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Best Business Software of 2024

Whether you subscribe to all-in-one small-business management software or build your own solution with individual platforms that integrate with one another, your business software should help you run operations more efficiently, plan ahead and save you money in the long run.
By Hillary Crawford
Last updated on July 15, 2024
Edited bySally Lauckner
Fact checked and reviewed

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

Business software refers to various digital tools and programs that help manage your small business. The right business software for your company minimizes manual data entry on multiple fronts, whether it’s categorizing transactions, recording in-person sales, tracking inventory, generating invoices or making sure your employees get paid on time. Before putting together your small-business management software ecosystem, verify that all of your choices integrate with each other.
Most businesses start with accounting software to keep their finances in order. Other business software products to consider include point-of-sale (POS) systems, payment processing services and software for payroll, invoicing, inventory management and human resources. We’ve rounded up our top-rated picks across all these categories.

Our picks for

Best accounting software

Solid accounting software is the foundation of a capable business software ecosystem. Use it to centralize all of your financial data, prepare for tax season and keep tabs on the financial health of your business. Accounting software often includes features for budgeting, reporting and invoicing and may also include time and expense tracking, among other capabilities.

QuickBooks Online

Learn more

on QuickBooks Online's secure website

Starting at
$35/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $65, $99, $235.

Promotion
50% off

for first three months or free 30-day trial.

Learn more

on Xero's secure website

Starting at
$15/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $47, $80.

Promotion
30-day free trial

or monthly discount (terms vary).

Our pick for

Best point-of-sale (POS) software

Point-of-sale software often enables you to do much more than take payments. It can often help you manage inventory, menus and tables, employees and customer loyalty programs. If you have a brick-and-mortar storefront, make sure your POS software provider also offers hardware that lets you accept in-person payments.

Square POS

Learn more

on Square POS's secure website

Payment processing fees
2.6% + 10¢

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

Monthly fee
$0.00

and up.

Our picks for

Best payment processors

A payment processor is necessary for any business that accepts credit cards. The best payment processors offer competitive transaction rates, can process multiple payment methods and currencies, are transparent with their fees and may offer discounted transaction rates based on sales volume.

Learn more

on Stripe Payments' secure website

Payment processing fees
2.7% + 5¢

in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.

Monthly fee
$0.00
Learn more

on Helcim's secure website

Payment processing fees
0.40% + 8¢

plus interchange, in-person; 0.50% + 25¢ plus interchange, online.

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our picks for

Best invoicing software

Square Invoices

Learn more

on Square Invoices' secure website

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

Promotion
30-day free trial

of the Plus plan.

Harvest

5.0
NerdWallet rating 
Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $12 per user.

Promotion
30-day free trial

of the Harvest Pro plan.

Our picks for

Best inventory management software

It’s not uncommon to find inventory tracking features in your accounting or POS software. Standalone options, however, may provide more robust inventory management capabilities or be designed for specific industries.

Zoho Inventory

Learn more

on Zoho Inventory's secure website

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $39, $99, $159, $299.

Promotion
14-day free trial

Square Inventory

Learn more

on Square Inventory's secure website

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $89 per location, custom.

Promotion
30-day free trial

Our picks for

Best payroll software

Payroll software doesn’t just make paying your employees easier — some will also calculate and file payroll taxes for you. Typically, it offers some level of access to employees so they can view pay stubs, download tax forms and update their personal information. Standout payroll software includes automatic payroll functionality and direct integrations with popular accounting software.

Gusto Payroll

Learn more

on Gusto Payroll's secure website

Starting at
$40/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $80, $180. Fee per employee varies by tier.

Promotion
6 months free

for contractor-only businesses.

QuickBooks Payroll

Learn more

on QuickBooks Payroll's secure website

Starting at
$45/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $80, $125. Fee per employee varies by tier.

Promotion
One month free trial

or 50% off for three months; terms apply.

Our pick for

Best HR software

If your business spends a lot of time hiring and training employees, it may be time to explore human resources software that can assist in benefits administration, payroll and employee onboarding.

Rippling

Learn more

on Rippling's secure website

Starting at
$8/month

Per person plus quote-based monthly software fee.

Promotion
N/A

How to choose the right business software

Couple of hands typing on a laptop.
1. Pick your accounting softwareMost small businesses should have some type of accounting software, even if it’s very simple, to separate their business and personal expenses and keep track of income. This can also make filing taxes simpler.
Some bills and a red card.
2. Consider how you’ll get paidTo accept payment from customers, look for a payment processor that offers competitive pricing and the type of hardware you need. Brick-and-mortar businesses may consider a countertop POS system, while mobile businesses may only need a portable card reader. Online businesses should seek out processors that integrate with e-commerce platforms or offer their own.
Cash and coins.
3. Figure out how you’ll pay employeesIf your business has employees, payroll software can help you stay on top of payroll taxes and make sure your employees are receiving their paychecks on time. Some payroll software lets you add HR services, offer medical benefits and track time off, too.
A person looking at a mobile phone.
4. Make sure it all integratesIf your business software programs don’t integrate with each other, you could be stuck manually entering data. Above all, your accounting software should integrate with your POS system, payments software and payroll so that it can keep track of all the money coming into and out of your business. Direct, built-in integrations, as opposed to those hosted by third-party apps, are preferable because they typically don’t cost extra.

Types of business software

For a more in-depth look at different types of business software — and to see even more options — check out NerdWallet’s picks for:
Last updated on July 15, 2024

Methodology

NerdWallet independently reviews business software products before determining our top picks. We collect the data for our software ratings from products’ public-facing websites and from company representatives. Information is gathered on a regular basis and reviewed by our editorial team for consistency and accuracy.
Here’s more information about how we evaluate accounting software, POS systems, payment processing providers and payroll software services.
These ratings are meant to provide clarity in the decision-making process, but what’s best for your business will depend on its size, growth trajectory and which features you need most. We encourage you to research and compare multiple accounting software products before choosing one.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
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