When an advisory firm looks for accounting software, the question «Contasol or Holded?» comes up almost every time. These are two tools with radically different philosophies, and choosing wrong can mean years of friction with the tax authority, broken workflows or costs that do not match the volume of clients managed. In this article we analyse both options without beating around the bush so you can make the right decision.
What Contasol is and what it is designed for
Contasol is the professional accounting module from Software del Sol (DELSOL), now part of the Italian group TeamSystem. It was built to cover the needs of advisory firms and SMEs that require rigorous accounting: manual and automatic journal entries, full management of the Spanish General Accounting Plan, settlement of VAT and personal income tax returns (303, 115, 130, 390…), corporate tax filing (form 200) and, crucially, integration with the SII (Immediate Information Supply) for clients whose annual turnover exceeds six million euros and are therefore obliged to use it.
Contasol comes in several formats: a free single-user version with basic functionality, Standard and Elite desktop annual licences, and a Cloud version accessible from the browser priced per user per month (indicative manufacturer price: from 21 EUR/user/month in the cloud; Standard desktop ~155 EUR/year and Elite desktop ~415 EUR/year). These figures are indicative and may vary; always check the current price at sdelsol.com.
Contasol's strength is its accounting depth: it lets you work with multiple fiscal years simultaneously, import entries from Factusol (the companion invoicing module), generate journal and ledger books, and produce annual accounts in official format. For an advisory firm managing tens or hundreds of clients with different tax obligations, that level of control is hard to find in more generalist tools.
What Holded is and what it is designed for
Holded (currently part of the Visma group) is a cloud ERP platform with invoicing, accounting, CRM, project and inventory modules. Its value proposition is aimed primarily at SMEs that want to manage the whole business from a single dashboard, with a modern interface and a gentler learning curve.
Holded's accounting works in an automated way: when an invoice is issued, the accounting entry is generated automatically. That is an obvious advantage for a business owner with no accounting background. However, for a tax advisory firm that needs to review, correct and audit every entry across multiple clients with different criteria, that automation can become a black box that is hard to control.
Holded includes accounting features oriented towards its own invoicing ecosystem and is not conceived, first and foremost, as a multi-client tool for professional offices. Its pricing model is per plan and per managed company, which can push total costs up as the client portfolio grows.
Direct comparison: Contasol vs Holded
| Criterion | Contasol (DELSOL / TeamSystem) | Holded (Visma) |
|---|---|---|
| Ideal user profile | Advisory firms, management consultancies, SMEs with demanding accounting needs | SMEs looking for an all-in-one ERP with a simple interface |
| Multi-company / multi-client management | Yes, native and standard practice in professional offices | Limited; each company is a separate account with its own cost |
| Manual entry control | Full: journal, ledger, reclassifications, manual entries | Partial; most entries are automated |
| Tax returns (VAT, IRPF, Corporate Tax) | Forms 303, 115, 130, 390, 200 and others; direct filing to AEAT | Limited integration; depends on external connectors |
| SII (mandatory above 6 M EUR/year) | Yes, natively integrated | Not native; requires additional integration |
| Verifactu (verifiable invoicing) | Verifactu adaptation is in Factusol/DELSOL 360, not in Contasol directly (Contasol covers SII) | Included in all plans; manufacturer's responsible declaration under Royal Decree 1007/2023 |
| Annual accounts | Yes, in official format for filing at the Mercantile Registry | Basic financial reports; not a substitute for official annual accounts |
| Integration with invoicing | With Factusol (direct import) and DELSOL 360 (integrated cloud suite) | Native within the same Holded plan |
| Indicative price | From free (1 user) to ~415 EUR/year (Elite desktop) or from ~21 EUR/user/month (cloud) | From ~29 EUR/month (basic plan per company); scales by company and modules |
| Support and ecosystem in Spain | TeamSystem (Italian group with >3.1 M clients); local partner network | Visma (Norwegian group); primarily online support |
The Verifactu factor: what you need to know before 2027
The entry into force of the Verifactu Regulation (Royal Decree 1007/2023, amended by RDL 15/2025) requires the use of invoicing systems that generate invoicing records with a QR code verifiable by the AEAT. The current deadlines are: legal entities from 1 January 2027 and self-employed individuals from 1 July 2027.
It is important to clarify that there is no AEAT «approval» nor an official list of certified software. The legal mechanism is the responsible declaration by the manufacturer itself under Royal Decree 1007/2023. When a supplier tells you their software is «approved» or «certified by the AEAT», that is not technically accurate.
Within the TeamSystem / DELSOL ecosystem, the Verifactu adaptation is present in Factusol (invoicing) and in the cloud suite DELSOL 360. Contasol covers the SII, which is the regime applicable to those already exceeding six million euros annually; SII and Verifactu are mutually exclusive under the regulations.
