Quick summary

Sage 50 Direct Deposit

Built into Sage 50 (requires subscription)
Per-transaction fees (~$1-1.50/payment)
Payroll-focused
Requires Sage Direct Deposit subscription
Payments processed through Sage's network

EFT Flow

Standalone tool (works with any software)
Flat monthly fee—no per-transaction costs
Payroll + vendor payments + any payment type
Generates files you upload to your own bank
Your data stays on your computer

Detailed comparison

Feature	Sage 50 Direct Deposit	EFT Flow
Pricing model	Per-transaction (~$1-1.50)	$95/month flat
100 payments/month	~$100-150	$95
200 payments/month	~$200-300	$95
Lifetime option	No	$2,990 one-time
Requires Sage subscription	Yes	No
Works with other software	No (Sage only)	Yes (any Excel/CSV export)
Vendor payments	Limited	Full support
Bank file generation	Processed through Sage	You upload to your bank directly
Data location	Cloud/Sage network	Your computer only

When Sage 50 Direct Deposit makes sense

Low volume: If you're paying <30 people per month, per-transaction fees may be acceptable
All-in-one preference: You want everything inside Sage without additional tools
Simple payroll only: You're only doing employee payroll, not vendor payments
Already paying for it: It's bundled with your Sage subscription

The convenience tradeoff: Sage Direct Deposit is integrated and simple. You pay for that convenience through per-transaction fees. For low-volume users, this is a reasonable tradeoff.

When EFT Flow makes sense

Higher volume: At 50+ payments/month, flat pricing saves real money
Vendor payments: You pay suppliers, contractors, and vendors—not just employees
Multiple software sources: Some data comes from Sage, some from spreadsheets
Planning to switch accounting software: EFT Flow works regardless of what accounting system you use
Data privacy concerns: You prefer keeping payment data on your own computer
Budget predictability: You want to know exactly what payments cost each month

The math at scale

At 100 payments/month:

Sage Direct Deposit: ~$100-150/month = $1,200-1,800/year
EFT Flow monthly: $1140/year
EFT Flow lifetime: $2,990 once

Annual savings: $60-$660+

Switching from Sage Direct Deposit

If you're currently using Sage Direct Deposit and want to try EFT Flow:

1

Export your employee/vendor data
Get a list with names and banking details from Sage.

2

Import into EFT Flow
Set up your payee database with their bank details.

3

Run parallel for one pay period
Process through both systems to verify everything matches.

4

Switch over
Cancel Sage Direct Deposit once you're confident.

Keep using Sage: You don't have to leave Sage 50. Just export your payment data to Excel/CSV, process through EFT Flow, and continue using Sage for everything else.

The workflow difference

Sage Direct Deposit workflow

Process payroll in Sage
Submit through Sage Direct Deposit
Sage processes and sends to employees
Fee charged per transaction

Simpler, but you pay per payment and data flows through Sage.

EFT Flow workflow

Process payroll in Sage
Export payment list to Excel/CSV
Import into EFT Flow, generate CPA-005
Upload to your bank directly

One extra step, but flat pricing and you control the file.

FAQ

Can I use both Sage Direct Deposit and EFT Flow?

Yes, but it doesn't make sense financially. If you're paying for EFT Flow, use it for everything and save the per-transaction fees. Some businesses run parallel during transition, then switch fully to EFT Flow.

Does EFT Flow work with Sage 50 Canada specifically?

Yes. EFT Flow works with any version of Sage 50 (Canadian edition) that can export to Excel or CSV. This includes Sage 50 Pro, Premium, and Quantum.

What about Sage's payment timing?

Sage Direct Deposit handles timing automatically. With EFT Flow, you control when you upload to your bank. Most banks process same-day or next-day depending on upload time. You're responsible for timing, but you also have full control.

Is my data safer with EFT Flow?

EFT Flow processes everything locally on your computer. Your payment data never goes to a third party. Whether that's "safer" depends on your perspective—some prefer local control, others prefer managed services. Both are legitimate approaches.

What if I stop using Sage entirely?

EFT Flow doesn't care what accounting software you use. If you switch from Sage to QuickBooks, Xero, or anything else, EFT Flow keeps working. Just export from your new system and import the same way.

Try EFT Flow risk-free

Download the trial and process a test payment run alongside Sage Direct Deposit. See the difference before you commit.

Download Free Trial See Pricing

EFT Flow vs Sage 50 Direct Deposit