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Showing 21 to 40 of 274 reviews
Siyabonga Shabalala
Practice Owner · Paarl Farming
13 March 2026
Still the right tool for us, though the cloud options get more tempting yearly. Report layouts beyond the standard ones need the forms designer and patience. The bank manager module reconciles Capitec statements quickly once the rules are set.
Priya Ismail
Accounts Supervisor · Bateleur Packaging Group
7 February 2026
We run stock, debtors, creditors and the ledger for two branches on it. Year end procedures look scary the first time but the wizard walks you through it. It does the unglamorous work perfectly and that is the whole job.
Pros
Ageing reports are excellent
Mark Khan
Financial Manager · Mbombela Trading and Sons
24 January 2026
I have year ends from over a decade ago that I can still open and inspect. Our consultant set up the chart of accounts once and it has served us for a decade.
Pros
Payroll bundle discount is worthwhile
Thandiwe Miller
Accounts Clerk
25 July 2025
Good software wrapped in a 2010 experience. Report layouts beyond the standard ones need the forms designer and patience.
Pros
Multi company on one licence
Cons
Modules are priced separately and add up
Johan Maseko
Financial Manager · Crossroads Couriers
3 July 2026
It is dependable to a fault and dated to a fault. The interface has not meaningfully changed in a decade. You can drill from any report straight down to the source document.
Cons
Learning curve for staff used to cloud tools
Anele Steyn
Practice Owner · Meridian Attorneys and Sons
18 September 2025
A strong product carrying some old baggage. Rebuild functions fix data issues but the fact you need them says something.
Cons
Backups are entirely your responsibility
Aisha Sebola
Accounts Supervisor
2 June 2026
There is a Pastel consultant ten minutes from us and that changes everything. Inventory with serial numbers has kept our warehouse honest for years.
Pros
Most bookkeepers already know it
Nandi Abrahams
Director · Abrahams Plumbing and Sons
21 July 2024
We run stock, debtors, creditors and the ledger for two branches on it. Training a new clerk takes days because half the candidates already know it. Processing speed on a local machine beats waiting for a browser every time.
Cons
Upgrades between versions can be fiddly
Bradley Bester
Accounts Supervisor · Bester Consulting Supplies
28 April 2026
It is not glamorous but the trial balance is right every single month. Inventory with serial numbers has kept our warehouse honest for years.
Pros
Most bookkeepers already know it; decades of proven stability
Cons
Emailing documents feels clunky
Dineo Du Toit
Financial Manager
1 March 2025
After trying the cloud options we stayed with the desktop, speed won. It handles our point of sale till at the front and the ledger at the back. Data integrity has been flawless for us, 2 years without a corruption. For an established SMB with a real accounts function, look no further.
Cons
Needs proper IT support on a network
Naledi Ramjee
Impala Farming Services
1 March 2025
I learned Pastel at varsity and walked into my first job already productive. The bank manager module reconciles Absa statements quickly once the rules are set. Backups take a minute and I sleep well knowing the data sits on our own server.
Pros
Multi company on one licence
Cons
Interface looks and feels dated
Lindiwe Naidoo
7 January 2025
Our auditors know the reports by heart, year end goes quickly because of that. The Intelligence reporting module turns the ledger into proper management packs. If you want serious desktop bookkeeping in South Africa, this is still the one.
Pros
Data lives on your own server; forms designer matches documents to letterhead
Hannelie Moodley
Owner · Fynbos Accountants and Sons
15 October 2024
I learned Pastel at varsity and walked into my first job already productive. The bank manager module reconciles Nedbank statements quickly once the rules are set. Not moving. No reason to.
Cons
Occasional data errors need rebuilds
Mark Meyer
Accounts Clerk
1 September 2024
After trying the cloud options we stayed with the desktop, speed won. Multi company support means our two entities live side by side cleanly. It does the unglamorous work perfectly and that is the whole job.
Pros
Colleges still teach it so hiring is easy; utterly reliable core ledger
Kate Vermeulen
Accountant
29 July 2024
As a bookkeeping practice we standardised on Pastel and never regretted it. Training a new clerk takes days because half the candidates already know it. The GL is strict in the best way, it forces clean processing habits.
Pros
Most bookkeepers already know it; colleges still teach it so hiring is easy
Cons
No real mobile story
Mpho Naidoo
Accounts Clerk · Naidoo Logistics Solutions
3 June 2025
It is 2026 and I still cannot work properly from home on it. The licence tiers force you up a level for one extra user.
Pros
Forms designer matches documents to letterhead
Cons
Network version instability wasted days
James Perumal
Financial Controller
4 October 2024
The core is bulletproof. The extras feel bolted on.
Pros
Fast local processing, no browser lag
Cons
Learning curve for staff used to cloud tools
Craig Jacobs
Practice Owner · Umhlanga Properties Studio
30 July 2024
I learned Pastel at varsity and walked into my first job already productive. Twenty years from now someone will still be running their books on Pastel.
Pros
Utterly reliable core ledger
Sarah Van Wyk
Financial Director
8 May 2025
After 10 years I know every corner of it, including the frustrating ones. Every useful extra is a separate module with a separate price. You can drill from any report straight down to the source document.
Pros
Payroll bundle discount is worthwhile; batch processing suits real accounts teams
Cons
Modules are priced separately and add up
Katlego Mahlangu
Practice Owner
6 February 2025
Good software wrapped in a 2010 experience. Remote access means remote desktop gymnastics or paying for hosting. The bank manager module reconciles Absa statements quickly once the rules are set.
Pros
Granular user permissions
Cons
Annual renewal increases keep coming
South Africa