For an advisory firm managing clients under both regimes, using tools from the same manufacturer — Contasol for accounting and Factusol or DELSOL 360 for invoicing — simplifies traceability and reduces reconciliation errors.
When to choose Contasol
Contasol is the right choice if your office meets any of the following conditions:
- You manage the accounting of multiple clients with different tax obligations and need full control over every entry.
- You have clients subject to the SII and need to submit invoice ledger books automatically.
- Your clients already use Factusol for invoicing and you want to close the accounting cycle by importing movements directly.
- You need to produce annual accounts in official format and file tax returns from within the same programme.
- Cost per managed company is a relevant criterion and you are looking for a scalable solution where the price does not grow linearly with the number of clients.
If your office works with Contasol and needs support for the initial implementation, migration from another software or ongoing support, at Summum Sistemas we implement and support Contasol as an Official TeamSystem Partner. We have been accompanying advisory firms and SMEs in Castilla y León and the Canary Islands in this type of project since 2007.
When Holded can make sense
Holded fits better in different scenarios: a small SME that wants an all-in-one tool to manage its own invoicing, basic accounting, projects and CRM from a modern interface, without depending on an advisory firm for every transaction. It can also be appropriate as a client-facing tool that complements the advisory firm's work, provided that data export to the office's accounting software is properly resolved.
However, if the advisory firm is the one handling that SME's accounting, working from Holded's data typically involves manual exports, entry adjustments and a loss of control over the accounting workflow that Contasol avoids from day one.
The DELSOL 360 suite: the third way in the cloud
There is an alternative that many advisory firms overlook: DELSOL 360, TeamSystem's cloud suite that integrates Factusol, Contasol and Nominasol in a single working environment accessible from the browser. For an advisory firm that wants to move its operations to the cloud without sacrificing Contasol's accounting depth, DELSOL 360 offers the best of both worlds: the modern cloud interface and the accounting and tax power that the desktop suite has built up over decades.
With DELSOL 360, an invoice issued in Factusol lands directly in Contasol without manual exports or imports, and payroll from Nominasol is also integrated in the same database. This is the model we recommend for offices in the process of digitalisation that manage between 20 and 200 client companies.
Migration from other programmes: ContaPlus, Sage 50, a3
Many advisory firms considering the move to Contasol come from ContaPlus / Sage 50 (the former ContaPlus acquired by Sage), from a3ASESOR (Wolters Kluwer) or from older solutions. The good news is that Contasol has import tools for the most common formats, and the migration process, while it requires planning, does not mean losing historical data if carried out correctly.
At Summum Sistemas we have supported migrations from all these origins. The critical point is not technical but organisational: defining the cut-off date, validating that opening balances match and training users on the new workflows before the office is in the middle of the income tax or VAT campaign season.
Frequently asked questions
Can an advisory firm use Contasol to manage all its clients from a single installation?
Yes. Contasol is designed for multi-company work. Each client company has its own database within the programme, and the user can switch between them without logging out. In the Cloud version, access is via the browser and allows collaborative work with several advisers simultaneously.
Does Contasol comply with the SII?
Yes. Contasol includes integration with the SII (Immediate Information Supply), mandatory for companies with an operating volume above six million euros per year and for VAT groups. The programme generates and submits the issued and received invoice ledger books directly to the AEAT through its web services.
What happens with Verifactu in the DELSOL ecosystem?
Verifactu affects invoicing software, not accounting software directly. Within the DELSOL / TeamSystem ecosystem, the Verifactu adaptation is in Factusol (invoicing and stock control) and in DELSOL 360 (cloud suite). Contasol, as an accounting programme that receives data from invoicing, is not directly subject to the Verifactu Regulation. Remember that the deadlines are: legal entities on 1 January 2027 and self-employed individuals on 1 July 2027.
Can I try Contasol before buying?
Yes. There is a free version for a single user with basic functionality that lets you evaluate the interface and workflows. For advisory environments with multiple users and clients, the recommended approach is to run a pilot test with one real client before migrating the entire portfolio. From Summum Sistemas we can accompany you through that trial and resolve any questions that arise during the evaluation.
Can Holded replace Contasol in a tax advisory firm?
In practice, no — not for the day-to-day work of an accounting office. Holded lacks the native multi-client management that an advisory firm needs, does not generate annual accounts in official format for filing at the Mercantile Registry, and its integration with AEAT tax return forms is less direct. It can be a useful tool for the end client who wants to see their business in real time, but the legal accounting will be handled by the adviser using a specific programme like Contasol.