Skip to main content
010 447 2445Contact
Arke Technologies home
Request a hardware quoteTalk to us
Arke Technologies home
A manager stands beside a colleague at his laptop to go through a task.

Small business accounting software, IT support and security for SMEs

Arke Technologies (Pty) Ltd helps small and medium businesses across South Africa choose and run small business accounting software, and supports the IT around it: computers, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, backups, Wi-Fi and security. From Johannesburg, one accountable team handles it under one SLA, so owners stop being the IT department.

Request an IT assessmentSee what we support

What IT a small or medium business actually needs

The first job is rarely more technology. It is setting up the few systems you already rely on properly, backing them up and having someone accountable for them. IT solutions for small and medium business come down to seven things:

  • Accounting software that your accountant can work in, producing the VAT and payroll figures you submit to SARS.
  • Email and files on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, with licences on monthly or annual terms. See Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace.
  • Computers set up to a standard, patched and monitored, whether they are in the office or at home.
  • Backups of email, files and accounting data, tested so that a restore actually works.
  • Security: multi-factor authentication, email filtering and endpoint protection.
  • Connectivity and power that survive load-shedding and a cut fibre line.
  • Support from people who know your setup, with a clear route when something breaks.

Accounting for small business: which software fits

Accounting for small business software falls into four broad options. The right one depends on how many people need access, whether you hold stock, and how your accountant prefers to work.

OptionSuitsCheck before you choose
Free small business accounting softwareA sole proprietor or a business in its first year, with few transactions and no staffUser and invoice limits, VAT and payroll features, support, and whether you can export your data
Cloud accounting, such as Xero, QuickBooks or Sage Business CloudBusinesses that want access from anywhere and an accountant who logs in directlyWhich add-ons you will need, and how you work when the internet is down
Desktop accounting, such as Sage 50 or Pastel Partner and EvolutionBusinesses with established desktop ledgers or complex stockA computer or server to back up, and secure remote access for staff and your accountant
An ERP system, such as SAP Business One, Dynamics 365 Business Central, Odoo or NetSuiteBusinesses with several branches, entities or warehousesImplementation effort, data migration and training time; see ERP implementation

Small business accounting software in South Africa should also handle VAT in rand, payroll if you employ staff, and exports your accountant can use for SARS submissions. Our Sage vs Xero guide compares two widely used packages, and our accounting software implementation and support page covers what we set up.

Colleagues work through a document together on a laptop at a long office table.

Free small business accounting software: when it works

Free small business accounting software can be the right start for a sole proprietor or a small company with a handful of invoices a month. The licence is free; the running is not. Before you rely on small company accounting software that is free, check four things: how many users and invoices it allows, whether it handles VAT and payroll, what support you get when a figure will not balance, and whether you can take your data with you if you move.

Revisit the choice when you register for VAT, employ staff or add a second person to the books. Moving early, while the history is short, is simpler than migrating years of transactions later. Free small business accounting software in South Africa is only worth keeping if it produces VAT figures in the form your accountant needs.

It also helps to separate the two jobs. Small business accounting and bookkeeping software records the daily transactions; accounting turns them into VAT returns, management accounts and financial statements. Make sure yours does both well enough for your business.

Colleagues gather round a laptop at a shared desk in an open-plan office.

How we set up and support your accounting software

  1. Choose

    We compare the options with you and your accountant against your users, stock, payroll and reporting needs.

  2. Set up

    Users, permissions and security, so each person sees only what they need, with multi-factor authentication switched on.

  3. Migrate

    We move your data from spreadsheets or an older package and reconcile the opening position with your accountant. See data migration.

  4. Connect

    Links to your online store, payment gateway (PayFast, Yoco or Paystack) or CRM, so sales do not have to be retyped. See ERP and accounting integration.

  5. Protect

    Backups of the accounting data, tested restores and updates applied on schedule.

  6. Support

    Help for your team under the same SLA as the rest of your IT.

Managed IT for small businesses, without an IT department

Outsourced IT for small businesses works when the provider runs the whole environment, not only the calls. Our small business IT support services include:

  • A help desk your staff can reach

    Requests logged, prioritised and tracked; incidents run on a P1 to P4 scale, from P1 critical outage to P4 low-impact request, with response and resolution targets matched to the business impact of downtime and agreed in your SLA.

  • Remote support first

    Our own remote-access platform, running on our own Johannesburg servers, lets us fix issues without waiting for a site visit; every remote session is approved and logged. See remote IT support.

  • Monitoring

    Our monitoring checks each computer every 15 minutes and logs faults as tickets automatically.

  • Standard repairs

    A library of tested fixes, with the riskier ones needing a recorded human approval before they run.

  • A monthly service review

    A short report on tickets, security, backups and licences, with recommendations in plain language.

Hardware comes through our trading division Server Hub, with quotes typically within a few business hours, every price in rand with VAT included and local warranty on every unit. For the full service, see IT support for small and growing businesses.

