Free carbon accounting software: which one to choose?
Reading 5 min
February 22, 2025
This article evaluates the effectiveness of free carbon assessment software for individuals and businesses, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Although they raise awareness and advise on reducing the environmental footprint, they lack functionality, data history and accuracy. In comparison, paid solutions like D-Carbonize offer comprehensive data collection, greater accuracy and expert support to implement GHG emissions reduction strategies.
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5 free carbon accounting software
D-Carbonize Carbon Cockpit Scan
D-Carbonize offers a free version of its Carbon Cockpit Scan software. This software enables you to measure your CO2 emissions quickly (in less than 4 hours) and easily. Thanks to its intuitive interface, it's easy to learn, so you can use it on your own.
Goodplanet carbon calculators
The GoodPlanet Foundation provides individuals and companies with free online tools to help them measure and reduce their impact on the environment. GoodPlanet calculators can track energy consumption, gas emissions, water use and other environmental factors. In just a few simple steps, you can calculate your carbon footprint and start taking steps to reduce it.
Ecotree’s simplified carbon footprint
This free carbon footprint software enables users to instantly calculate their carbon footprint. It offers personalised advice on how to reduce emissions and suggests measures to reduce energy consumption. It’s a free software that makes it easy to calculate your carbon footprint. It is aimed at both individuals and small businesses.
MyClimate calculators
MyClimate is a free online platform that measures greenhouse gas emissions generated by aircrafts, car traffic, housing, work and leisure activities. The tool allows users to compare their current consumption with a hypothetical ‘green’ consumption, enabling them to identify areas where they can make changes to reduce their impact on the environment.
Carbo
Hellocarbo is a free carbon footprinting software that allows companies to estimate their carbon emissions based on their website URL. Its calculations are based on the sector of activity, the size of the company, the turnover it generates, etc. Its method of calculation remains approximate and does not allow for a precise carbon footprint assessment.
What are the limitations of free carbon footprint software?
There is a whole range of free carbon footprint tools on the market, each offering different functions.
What’s more, while these tools are effective for measuring and reducing a carbon footprint on an individual scale, they remain limited for companies that have to cover an extremely wide range of data. The involvement of a carbon consultant remains essential for implementing effective strategies within a company.
Functionality
These free programmes are designed to analyse the environmental impact of different activities, but they generally only provide an overview. They are not as comprehensive or detailed as paid softwares. It can therefore be difficult to obtain an accurate assessment of a company’s overall carbon footprint.
The history of free carbon footprint software
Without historical data, free carbon footprint software does not allow companies to track the evolution of their emissions. Paid solutions, on the other hand, offer the possibility of keeping historical carbon footprints, making it easier to identify areas for improvement year after year.
Granularity
The granularity of the information provided by free software is often limited, as it only calculates a tiny proportion of the company’s carbon emissions. The simplified carbon footprint assessments generated by free softwares only take certain activities into account. Paid software can cover all scopes (1, 2 and 3).
Carbon footprint software compliance
Non-financial reporting, particularly environmental reporting, is playing an increasingly important role in decision-making, differentiation and employer branding.
The D-Carbonize tool
D-Carbonize offers a carbon accounting tool in 2 versions:
- The Scan: for a first carbon experience.
- The Expert: for more advanced needs.
The Carbon Cockpit Expert facilitates the collection of data relating to scopes 1, 2 and 3, as well as to all a company’s emissions. It guarantees accurate, reliable and comprehensive results, enabling the company to make sustainable and responsible strategic decisions.
The D-Carbonize solution adapts to all corporate structures, whatever your reporting needs. It enables greenhouse gas emissions to be broken down by site, entity or country, with detailed tracking by product or service. This flexibility is not possible with free carbon footprint software.
By calling on D-Carbonize, you can be accompanied by carbon experts. They can help companies collect and analyze data and implement a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Explore the carbon footprint concept in depth, or read our comprehensive overview of carbon footprint calculators.
Reduce your company’s carbon footprint with the D-Carbonize experts.
