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Accounting · head to head

IRIS KashFlow vs Microsoft Excel

IRIS KashFlow logo

IRIS KashFlow

Accounting

Online accounting software for UK sole traders and small businesses

From
£13.5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Excel logo

Microsoft Excel

Accounting

Spreadsheet software for data analysis and visualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Microsoft Excel has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: IRIS KashFlow advertised monthly prices of £1.35 (Starter) and £2.75 (Business) are a 90% promotional discount off the standard £13.50 and £27.50 rates, and the promotion is described as lasting 6 months before reverting; Microsoft Excel free tier limited to 5 GB cloud storage and web-only access
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IRIS KashFlow and Microsoft Excel actually diverge.

Attributes where IRIS KashFlow and Microsoft Excel differ
AttributeIRIS KashFlowMicrosoft Excel
Starting price£13.5/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWindows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown1975

Identical on both: 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 IRIS KashFlow

Nothing recorded that Microsoft Excel does not also cover.

Only in Microsoft Excel

  • Advanced formulas
  • Pivot tables
  • Data visualization
  • Charts and graphs
  • Conditional formatting
  • Data analysis tools
  • Macro automation
  • Collaboration features

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

IRIS KashFlow

  • business accountingnot Microsoft Excel
  • invoicing and billingnot Microsoft Excel
  • VAT managementnot Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Excel

  • Financial modelingnot IRIS KashFlow
  • Data analysisnot IRIS KashFlow
  • Budget planningnot IRIS KashFlow
  • Reportingnot IRIS KashFlow
  • Business intelligencenot IRIS KashFlow
  • Statistical analysisnot IRIS KashFlow

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

IRIS KashFlow

  • Advertised monthly prices of £1.35 (Starter) and £2.75 (Business) are a 90% promotional discount off the standard £13.50 and £27.50 rates, and the promotion is described as lasting 6 months before reverting
  • Listed prices are in GBP plus VAT, and the platform's plans are built around UK VAT filing rather than other tax regimes
  • Annual pricing is quoted at RRP £162/year (Starter) and £291.50/year (Business) before the same promotional reduction

Microsoft Excel

  • Free tier limited to 5 GB cloud storage and web-only access
  • Paid plans have per-user costs increasing significantly with more users
  • AI features like Copilot limited or unavailable on lower-tier plans

Pricing, plan by plan

IRIS KashFlow

£13.5/month
  • Starter Monthly$13.5/month
    • 10 invoices
    • up to 25 bank transactions
    • single user access
  • Business Monthly$27.5/month
    • unlimited invoices
    • unlimited bank transactions
    • multi-user access
  • Starter Annual$162/year
    • 10 invoices
    • up to 25 bank transactions
    • single user access
  • Business Annual$291.5/year
    • unlimited invoices
    • unlimited bank transactions
    • multi-user access

Microsoft Excel

Free
  • Microsoft Excel (Free)Free
    • Excel for the web
    • Real-time collaboration
    • 5 GB cloud storage
  • Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99/month
    • Desktop Excel app
    • 1 TB cloud storage
    • Single user on up to 5 devices
  • Microsoft 365 Family$12.99/month
    • 1-6 users (AI features for subscription owner)
    • Up to 6 TB cloud storage (1 TB per person)
    • Each user up to 5 devices
  • Microsoft 365 Premium$19.99/month
    • 1-6 users
    • Extensive Copilot feature access
    • Exclusive advanced AI capabilities

Which should you pick?

Choose IRIS KashFlow if

Nothing in the data separates IRIS KashFlow from Microsoft Excel on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

IRIS KashFlow review

Choose Microsoft Excel if

  • You need advanced formulas.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want pivot tables.
Microsoft Excel review

Questions people ask

Is IRIS KashFlow or Microsoft Excel better?
Neither clearly leads. IRIS KashFlow starts at £13.5/month and Microsoft Excel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IRIS KashFlow or Microsoft Excel?
Microsoft Excel has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at £13.5/month for IRIS KashFlow and Free for Microsoft Excel.
Does IRIS KashFlow or Microsoft Excel run on more platforms?
IRIS KashFlow runs on Web. Microsoft Excel runs on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Microsoft Excel for free?
Yes. Microsoft Excel has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IRIS KashFlow starts at £13.5/month.
What is IRIS KashFlow best used for?
IRIS KashFlow is most often used for business accounting, invoicing and billing, vat management. Of those, business accounting and invoicing and billing are not what Microsoft Excel is typically brought in for.
What can IRIS KashFlow do that Microsoft Excel cannot?
Microsoft Excel covers Advanced formulas, Pivot tables, Data visualization, Charts and graphs.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

IRIS KashFlow: What are IRIS KashFlow's core features across all plans?

All IRIS KashFlow plans include unlimited quotes, online VAT submission, mobile app access, 50+ reports, bank feeds, receipt capture, multi-currency support, and payroll for up to 5 employees.

Source
Microsoft Excel: How much does Microsoft Excel cost?

Microsoft Excel is free as a web app with 5 GB storage. Paid options include Microsoft 365 Personal at $9.99/month for desktop apps and 1 TB storage, Family at $12.99/month for 1-6 users with 6 TB total storage, and Premium at $19.99/month with extended Copilot access.

Source
IRIS KashFlow: Are there promotional discounts for new IRIS KashFlow customers?

Yes, new customers receive a 90% discount for 6 months on both Starter and Business monthly plans.

Source
Microsoft Excel: Is there a free version of Excel?

Yes, Excel for the web is free and includes sharing, real-time collaboration, and 5 GB cloud storage accessible on web, iOS, and Android without subscription.

Source
IRIS KashFlow: Can multiple users access IRIS KashFlow on the Starter plan?

No, the Starter plan is limited to single-user access only. Multi-user access requires the Business plan.

Source
Microsoft Excel: What is the difference between Microsoft 365 Family and Premium tiers?

Family tier at $12.99/month supports 1-6 users with 6 TB total storage and standard features. Premium tier at $19.99/month allows extensive Copilot feature access and exclusive advanced AI capabilities including image creation and audio generation.

Source
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