Accounting · head to head
Causal vs Fortnox
Causal
Accounting
Formula-based financial planning and modelling, now sold as Lucanet xP&A
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Fortnox
Accounting
Swedish cloud accounting and business platform for bookkeeping, invoicing and payroll
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Fortnox has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Causal causal was acquired by Lucanet on 31 October 2024 and the independent brand has been retired in favour of Lucanet xP&A, so the roadmap, support and pricing you buy are Lucanet’s and not the ones the product built its reputation on.; Fortnox corporate packages alone span at least 7 named tiers (Mini through Stor+) priced from 209 kr/man to 919 kr/man, and add-on programs are billed separately per module (SEK)
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Causal and Fortnox actually diverge.
Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Causal
- Variable-based modelling
- Dimensional breakdowns
- Scenario and range inputs
- Actuals integration
- Interactive dashboards
- Version history
- Spreadsheet import
- Workforce and headcount planning
Only in Fortnox
Nothing recorded that Causal does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Causal
- A finance team whose three-statement Excel model has become too fragile to change safely before every board meetingnot Fortnox
- A company that needs to show a range of outcomes rather than a single forecast, with uncertainty modelled directly in the driversnot Fortnox
- A budget owner outside finance who should adjust hiring or spend assumptions and see the effect without being given edit access to the master spreadsheetnot Fortnox
- A group already running Lucanet for consolidation and reporting that wants planning on the same platform rather than a separate toolnot Fortnox
Fortnox
- Registering Swedish corporations with guided formation assistancenot Causal
- Selling unpaid invoices to improve cash flownot Causal
- Managing multiple client businesses from bureau dashboardnot Causal
- Integrating payroll with Swedish banking automationnot Causal
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Causal
- Causal was acquired by Lucanet on 31 October 2024 and the independent brand has been retired in favour of Lucanet xP&A, so the roadmap, support and pricing you buy are Lucanet’s and not the ones the product built its reputation on.
- Self-serve pricing is gone: the old causal.app pricing page now redirects to a Lucanet solution page, so what was a transparent product you could sign up for is an enterprise sales conversation with no published rate.
- The variable-based model is a genuine departure from spreadsheet thinking, so an accountant fluent in Excel must relearn how to express a model, and the team members who could previously all edit the forecast often cannot at first.
- Deep Excel compatibility is limited by design; complex existing workbooks with macros, circular references or heavy lookups do not import cleanly and have to be rebuilt, which turns a tool evaluation into a modelling project.
- Consolidation, statutory reporting and multi-entity currency handling are weaker than in dedicated corporate performance management suites, so a group with several legal entities usually needs Lucanet’s other modules alongside it, raising the real cost well past the planning tool alone.
Fortnox
- Corporate packages alone span at least 7 named tiers (Mini through Stor+) priced from 209 kr/man to 919 kr/man, and add-on programs are billed separately per module (SEK)
- The Fortnox Access verification tier is priced by transaction volume, rising from 9 kr/man at zero verifications to 199 kr/man at 1000+ verifications (SEK), so cost is not fixed and scales with usage
Pricing, plan by plan
Causal
On request- Lucanet xP&A (formerly Causal)$undefined/year
- Variable-based planning models with dimensions and scenarios
- Actuals integration from accounting, CRM and warehouse sources
- Interactive dashboards for non-finance stakeholders
Fortnox
Free- New Company TrialFree
- 6-month free trial for newly started businesses
Which should you pick?
Choose Causal if
- You need variable-based modelling.
- You also want dimensional breakdowns.
Questions people ask
- Is Causal or Fortnox better?
- Neither clearly leads. Causal starts at On request and Fortnox at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Causal or Fortnox?
- Fortnox has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Causal and Free for Fortnox.
- Does Causal or Fortnox run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Fortnox for free?
- Yes. Fortnox has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Causal starts at On request.
- What is Causal best used for?
- Causal is most often used for a finance team whose three-statement excel model has become too fragile to change safely before every board meeting, a company that needs to show a range of outcomes rather than a single forecast, with uncertainty modelled directly in the drivers, a budget owner outside finance who should adjust hiring or spend assumptions and see the effect without being given edit access to the master spreadsheet, a group already running lucanet for consolidation and reporting that wants planning on the same platform rather than a separate tool. Of those, a finance team whose three-statement excel model has become too fragile to change safely before every board meeting and a company that needs to show a range of outcomes rather than a single forecast, with uncertainty modelled directly in the drivers are not what Fortnox is typically brought in for.
- What can Causal do that Fortnox cannot?
- Causal covers Variable-based modelling, Dimensional breakdowns, Scenario and range inputs, Actuals integration.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Causal: Does Causal still exist?
The product does, as Lucanet xP&A. The independent Causal brand and self-serve offering have been retired following the October 2024 acquisition.
Fortnox: Does Fortnox offer a free trial?
Yes, newly started businesses receive their first six months in Fortnox at no cost, followed by subscription-based pricing.
SourceCausal: What does it cost now?
Nothing is published. The former pricing page redirects to Lucanet, and the product is quoted as part of the Lucanet CFO Solution Platform.
Fortnox: What pricing tiers does Fortnox offer?
Fortnox offers tiered subscription packages that vary by module (accounting, invoicing, payroll) but specific pricing details are not listed on the main website.
SourceCausal: Can I import my existing Excel model?
Simple workbooks import. Models with macros, circular references or heavy lookup chains have to be rebuilt around named variables, which is the real migration cost.
Fortnox: How can I find Fortnox pricing information?
Detailed pricing is available on the packages page (/paket), through a purchasing guide tool at buy-guide.fortnox.se, or by contacting sales representatives directly.
SourceCausal: Is it a replacement for a consolidation tool?
No. It plans and forecasts. Statutory consolidation and multi-entity reporting sit in Lucanet’s other modules.
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