Nearly 3 in 4 Aussie businesses have reported having cash flow issues in the past 12 months — and, with the dynamic and ever-changing business environment that we’re operating in during COVID-19, cash flow matters more than ever.
If there’s one goal you need to have for your business, it’s to get a handle on your cash flow.
Here’s the good news: you don’t need to hire a number-cruncher to improve your business’s financial health. There are plenty of tools out there to help you get a handle on your cash flow, from basic forecasting and management tools to in-depth analytics.
In this post, we’ll run through four things you should look for in your cash flow management software, as well as our top 7 picks for businesses in 2026.
But first things first...
What is cash flow, and why does it matter?
Cash flow is the amount of cash “flowing” in and out of your business. This includes income from your customers and clients, and expenses like salaries, rent, debt repayments, tools, and inventory.
There are two parts to the cash flow equation:
- Cash flow management: The process of tracking, analysing and improving the financial health of your business. The goal is to be “in the green”, where you have more money coming in than going out and you’re making a profit, not just breaking even.
- Cash flow forecasting: This involves estimating your future cash flow based on projected sales and expenses. With accurate forecasting, you’ll be able to figure out if you’ll have enough in the bank to run your business in the future or if you can afford to expand.
Manage your cash flow well, and you’ll have enough money coming in to cover your expenses, fewer headaches, and the confidence to grow your business. Manage it poorly, and you’ll be in the weeds or, worse, even shutting up shop.
That’s where technology makes all the difference: it can help you stay on top of the numbers, plan ahead, and improve your cash flow.
4 things to look for in cash flow management software
There are tons of different cash flow management tools out there today, from simple tracking tools to robust platforms with all the bells and whistles.
Ultimately, the right software for you will depend on your business needs. However, it pays (literally!) to make sure your platform ticks off these four boxes:
- Integration with your existing accounting software. These platforms are gold mines packed with insights that will help you manage your cash flow and plan for the future.
- Automation. Look for a platform that automates as many pesky manual processes as possible, from reporting to pulling information directly from your accounting software.
- Easy to set up. The best tools are the ones you can get up and running ASAP — not ones that require extra web development time or hours of training.
- Accessible. You shouldn’t need a degree in finance to understand the information from your cash flow management software! The tool you choose should present all the information you need in a clear, user-friendly way.
7 cash flow management tools to try in 2026
Float
Float is a cash flow forecasting tool built for businesses using Xero, QuickBooks Online, or FreeAgent. It pulls real-time financial data from your accounting platform and generates visual forecasts automatically.
Float supports forecasts up to 36 months and allows you to model up to eight scenarios simultaneously, making it practical for answering questions like "what happens if we lose a client?" or "can we afford to hire this quarter?" Daily, weekly, and monthly views let you zoom in when cash is tight or plan at a higher level for the year ahead.
Float is well suited to small and mid-sized businesses that want a visual, easy-to-use forecasting tool without a steep setup process. A 30-day free trial is available.
Integrates with: Xero, QuickBooks Online, FreeAgent
Fathom
Fathom is a financial reporting, forecasting, and analysis platform used by over 99,000 businesses globally. It combines management reporting, three-way cash flow forecasting across Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow statements, and multi-entity consolidation in a single platform.
Fathom recently added AI-powered commentary to its reporting suite, which generates context-aware analysis of financial results based on your data. It also introduced a Portfolio plan for accounting firms that need oversight of an entire client base from one dashboard. Forecasts can extend up to five years, and the platform supports multi-currency consolidation across up to 300 entities.
Fathom is best suited to businesses with more complex reporting needs, accounting advisors managing multiple clients, and growing businesses that need long-range planning.
Integrates with: Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Sage
Futrli by Sage
Futrli was acquired by Sage in 2022 and now operates as Futrli by Sage. It offers daily cash flow forecasting, three-way forecasting across Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow, and scenario modelling.
Futrli's Predict product uses a five-way forecasting methodology designed for short-term accuracy. It updates twice daily and is aimed at small businesses and their accountants who want live, granular cash flow data rather than monthly snapshots. Non-financial data such as headcount and sales volumes can also be incorporated into forecasts.
MYOB integration has been inconsistent based on user reports. Confirm compatibility before signing up if MYOB is your accounting platform.
Integrates with: Xero, QuickBooks Online
Cash Flow Frog
Cash Flow Frog is a straightforward cash flow forecasting tool built for small businesses. It connects to your accounting software and generates a forecast automatically with no manual data entry required. Most users are up and running within minutes of connecting their accounts.
Since 2024, Cash Flow Frog has expanded to support Sage Intacct and Zoho Books alongside Xero and QuickBooks, and has added VAT and GST tracking, consolidated multi-entity views, and customer payment insights that rank clients by sales, collections, and payment punctuality.
Integrates with: Xero, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Sage Intacct, Zoho Books
Spotlight Reporting
Spotlight Reporting is an Australian-founded platform for cash flow forecasting, management reporting, and multi-entity consolidation. It is widely used by Australian accounting firms and their small business clients, and integrates natively with Xero, QuickBooks, and MYOB.
Spotlight supports three-way forecasting, rolling 12-month cash flow views, and consolidated reporting across multiple entities. It is a strong choice for businesses with more than one entity or those working closely with an accountant who needs presentation-ready reports.
Integrates with: Xero, QuickBooks, MYOB
Dryrun
Dryrun is a scenario-focused cash flow forecasting tool designed for businesses that need flexible, forward-looking planning rather than historical reporting. It is particularly well-suited to agencies, consultancies, and project-based businesses where income is variable and timing is hard to predict.
Dryrun allows users to build multiple cash flow scenarios side by side, model deal pipelines, and track forecast accuracy against actuals. It connects to Xero and QuickBooks Online and is designed to be used alongside your accounting software rather than as a replacement for it.
Integrates with: Xero, QuickBooks Online
Helm
Helm, formerly known as Castaway Forecasting, is an Australian-built cash flow and business planning tool with a strong following among Australian accountants and CFOs. It is one of the more sophisticated tools on this list, offering detailed driver-based modelling across Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow statements.
Helm is designed for businesses that need granular long-range planning, including workforce modelling, capital expenditure tracking, and sensitivity analysis. It integrates with Xero and MYOB, making it a practical choice for Australian businesses looking for a locally built, enterprise-grade planning tool without the complexity of full ERP software.
Integrates with: Xero, MYOB
The Missing Piece: Automating Payment Collection
The tools above help you forecast and understand your cash flow. But forecasting does not fix the root cause of most cash flow problems for Australian small businesses, which is late and unpaid invoices.
Knowing a payment is three weeks overdue does not get it paid. Automating the collection does.
Pinch Payments works alongside your cash flow management software by removing the manual step of chasing invoices. When a customer authorises a payment method through Pinch, their card or bank account is charged automatically when an invoice falls due. No reminder emails, no follow-up calls, no waiting.
Pinch integrates directly with Xero, MYOB, and QuickBooks, so every payment is reconciled automatically. Used together with a forecasting tool like Float or Fathom, you get both visibility over your cash position and the automation to protect it.
Conclusion
Cash flow management software gives Australian businesses the visibility to plan ahead and avoid shortfalls. Float and Cash Flow Frog suit most small businesses. Fathom and Spotlight Reporting suit those needing deeper reporting or multi-entity consolidation. Futrli by Sage suits businesses in the Sage ecosystem. Dryrun suits project-based and variable-income businesses. Helm suits Australian businesses that need detailed, long-range driver-based planning.
Forecasting is only part of the answer. Automating payment collection removes the most common cause of cash flow problems: invoices that are sent but not paid on time.
