Ember Accounting Software Review

Ember Accounting Software the all-in-one Tax Solution

Read our Ember accounting software review to see if it is suitable for your business. We look at why it differs from other platforms and if it is ideal for your small business.

At the moment, Ember is only available for Limited companies, and they are working on the platform for sole traders.

The main advantage of Ember is that it is an all-in-one package, offering registration, accounting, taxation and accountant backup. The software is designed with simplicity in mind, and the user experience is evident.

Quick list of advantages of Ember Accounting Software

• In-app Accountant Support
• Company Formations
• Tax Calculations
• Simple Pricing
• Excellent User Experience
• Invoicing on the go

Ember Free Trial

As with most software companies, Ember offers a free trial, but you must have a limited company to use it. Another option is they also provide an online demo, which you can sign up for. It is ideal for viewing the software and any questions.

About Ember Accounting Software

Ember Digital Ltd owns Ember Software and was incorporated in February 2019, so it is a relatively new startup than other popular alternatives.

In 2021 they raised £1.6 million of funding for product development, recruitment, and customer acquisition.

Aran Shaw and Dan Hogan started it when they were frustrated about spending time on the books and finding a suitable platform to automate the small business process.

They wanted a platform to complete the process from opening a new business to closing it and everything in between.

So, if you are a small business starting or want a platform that will deal with the whole accounting process, keep reading.

Ember Pricing

Ember has a straightforward pricing structure of £39 + VAT per month and £4 plus VAT for each employee on the payroll.

Ember vs QuickBooks

Compared to QuickBooks for their essentials plan of £20 + VAT per month, is it worth the extra?

The most significant advantages of Ember are free Limited company incorporation, in-app support with an accountant and registration for taxes with HMRC.

Below is a table showing Ember vs QuickBooks.

Visit the site of QuickBooks.

We will now look at some of the features of Ember and how it can help your small business.

In-App Support with an Accountant

I run a bookkeeping business, and one of the services I offer is support for clients using bookkeeping software. If they have a query, they can contact me, and I will point them in the right direction. It means that clients can complete their books without paying the cost or waiting for a reply from an accountant.

With Ember having the support of an accountant built into the app, it offers peace of mind, excellent support and advice when needed.

Limited Company Registration

If you are starting as a Limited company, Ember can complete the incorporation with Companies House. The service is free, saving £12.

The process is simple, choose a Limited company name, open an Ember account, upload the documents and verify your identity; they will let you know when the setup is complete.

If you do not want to register the company address, they offer a registered address for £50 per year.

Tax Registration

One of the headaches that businesses have is registering for taxes. Ember can deal with all of this for you, including registering for VAT, PAYE, Self-assessment or Corporations Tax.

Ember Accounting Software Review – Trial

I signed up for a free trial so that I could see the software in use. As I use other software, it is nice to see an easy-to-use navigation on the home screen.

The home screen includes a complete business overview, including money owed for taxation, bank balance and invoices outstanding.

Ember Mobile App

The Mobile app is available to download. The format is similar to the main online version, with easy-to-use navigation.

It allows invoicing on the go, snaps bills to add to expenses and all the other features in Ember.

Bank Feed

Ember uses open banking to set up the bank feeds. There is a list of all the banks’ available Ember; there are a few banks not included. If you use one of the leading UK banks, you should be fine.

The bank feed is easy to use; find your bank name, choose the accounts to include and follow the login instructions.

All the transactions were imported within a few minutes.

Chart of Accounts

Ember has a fixed chart of accounts, so you can’t add more specific to your business. They have included a good selection that will suit most small businesses.

To make it even easier, they have colour-coded the different groups of categories. A few examples are Income – green, expenses – red, and equity – purple.

Each category also has an icon, making it even easier to select the correct one.

The colours and images are used throughout the software, including on the reports.

Ember Accounting Invoicing

One of the main things that any business needs to look at is the invoicing feature.

Ember accounting software offers a built-in template where you can add the business logo. The template is pretty basic but includes everything needed.

Invoices are easy to add new lines to, products and services can be added to a saved list to use again.

Invoices are available to download as a PDF and email directly to the customer.

Expenses Tracking

Snap receipts on the go using the app or upload via the software; this feature saves dealing with expenses when you are back in the office.

The software learns as you process transactions and categorise them; all you have to do is approve it if correct.

Accounting Reports

One of the essential parts of any accounting software is the reporting feature. Ember offers easy-to-understand reports, including profit and loss, balance sheet, money owed and money that the business owes.

The reporting is basic but offers everything that a small business requires. The reports are easy to understand and can be exported to Excel. One option not included is a PDF printout.

One of the significant differences in the reporting is that it will show the dividends and personal tax you owe. It is essential for a limited company as not knowing the tax liability can mean that you get a nasty shock when calculated.

Ember Accounting Software – Payroll

As a small business set up as a limited company, the director should take out a salary.

Ember has a payroll feature built-in for £4 per month per employee. It is a fairly standard fee that most payroll companies charge.

Having payroll in the same place as the accounting software is ideal. The accountant’s support is available for any questions regarding the payroll.

Ember Accounting Software Reviews

Trustpilot has lots of 5-star reviews; here are a few quotes.

Ember is fantastic. The practicality and efficiency of the software make it so easy, quick and simple to manage my limited company finances. Both the mobile and desktop interfaces are so user-friendly.

Great application and interface. I would recommend it to any Freelancer or Small Business.

I’m delighted that I found Ember; the software is easy to use and very intuitive and also, on top of that, you get advice from an actual accountant; customer service is impressive and speedy.

Ember Accounting Software Review Free Trial

Ember offers a free trial, so it is worth signing up for the month if you are a limited company.

Limited company registration is required, as you need to enter the company name while signing up.

You can also request a walk through the software with one of their experts.

Ember Accounting Software Conclusion

Ember is a one-stop shop for limited companies.

The software is easy to navigate, and there is a mobile app for accounting on the go.

The software includes support from accountants, company registration, HMRC registration and tax calculations.

If you are a freelancer running a limited company, it is worth taking a free trial of their software.

Ember accounting software is well thought out, with the end-user in mind. In the future, I feel that they may become a significant player.

To look at alternatives to Ember accounting software, read our guide to the best accounting software for small businesses.