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Showing 161 to 180 of 274 reviews
Zanele Vermeulen
Credit Controller
3 July 2026
Renewal pricing finally pushed us to look elsewhere, and elsewhere was better. The workstation installs break with every Windows update, or so it feels.
Cons
Renewal pricing no longer matches the value. Windows updates keep breaking workstations
Charmaine Mabaso
Practice Owner · Paarl Attorneys
3 July 2026
It is not glamorous but the trial balance is right every single month. Backups take a minute and I sleep well knowing the data sits on our own server.
Pros
Consultants and training available everywhere in SA; granular user permissions
Sanele Pretorius
Owner · Johannesburg Electrical
2 July 2026
Batch processing suits how a real accounts department actually works. The forms designer let us match our invoices to our letterhead exactly. Not moving. No reason to.
Pros
Decades of proven stability
Rajesh Sebola
Financial Manager · Crossroads Farming Studio
30 June 2026
When the fibre goes down in George we keep capturing like nothing happened. Load shedding does not touch us, the server sits on an inverter and we keep working.
Pros
Multi company on one licence; forms designer matches documents to letterhead
Hennie Marais
Bookkeeper
29 June 2026
After 5 years I know every corner of it, including the frustrating ones. Report layouts beyond the standard ones need the forms designer and patience.
Pros
Works through load shedding and internet outages; granular user permissions
Cons
Backups are entirely your responsibility
Susan Vermeulen
Practice Owner
26 June 2026
When the fibre goes down in Durban we keep capturing like nothing happened. The bank manager module reconciles Capitec statements quickly once the rules are set.
Pros
VAT reporting aligned with SARS
Keabetswe Van Zyl
Financial Manager · Milkwood Freight Supplies
25 June 2026
The core is bulletproof. The extras feel bolted on. Rebuild functions fix data issues but the fact you need them says something.
Pros
Forms designer matches documents to letterhead
Cons
Needs proper IT support on a network
Deon Naicker
Office Manager · Protea Consulting
17 June 2026
Good software wrapped in a 2010 experience.
Pros
Data lives on your own server
Cons
Learning curve for staff used to cloud tools
Bongani Van der Merwe
Practice Owner · Merwe Properties
13 June 2026
Our auditors know the reports by heart, year end goes quickly because of that. The forms designer let us match our invoices to our letterhead exactly.
Cons
Occasional data errors need rebuilds
Mpho Radebe
Fynbos Farming Group
11 June 2026
We moved from a cloud product back to Pastel for the processing speed alone. Twenty years from now someone will still be running their books on Pastel.
Pros
Ageing reports are excellent; colleges still teach it so hiring is easy
Cons
Needs proper IT support on a network
Sibusiso Nel
8 June 2026
We moved from a cloud product back to Pastel for the processing speed alone. The install base means any problem you hit, someone within driving distance has solved it before. Inventory with serial numbers has kept our warehouse honest for years. Twenty years from now someone will still be running their books on Pastel.
Pros
Payroll bundle discount is worthwhile; consultants and training available everywhere in SA
Ronel Makhubela
Financial Director
1 June 2026
I have year ends from over a decade ago that I can still open and inspect. User permissions are granular enough that the juniors only see what they should.
Pros
Works through load shedding and internet outages
Cons
Remote access is clunky without hosting
Devan Smith
Accounts Supervisor · Polokwane Electrical Group
25 May 2026
We rate the engine highly and the interface far less. Rebuild functions fix data issues but the fact you need them says something.
Cons
Emailing documents feels clunky
Estelle Makhubela
Senior Bookkeeper · Karoo Plumbing and Sons
21 May 2026
Invoicing hundreds of lines a day and it never falls over. The GL is strict in the best way, it forces clean processing habits.
Pros
Strong stock module with serial tracking
Cons
Learning curve for staff used to cloud tools
Vusi Chauke
Managing Director · Golden City Attorneys Holdings
5 May 2026
The thing about Pastel is that every accountant in the country can work in it. Solid, familiar and everywhere. That combination is hard to beat.
Cons
Report customisation takes patience
Elmarie Booysen
Senior Bookkeeper · Bloemfontein Construction Studio
4 May 2026
We moved from a cloud product back to Pastel for the processing speed alone. Processing speed on a local machine beats waiting for a browser every time.
Pros
Consultants and training available everywhere in SA; utterly reliable core ledger
Katlego Joubert
Accounts Clerk
25 April 2026
We process for 18 clients in our practice and every one of them is on Pastel.
Pros
Fast local processing, no browser lag
Sibusiso Ngcobo
Financial Controller
12 April 2026
New staff always know it already because the colleges all teach it. Data integrity has been flawless for us, 5 years without a corruption.
Bheki Brown
Credit Controller · Brown Properties
31 March 2026
We run stock, debtors, creditors and the ledger for two branches on it. The forms designer let us match our invoices to our letterhead exactly.
Pros
Batch processing suits real accounts teams
Cons
Backups are entirely your responsibility
Vinesh Buthelezi
Financial Manager · Pretoria Farming Works
27 March 2026
Pastel does the accounting properly, it just makes you work for it sometimes. Remote access means remote desktop gymnastics or paying for hosting.
Pros
Most bookkeepers already know it
Cons
Interface looks and feels dated
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