Best Cloud Accounting Software of 2025
Cloud accounting software provides modern automation options and lets you access your business’s finances from anywhere, including your couch.
Learn more Cloud accounting software enables you to access your financial data from anywhere with an internet connection, which is why most of our picks for the best accounting software for small businesses
Here are NerdWallet’s picks for the best cloud accounting software and how each stands out from the competition.
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Best Cloud Accounting Software
| Product | Best for | NerdWallet rating | Starting at | Promotion | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Xero on Xero's secure website | Business performance tracking | $20/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $47, $80. | 90% off for 6 months. | on Xero's secure website | |
 QuickBooks Online on QuickBooks Online's secure website | Overall cloud accounting software | $35/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $65, $99, $235. | 90% off for first three months or free 30-day trial. | on QuickBooks Online's secure website | |
 Zoho Books on Zoho Books' secure website | Scalability | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275. | 14-day free trial of the Premium plan. | on Zoho Books' secure website | |
 FreshBooks on FreshBooks' secure website | Freelancers and self-employed professionals | $21/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $38, $65, custom. | 50% off for 6 months. 30-Day Money Back Guarantee. | on FreshBooks' secure website | |
 Wave Accounting on Wave Accounting's secure website | Free cloud accounting software | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16 | N/A | on Wave Accounting's secure website | |
 Odoo | Open-source cloud accounting software | 4.1
/5
| $0 For use of a single app. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $31.10, $46.80. | Monthly discount for the first 12 months. |
Best Cloud Accounting Software
Our pick for simple accounting software
Starting at
$20/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $47, $80.
Promotion
90% off
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.
Our pick for simple accounting software
Xero
Best for Business performance tracking
Starting at
$20/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $47, $80.
Promotion
90% off
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.
Starting at
$35/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $65, $99, $235.
Promotion
90% off
for first three 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 Overall cloud accounting software
Starting at
$35/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $65, $99, $235.
Promotion
90% off
for first three 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.
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.
Promotion
14-day free trial
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 Scalability
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.
Promotion
14-day free trial
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).
Starting at
$21/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $38, $65, custom.
Promotion
50% off
for 6 months. 30-Day Money Back Guarantee.
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 Freelancers and self-employed professionals
Starting at
$21/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $38, $65, custom.
Promotion
50% off
for 6 months. 30-Day Money Back Guarantee.
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.
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 cloud accounting software
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16
Promotion
N/A
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.
Starting at
$0
For use of a single app. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $31.10, $46.80.
Promotion
Monthly discount
for the first 12 months.
Pros
- Unlimited users.
- Vast library of directly integrated apps means the software can grow with your business.
- Open-source model encourages regular testing and improvement of the software.
Cons
- Paid plan is required to access the full list of features for most apps and any additional apps.
- Phone support is only available for database emergencies.
Odoo
Best for Open-source cloud accounting software
Starting at
$0
For use of a single app. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $31.10, $46.80.
Promotion
Monthly discount
for the first 12 months.
Pros
- Unlimited users.
- Vast library of directly integrated apps means the software can grow with your business.
- Open-source model encourages regular testing and improvement of the software.
Cons
- Paid plan is required to access the full list of features for most apps and any additional apps.
- Phone support is only available for database emergencies.
A closer look at our picks for the best cloud accounting software
QuickBooks Online
Best overall cloud accounting software
NerdWallet star rating: 5
Price
Why we picked it: QuickBooks Online has robust reporting and transaction tracking tools, invoicing capabilities, inventory management
The software’s biggest downside is its cost. For example, you have to subscribe to the Essentials plan or up to connect more than a single online sales channel. And inventory tracking is only included in the Plus plan and up. Make sure to factor this into your budget if any of these features are on your must-have list. Read our complete QuickBooks Online review
Xero
Best for business performance tracking
NerdWallet star rating: 5
Price
Why we picked it: Xero offers a long list of features at a competitive price point. In particular, it has excellent reporting features and a customizable dashboard that lets each user rearrange or hide panels according to their preferences. The dashboard has a clean and simple interface that makes it easy to track business performance and glean valuable insight to make data-backed decisions.
Xero also stands out among much of the competition for allowing unlimited users at every subscription tier, a valuable feature in situations where several users need some level of access to the system. Additionally, it offers a full catalog of third-party apps and software integrations. Read our full Xero Accounting review
Zoho Books
Best for scalability
NerdWallet star rating: 5
Price
Why we picked it: Unlike some competitors, Zoho Books doesn’t put a limit on billable clients, and even its free plan lets you send up to 1,000 invoices per year. The free option also offers a customer portal, automatic payment reminders, mileage expense tracking and the ability to schedule reports. Zoho Books offers five additional plan tiers ranging in price and functionality. For this reason, Zoho’s cloud accounting software is a strong choice for startups and businesses that are planning for rapid growth. And because Zoho has an entire suite of products (like Zoho CRM, Zoho Inventory and Zoho Commerce), you will likely find most of the software capabilities your business needs as it expands.
