Comparison
Hayes Strategic vs Holded
Two modern alternatives to traditional accounting software, but with very different philosophies. We analyze which one fits best depending on your type of business.
Holded is a cloud ERP platform that is very popular in Spain and Latin America, designed to manage all of an SMB's operations: invoicing, inventory, CRM, projects, accounting, and payroll. Hayes Strategic, on the other hand, specializes in strategic finance: advanced financial reporting, CFO metrics, cash projections, and business-health analysis. They are not direct competitors across the board: Holded wants to be your complete ERP; Hayes wants to be your financial intelligence layer.
Hayes Strategic is best for
- Startup founders who need SaaS metrics (LTV, CAC, Runway, MRR)
- Companies that already have invoicing sorted and want a strategic finance layer
- Consultants and financial advisors who need white-label
- Businesses that prioritize visualization and analysis over operations
- Teams that want simplicity instead of a full ERP
Holded is best for
- SMBs that need invoicing, inventory, and accounting in a single tool
- Businesses with sales teams that need an integrated CRM
- Companies with multiple employees that need payroll management
- Companies that want to replace several SaaS tools with a unified ERP
- Businesses with Spanish tax management that need AEAT integration
Detailed feature comparison
| Feature | Hayes Strategic | Holded |
|---|---|---|
| CFO Advisory (LTV, CAC, Runway) | ||
| Advanced financial KPI dashboard | ||
| Cash flow projections | ||
| Real-time P&L | ||
| Balance Sheet | ||
| Treasury management | ||
| Multi-currency | ||
| Professional PDF reports | ||
| White-label for consultants | ||
| Client invoicing | ||
| Inventory management | ||
| Integrated CRM | ||
| Project management | ||
| Payroll & HR | ||
| AEAT tax filings (Spain) | ||
| Founder-friendly approach | ||
| Learning curve | Low | Medium-High |
| Starting price | $9.99/mo | ~€29/mo |
💰 About pricing
Holded starts at €29/mo on its Basic plan, easily reaching €99+/mo with full features. Hayes Strategic offers the Founder plan from $9.99/mo with CFO advisory included from day one. If you only need the strategic finance part, Hayes is 3-4x more affordable.
Verdict
If your SMB needs an all-in-one ERP with invoicing, inventory, CRM, and payroll, Holded is a solid option, especially if you operate in Spain and need tax integration. But if you already have those features sorted (or don't need them yet) and what you want is to better understand your financial metrics, project runway, analyze unit economics, and make strategic decisions with real-time data, Hayes Strategic is the better option. Many founders use both in parallel: Holded for operations and Hayes for CFO advisory.
Try Hayes Strategic for free
No credit card required. CFO advisory, treasury, P&L, and real-time reports.