sql-account comparison malaysian-accounting

IntBooks vs SQL Account: Which Malaysian Accounting Software Is Right for You?

Detailed comparison of IntBooks and SQL Account for Malaysian SMEs. Covers features, pricing, MyInvois support, deployment model, ease of use, and migration.

By IntBooks Team 8 April 2026

Feature comparison

Feature	IntBooks	SQL Account
LHDN MyInvois e-invoicing (built-in)	✓ Yes	Add-on module
SST-02 automated filing	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Cloud / SaaS deployment	✓ Yes	On-premise (Windows-only)
Multi-user real-time collaboration	Unlimited (Enterprise plan)	Per-seat license
Mobile app (iOS / Android)	✓ Yes	✗ No
AI receipt extraction	✓ Yes	✗ No
Direct bank feeds (Maybank, CIMB, etc.)	✓ Yes	Manual CSV import
Free tier	Yes (1 user, basic features)	✗ No
MFRS / MPERS compliant chart of accounts	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Multi-currency	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
HR and payroll module	✓ Yes	Separate product (SQL Payroll)
Inventory management	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Point of Sale (POS)	✓ Yes	Separate product (SQL POS)
API access for integrations	Yes (Enterprise)	Limited (DBF/SQL access)
Updates and patches	Continuous (cloud)	Annual (manual install)

TL;DR — IntBooks is a cloud-native ERP built specifically for modern Malaysian SMEs. SQL Account is a desktop accounting tool that has been the market leader in Malaysia for over 20 years but is starting to show its age — particularly around cloud deployment, mobile access, and built-in compliance features. For new businesses or businesses ready to modernize, IntBooks is typically the better choice. For businesses with deep existing investment in SQL Account and on-premise infrastructure, the migration cost may not be worth it.

What is SQL Account?

SQL Account is desktop accounting software developed by Synergy Software Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian company. It’s been the market leader for accounting software in Malaysia since the early 2000s and is widely used by accounting firms, SMEs, and audit consultants. Most Malaysian accountants have used SQL Account at some point in their career.

What is IntBooks?

IntBooks is a modern cloud-native ERP built from the ground up for Malaysian SMEs. It combines accounting, HR/payroll, inventory, POS, and tax compliance in a single integrated platform with unlimited users on the Enterprise plan and a generous free tier.

Side-by-side feature comparison

The full feature matrix is at the top of this article. The biggest differences:

Deployment model

SQL Account is desktop software. You install it on a Windows PC; the data lives on the local drive (or a network share for multi-user setups). To access from outside the office, you need a remote desktop service or VPN.

IntBooks is cloud-native SaaS. You access it through a web browser or mobile app from anywhere with internet. Data is stored on Cloudflare and Hetzner infrastructure with daily backups, encryption at rest, and 99.9% uptime SLA.

If your team works remotely or you have multiple offices, the cloud model is dramatically more practical.

LHDN MyInvois integration

SQL Account offers MyInvois integration as a paid add-on module. You buy SQL Account, then buy the MyInvois module separately, then configure it. The integration uses your local SQL Account database as the source.

IntBooks includes MyInvois as a core feature on every plan, including the free tier. There’s no add-on, no separate license, no extra configuration. Every invoice you create can be submitted to LHDN with one click.

For new businesses subject to MyInvois mandates, this is the single biggest differentiator. The cost of SQL Account + MyInvois module + ongoing SQL Account license fees is significantly higher than IntBooks on a comparable user count.

Multi-user collaboration

SQL Account uses a per-seat licensing model — you pay for each user that needs access. Multi-user setups require a network database server and proper Windows networking.

IntBooks offers unlimited users on the Enterprise plan and 10 users on the Professional plan. Real-time collaboration works out of the box because everything is browser-based.

Mobile access

SQL Account has no mobile app. To check your books on the go, you need a desktop with the SQL Account install or a remote desktop session.

IntBooks has native iOS and Android apps for the most common workflows: receipt capture, invoice approvals, leave requests, expense reporting. The full ERP is also accessible through any mobile browser.

Pricing

Plan	IntBooks	SQL Account
Free	RM 0 / month (1 user)	Not available
Starter	RM 49 / month (3 users)	RM 1,500 / year per user (one-time + annual maintenance)
Professional	RM 129 / month (10 users)	RM 5,000 / year for 5 users (typical bundle)
Enterprise	RM 299 / month (unlimited users)	Custom quote, typically RM 10,000+ / year
MyInvois module	Included on every plan	RM 800 / year add-on
Mobile app	Included	Not available
Cloud hosting	Included	N/A (you provide hardware)
Updates	Continuous, automatic	Annual paid upgrades

For a 5-person team with MyInvois, IntBooks Professional at RM 129 / month = RM 1,548 / year. SQL Account equivalent = RM 5,000 (license) + RM 800 (MyInvois) + ~RM 600 (Windows server hardware amortized) = RM 6,400 / year. The IntBooks cost is 76% lower.

When should I pick SQL Account?

SQL Account is still the right choice if:

You already use SQL Account and have deep customizations or third-party integrations that would be expensive to migrate
You need air-gapped on-premise deployment for regulatory or security reasons (e.g., handling classified government data)
Your accountant only knows SQL Account and won’t switch (this is real — older Malaysian accountants resist new tools)
You operate in a low-bandwidth environment with unreliable internet access

When should I pick IntBooks?

IntBooks is the better choice if:

You’re a new business or starting fresh with accounting software
You want MyInvois compliance built-in without paid add-ons
You have a distributed team or need mobile access
You want predictable monthly pricing instead of one-time license + annual maintenance
You prefer continuous updates and automatic compliance changes when LHDN updates the spec
You want AI features like receipt extraction and intelligent categorization

Migration from SQL Account to IntBooks

If you’re considering switching, the migration is straightforward:

Export your data from SQL Account using the built-in CSV export under Reports → Data Export. You’ll get separate files for customers, suppliers, products, chart of accounts, and historical transactions.
Import into IntBooks using the data import wizard. The wizard handles the column mapping automatically for SQL Account exports.
Reconcile opening balances between the two systems for the migration date. IntBooks’s import wizard validates that debit/credit totals balance.
Run both systems in parallel for one month to confirm your reports match.
Cut over by setting IntBooks as your primary system and archiving SQL Account.

Total migration time for a typical SME: 1-3 days of effort, spread over 2-4 weeks of parallel running.

We’ve migrated hundreds of businesses from SQL Account. If you need help, contact our team — we offer free migration assistance for businesses moving from SQL Account.