The software also offers some useful mobile features — such as the ability to send invoices by iMessage or add widgets to your phone’s home screen to easily access timers and overdue invoices. There’s an Apple Watch app that lets you track time, send payment reminders and review outstanding invoices, too. Read our Zoho Books review
» Not sure if Zoho is the right choice for you? Check out our list of the top Zoho Books alternatives
FreshBooks
Best for freelancers and self-employed professionals
NerdWallet star rating: 4.8
Price
Why we picked it: FreshBooks is especially useful for freelancers because it lets users view and send invoices, respond to clients’ questions and track mileage and expenses, all from its mobile app. Clients can also choose to create their own accounts. This lets them save and comment on invoices, save their payment information, invite others to access the account and collaborate on projects they’ve been invited to view.
Unlike some competitors that require you to pay extra for a time-tracking module, all FreshBooks plans come with unlimited time tracking
FreshBooks is especially cost-effective for freelancers who can work within the confines of the billable client limits within lower plan tiers. Premium and Select plans allow for unlimited billable clients. Read our full FreshBooks review
Wave Accounting
Best free cloud accounting software
NerdWallet star rating: 3.8
Price
Why we picked it: Wave can be a sufficient solution for entrepreneurs with small, service-based businesses who need a simple way to invoice clients and separate business and personal expenses. With the free Starter plan, you can create and send invoices as well as access reports and a dashboard. To set up recurring invoices, send automatic late payment reminders and more, you’ll need to upgrade to the paid Pro plan. The software also offers different invoice templates depending on the type of business you run: consulting legal services Wave Accounting review
Odoo
Best open-source cloud accounting software
NerdWallet star rating: 4.1
Price
Why we picked it: If you’re interested in the benefits of open-source software — including customizability, faster time to market on new and improved products and a large community of users and developers to turn to for software support — then Odoo may be a great solution for your business. It offers affordable pricing plans, including a free plan that allows you and an unlimited number of users access to one app (for example, accounting) at no cost.
Odoo’s accounting software handles invoicing, billing and automated bank reconciliation — all within a clear, user-friendly interface that’s easy to update in real time. You’re also able to access features and reports, such as your chart of accounts, tax forms, audit files and more, that are pre-configured to the specific requirements of your business location.
If the open-source model appeals to you but you don’t have a developer on your team or coding experience yourself, Odoo offers a variety of training and implementation packages, based on the size of your business and the complexity of your software needs. And because Odoo is a collection of software applications designed and developed to work seamlessly with one another, you will have great flexibility and customizability available to build the business software solution you need.
How to choose cloud accounting software
When selecting cloud accounting software, you’ll want to consider your business’s size, financial tracking needs and budget. Here are a few additional tips for navigating the decision-making process:
- Consider how much your business may grow . Narrow your options to software that can accommodate your operations now and down the road. When you’re first starting out,
free accounting software - Check in with your accountant. Be sure they’re familiar and comfortable with the cloud accounting software you’re considering. They may even be able to recommend their preferred product if you’re finding it difficult to make a decision. You might also ask whether they prefer direct access to the software as that may affect the plan tier you choose. Many accounting software products limit the number of users by plan tier, though some, like QuickBooks Online, allow accountant access separate from user limits.
- Explore the software integrations available. Many cloud accounting programs offer at least a handful of integrations with other software to help link multiple aspects of your business, including
payroll, point of sale payment processing
Can your small business benefit from cloud accounting software?
Most businesses will benefit from the flexibility of cloud accounting software versus locally installed, desktop-based accounting software. Small-business owners can enter sales and run reports remotely, as opposed to having to go into an office. Similarly, freelancers can send invoices from their phones and accept payments on the go.
Regardless of what type of business you run, cloud accounting software makes it easier to collaborate with other users, including your accountant. They can access the software remotely, you don’t have to manually import their changes and some products even enable you and your accountant to work within the software simultaneously. Separately, your accounting software won’t take up space on your hard drive, since all of the data is stored in the cloud and you don’t have to install anything.
Unless there’s a specific reason you prefer desktop-based accounting software, going with a cloud-based product is usually more convenient and can be less expensive than desktop software, especially if you need to provide access to multiple users.
Cloud accounting software isn’t limited to just one computer, and you don’t have to buy additional user licenses to use it on multiple devices. Often, this makes it more cost effective and convenient than desktop-based accounting software.
Other benefits include cloud-based accounting features, like online bank feeds that automatically import new transactions from your connected bank accounts. Plus, you don’t risk losing all of your data if your computer’s hard drive fails.