Quick summary
- Persefoni is built for enterprise and financial services. Its paid Advanced plan targets enterprise-scale companies, and its financial services product covers PCAF-aligned financed emissions.
- Persefoni Pro is free but self-serve. It allows one user and covers Scope 1, 2 and 3, with expert support available as a paid add-on.
- Smaller UK firms often want expert help included. Zevero, Seedling and Planet Mark all pair measurement with people, and differ on price, certification and product footprints.
Persefoni is one of the best-known names in carbon accounting. Its platform is built for large enterprises and financial institutions that need investor-grade emissions data across several disclosure regimes, and it also offers a free tier for companies with simpler operations.
For a growing UK business, the trigger is usually more practical. A large customer wants your Scope 3 data, you are working towards B Corp, or a tender asks for a carbon reduction plan or a product footprint. You need credible numbers quickly, and you may not have a sustainability team to produce them.
This guide explains what Persefoni offers, when a smaller company might want something different, and how six alternatives compare.
Is Persefoni right for a smaller company? It can be. Persefoni Pro is free for one user and covers Scope 1, 2 and 3, so it suits a team that is happy to measure on its own. If you want an expert to work through your data with you, or help with SECR, B Corp or customer requests, compare platforms that include expert time.
What Persefoni offers
Persefoni is a carbon accounting and sustainability management platform. Its website lists support for frameworks including CSRD, TCFD, SASB, the Science Based Targets initiative, PCAF and California's SB 253 and SB 261.
- Carbon footprint measurement across Scope 1, 2 and 3, with analytics
- Disclosure and regulatory reporting for investors, regulators and other stakeholders
- Decarbonisation management, including net zero target setting, reduction modelling and Scope 3 supplier engagement
- PersefoniAI, an in-app copilot plus anomaly detection for large datasets
- A financial services product for PCAF-aligned financed emissions, investor reporting and portfolio company engagement
Persefoni has two plans. Persefoni Pro is free, with no trial period, and is aimed at companies with low to medium complexity that need to answer footprint requests from customers and investors. It covers all 15 Scope 3 categories, an AI copilot and a report builder, but allows one user and relies on self-serve help. Detailed GHG metrics reports and Concierge Support cost extra. Persefoni Advanced is quote-based and aimed at enterprise-scale companies, with unlimited users and enterprise security features. Premium Support and Professional Services are sold separately.
Why smaller companies look at alternatives
Persefoni is a strong product, and the free tier is a good way to produce a first footprint yourself. Smaller and mid-sized companies tend to look elsewhere for a few reasons.
- They want expert help included. Pro is self-serve, and expert support is a paid add-on. Teams without a sustainability lead often want someone to check the methodology and explain the results.
- More than one person needs access. Pro allows one user. Finance, operations and procurement often all hold part of the data.
- Advanced is built for enterprise scale. Its feature set, security controls and add-ons are designed for large organisations, which may be more than a growing business needs.
- UK requirements drive the work. SECR, PPN 006, B Corp and supplier questionnaires matter more to many UK firms than US or investor-led disclosure. Ask any vendor how these are handled day to day.
- They sell physical products. Manufacturers and food and drink brands are increasingly asked for product carbon footprints or EPDs as well as a company footprint.
What to look for in a Persefoni alternative
- Speed to a first footprint. Ask how long a Scope 1, 2 and 3 baseline takes for a company like yours, and who does the data collection.
- Total cost, including expert time. A low licence fee can hide the cost of consultants you hire later.
- Expert support and which plan includes it. Check whether an expert reviews your numbers, and on which plan, or whether support is a helpdesk.
- UK reporting. Confirm SECR, B Corp, CDP and PPN 006 outputs, and how the platform handles customer and supplier data requests.
- Product footprints. If you sell physical goods, ask about product carbon footprints and EPDs.
- Room to grow. Look for target setting and reduction planning, so you can move beyond a one-off footprint.
Persefoni alternatives at a glance
| Platform | Best for | Expert support | Pricing posture | Notable strengths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zevero | Growing UK and international companies, including groups with several brands or divisions | In-house experts; involvement rises from Essential to Premium | Zevero Lite from £1,500 a year (Scope 1 and 2); main plans quoted | Scope 1 to 3 by site, brand or division; ISO 14064-aligned; ISO 27001-certified security; product footprints, EPDs and consultancy; teams in London, Singapore and Tokyo |
| Seedling | UK SMEs and mid-sized firms up to 2,000 staff | None on free Starter; expert calls on Core; dedicated expert on Advanced | Free Starter tier; Core and Advanced quoted | B Corp, PPN 006 and SECR reports |
| Planet Mark | Organisations that want independent certification | People-led service | Not published | Annual and net zero certification, SECR support |
| Greenly | SMEs to enterprises across Europe | Project manager and climate experts; depth varies by plan | Quote-only, varies by sector | Broad automation and life cycle assessment |
| Sweep | Mid-market and enterprise groups with many entities | AI assistant; ask about service levels | Quote-only; lists a Starter package | Supplier data collection, UK SRS and CDP reporting |
| Watershed | Large enterprises with in-house climate teams | In-house climate experts and advisers | Quote-only | Large emission factor library and AI agents |
| Persefoni (for reference) | Enterprises and financial institutions; free tier for simpler firms | Self-serve on Pro; Concierge Support is a paid add-on | Pro free for one user; Advanced quoted | PCAF financed emissions and investor-grade disclosure |
The best Persefoni alternatives for smaller companies
1. Zevero
Zevero is a carbon accounting platform that pairs software with in-house sustainability experts. Expert involvement rises with each plan: on Essential an expert reviews your methodology at setup and key milestones, on Leading the expert stays close to your data, and on Premium the expert co-owns your data and builds your net zero strategy.
