Comparison
Marchant vs Cegid
Cegid is a long-established French accounting platform, well-known for tax returns and payroll. Here is how Marchant compares.
Our honest take
Cegid is a reference on the French market for SMEs and mid-market companies with complex accounting needs: tax returns, advanced analytical accounting, ERP integrations. Its functional depth is recognised by accountants.
Cegid’s limitations for micro-businesses and international companies: pricing is opaque (quote-based only), the product is designed for the French market, and there is no native support for the UK or Germany. Companies operating in multiple countries must assemble multiple solutions.
Marchant deliberately targets SMEs that want a modern solution, transparent on pricing, and capable of covering UK, France and Germany from a single interface — with no quotes required, no complex integrations.
People comparing Marchant vs Cegid usually respect what Cegid does — it is a serious French accounting and payroll platform with real depth. The question is fit: Cegid is quote-based, French-market focused and built for accountants and mid-market finance, while many growing SMEs want transparent pricing and cross-border coverage. If you are weighing a Cegid alternative on those grounds, this page is for you.
Unlike Cegid, Marchant publishes its pricing and covers UK HMRC Making Tax Digital, French DGFiP TVA and German ELSTER in one ledger under one subscription. The difference is not Cegid's accounting depth — it is whether you need a quote and a French-only product, or a modern workspace that handles three countries out of the box.
Below is an honest split of Cegid's strengths, a detailed feature comparison, a pricing snapshot to confirm with Cegid directly, a step-by-step migration guide from Cegid to Marchant, and the questions finance leaders ask most before switching.
Cegid
Where Cegid genuinely wins
- ✓A reference brand on the French market, trusted by accountants for SMEs and mid-market companies.
- ✓Native French tax depth — including the liasse fiscale and long-standing accounting expertise.
- ✓Advanced analytical accounting and cost-centre capabilities built up over decades.
- ✓A comprehensive fixed assets module and extended ERP connectors (SAP, Sage X3 and similar).
- ✓Cegid Paie is a mature, dedicated French payroll product with deep DSN/URSSAF coverage.
Where Cegid is weaker for modern, cross-border teams
- ✗Pricing is quote-based only — no public list price, so evaluation starts with a sales conversation.
- ✗No native UK HMRC MTD or German ELSTER filing — international businesses must assemble multiple tools.
- ✗French-market focus means UK and German workflows are not first-class.
- ✗Payroll is a separate product (Cegid Paie) at additional cost, and only for France.
- ✗The interface is historically desktop-oriented and functional rather than modern and mobile-first.
Marchant
Why Marchant fits SMEs that want transparency and reach
- ✓Transparent public pricing from £15/mo (≈ €18/mo) — no quote required to start.
- ✓One subscription covers UK, France and Germany: MTD, DGFiP and ELSTER in the same ledger.
- ✓UK payroll sync (BrightPay) plus French and German payroll accounting included from the Professional tier — not a separate product.
- ✓A modern, fast, mobile-friendly interface with full EN / FR / DE translations.
- ✓Open banking across 2,400+ UK and EU institutions with daily sync, plus an open API and a branded client portal.
Where Cegid still has the edge
- ~For deep French liasse fiscale and complex analytical accounting, Cegid's decades of specialisation go further than Marchant today.
- ~Cegid's extended ERP connector ecosystem (SAP, Sage X3) suits large, integration-heavy finance functions.
