The Best Accounting Software for your Small Business
As a small business, you know how important it is to keep all of your invoices, payments, and expenses organized. Maybe you remember the first year as a business owner and experiencing the joy of tax season for the first time! Nothing like trying to find those missing receipts in a time crunch. There are so many softwares /services out there to help businesses stay on top of their accounting, saving you time and energy to focus on what you actually enjoy!
Quickbooks is probably the most popular service out there, but it’s not the only option in 2023. There are several options that may be a better fit for you, depending on what you intend to use it for. We put together a list of some of the highest rated services we could find, so if you are looking for one, or want to switch maybe there is one here that fits the unique needs of your business!
Here’s a few that we found (that weren’t quickbooks):
Maybe you have heard of some of these? Honestly most of them were new to us, but some of them sound pretty cool. They all have different pros & cons and price points, so you can decide which one will work the best for you. So let’s dive in, here is a list and further down in this post we have a spreadsheet showing you cost comparisons.
1. FreshBooks
Price: $15 – $55 per month (billed monthly)
Who it’s best for: Freelancers / Single users. Smaller businesses who don’t need a more robust software. It’s intuitive and easy to use.
What it can do: Web-based accounting service that can invoice clients, send payment reminders, take payments, and track time/expenses for a handful of clients. Higher payment tiers also offer bank reconciliation.
Pros:
Free 30 Day Trial
Affordable
User Friendly
Unlimited Invoices
Scalable for Small businesses
Good support
Cons:
Limited clients on low tiers
Some users complain of bugs
Additional users is $$$
No free version
2. Sage
Price: $10 – $25 per month
Who it’s best for: Small businesses who only need simple accounting tools, like invoicing and bank reconciliation. Preferrably businesses who don’t need a lot of bells and whistles.
What it can do: Comprehensive reporting, inventory tracking, invoicing and bill payments.
Pros:
Free 30 Day Trial
Affordable
Unlimited users with 2nd tier plan
Automatic bank reconciliation
Double entry accounting
Supports multiple currencies
Cons:
Requires paid add-ons for time tracking
Outdated user interface
Product details on their website is confusing
Lacks advanced features
3. Oracle Netsuite
Price: By quote only (apparently it starts at $99/month)
Who it’s best for: Businesses who are trying to automate as much as possible with their accounting to save them time and effort. May be better for bigger businesses who can truly take advantage of all the features they offer.
What it can do: Cloud based accounting service that offers a full comprehensive range of services including things like HR, payroll, CRM, and ecommerce. Fully customizable and offers several 3rd party apps to meet your specific needs.
Pros:
Highly customizable
Automated features to save time
Good support team
Cons:
No free trial
Additional setup fee
Complex, so there might be a learning curve
Lacks transparent pricing
4. Quicken
Price: $9.99 per month (billed annually)
Who it’s best for: Home users or very small businesses. Those who have mixed expenses and want to keep everything organized.
What it can do: Create budgets, track goals & expenses.
Pros:
Straight forward and easy to use
Affordable
Sync all of your accounts in one place
Bonus real estate features
Cons:
No way to accept payments
Might be better for home than businesses
Home & Business package only available for Windows
5. Wave
Price: Free
Who it’s best for: Business owners who are trying to cut costs and only need basic bookkeeping capabilities.
What it can do: Send and manage invoices, and track your transactions. Payroll can be added for additional cost.
Pros:
It's free!
Simple and easy to use
Unlimited invoices
Unlimited users
Cons:
No 3rd party integrations
You have to pay extra for phone support
No audit trails
6. Xero
Price: $13 to $70 per month (billed monthly)
Who it’s best for: The highest tier offers a full range of services so this might be a good option for more established businesses who can take advantage of all the features of this plan.
What it can do: Depending on the tier, xero can send quotes, invoices, offers bank reconciliation and bill payment. There is also an integration which allows easy way to track receipts and spending by uploading images.
Pros:
Free 30 day trial
Highest tier plan has tons of features
Integrates with gusto for payroll
Time & project tracking (on highest tier)
Unlimited users on all plans
Cons:
Invoice limit applies to sending & approving invoices
Doesn't provide a customer support number
7. Zoho Books
Price: $10 to $249 per month (billed annually)
Who it’s best for: Best for those who are using other Zoho products, but also could be a good option for freelancers who need to manage invoices and expenses.
What it can do: Invoicing, inventory management, workflow rules, and has a mobile app.
Pros:
Free plan available
Lots of features beyond accounting & billing
Integrates with Zoho ecosystem
Great support for paid plans
Cons:
Complicated
Limitations to free plan
Limited 3rd party integrations
So there you have it! Who knew there were so many options? We certainly learned a lot. So what do you think? Is it time for your business to switch, or start using an accounting software? Let us know what you think in the comments.