10 Best Carbon Accounting Software for Emission Management

Quick Summary:

Carbon accounting software works by tracking and analyzing your business’s carbon emissions. It collects data on energy usage, transportation, and other factors.

With this info, the software calculates your carbon footprint, helping you identify areas for reduction. This method helps your business run smoothly while being eco-friendly. Want to find the perfect fit? We’ll guide you below.

No one is exempt from contributing to saving the planet. Companies, both big and small, across all industries, are required to reduce their carbon footprint, and the best carbon accounting software can be of great help. In fact, investors, regulators, customers, and employees are all refusing to work with or for companies that fail to join the sustainability bandwagon.

This is where carbon accounting software comes in. These software platforms help companies measure and track their carbon emissions and create an action plan for becoming carbon neutral.

Let’s explore the 10 best carbon accounting software and discuss their major features. 

Carbon Software Comparison Chart (Top 10 Highest Rated)

What is the Best Carbon Accounting Software? Here’s Our Top 10 List:

Choosing the best carbon accounting software for your business is not an easy task. After all, every business has different needs, budgets, and functionality preferences. Some of the SaaS solutions on this list will be more geared toward SMEs, and others toward large enterprises. But we’ve got something for everyone.

Here's a list of the best carbon accounting platforms, along with their pros and cons and pricing plans. 
 

1. Persefoni (Best Carbon Accounting Software Overall)

Why We Chose It:

Persefoni is one of the most intuitive and well-known SaaS carbon management and climate disclosure software on the market, primarily geared toward enterprises and financial institutions. In 2021, Persefoni raised the largest funding round in climate-tech SaaS history.

The software helps companies measure, analyze, plan, forecast, and report on their Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions so they can manage their carbon transactions and inventory with the same accuracy as they measure their finances. 

The software is supported by leading industry analysts who say that Persefoni is the best solution for carbon accounting automation. What's more, the company's advisory board includes notable industry leaders with deep knowledge of the current state of climate control efforts.

Persefoni's interface and features are built with beginners in mind, even if you have no prior knowledge of carbon accounting software. You don't have to be a technical expert to calculate your carbon footprint, meet climate disclosure requests, and achieve net zero. Simply answer a few simple questions, and upload your sustainability data, and the system will guide you through the process from start to finish. 

Pros:

• You don’t need pre-existing knowledge of climate disclosure frameworks or carbon accounting methodologies

• Subscription includes many resources for deployment and support

• Extensive library of how-to articles and videos

• Transparent calculation methods, models, data sets, and audit trails

• Great for enterprises and financial institutions

• Free demo

• Sustainability reporting and carbon reporting 

• Measures Scope 1, 2, and 3

Cons:

• Doesn’t provide public pricing 

Pricing:

• Contact the vendor for pricing 

Visit site
_{Go to Persefoni’s official website}
 

2. Net Zero Cloud (Top Pick for Emissions Forecasting and Simulations)

Why We Chose It:

Net Zero Cloud by Salesforce is a huge player in the carbon accounting field. It's a complete sustainability management solution that includes carbon accounting as part of its features. You can use the software to track, analyze, and report on carbon emissions and waste management data across your business ecosystem. 

You can track and get a single view of your company's carbon footprint, spanning Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. You can forecast future emissions, measure progress with net zero accounting, and create simulation scenarios to identify the fastest path to net zero. 

Additionally, the software comes with advanced emissions reporting features that let you get a summary of your greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), energy consumption, and emission factors. 

The software even integrates seamlessly with Tableau for data visualization, MuleSoft for complete integration into Customer 360, and Slack for easier collaboration with stakeholders.

Pros:

• 30-day trial

• Great forecasting features

• Suitable for small and medium-sized companies

• Integrates with many third-party apps 

• Measures Scope 1, 2, and 3

Cons:

• Pricing plans are expensive 

Pricing:

• Net Zero Cloud Starter, $48k/org/year 

• Net Zero Cloud Growth, $210k/org/year 

Visit site
_{Go to Net Zero Cloud’s official website}
 

3. IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite/Envizi (Great GHG Emissions Management Software for Large Companies)

Why We Chose It:

In January 2022, IBM announced it had acquired Envizi, an emissions data startup company, to add to its package of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) products. Today, Envizi is part of the IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite that brings together AI, weather, climate risk analytics, and carbon accounting. 

The Carbon Performance Engine automates the collection and consolidation of 500+ data types and supports internationally recognized ESG reporting frameworks. The powerful visualizations and customizable dashboards let you easily manage your environmental goals, identify efficiency opportunities, and assess sustainability risks. 

Pros:

• Streamlines reporting 

• Helps build a data foundation 

• Helps engage stakeholders 

• Helps accelerate decarbonization

• Good pick for large companies 

• Measures Scope 1, 2, and 3

• Free demo 

Cons:

• Might be too complex for smaller businesses 

Pricing:

• IBM has not provided pricing details yet

Visit site
_{Go to Envizi’s official website}
 

4. Sphera (Best for Ease of Use)

Why We Chose It:

Sphera offers a combination of consulting, data management, and software that help companies take the next step in their ESG journey.

