| Product | Best for | NerdWallet rating | Starting at | Promotion | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Client management for freelancers | $25/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $55, $90. | 90% off for 6 months. | on Xero's website | ||
| Scalability | $38/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $75, $115, $275. | 50% off for 3 months or free 30-day trial. | on QuickBooks' website | ||
| Overall freelance accounting software | $21/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $38, $65, custom. | 60% off for the first 3 months (applies to new FreshBooks subscriptions). | on FreshBooks' website | ||
| Mobile accounting app | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275. | 14-day free trial of the Premium plan. | on Zoho Books' website | ||
| Free self-employed accounting software | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $19 | N/A | on Wave's website | ||
![]() Brightbook | Unlimited invoicing | $0 | N/A | ||
![]() TrulySmall Accounting | Sole proprietorship accounting software | 3.3
/5
| $20/month | 14-day free trial |
Xero
Best for Client management for freelancers
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $55, $90.
for 6 months.
on Xero's website
Pros
- Unlimited users in all pricing plans.
- Integrates with more than 1,000 third-party apps.
- Feature set includes an excellent mobile app and suite of reports, capable invoicing features, plus automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.
- Simple layout and easy to use.
Cons
- No inbound phone customer support (callbacks are available, though).
- Entry-level plan limits bills and invoices to five and 20 per month, respectively.
- Must subscribe to the highest-tier Established plan to claim expenses.
QuickBooks Online
Best for Scalability
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $75, $115, $275.
for 3 months or free 30-day trial.
on QuickBooks' website
Pros
- Easy to share information with your accountant and to find QuickBooks experts and online resources if needed.
- More than 750 app integrations.
- Robust feature set includes record-keeping, reporting, invoicing and inventory management, plus a capable mobile app.
- Chat and phone support available Monday through Saturday in all plans.
Cons
- Expensive compared with the competition.
- Frequent price increases and a tendency toward upselling.
- Limited account users with each plan.
FreshBooks
Best for Overall freelance accounting software
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $38, $65, custom.
for the first 3 months (applies to new FreshBooks subscriptions).
on FreshBooks' website
Pros
- Stay in touch with clients through the FreshBooks mobile app and get notified when invoices have been viewed or become overdue.
- Intuitive, customizable invoicing capabilities compete with those of more robust accounting solutions.
- Track time and add billable hours to invoices in all plans.
- Weekday phone support in all plans.
Cons
- Highest-tier Select plan only comes with two users (additional users add $11 per month) and lower-tier plans put limits on billable clients.
- Least expensive plan lacks double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access.
Zoho Books
Best for Mobile accounting app
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.
of the Premium plan.
on Zoho Books' website
Pros
- Less expensive than some competitors; free plan available for businesses with less than $50k in annual revenue.
- Email support in free plan; phone and chat support in paid plans.
- Rich feature set includes excellent invoicing, inventory management, workflow rules and a capable mobile app.
- Add accounting widgets to your phone’s home screen; track time using your Apple Watch.
Cons
- Fewer third-party integrations and reports than some competitors.
- No plan includes more than 15 users (can add additional users for a fee).
Wave Accounting
Best for Free self-employed accounting software
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $19
on Wave's website
Pros
- Free plan available.
- Intuitive, customizable invoicing capabilities compete with those of more robust accounting solutions.
Cons
- Lacks features that quickly growing companies need, like audit trails.
- Must subscribe to Wave’s Pro plan or other paid services (payroll, payments, advisor, etc.) to receive customer support from a human.
- No mileage tracking feature and must use Zapier for third-party integrations.
Brightbook
Best for Unlimited invoicing
Pros
- Send unlimited invoices.
- Add unlimited users.
- Run basic reports, like a profit and loss statement and tax report.
Cons
- Does not use double-entry accounting.
- Must manually import bank statements.
TrulySmall Accounting
Best for Sole proprietorship accounting software
Pros
- Features include basic reporting, mobile app, invoicing and reconciliation tools.
- No cap on the number of users or invoices.
- Phone, chat and email support.
Cons
- No third-party integrations.
- Can’t tag transactions to enable more granular reporting.
- No inventory management or mileage tracking features.
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $55, $90.
for 6 months.
on Xero's website
Pros
- Unlimited users in all pricing plans.
- Integrates with more than 1,000 third-party apps.
- Feature set includes an excellent mobile app and suite of reports, capable invoicing features, plus automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.
- Simple layout and easy to use.
Cons
- No inbound phone customer support (callbacks are available, though).
- Entry-level plan limits bills and invoices to five and 20 per month, respectively.
- Must subscribe to the highest-tier Established plan to claim expenses.
Xero
Best for Client management for freelancers
Best for Client management for freelancers
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $55, $90.
for 6 months.
on Xero's website
Pros
- Unlimited users in all pricing plans.
- Integrates with more than 1,000 third-party apps.
- Feature set includes an excellent mobile app and suite of reports, capable invoicing features, plus automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.
- Simple layout and easy to use.
Cons
- No inbound phone customer support (callbacks are available, though).
- Entry-level plan limits bills and invoices to five and 20 per month, respectively.
- Must subscribe to the highest-tier Established plan to claim expenses.