Best for: growing companies and multi-division groups, particularly in food and drink, manufacturing and consumer goods, that want one partner for software, product-level data and expert advice as they scale in the UK and abroad.
- Built to scale: start with Scope 1 and 2, add Scope 3, more sites and new entities as you grow, and report by site, brand or business division with group roll-ups
- Scope 1, 2 and 3 footprints aligned with the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064
- ISO 27001-certified information security, with policies and controls set out in our Trust Centre
- More than software: product carbon footprints from £500 per product, EPDs from £10,000 per product, ESG reporting, B Corp support and decarbonisation strategy consultancy from the same team
- A global team in London, Singapore and Tokyo, working with organisations in more than 20 countries
- Reporting for SECR, CDP, B Corp and customer supplier requests, with setup and onboarding included in the subscription
Pricing: Zevero Lite covers Scope 1 and 2 from £1,500 a year. Essential, Leading and Premium plans are quoted, with a one-year minimum term. Product carbon footprints start at £500 per product and B Corp audits from £750. See all plans.
Things to know: main plans need a short call for a price, and teams that only want self-serve software may not use the full service. Zevero is rated 4.7 on G2 and received G2's Best Estimated ROI and High Performer badges in Fall 2026.
2. Seedling
Seedling is a UK carbon accounting platform for small and mid-sized teams of up to 2,000 staff.
Best for: UK SMEs that want to start for free and add expert support later.
Things to know: the free Starter tier covers a basic footprint for one site with no expert support. Core adds Scope 3, B Corp and PPN 006 reports and three expert calls a year. Advanced adds a dedicated carbon expert and a net zero roadmap. Paid plans are quoted.
3. Planet Mark
Planet Mark offers people-led carbon measurement, reduction support and annual certification, with services covering baselines and targets, supply chains and carbon compliance.
Best for: organisations that want a recognised certification to show customers and staff, alongside SECR support.
Things to know: certification is renewed annually and members are expected to show continuous improvement. Pricing is not published, though Planet Mark offers a free carbon clinic.
4. Greenly
Greenly is a French carbon accounting platform covering emissions, life cycle assessment and ESG reporting, with plans ranging from GHG reporting to net zero planning. In September 2026 Greenly announced it is joining forces with Normative, in a deal reported as an acquisition.
Best for: organisations that want a broad, automated suite with product LCA included.
Things to know: pricing is quote-only and varies by sector. Check what the Normative deal means for your contract and service model before signing. Read our Greenly alternatives guide for more detail.
5. Sweep
Sweep is a sustainability data platform for mid-market companies, enterprises and financial institutions, with supplier emissions tracking and an AI assistant called Sweepy.
Best for: groups with several business units that need to assign data and responsibility across teams.
Things to know: pricing is quote-based. Sweep lists a Starter package, so ask what it includes if you are a smaller firm.
6. Watershed
Watershed is a climate platform used by large companies, covering measurement, reporting and decarbonisation, with AI agents for data cleaning and report drafting.
Best for: large enterprises with in-house climate teams. It is included here for comparison rather than as a typical SME choice.
Things to know: pricing is not published, and the platform is designed for enterprise-scale programmes.
How to choose: a quick checklist
- You want to measure for free and do the work yourself: start with Persefoni Pro or Seedling's Starter tier.
- You need credible Scope 3 data for customers or tenders and have no sustainability team: look for a plan that includes expert review, such as Zevero or Seedling's paid tiers.
- You sell physical products: check whether the platform produces product carbon footprints and EPDs.
- You want a certification to display: consider Planet Mark or a B Corp-focused service.
- You are a large group or financial institution: Persefoni Advanced, Watershed and Sweep are built for that scale.
- Before you sign: ask for a realistic onboarding timeline, a sample report and the total cost, including expert time.
Finding the right fit
Persefoni is a good choice for enterprises and financial institutions, and its free tier is a sensible starting point for a confident self-serve team. If you want software and an expert who helps you act on the results, a platform built for smaller companies is likely to be a closer fit.
Zevero offers enterprise-grade foundations, including ISO 14064-aligned methodology, ISO 27001-certified security, division-level reporting and a global team across the UK and Asia-Pacific, with the speed, published entry price and hands-on expert support that smaller and mid-sized companies need. It scales with you rather than being sized for a global enterprise from day one.
Compare more options in our guide to the best carbon accounting software, or see Zevero's pricing. To see how Zevero works on your own data, book a demo.
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FAQs
Partly. Persefoni Pro is free with no trial period and covers Scope 1, 2 and 3 for one user at companies with low to medium complexity. Detailed GHG metrics reports and Concierge Support cost extra, and Persefoni Advanced is quote-based. We checked this on Persefoni's pricing page in October 2026.
Persefoni Pro is designed for smaller, less complex companies that need to answer footprint requests from customers and investors, and it works well if you are comfortable measuring on your own. If you want an expert to review your data or help with UK reporting, a platform with expert time included may suit you better.
It depends on what you need. Zevero suits growing companies and multi-division groups that want software, in-house experts and consultancy in one place, including product footprints, with teams in the UK and Asia-Pacific. Seedling offers a free starter tier for UK SMEs, and Planet Mark suits organisations that want an annual certification. See our carbon accounting software guide for more options.
Many growing companies need a bit of both. Software makes your data repeatable year on year, and an expert checks the methodology and turns results into a reduction plan. Some platforms, including Zevero, combine the two so you do not have to manage separate suppliers.
It depends on how ready your data is and how much of Scope 3 you measure. A Scope 1 and 2 footprint can take a few weeks, while a full Scope 3 footprint takes longer. Export your historical data and methodology notes before you switch, and ask each vendor for a timeline based on similar customers.
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