Comparison

SpreadsheetBroccoli vs Adept Tools

Adept Tools provides desktop CSV import add-ons for Sage 50 at £180+VAT with annual renewal fees. SpreadsheetBroccoli is better for converting CSV files to Sage 50 format without expensive licenses or desktop software installation.

Try CSV to Sage 50 yourself

Feature Comparison

Feature Comparison

Feature Adept Tools SpreadsheetBroccoli
Flexible pricing (pay-as-you-go)
Try without signup
No setup or learning required
Data stays on your device
Works on any device
Error detection before upload
Fast email support
No API tokens required
No risk of data corruption
Full data transparency
Try It Free No signup required

What Adept Tools Does Well

To be fair, Adept Tools has genuine strengths:

Deep Sage 50 integration via SDO
Supports transactions, invoices, products, customers, prices
Company-wide license (unlimited users)
30-day free trial (limited to 10 rows)
UK-focused with VAT code support
Compatible with Sage 50 versions 8 to 30
Batch import capabilities

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Adept Tools

  • You need direct Sage 50 database integration
  • You want a desktop tool with deep Sage SDO access
  • You import multiple data types (invoices, products, customers)
  • You have a company-wide Sage 50 deployment
  • You need batch import automation

Choose SpreadsheetBroccoli

  • You want browser-based conversion without software installation
  • You prefer pay-per-use over annual license fees
  • You need occasional bank transaction imports
  • You want to preview and validate before importing
  • You work across multiple devices

How SpreadsheetBroccoli Works

1

Upload

Drop your CSV or Excel file — no signup needed

2

Preview

See exactly what your converted file looks like before paying

3

Download

Get your file in the right format, ready to import

Relevant SpreadsheetBroccoli Tools

These tools compete directly with Adept Tools:

Convert CSV to Sage 50

Ready for the simpler approach?

Try CSV to Sage 50 yourself - no signup required.

Try It Free

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on your needs. Adept Tools is built for businesses that need advanced automation and accounting integrations. If you're a small business doing monthly imports or occasional conversions, SpreadsheetBroccoli's simpler approach may be a better fit - no subscriptions, no setup, just results.
Not for the same transactions - you'd risk double-counting. However, you could use Adept Tools for ongoing automation and SpreadsheetBroccoli for one-off historical imports or quick ad-hoc conversions outside your normal workflow.
Adept Tools typically requires 30-60 minutes of initial setup (account creation, API connections, mapping configuration), then runs automatically. SpreadsheetBroccoli takes under 2 minutes per conversion - upload, preview, download. Choose based on whether you need ongoing automation or quick occasional conversions.
Pick a clean cutoff date (end of month works best). Let Adept Tools finish processing that period, then disconnect. Export your data from the source platform and use SpreadsheetBroccoli for conversions going forward. The first month needs careful reconciliation to ensure no gaps or duplicates.
Both produce accurate results when used correctly. Adept Tools uses API connections for automated data sync. SpreadsheetBroccoli processes the exact file you provide and shows you a preview before finalizing. Our pre-upload validation catches errors before they reach your accounting software.
Adept Tools typically charges monthly subscriptions regardless of usage. SpreadsheetBroccoli offers flexible options: free preview before commitment, pay-per-conversion, credit bundles for volume, or subscriptions for heavy users. You only pay for what you actually use.
Adept Tools offers various support tiers depending on your plan. SpreadsheetBroccoli provides fast email support to all users. Our file-based approach also means simpler troubleshooting - if something looks wrong, you can see exactly what data was converted in the preview.
Adept Tools processes data on their servers via API connections. SpreadsheetBroccoli processes files entirely in your browser - your data never leaves your device. There's no account to hack, no API tokens to secure, and no data stored on external servers.
SpreadsheetBroccoli is ideal for small businesses doing their own bookkeeping, occasional users who need monthly or quarterly imports, and anyone who wants instant results without learning a new platform. Adept Tools is better suited for larger operations with dedicated bookkeepers who need ongoing automation.
Adept Tools offers automated syncing, real-time connections, and features like multi-channel consolidation or advanced accounting automation. SpreadsheetBroccoli focuses on doing file conversion exceptionally well - fast, private, and simple. We're not trying to replace full accounting platforms, just make conversions effortless.
Absolutely not. This is a major security advantage of SpreadsheetBroccoli over Adept Tools. Adept Tools requires you to hand over API keys or login credentials, creating a permanent security vulnerability. We only touch the specific file you upload, process it in your browser, and forget it immediately.
It works until it breaks. Automated integrations often fail silently when platforms update their APIs, leaving you with weeks of missing or duplicated data to clean up manually. SpreadsheetBroccoli is deterministic: you verify the file right now, import it right now, and you know it's done correctly. It turns "background anxiety" into "finished work."
You can, but the cost is validation and edge cases. AI often hallucinates math or format structures, and free scripts rarely handle messy real-world data (missing SKUs, strange currency formats, tax anomalies). We have battle-tested validators specifically for Adept Tools exports that catch issues a generic script will miss.