What is the cheapest way to get a Carbon Reduction Plan?

Writing it yourself with the free government template and conversion factors costs only your time. One-off plan tools charge about £199 to £299 a plan. Sage Earth gives Sage Accounting customers a spend-based estimate at no extra cost, software from about £24 a month adds activity-based calculations and reports, and consultants charge from several hundred to several thousand pounds.

Why do most carbon platforms hide their prices?

Most enterprise platforms price on the number of users, companies, suppliers and the consulting included, so they quote each deal. That makes it hard to compare. We publish every price, including for large groups.

Do I need a consultant for PPN 006?

No. PPN 006 needs board approval and a director's signature, not a consultant or verification. A consultant helps if you have no time or want someone to own it, and software helps if you want to keep it current yourself.

Is a subscription worth it for one Carbon Reduction Plan?

If you only ever need one plan for one tender, a one-off tool can be cheaper. Plans must be updated every year, conversion factors change every June, and larger NHS contracts need a wider plan from April 2027, which is where software pays for itself.

Carbon reporting software in the UK compared, with prices

A UK small business has four realistic options for its carbon footprint and Carbon Reduction Plan: a consultant (from about £895), a one-off plan tool (about £199 to £299 a plan), SME software (about £24 to £260 a month), or an enterprise platform (price on request). Carbon Recycling is SME software at £59 or £149 a month, or £399 for groups with several companies, with every price published.

Updated 3 October 2026 by the Carbon Recycling team. Prices are as each company published them on that date; tell us if one has changed and we will correct it.

The four options at a glance

Option	Typical price	You get	Next year
Do it yourself	Your time	A spreadsheet using the government template and factors	Start again with new factors
One-off plan tool	About £199 to £299 a plan	A Carbon Reduction Plan document from a questionnaire	Pay again
Consultant	From about £895, often several thousand	A finished footprint and plan, written for you	Pay again
SME software	About £24 to £260 a month	Calculations, reports and a record you keep adding to	Add the new year's data
Enterprise platform	Quote only	Software plus advisers, scenario tools and global frameworks	Included in the contract

Named providers and their published prices

Provider	Type	Price shown publicly	Best suited to	Checked
Carbon Recycling	SME software	£59 or £149 a month, £399 for groups, all prices published	UK SMEs that need a PPN 006 plan, an SECR report and figures they can defend	Today
Normative	Enterprise platform	Quote only (Essential and Premium tiers)	Larger firms with international supply chains and CSRD reporting. Now part of Greenly.	2 October 2026
Greenly	Enterprise platform	Quote only (three tiers)	Larger firms in manufacturing, tech, finance and retail wanting scenario modelling and product footprints.	3 October 2026
Compare Your Footprint	SME software	£769, £1,569 or £3,069 a year; enterprise by quote	SMEs wanting sector benchmarks and accounting integrations.	2 October 2026
EcoHedge	SME software	£24 a month plus £199 per report, or £99 a month; enterprise by quote	Price-led SMEs who report once a year.	2 October 2026
The Carbon Stamp	Consultancy	From £895 + VAT, then a quote by team size	Businesses that want the work done for them, with a report on their letterhead.	2 October 2026
Seedling	SME software	Free Starter tier; Core and Advanced by quote	Firms up to about 2,000 staff wanting expert support and expert-written reports.	3 October 2026
Plan A	Enterprise platform	Quote only (Essential, Pro and Enterprise)	Firms that need CSRD reporting, an API and a customer success manager alongside carbon accounting.	3 October 2026
Zevero	SME software	Lite (Scope 1 and 2) from £1,500 a year; main plans by quote	Firms wanting experts closely involved, unlimited users and science-based targets.	3 October 2026
Sage Earth	Free with accounting software	Included for Sage Accounting customers at no extra cost	Small businesses on Sage Accounting wanting a quick spend-based estimate.	3 October 2026
Planet Mark	Certification programme	Not published; by enquiry	Organisations wanting an annual certification and a recognised mark to show customers.	3 October 2026
Net Zero Now	SME software	Not published; by enquiry or demo	Hospitality, brewing, legal and other sectors wanting sector-specific calculators. Now part of Ecologi.	3 October 2026
Positive Planet	Consultancy	Not published; by enquiry	Businesses that want consultants to do the work, plus Carbon Literacy training and an accreditation.	3 October 2026

Prices are as each provider published them on the date shown, with or without VAT as they state it. If a price has changed, tell us and we will correct it.

What to look for, whichever you choose

The 2026 government factors. Ask which DESNZ year they use. Older factors overstate electricity emissions by about a third.
A traceable figure. You should be able to see which factor produced each number, in case a buyer asks.
All five PPN 006 Scope 3 categories, including commuting and downstream transport, which are often left out.
Yearly updates. A plan must be refreshed every year, so check what that costs.
The 2027 NHS rules, if you sell to the NHS: larger contracts need global coverage and all relevant Scope 3.
The full price, including per-report charges, extra users and onboarding fees.

When another option suits you better

You need independent assurance or a certification. A consultancy or a certification scheme such as Planet Mark is the better route. PPN 006 doesn't need either.
You want experts to do most of the work. Expert-led platforms such as Seedling and Zevero, or a consultancy such as Positive Planet, include more hands-on help, usually at a quoted price.
You already use Sage Accounting and only want a rough estimate. Sage Earth is included at no extra cost and works from your books.
You need one plan, once, and will never bid again. A one-off plan tool is cheaper than a year of software.
You are a large international group reporting under CSRD or needing product footprints now. An enterprise platform such as Greenly is built for that.
You want the lowest monthly fee and report once a year. EcoHedge's £24 a month plan, plus £199 per report, may cost less.

Head-to-head comparisons

Why we publish every price

Most carbon platforms ask you to book a demo before they will tell you what it costs. We think that wastes your time. Our prices, what each plan includes and what it doesn't, are on our pricing page, and every plan starts with a 14-day free trial with no card needed.