QuickBooks is one of the most popular small business accounting solutions in the market. But like most things, it’s not perfect. If you’re looking for QuickBooks alternatives, you’ve come to the right place.
QuickBooks overview
With millions of users (and dollars spent on advertising) you’d be hard-pressed to find a business owner who hasn’t heard of QuickBooks. For the most part, QuickBooks is a solid tool for small businesses to manage their finances.
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However, QuickBooks isn’t for everyone. Users often complain that the software is too complicated, or that it lacks features.
Clearly, business professionals have different needs when it comes to accounting. If you just have to generate a simple invoice, you don’t want to pay more for the things you don’t use.
On the other hand, you might be looking for a more robust software. Many QuickBooks users report that they’re lacking access to industry and business-specific features, like inventory and product management tools.
QuickBooks alternatives available on the market
Thankfully, there are many QuickBooks alternatives available on the market. Many small businesses have specific needs that are met by other accounting tools.
In this list, we highlight the unique features of the QuickBooks alternatives. Depending on your needs, you’ll be sure to find a solution that works well for you.
We’ve listed the alternatives to QuickBooks in order of their Capterra Rating. Capterra is a company that provides research and user reviews on software applications for businesses.
1. InvoiceBerry
InvoiceBerry helps you to create and send invoices and quotes, track expenses and payments, and create various reports. It’s simple and intuitive, making it easy to create professional invoices.
Best for: Small business owners looking for an easy way to invoice clients and gain control of their business finances.
Main Features:
- Easily add your logo for customized professional-looking invoices
- Understand billing at a glance with a simple dashboard
- Set up recurring invoices to save time and get paid faster
- Choose from 15 different invoice templates
- Stay in control of payments and expenses
- Generate quotes quickly, turn them into invoices with one click
Free Trial: 30-day free trial, no credit card required.
Pricing:
- $15 per month if you invoice less than 35 clients per month
- $30 per month to invoice an unlimited number of clients
Capterra Rating: 4.9 / 5
2. Bench
Bench pairs you with a team of professional bookkeepers to do your bookkeeping, leaving you to run your business. The team turns your data into tax-ready financial statements.
Best for: Businesses who need a dedicated bookkeeper to handle their finances and prepare financial statements for them.
Main Features:
- Access monthly financial statements
- Track expenses
- Reconcile payments with your bank
- Stay in tune with your business finances
Free Trial: Free trial available; Bench requires a signup to view the free trial details.
Pricing:
- Plans start at $159 per month if billed monthly
Capterra Rating: 4.8 / 5
3. Spendwise
With Spendwise, you can manage sales, purchase orders, inventories, and tools through a clean interface.
Best for: As the name suggests, this tool is great for businesses that need better insight into their spending habits.
Main Features:
- Track inventory item balances and transactions
- Create professional-quality purchase orders in seconds
- Enter bills and expenses and manage approvals
- Create professional invoices
Free Trial: 30-day free trial, no credit card required.
Pricing:
- Not publicly disclosed
Capterra Rating: 4.5 / 5
4. Freshbooks
From invoicing and expenses to tax time prep and online payments, FreshBooks saves its customers time.
Best for: Self-employed professionals or freelancers that need to bill clients by the hour. FreshBooks has hourly tracking and billing built into their software.
Main Features:
- Save time with automation
- Keep a close eye on financials with insightful reports
- Paying invoices is easy with online payments
Free Trial: 30-day free trial, no credit card required.
Pricing:
- $6 per month to bill up to 5 clients per month
- $10 per month to bill up to 50 clients per month
- $10 per month to bill up to 500 clients per month
Capterra Rating: 4.5 / 5
5. ZipBooks
ZipBooks is a common alternative to Quickbooks. ZipBooks automatically creates insightful reports based on your chart of accounts and other information. A key difference between ZipBooks and QuickBooks is the payroll features that it offers.
Best for: Businesses who need more accounting features, like financial reports, payroll options, and time tracking.
Main Features:
- Send invoices online
- Keep track of time
- Set up recurring billing
- Management accounting with your team
Free Trial: 30-day free trial, no credit card required.
Pricing:
- The free plan supports unlimited contacts and invoicing, one bank feed, and income-and-expense management.
- $15 per month to add tools like time tracking, item records, team collaboration, bill-pay, and unlimited bank connections
Capterra Rating: 4.5 / 5
6. Kashoo
Kashoo automates bookkeeping tasks for small business owners. The software uses machine learning to categorize and reconciles expenses with bank and credit card transactions.
Best for: Of the QuickBooks alternatives, Kashoo is a good option for companies who need to organize a large number of business expenses.
Main Features:
- Automate manual expense tracking
- Separate personal and business expenses
- Link Kashoo to your business’ bank account
Free Trial: 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
Pricing:
- $16.65 per month
Capterra Rating: 4.5 / 5
7. Zoho Books
Zoho Books is online accounting software that manages your finances, automates business workflows, and helps you work collectively across departments.
Best for: Small businesses that need a more robust workflow process. Zoho Books allows you to collaborate with clients through an online portal.
Main Features:
- Create customized invoices
- Online portal lets you collaborate with clients on estimates and approvals
- You can manage projects and inventory
- Keep track of expenses, bills, and purchase orders
Free Trial: 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
Pricing:
- $9 per month to bill up to 50 contacts
- $19 per month to bill up to 500 contacts
- $29 per month to bill more than 500 contacts
Capterra Rating: 4.4 / 5
8. Xero
Xero’s secure online accounting software lets you work from anywhere, share with your employees, and collaborate with your advisors.
Best for: Mid- to large-sized businesses in need of strong accounting and ample features, reports, and integrations.
Main Features:
- Send online invoices with online payment options
- Keep accurate records with easy categorization
- Stay on top of business health with reports and analytics
- Track inventory, manage stock, and easily add items into invoices and orders
- Pay your bills on time, reduce office admin and improve your cash flow
Free Trial: 30-day free trial, no credit card required.
Pricing:
*Plan prices are increasing on July 1, 2020.
- $9 per month to send five invoices and quotes, enter five bills, and reconcile 20 bank transactions
- $30 per month for unlimited invoicing and quote sending, enter bills, and bank transactions
- $60 per month for multi-currency, expense management, and project tracking
Capterra Rating: 4.3 / 5
9. Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Sage Business Cloud Accounting helps with invoicing and cash flow management. The software helps create invoices, processes transactions, and sell products in the office or on the go.
Best for: Small business owners who need to access accounting and bookkeeping features via the cloud or on a Mac/PC or Apple/Android phone.
Main Features:
- Accept payments from customers or pay suppliers and employees
- Manage invoicing, cash flow, payments, and tax on all devices
- Collaborate with your team and accountant on real-time data
- Bank-level security and no need for backups.
Free Trial: 30-day free trial, no credit card required.
Pricing:
- $10 per month to create invoices, track what you’re owed, and connect to your bank
- $20 per month to generate quotes and invoices, add users, act on real-time reports, and more
Capterra Rating: 4.1 / 5
The final decision: Which of these Quickbook alternatives should you choose?
Once you’ve gone through our list of QuickBooks alternatives listed above, the next step is to choose the right one based on your business needs. Here are some helpful tips on how to make a decision:
- Analyze your needs and shortlist potential fits
- Select products within your budget
- Demo the products: all of the QuickBooks alternatives we’ve listed offer free trials. Take your top pick for a test run!