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $75, $115, $275.
for 3 months or free 30-day trial.
on QuickBooks' website
Pros
- Easy to share information with your accountant and to find QuickBooks experts and online resources if needed.
- More than 750 app integrations.
- Robust feature set includes record-keeping, reporting, invoicing and inventory management, plus a capable mobile app.
- Chat and phone support available Monday through Saturday in all plans.
Cons
- Expensive compared with the competition.
- Frequent price increases and a tendency toward upselling.
- Limited account users with each plan.
QuickBooks Online
Best for Scalability
Best for Scalability
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $75, $115, $275.
for 3 months or free 30-day trial.
on QuickBooks' website
Pros
- Easy to share information with your accountant and to find QuickBooks experts and online resources if needed.
- More than 750 app integrations.
- Robust feature set includes record-keeping, reporting, invoicing and inventory management, plus a capable mobile app.
- Chat and phone support available Monday through Saturday in all plans.
Cons
- Expensive compared with the competition.
- Frequent price increases and a tendency toward upselling.
- Limited account users with each plan.
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $38, $65, custom.
for the first 3 months (applies to new FreshBooks subscriptions).
on FreshBooks' website
Pros
- Stay in touch with clients through the FreshBooks mobile app and get notified when invoices have been viewed or become overdue.
- Intuitive, customizable invoicing capabilities compete with those of more robust accounting solutions.
- Track time and add billable hours to invoices in all plans.
- Weekday phone support in all plans.
Cons
- Highest-tier Select plan only comes with two users (additional users add $11 per month) and lower-tier plans put limits on billable clients.
- Least expensive plan lacks double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access.
FreshBooks
Best for Overall freelance accounting software
Best for Overall freelance accounting software
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $38, $65, custom.
for the first 3 months (applies to new FreshBooks subscriptions).
on FreshBooks' website
Pros
- Stay in touch with clients through the FreshBooks mobile app and get notified when invoices have been viewed or become overdue.
- Intuitive, customizable invoicing capabilities compete with those of more robust accounting solutions.
- Track time and add billable hours to invoices in all plans.
- Weekday phone support in all plans.
Cons
- Highest-tier Select plan only comes with two users (additional users add $11 per month) and lower-tier plans put limits on billable clients.
- Least expensive plan lacks double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access.
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.
of the Premium plan.
on Zoho Books' website
Pros
- Less expensive than some competitors; free plan available for businesses with less than $50k in annual revenue.
- Email support in free plan; phone and chat support in paid plans.
- Rich feature set includes excellent invoicing, inventory management, workflow rules and a capable mobile app.
- Add accounting widgets to your phone’s home screen; track time using your Apple Watch.
Cons
- Fewer third-party integrations and reports than some competitors.
- No plan includes more than 15 users (can add additional users for a fee).
Zoho Books
Best for Mobile accounting app
Best for Mobile accounting app
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.
of the Premium plan.
on Zoho Books' website
Pros
- Less expensive than some competitors; free plan available for businesses with less than $50k in annual revenue.
- Email support in free plan; phone and chat support in paid plans.
- Rich feature set includes excellent invoicing, inventory management, workflow rules and a capable mobile app.
- Add accounting widgets to your phone’s home screen; track time using your Apple Watch.
Cons
- Fewer third-party integrations and reports than some competitors.
- No plan includes more than 15 users (can add additional users for a fee).
Pros
- Free plan available.
- Intuitive, customizable invoicing capabilities compete with those of more robust accounting solutions.
Cons
- Lacks features that quickly growing companies need, like audit trails.
- Must subscribe to Wave’s Pro plan or other paid services (payroll, payments, advisor, etc.) to receive customer support from a human.
- No mileage tracking feature and must use Zapier for third-party integrations.
Wave Accounting
Best for Free self-employed accounting software
Best for Free self-employed accounting software
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $19
on Wave's website
Pros
- Free plan available.
- Intuitive, customizable invoicing capabilities compete with those of more robust accounting solutions.
Cons
- Lacks features that quickly growing companies need, like audit trails.
- Must subscribe to Wave’s Pro plan or other paid services (payroll, payments, advisor, etc.) to receive customer support from a human.
- No mileage tracking feature and must use Zapier for third-party integrations.
Pros
- Send unlimited invoices.
- Add unlimited users.
- Run basic reports, like a profit and loss statement and tax report.
Cons
- Does not use double-entry accounting.
- Must manually import bank statements.
Brightbook
Best for Unlimited invoicing
Best for Unlimited invoicing
Pros
- Send unlimited invoices.
- Add unlimited users.
- Run basic reports, like a profit and loss statement and tax report.
Cons
- Does not use double-entry accounting.
- Must manually import bank statements.
Pros
- Features include basic reporting, mobile app, invoicing and reconciliation tools.
- No cap on the number of users or invoices.
- Phone, chat and email support.
Cons
- No third-party integrations.
- Can’t tag transactions to enable more granular reporting.
- No inventory management or mileage tracking features.
TrulySmall Accounting
Best for Sole proprietorship accounting software
Best for Sole proprietorship accounting software
Pros
- Features include basic reporting, mobile app, invoicing and reconciliation tools.
- No cap on the number of users or invoices.
- Phone, chat and email support.
Cons
- No third-party integrations.
- Can’t tag transactions to enable more granular reporting.
- No inventory management or mileage tracking features.
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