- Alternatives to Avalara; what I learned the hard way (and what can save you a headache)
- Why look for alternatives to Avalara?
- The hidden cost of what you can't see
- The best alternatives to Avalara (tested by me or by colleagues in crisis)
- Do you really need something like Avalara?
- What about you? What has been your experience looking for alternatives to Avalara?
Alternatives to Avalara; what I learned the hard way (and what can save you a headache)
Do you know what is worse than doing taxes? Doing them with a tool that makes your life even more complicated. I, as a small digital business owner, fell into Avalara’s shiny and promising trap. It wasn’t love at first invoice.If you are also looking for alternatives to Avalara, join me in this journey of mistakes, learnings and discoveries that, I hope, will save you nights of cold coffee and open tabs with tutorials you don’t understand.
Why look for alternatives to Avalara?
When the solution becomes another problem
Look, Avalara was sold to me as the panacea: “automate everything, just get paid and relax”. But in the end, I spent hours reviewing configurations, integrations that did not talk to each other and, worst of all… that constant fear that in an audit I would be fined because something was not well “adjusted”. As if it was my fault for not being a tax expert, right?
Have you ever bought a tool that promised simplicity and ended up asking for a postgraduate degree in tax engineering?
The hidden cost of what you can’t see
Money, time… and mental health
Avalara is not cheap. I knew that from the beginning. But what I didn’t know was how much it was going to cost me in maintenance, extra support, integration and frustrations. I remember one time I just wanted to talk to someone – a real person! – to understand why my New York statement didn’t add up… I heard back three days later with a link to the knowledge base. I almost cried. Well, I cried.
Not to mention the eternal contracts. You feel trapped. Like those relationships that don’t work anymore, but leaving costs you more than staying.
The best alternatives to Avalara (tested by me or by colleagues in crisis)
TaxValet – Human attention, really
My friend Carla, who has a vegan store, swore by TaxValet. They have assigned her a flesh and blood advisor who calls her, explains, updates her on everything and even prepares audits for her. It’s like having a mini tax team without having to hire one. But beware: if you bill less than a million dollars a year, this option may not be for you.
“What I value most is not having to touch anything. Not even the laptop. They just let me know that everything is up to date and that’s it.” – Carla, happy and without gastritis
TaxJar – Ideal for startups (if you have patience)
I confess I used TaxJar for a while. It’s simple and integrates easily with Shopify, Etsy, Amazon…. Everything was fine until I had to correct a payment. That’s when the problems started. Customer support was slow and, according to several users, since Stripe bought it, it’s not the same. But if you are starting out, don’t have a team and just want to automate the basics, it can be useful.
Leave it in the comments or just have a cup of coffee thinking about it. Because sometimes, a good fiscal decision starts with asking ourselves: who do I want to be when the next audit comes around?
Do you prefer simplicity even if you have to intervene yourself, or do you want to delegate everything even if it costs more?
Vertex – For large companies with muscle
If your company already plays in the big leagues, Vertex is like a tax Rolls-Royce. Ideal for multinational corporations with in-house tax teams. My opinion? It does not suit everybody. It is like one wishing to use excel to create a grocery list and he is in the construction industry of an airport.
Do you really need something like Avalara?
Not always is the solution the most notable or the most costly one. It is the one that makes you feel at ease. And yes, it can also be the one that speaks to you in plain English and not in tax code.
What brought me out of it was this. Realizing that I should not accomplish everything myself. The fact that seeking such help (not only in the digital form) is not considered a failure, but a survival strategy of entrepreneurs.
Some questions that made me think, and maybe you too
- Am I investing in a tool or a headache with a good interface?
- Do I prefer full control with something like TaxJar, or delegate everything to a team like TaxValet?
- How much is my time (and my peace of mind) worth?
What about you? What has been your experience looking for alternatives to Avalara?
Leave it in the comments or just have a cup of coffee thinking about it. Because sometimes, a good fiscal decision starts with asking ourselves: who do I want to be when the next audit comes around?