Sphera's carbon accounting software helps businesses gather Scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon emissions data, automatically calculates their carbon footprint, and generates reports for companies to present their sustainability performance metrics to internal and external stakeholders.

Sphera even offers sustainability consulting services by industry experts so that businesses understand the environmental impacts of their current business strategies. 

Pros:

• Easy-to-use platform

• Great pick if you care about safety and liability

• Scalable solution for large organizations

• Powerful reporting and advanced performance analytics

• Measures Scope 1, 2, and 3

Cons:

• Pricing unavailable 

Pricing:

• Public pricing is not available  

Visit site
_{Go to Sphera’s official website}
 

5. Sinai Technologies (Best for Global Businesses With Complex Supply Chains)

Why We Chose It:

Sinai Technologies prides itself on being the world's leading decarbonization platform. It's an enterprise software that helps companies reach their net-zero targets by identifying the most cost-effective decarbonization strategies—such as investing in renewable energy, using more efficient buildings, switching to low-carbon transportation, etc. It has a number of world-known brands under its belt, including Siemens, Natura, Bayer, Gerdau, and more. 

Currently, the company targets five industries: manufacturing, transportation, apparel and retail, food and beverage, and real estate. The software can be beneficial for global businesses with complex supply chains. If you’re specifically in the transportation business, you might be also interested in the best trucking accounting software for your finances.

Pros:

• Demo available

• Robust projection capabilities

• Understand your organization's entire emissions landscape

• Explore carbon offset opportunities

• Measure and report Scope 1-3 emissions

Cons:

• Not an all-in-one carbon accounting software

• Public pricing is not available 

Pricing:

• The vendor doesn’t provide pricing information

Visit site
_{Sinai Technologies’ official website}
 

6. Emitwise (Good Software Solution for Companies in the Manufacturing or Industrial Sector)

Why We Chose It:

Founded in 2019, Emitwise helps large organizations measure, track, and reduce their emissions across their operations and supply chains cost-effectively.

Companies work with Emitwise to continuously track their scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon emissions. The software simplifies the carbon accounting process, from data collection to analysis and reporting. It gives you a complete view of your operational and supply chain emissions to identify opportunities for reducing your carbon emissions and reaching net-zero carbon status.

The Emitwise carbon accounting process aligns with two internationally established methodologies, ISO 14064 and GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.

The company applies a three-step approach to carbon reduction:

• First, the software measures your carbon emissions and your progress towards net zero. 

• Second, it shares your net-zero journey with relevant stakeholders. 

• Third, it helps you accelerate your company’s roadmap to carbon reduction.

Currently, Emitwise is geared towards the following industries: automotive, packaging, construction, and FMCG. 

Pros:

• Good pick for the manufacturing and industrial sectors

• For large companies with complex supply chains 

• Automates the integration and calculation of carbon data

• Measures Scope 1, 2, and 3

• Free demo 

Cons:

• Not suitable for businesses that are not in the manufacturing and industrial sector

Pricing:

• Pricing is not publicly available 

Visit site
_{Go to Emitwise’s official website}
 

7. Greenly (Best for Businesses Based in Europe)

Why We Chose It:

Greenly is a European-based carbon accounting software company trusted by 500+ forward-thinking companies such as Lacoste, Hennesy, Accenture, and TripAdvisor. The company’s SaaS platform helps businesses calculate their carbon emissions, store, and track emissions in one place, and get insights about ways to reduce their emissions. In addition, the software lets you generate audit-ready reports to present to stakeholders regarding your carbon footprint. 

Greenly integrates with many third-party apps such as Shopify, AWS, Google Cloud Platform, etc. 

The good news is that the pricing can be adapted to meet the budget of any company, both big and small—regardless if you’re a business with as few as 10 employees, or a quickly-growing company with hundreds on your payroll. 

Pros:

• Digitalization of supplier analysis via accounting

• Customizable modules for your physical data

• Certified Methodology

• Support from climate specialists 

• Personalized advice to reach your goals

• Measures Scope 1, 2, and 3

• Suitable for small and medium companies

Cons:

• It’s a relatively new carbon accounting software

• Mostly caters to businesses located in Europe

Pricing:

• Annual prices range from $2,500 to $20,000+ 

Visit site
_{Go to Greenly’s official website}
 

8. Diligent (Best for Nonprofits, NGOs, and Government Organizations)

Why We Chose It:

Diligent is a carbon accounting solution geared towards board members, nonprofits, executives, and government officials tasked with carbon management reduction initiatives. Similarly to other software for nonprofits, such as church accounting software, this one comes with a specific set of features geared towards such organizations.

In short, it's a very robust software that automatically collects your data and calculates your carbon emissions across scopes 1, 2, and 3 based on 70,000 automatically updated emissions factors. 

Companies can easily generate up to 80 different audit-ready reports, set KPIs, and identify red flags early on. 

