Karbon pricing plan guide: Worth it for accounting firms in 2025?

I reviewed Karbon pricing in 2025 to see how its per-user plans stack up once real costs, extra fees, and automation limits come into play.

Karbon pricing plans: At a glance

Karbon pricing runs on a per-user model, meaning even a small firm of ten could spend between $590 and $990 per month before adding extra tools or services. Here’s how Karbon’s Team, Business, and Enterprise plans compare in 2025:

Karbon lets you explore the platform through a guided demo with a product specialist instead of a self-serve trial period. This walkthrough gives your team a closer look at its workflow and collaboration tools before committing.

The platform also adds extra costs for certain features, such as eSignature credits, advanced reporting, and payment processing. I’ll go over these additional fees in more detail later.

Karbon pricing plans breakdown

Karbon structures its plans for different sizes of accounting firms, from small teams managing day-to-day workflows to large firms that need advanced automation and reporting. Let’s look at what each plan includes and who it’s for:

Karbon Team plan: $79/user/month or $59/user/month billed annually

• What’s included: Integrated email, team collaboration tools, workflow and to-do lists, time tracking, budget reporting, and billing tools.
• Best for: Smaller firms or teams getting started with accounting practice management software.
• Pros: Combines core collaboration and billing features in one platform; straightforward setup.
• Cons: Lacks client reminders and automation; limited scalability as your client base grows.

Karbon Business plan: $99/user/month or $89/user/month billed annually

• What’s included: Everything in Team, plus automatic client reminders, task automation, time tracking, budget reporting, and industry integrations with Xero and QuickBooks.
• Best for: Mid-sized firms that need automation to reduce manual work and improve efficiency.
• Pros: Adds automation, reminders, and integrations; improves time tracking and client visibility.
• Cons: Higher per-user cost; still limited by template and client caps.

Karbon Enterprise plan: Custom pricing

• What’s included: Everything in Business, plus an enterprise platform, dedicated Karbon contact, customization options, and unlimited usage limits.
• Best for: Large accounting firms that need advanced customization, security, and scalability.
• Pros: Full customization, dedicated support, and no feature or usage caps.
• Cons: Requires consultation for pricing; setup and implementation take longer.

Additional fees that affect your Karbon pricing

Karbon’s base plans cover most core features, but there are some extras that can raise your total cost once your firm scales. 

Here’s what to watch for in 2025:

• eSignature credits: $100 for 100 requests, billed annually.
• Payment processing: 2.6% + $0.30 for credit cards, or 1% + $0.30 (capped at $5) for ACH payments.
• Advanced reporting and email insights: Basic analytics are included in the Team and Business plans, while full reporting and insights are unlocked in the Enterprise tier or through optional upgrades.
• Data migration and setup support: Optional paid services for firms importing large datasets.

If you rely on eSignatures, payments, or client reporting, these charges can add up as your team adds more clients or payment volume increases. I recommend mapping out usage before you commit to a plan so you know your real monthly cost.

Which Karbon plan should you choose?

Picking the right Karbon plan depends on your firm’s size, team setup, and how much automation you actually need. From what I’ve seen, the gap between Team and Business becomes noticeable once you start managing more clients or delegating jobs across multiple team members.

Choose Team if you:

• Run a small firm and only need essential tools like workflow tracking and billing.
• Manage fewer than 1,000 client records and don’t rely heavily on automation.

Choose Business if you:

• Handle multiple staff and want to automate reminders, tasks, and client communication.
• Need integrations with tools like Xero or QuickBooks to simplify your accounting workflows.

Choose Enterprise if you:

• Operate a large accounting firm that requires advanced customization and API access.
• Want dedicated onboarding and account management for long-term support.

Is Karbon worth the cost?

Karbon is powerful, but it’s priced for firms that can absorb premium per-user fees. For example, a 15-person firm on the Business plan pays about $1,335 monthly before optional add-ons like email insights or custom reporting. 

Here’s how to decide:

• It’s worth it if: You manage a large client base and want built-in automation, reminders, and team visibility without juggling multiple tools.
• It’s best for: Accounting and consulting firms that prioritize collaboration and structured workflows across departments.
• Skip it if: You only need light billing or workflow management. More affordable accounting firm software can handle those basics at a lower cost.