Cybersecurity and POPIA for small businesses

POPIA applies to small businesses too. Customer details, staff records and supplier contacts are all personal information, and by default the head of the business is its information officer. Our cybersecurity services for small business keep the controls proportionate:

  • Multi-factor authentication on email, accounting and every account that touches money.
  • Email security against invoice fraud and changed-bank-details scams. See email security.
  • Endpoint protection and updates on every computer, managed centrally.
  • Backups kept apart from your network, so ransomware that spreads across your computers cannot reach them. See ransomware and endpoint protection.
  • Staff awareness, so people recognise a suspicious request. See security awareness training.
  • A POPIA baseline: what personal information you hold, who can see it and how long you keep it. See our POPIA compliance checklist.

Load-shedding, connectivity and small business backup solutions

Treat power, connectivity and data as three separate risks. For power, a UPS protects computers and network equipment through short interruptions, and backup power carries you through longer ones. For connectivity, fixed LTE beside fibre gives you a second route to email and cloud accounting. Our connectivity division Fibre Boyz supplies business fibre and fixed LTE on one bill, and backup power as well; see business connectivity.

For data, small business backup solutions should copy email, files and the accounting database automatically, keep a copy off-site and be proven with real restores. See backup and disaster recovery. Small business Wi-Fi solutions belong in the same plan: access points placed for your building and a separate guest network. See business Wi-Fi.

Two colleagues talk through a task at a laptop in a light-filled office.

What IT support costs a small business

Last reviewed: September 2026.

Published South African managed IT rates run from about R180 to R400 per user per month (matnet.co.za, September 2026), with some providers listing R450 (MiBOT, September 2026). For comparison, a Johannesburg IT support technician earns about R21,054 a month on average (Indeed, September 2026), before leave, training and tools.

Your price depends on the number of users and computers, the security and backup level, the software we support and whether you need site visits. We set a fee per user per month after an assessment, write it into the SLA and bill it monthly in advance by debit order; project work, such as an office move or an accounting migration, is quoted per project. See how much managed IT services cost and managed IT vs in-house IT.

Growing past small: governance, procurement and continuity

  • Governance that scales. The same SLA, monthly report and change control serve five users or several offices, so the discipline is in place before larger clients ask for it.
  • Procurement fit. We are a Level 1 B-BBEE contributor, which gives buyers 135% procurement recognition (sworn affidavit available on request). Company documents, our CSD supplier number and SARS tax compliance status are available on request, which helps when a larger client or a government department asks for supplier documents. See company facts.
  • You own everything. Your data, credentials and documentation are recorded in your name. If you hire an in-house IT person or change provider, we hand over in an orderly way.
  • One relationship. Support, security, licences, hardware and connectivity sit with one accountable team, so nobody points at another supplier when something breaks.

If your business is a practice, see IT for accounting, audit and professional services firms; if you sell online or in store, see IT for retail and e-commerce. All sectors are on industries we serve.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best small business accounting software in South Africa? Show answer

The best small business accounting software is the one your accountant can work in and that produces your VAT and payroll figures without retyping. For many South African small businesses that means a cloud package such as Xero, QuickBooks or Sage Business Cloud, or Sage 50 or Pastel where desktop ledgers already exist. Our Sage vs Xero guide compares two of them.

Is free small business accounting software good enough? Show answer

Free small business accounting software can be enough for a sole proprietor or a business in its first year with few transactions and no staff. Check the limits before you rely on it: users and invoices, VAT and payroll features, support, backups and whether you can export your data. Revisit the choice when you register for VAT or employ people.

What is the difference between bookkeeping and accounting software? Show answer

Bookkeeping software records daily transactions: invoices, receipts, supplier bills and bank entries. Accounting software turns those records into VAT returns, management accounts and financial statements. Many small business packages combine both, so the practical choice comes down to users, integrations, support and whether your accountant is comfortable working in it.

How much does IT support cost for a small business? Show answer

Published South African managed IT rates run from about R180 to R400 per user per month (matnet.co.za, September 2026), with some providers listing R450 (MiBOT, September 2026). A Johannesburg IT support technician earns about R21,054 a month on average (Indeed, September 2026). We quote a per-user monthly fee after an assessment and write it into the SLA.

Does POPIA apply to small businesses? Show answer

Yes. POPIA applies to any business that processes personal information, whatever its size: customer details, staff records and supplier contacts all count. By default the head of the business is its information officer. The practical work is knowing what you hold, securing it, limiting access and keeping it only as long as you need it.

Can you move our accounting from a desktop package to the cloud? Show answer

Yes. We plan the move with you and your accountant, ideally at a month-end or year-end, migrate the data, reconcile the opening position, set up users and permissions, and connect the integrations you need. The old system stays available for reference until you have signed off the new one, so no history is lost in the move.

How do we keep working through load-shedding? Show answer

Plan power and connectivity separately. A UPS keeps computers and network equipment running long enough to save work or ride out a short outage, and backup power covers longer ones. A second line, such as fixed LTE beside fibre, keeps email and cloud accounting reachable. Our connectivity division, Fibre Boyz, supplies fibre, LTE and backup power.

Put your IT and accounting on a proper footing

Tell us how many people you have, what you run and what keeps breaking, and we will assess it before we propose anything. We aim to respond to new enquiries within one business day: call 010 447 2445 or email info@arketechnologies.com.

Request an IT assessment