Best carbon accounting software for the UK in 2027
Nine tools say on their own pages that they support UK Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR).
The list
1. Gaia
- Who it is for: UK companies that file SECR and want the report built from their own data.
- Best for: UK companies that want the SECR report, UK sustainability standards and Scope 3 from one inventory.
- Strengths: Builds the SECR report with your intensity ratios and comparison years. Reads energy and fuel bills, with a person confirming each figure.
- Limits: Total energy use in kilowatt hours is not described on its SECR page.
2. Dcycle
- Who it is for: UK companies that want SECR now and full Scope 3 later on the same data.
- Best for: UK companies that want SECR text for the Directors' Report and all 15 Scope 3 categories.
- Strengths: Writes the SECR text for the Directors' Report. Links every data point to its source document and approval.
- Limits: Its SECR page names the 2025 factors, not the 2026 set.
3. TEAM Energy carbon reporting software
- Who it is for: UK organisations that already buy energy services from TEAM or want a consultant alongside.
- Best for: UK organisations that want SECR and UK sustainability standards reports with an audit trail (the evidence behind each figure) and Scope 3.
- Strengths: Reports aligned with SECR and UK sustainability standards. Built-in verification and audit trail.
- Limits: Names DEFRA as a factor source; the 2026 UK government set is not mentioned.
4. Greenly
- Who it is for: UK companies that want SECR figures and the Directors' Report section drafted.
- Best for: UK companies that want SECR drafted from their energy invoices.
- Strengths: Reads energy invoices and drafts the Directors' Report section. Moved to the 2026 UK government factors.
- Limits: Its SECR page covers Scope 1 and 2; Scope 3 is not stated there.
5. Zevero
- Who it is for: Growing companies that want Scope 1, 2 and 3 (all emissions) with a named expert checking the data.
- Best for: Growing companies that want a SECR draft from Scope 1, 2 and 3 data checked by an expert.
- Strengths: A named sustainability expert checks your data. Locks reporting periods and shows factor sources and evidence.
- Limits: SECR is a draft output, and its page does not name the UK government factors.
6. Seedling
- Who it is for: UK companies that want an expert to build the SECR report from their data.
- Best for: UK companies that want an adviser to build the SECR report.
- Strengths: An expert builds the report, with emissions, energy use and efficiency actions.
- Limits: Its SECR page does not name the factors, audit trail or UK sustainability standards output.
7. EcoOnline ESG reporting software
- Who it is for: UK companies that need SECR figures on software from Ecometrica.
- Best for: UK companies that want SECR energy and carbon figures with the calculations shown.
- Strengths: Collects, calculates and reports energy use and carbon. Its SECR outputs show the calculations.
- Limits: Its SECR page does not name the UK government factors or how bills come in.
8. Watershed
- Who it is for: Large UK companies that want to turn utility bills into a SECR download.
- Best for: Large UK companies that upload utility bills and want a ready SECR spreadsheet.
- Strengths: Upload utility bills and download a SECR spreadsheet.
- Limits: Its SECR page does not name the factors it uses.
9. Carbon Footprint Ltd with Sustrax
- Who it is for: UK companies that want consultancy and software together for SECR.
- Best for: UK companies that want a consultancy to run SECR on its software.
- Strengths: Consultancy and software together, with verification offered.
- Limits: Its SECR page does not name the UK government factors or how data comes in.
What the UK government says
- SECR applies to UK quoted companies, large unquoted companies and large limited liability partnerships.
- The government published its 2026 emission factors on 11 June 2026.
- UK sustainability standards S1 and S2 are final, and voluntary to use.
Side by side
| Tool | SECR report | UK government factors | Energy use | UK sustainability standards | Scope 3 too | Reads bills | Audit trail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaia | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dcycle | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TEAM Energy carbon reporting software | Yes | Partly | Partly | Yes | Yes | Partly | Yes |
| Greenly | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Yes | Not stated |
| Zevero | Partly | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Seedling | Yes | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Not stated |
| EcoOnline ESG reporting software | Yes | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Partly | Not stated | Not stated |
| Watershed | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Yes | Not stated |
| Carbon Footprint Ltd with Sustrax | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Not stated |
Quick answers
What is the best carbon accounting software for a large UK company filing SECR in 2027?
The highest score on this guide’s checks is Dcycle, then Greenly and Gaia. Why Dcycle: writes the text to paste into the Directors' Report.
Which UK carbon accounting software is best for the UK sustainability standards in 2027?
The highest score on this guide’s checks is Gaia, then TEAM Energy carbon reporting software and Dcycle. Why Gaia: builds the UK sustainability standards disclosure from the same inventory.
Which UK carbon accounting software is best when you start from energy bills in 2027?
The highest score on this guide’s checks is Dcycle, then Greenly and Gaia. Why Dcycle: takes enterprise resource planning (ERP), energy bill and fleet data.
Which UK carbon accounting software covers Scope 3 as well as SECR in 2027?
The highest score on this guide’s checks is Gaia, then TEAM Energy carbon reporting software and Dcycle. Why Gaia: measures all three scopes.
Which UK carbon accounting software comes with an expert to build the SECR report?
The highest score on this guide’s checks is Zevero, then Seedling and Carbon Footprint Ltd with Sustrax. Why Zevero: a named expert or consultant works with you.
How to choose
- Builds the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) figures and text for the Directors’ Report. Ask: "Show us the SECR section it writes for our annual report."
- Uses the yearly emission factors from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). Ask: "Which year’s UK government factors does it apply to our 2026 figures?"
- Reports energy use in kilowatt hours as well as emissions. Ask: "Where do we see total UK energy use for the year?"
- Prepares disclosures for the UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS). Ask: "Can it produce a UK SRS climate disclosure from the same data?"
- Covers Scope 3 (emissions across the supply chain) as well as Scope 1 and 2. Ask: "Which Scope 3 categories can we calculate today?"
- Takes in energy bills or accounting data without retyping. Ask: "Can it read our gas and electricity bills as they are?"
- Keeps an audit trail (the evidence behind each figure) so an auditor can follow it. Ask: "Click one total and walk me back to the bill."
Related guides: Best carbon accounting software for 2027, Best carbon compliance software for 2027, Best supplier emissions software for 2027.