The software is built by sustainability professionals for sustainability professionals and is certified by CDP, GRESB, GRI, SECR, SASB, and DJSI.

Pros:

• Suitable for nonprofits, NGOs, and government organizations

• Access to 70,000 up-to-date globally published emission factors

• Measures Scope 1, 2, and 3

Cons:

• May be too lightweight for large companies with complex needs

Pricing:

• Pricing not publicly available

Visit site
_{Go to Diligent’s official website}
 

9. Watershed (Great for Carbon Emission Reduction Planning)

Why We Chose It:

Watershed is a climate platform trusted by some leading companies, such as Klarna, Airbnb, Shopify, Stripe, Spotify, Walmart, Twitter, Pinterest, and others. 

Watershed helps companies assess their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from things like electricity and office equipment. It also helps companies track their Scope 3 emissions, which include the impact of their supply chain and customers' use of their products. 

The company has even developed state-of-the-art methodologies for remote work, cloud computing, cryptocurrencies, food, apparel, and more. The platform integrates tens of thousands of emissions factors from government publications (including DEFRA and EPA), LCA dashboards (like Ecoinvent), academic research, and company reports.

The major selling point of the platform is that you'll get a climate strategy tailored to your specific business. The platform will first measure your carbon footprint using industry-leading models. Once your impact is measured, you'll get access to audit-ready reports you can share with relevant stakeholders. Then, Watershed will show you what decisions your company could make to change its carbon footprint drastically. The climate action plan will contain a strategy for making meaningful carbon reductions and investing in decarbonization initiatives.

Pros:

• Some of its clients include brands like Twitter and Airbnb

• You’ll get a climate strategy tailored to your business

• You’ll know your carbon footprint in a few weeks

• Measures Scope 1, 2, and 3

• View your emissions in a real-time dashboard

• Investor-grade reporting

• Free demo 

Cons:

• A relatively new player in the industry 

Pricing:

• Pricing not publicly available

Visit site
_{Go to Watershed’s official website}
 

10. Sweep (Best for SMEs on a Budget)

Why We Chose It:

Sweep is a platform that helps companies reduce carbon emissions in their business and value chain.

You can create a customizable chart called a “tree” that mirrors your company structure. This makes it easier to assign and track tasks and analyze your emissions from one place. You’ll also find ready-made footprint templates that have the groups and emissions you want to track already added. 

The software measures your emissions by drawing data from a large emission factor database. Additionally, you can create composites and import your own emission factors. For an added fee, you can unlock even more emission factors through specialist databases such as Ecoinvent. 

Once the software measures your current carbon emissions, you can set smart reduction targets compliant with reporting standards and the latest science. What’s more, you can run reduction scenarios based on insights into where your emissions come from. 

Pros:

• Best for SMBs

• Vast emission-factor database

• Run reduction scenarios

• Create a roadmap to hit your targets

• Smart dashboards to better understand your data 

• Auditable reports compliant with the most common carbon accounting standards

Cons:

• Might be too lightweight for large enterprises 

Pricing:

• Growth plan, $950/month billed annually

• Enterprise plan, contact vendor for pricing 

Visit site
_{Go to Sweep’s official website}

What is Carbon Accounting Software & What Does it Do?

Carbon accounting software is a relatively new type of software that helps companies measure and reduce their carbon emissions. These carbon accounting systems measure the carbon emissions of companies across Scope 1, 2, and 3 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and then suggest carbon reduction strategies for lowering their carbon footprint. 

Just like you would use online accounting software for keeping track of your company’s income and expenses, carbon accounting software works similarly but for tracking your carbon emissions and low-carbon efforts. 

Some carbon accounting software lets companies run reduction scenarios based on insights into where their emissions come from to identify opportunities for achieving their net zero goals. 

Businesses looking for financial opportunities often invest in net zero accounting software, as many stakeholders are more likely to be interested in a company that seeks to reduce its carbon footprint. Companies can easily share their progress with relevant stakeholders with features like auditable reports.

Which Carbon Management Software is Best for Me? Key Takeaways

In this roundup review, we named Persefoni the best carbon accounting software overall for several reasons. To start with, Persefoni is one of the most well-known carbon accounting software in the industry. What's more, it's a very intuitive software that even beginners can easily find their way around. The company's advisory board includes notable industry leaders with deep knowledge of the current state of climate control efforts.

With that said, this doesn't mean it would be the best carbon accounting software for everyone. Other solutions would be a better fit in certain industries and scenarios.

For instance, if you need a complete sustainability management solution, Net Zero Cloud by Salesforce would be a good pick. Sinai came out as a suitable solution if you’re a global business with complex supply chains. 

Companies in the industrial or manufacturing industries should look at Emitwise, while nonprofits, NGOs, and government organizations should take Diligent for a spin. 

The good news is that each one of these solutions offers a free demo where you’ll get to know how the product works in greater detail. Make sure you take advantage of this offer before committing to a subscription.