- ~If you are a French-only mid-market business with an established Cegid setup, the switching case is weaker until you expand.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Marchant | Cegid |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From £15/mo UK · €18/mo FR list — transparent public pricing | Quote-based — SME and mid-market positioning |
| Pricing transparency | Prices displayed publicly | Pricing on request only |
| French VAT (DGFiP / CA3) | Included — direct DGFiP CA3 submission (FR launch pending approval) | Yes — core feature (Cegid Quadra / Loop) |
| Full tax return (liasse fiscale) | Export for accountant | Yes — native liasse fiscale, long-standing accounting expertise |
| UK VAT (HMRC MTD) | Included — direct MTD submission | Not natively supported |
| German VAT (ELSTER) | Included — direct ELSTER submission (DE launch pending approval) | Not natively supported |
| French Payroll (DSN/URSSAF) | Payroll accounting (payslip storage + journals); DSN/URSSAF integration on the roadmap | Yes — Cegid Paie (dedicated product, additional cost) |
| UK & German Payroll | UK payroll via BrightPay sync from Professional; DE payroll accounting, integration on roadmap | Not supported |
| Open banking | 2,400+ UK & EU banks — daily auto-sync | Bank connections available — variable coverage |
| Cost centre / analytical accounting | Cost centres and projects included | Advanced analytics — historical strength |
| Fixed assets management | Yes — automated depreciation | Yes — comprehensive fixed assets module |
| Multi-currency | 50+ currencies — live ECB/BoE rates | Yes — multi-currency on higher tiers |
| User interface | Modern React — fast, mobile-friendly | Functional interface — historically desktop |
| Accountant access | Included on all plans | Accountant portal — included |
| E-commerce / ERP integration | Open API + Stripe, GoCardless | Extended ERP connectors — SAP, Sage X3, etc. |
| Target market | SME — UK, France, Germany | SME / mid-market — primarily French market |
| Free trial | 60 days (Professional) or 30 days — no card required | Demo on request |
Pricing comparison (verify before you buy)
Cegid is quote-based, so a like-for-like table is hard to publish — the real comparison is transparent monthly pricing versus a tailored quote plus any separate payroll product. Use this as a planning snapshot and confirm specifics with Cegid directly.
| What you are comparing | Marchant | Cegid |
|---|---|---|
| Typical entry price (public list) | Starter from £15/mo UK (€18/mo FR list) — published pricing | Quote-based — SME and mid-market positioning |
| Pricing transparency | Prices displayed publicly on the website | Pricing on request only |
| UK + Germany compliance in the same product | Included — MTD and ELSTER alongside DGFiP | Not natively supported — French market focus |
| Payroll | UK payroll via BrightPay sync from Professional; FR/DE payroll accounting, integrations on roadmap | Cegid Paie — separate French product, additional cost |
| Free trial | 60 days (Professional) or 30 days, card not required | Demo on request |
A tailored quote can land anywhere depending on modules and seats. Before concluding on cost, factor in any separate payroll product and the additional tools you would still need for the UK or Germany.
Switching from Cegid to Marchant
French accounting data exports cleanly via FEC (Fichier des Écritures Comptables) and CSV, which feed Marchant templates well. Plan the migration around a fiscal boundary if your expert-comptable prefers a clean cutover.
Export the FEC and chart of accounts from Cegid
Download the FEC file plus current-year and prior closing balances. Keep analytical (cost-centre) mappings and fixed asset registers to hand for a faithful import.
Move contacts, invoices and bills
CSV templates cover customers, suppliers, open invoices and recurring templates. If you use analytical accounting heavily, export those tags now — we map them into Marchant cost centres.
Reconnect bank feeds in Marchant
Marchant uses its own open banking consent, so reauthorise each French and EU account inside Marchant, then import the last 90 days for a clean reconciliation window.
Recreate tax and payroll settings
DGFiP registration and CA3 history must match exactly. If you are adding UK or German entities, register them in Marchant before filing, and invite your expert-comptable to a shared workspace.
Parallel run one period, then cut over
Many teams file one more CA3 from Cegid while reconciling Marchant, then switch credentials once the period closes. Choose the approach your accountant signs off on.
Need help? Marchant onboarding can review your Cegid FEC export before go-live — send anonymised samples if policy requires. The goal is zero surprises on TVA or payroll deadlines.
Common questions: Marchant vs Cegid
Start your free trial
No commitment, no credit card required. Migrate from Cegid via CSV or FEC export.
Switching from Cegid? See our step-by-step migration guide →