Overall, I think Karbon suits firms ready to invest in automation and team efficiency. It centralizes communication and project tracking, which saves time as your firm scales. Just remember that the per-user pricing means total costs can climb faster than you might expect.

Karbon alternatives and pricing comparison

Karbon isn’t the only option for accounting or client service teams that want structured workflows and automation. I looked at a few platforms that approach client management differently. Some focus on flexibility, while others keep pricing predictable as you scale. Here they are below:

Assembly

We designed Assembly to help accounting and financial service firms manage everything that happens after a client signs on. The platform brings together billing, document sharing, contracts, and communication inside a secure, branded portal that clients can access anytime. Teams can automate recurring jobs, send requests, and track deliverables while keeping all client files in one place.

Assembly pricing starts at $39 per month, with clear payment processing fees and a 20% discount for nonprofits and educational organizations.

Our plans scale with your firm’s size. The Starter plan supports one internal user and up to 50 clients, while the Professional plan supports three users, 500 clients, and advanced tools like API access, multi-company management, and custom domains. The Advanced plan expands further with HIPAA compliance, MFA enforcement, and unlimited clients.

For teams handling sensitive financial data, Assembly meets SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR standards, ensuring data privacy and secure collaboration. Firms also benefit from a range of features built for post-sales collaboration, including branded portals, automated workflows, and secure file sharing. 

Compared to Karbon, Assembly focuses on client-facing communication rather than internal workflow management, making it ideal for firms that manage long-term retainers, complex deliverables, or productized services.

Cone

Cone works well for small accounting teams that want a lightweight alternative to Karbon. It focuses on simplicity and clarity, offering straightforward task management, status tracking, and messaging tools.

At $9 per user per month, it’s one of the most affordable systems in its category. It’s a good fit for firms that don’t need deep customization or heavy automation but still want accountability across team jobs and deliverables.

Uku

Uku is built for teams that want modular automation and clear visibility into their daily operations. Starting at $38 per member per month, it combines job scheduling, invoicing, and client management in one workspace.

Uku stands out for its customization options. Firms can adjust workflows, assign recurring jobs, and monitor performance metrics in real time. It’s less structured than Karbon, but setup is faster, and the interface feels lighter for smaller teams.

Assembly vs Karbon: Which should you choose?

Assembly is built for accounting and financial service firms that want to give clients a secure, branded experience after a deal closes, while Karbon focuses more on internal workflow coordination for accounting teams.

Use this quick guide to see which platform fits your firm best:

• Assembly is better for: Firms that want client-facing tools for communication, document sharing, and billing in one secure portal. It’s ideal if you manage ongoing relationships or offer retainers and need transparency for clients.
• Karbon is better for: Accounting teams that prioritize internal task tracking, email-driven collaboration, and structured workflows across staff.
• Use both if: You rely on Karbon to manage internal production but want to pair it with Assembly’s portal for client visibility and branded collaboration.

Want to see how Assembly can simplify client delivery and communication? Try Assembly for free today.

My bottom line on Karbon pricing

Karbon is strong at organizing internal work for accounting teams, but the value depends on how much structure your firm needs. It brings efficiency to day-to-day coordination, yet the per-user pricing can make it harder for growing firms to scale without increasing overhead.

The Karbon accounting software works well for established firms that already have clear processes and can dedicate time to setup and automation. For smaller or fast-moving teams, the subscription and add-on costs might outweigh the benefits once collaboration extends beyond internal staff.

If your firm wants a more client-facing system, Assembly is worth considering. It connects billing, documents, and messaging in one secure portal, helping firms build trust and visibility with clients while keeping costs predictable.

Frequently asked questions

Does Karbon have setup or onboarding costs?

Yes, you may pay extra for guided onboarding or data migration, depending on your plan. These services help accounting teams configure workflows and move client data smoothly into the Karbon software.

Can smaller firms afford Karbon’s per-user pricing?

Yes, smaller firms can afford Karbon if they only need a few user seats, but the cost rises fast as the team grows. Each additional user adds to the total monthly spend, so it’s smart to budget carefully when choosing software for accounting firms.

Is Karbon secure enough for financial data?

Yes, Karbon includes enterprise-grade security with encryption and role-based access controls. Firms handling financial or client records can use it confidently, knowing their data is protected under strict compliance standards.