The latest research reveals a growing investment in accounting technology across firm sizes, coupled with widespread stagnation in platform adoption. While smaller practices remain cost-conscious, larger firms are ramping up their spending - raising strategic questions about consolidation, capability gaps and the evolving role of tech in practice operations.
Key stats you need to know
- 64% of firms plan to increase their accounting tech spend over the next 12 months.
- 49% of accounting professionals have not adopted any new tech in the last five years.
- The median number of accounting platforms in use per firm is five.
Accounting tech spend is scaling with firm size
- 63% of sole traders spend less than $5k annually on accounting technology. In contrast, 57% of firms with 200–1,000 employees spend $100k–$200k.
- Among sole traders, 44% plan no change in spending, and only 9% expect a significant increase. 75% of firms in the 200–1,000 range plan a moderate increase.
While spending growth is evident across mid-to-large firms, the smallest practices are holding steady. This bifurcation in spend suggests growing capability gaps across the sector. As larger firms invest in tech-enabled efficiency, smaller firms may fall behind without support or strategic guidance.
“We’re seeing larger firms accelerate investment in accounting platforms, not just to improve efficiency, but to futureproof client services. The risk for smaller practices is getting caught in a widening tech divide,” said Michael Johnson, Director at Agile Market Intelligence.
Tech adoption has slowed - but firms are managing more platforms
- 49% of respondents have not adopted any new accounting tech in the past five years. Just 14% adopted a new platform in the last 12 months.
- Most recent adopters (7%) did so within the last six months, introducing entirely new capabilities.
- The median number of platforms used per firm is five. At the 75th percentile, firms report using up to seven platforms.
The number of platforms per firm remains high, yet adoption of new tools is limited-highlighting a maturing market with entrenched systems. This suggests that the current focus is on integration and optimisation rather than expansion.
“We’ve reached a point where most firms are running multiple platforms, but very few are adding new ones. This points to an opportunity for consolidation and deeper integration between tools,” said Michael Johnson.
Most decision makers are in-house-and spending authority is centralised
- 49% of respondents identify as the primary decision-maker for accounting tech. A further 32% are key influencers with input but no final say.
- 51% of respondents are in senior leadership roles.
Decision-making power is largely concentrated in senior roles, with purchasing driven from the top. This top-down control structure reinforces the need for vendors to focus messaging on strategic outcomes and ROI.
“With half of respondents holding ultimate purchasing power, vendors need to frame their propositions around tangible business outcomes, not just product features,” said Michael Johnson.
About the research
The interim results from the 2025 Agile Market Intelligence Accounting Tech Review are based on survey responses collected from 501 accountants and bookkeepers across Australia to date commencing in March 2025.
The report is designed to benchmark platform performance across private practice and in-house accounting professionals. It captures perceptions around functionality, service quality and platform features, with year-on-year comparisons. Data has been weighted by firm size and role seniority to ensure a representative cross-section of the market.
We encourage all accountants and bookkeepers to contribute to the research here.
The survey closes on 31st July 2025 and will take 10 minutes to complete with participants rewarded for their time via a prize draw.
A public version of the report will be made available to participants and industry in early November 2025. For more information about the full report, including the competitive analysis tool for technology providers, please contact jarrad.nash@agilemi.com.au.
