CIS returns that used to take us a full day now take 20 minutes. We should have left Sage years ago.
Common questions about switching from Sage
Yes. Export your Sage 50 data (chart of accounts, customers, suppliers, invoices, purchase orders, and transaction history) and our guided import tool maps everything automatically. We support both Sage 50 Desktop CSV exports and Sage Accounting Online exports.
Absolutely. Interlink Accounts includes full payroll on every plan - PAYE, NI, student loans, pension auto-enrolment, FPS/EPS, P60s, and P45s. Export your employee records from Sage Payroll and import them. You eliminate a separate product and a separate monthly bill.
Interlink Accounts includes full CIS support natively - subcontractor registration, UTR verification, deduction calculations (labour vs materials), and monthly CIS300 return generation. Import your subcontractor records and continue seamlessly.
Bank feeds connect directly to your bank via Open Banking - they are not tied to Sage. Connect your banks in Interlink Accounts (takes about 60 seconds per bank) and your feeds will flow immediately. We support all major UK banks.
The data import typically completes within 30-60 minutes. We recommend running both systems in parallel for one VAT period before switching fully. Most practices complete the full transition within 4-6 weeks.
Built for the cloud from day one - not migrated from a desktop product. Sub-200ms page loads, real-time collaboration, access from anywhere, automatic backups, and no software to install or update. It is everything Sage has been trying to become for a decade.
Leave legacy behind.
Free data migration. 30-day free trial. No credit card. One platform instead of four.
Questions? Call us: 0845 838 1877 - Mon-Fri 9am-6pm