8 Best QuickBooks Alternatives of 2025

The best QuickBooks alternatives are easy to use, customizable and — in some cases — fill a specific niche.
Advertiser icon
Close
Advertiser icon
Close
Our pick for simple accounting software
Xero
Our pick for simple accounting software

Xero

Xero

on Xero's website

QuickBooks has long been a go-to for small-business owners and their accountants, but it isn't the best accounting software choice for everyone. A number of other products on the market may be better suited to your business, depending on its size, your budget and your prior bookkeeping experience.
After reviewing more than a dozen options, we determined that Xero is the top alternative to QuickBooks.

🏆 Our pick: The best QuickBooks alternative

If you’re looking for an alternative to QuickBooks, we think Xero is the best choice for most small-business owners. Even after a recent price increase, all of Xero’s options are still less expensive than the standard subscription cost of QuickBooks’ popular, middle-tier Plus plan. It also has similar features, a simpler layout and doesn’t put a limit on how many users can access the software (even QuickBooks’ most expensive option caps you at 25).
Xero
Xero

Xero

NerdWallet Rating  
5.0
Starting At  

$20

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

Read Review
Learn more

on Xero's website

Ultimately, the right QuickBooks alternative for your business will depend on why you’re looking for one in the first place. Common complaints among QuickBooks users online criticize its rising subscription costs, stale user interface and poor customer service. Xero checks those boxes the most, but other accounting software may more directly address your specific needs.
Here’s a more extensive list of our top QuickBooks alternative recommendations.
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
80+ years of combined experience covering small business and personal finance.
75+ categories of best business software selections.
Objective and comprehensive business accounting software ratings rubric. (Learn more about our star ratings.)
NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including payroll, accounting and payment processing. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.

Best QuickBooks Alternatives

Product Best for NerdWallet rating Starting at Promotion Learn more
Xero

Xero

on Xero's secure website

Overall QuickBooks alternative

$20/month

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

90% off

for 6 months.

on Xero's secure website

FreshBooks

FreshBooks

on FreshBooks' secure website

Freelancers

$21/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $38, $65, custom.

50% off

for 6 months. 30-Day Money Back Guarantee.

on FreshBooks' secure website

Zoho Books

Zoho Books

on Zoho Books' secure website

Large variety of features at a low cost

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.

14-day free trial

of the Premium plan.

on Zoho Books' secure website

Sage

Sage 50 Accounting

on Sage 50 Accounting's secure website

Desktop solution

$62/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $103.92, $177.17.

N/A

on Sage 50 Accounting's secure website

Wave

Wave Accounting

on Wave Accounting's secure website

Free and simple QuickBooks alternative

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16

N/A

on Wave Accounting's secure website

Bookkeeper360

Bookkeeper360

Bookkeeping assistance

$49/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $399, $1,149.

N/A

Striven

Striven

on Striven's secure website

Industry-specific plans

4.1 /5
$35/month

Per user. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $70.

7-day free trial

on Striven's secure website

Square

Square Invoices

on Square Invoices' secure website

Invoicing-only solution

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

30-day free trial

of the Plus plan.

on Square Invoices' secure website

Product Best for NerdWallet rating Starting at Promotion Learn more
Xero

Xero

on Xero's secure website

Overall QuickBooks alternative

$20/month

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

90% off

for 6 months.

on Xero's secure website

FreshBooks

FreshBooks

on FreshBooks' secure website

Freelancers

$21/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $38, $65, custom.

50% off

for 6 months. 30-Day Money Back Guarantee.

on FreshBooks' secure website

Zoho Books

Zoho Books

on Zoho Books' secure website

Large variety of features at a low cost

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.

14-day free trial

of the Premium plan.

on Zoho Books' secure website

Sage

Sage 50 Accounting

on Sage 50 Accounting's secure website

Desktop solution

$62/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $103.92, $177.17.

N/A

on Sage 50 Accounting's secure website

Wave

Wave Accounting

on Wave Accounting's secure website

Free and simple QuickBooks alternative

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16

N/A

on Wave Accounting's secure website

Bookkeeper360

Bookkeeper360

Bookkeeping assistance

$49/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $399, $1,149.

N/A

Striven

Striven

on Striven's secure website

Industry-specific plans

4.1 /5
$35/month

Per user. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $70.

7-day free trial

on Striven's secure website

Square

Square Invoices

on Square Invoices' secure website

Invoicing-only solution

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

30-day free trial

of the Plus plan.

on Square Invoices' secure website

Best QuickBooks Alternatives

Our pick for simple accounting software

Xero

Best for Overall QuickBooks alternative

Starting at
$20/month

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

Promotion
90% off

for 6 months.

on Xero's website

Our pick for simple accounting software

Xero

Best for Overall QuickBooks alternative

Starting at
$20/month

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

Promotion
90% off

for 6 months.

on Xero's website

FreshBooks

Best for Freelancers

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

FreshBooks

Best for Freelancers

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

Zoho Books

Best for Large variety of features at a low cost

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

Zoho Books

Best for Large variety of features at a low cost

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

Sage 50 Accounting

Best for Desktop solution

Starting at
$62/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $103.92, $177.17.

Bonus
$0

on Sage's website

Sage 50 Accounting

Best for Desktop solution

Starting at
$62/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $103.92, $177.17.

Bonus
$0

on Sage's website

Wave Accounting

Best for Free and simple QuickBooks alternative

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16

Promotion
N/A

on Wave's website

Wave Accounting

Best for Free and simple QuickBooks alternative

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16

Promotion
N/A

on Wave's website

Bookkeeper360

Best for Bookkeeping assistance

Starting at
$49/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $399, $1,149.

Promotion
N/A

Bookkeeper360

Best for Bookkeeping assistance

Starting at
$49/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $399, $1,149.

Promotion
N/A

Striven

4.1

 

Best for Industry-specific plans

Starting at
$35/month

Per user. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $70.

Promotion
7-day free trial

on Striven's website

Striven

Best for Industry-specific plans

4.1

 
Starting at
$35/month

Per user. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $70.

Promotion
7-day free trial

on Striven's website

Square Invoices

Best for Invoicing-only solution

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

Promotion
30-day free trial

of the Plus plan.

on Square's website

Square Invoices

Best for Invoicing-only solution

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

Promotion
30-day free trial

of the Plus plan.

on Square's website

Looking for more free alternatives?

If you’re searching specifically for a free QuickBooks alternative, explore our full list of free accounting software products to compare your options.

A closer look at the best QuickBooks alternatives

Xero

Best overall QuickBooks alternative
  • $20 per month for the Early plan.
  • $47 per month for the Growing plan.
  • $80 per month for the Established plan.
Feature
Xero
QuickBooks Online
Double-entry accounting
Automatic bank imports
Automatic transaction reconciliation
Unlimited users with at least one plan
Accountant access with all plans
Standard accounting reports (e.g., P&L, balance sheet, AP and AR)
Reporting tags
Industry-specific reports
Invoicing features
Inventory management features
Project tracking features
Mobile app
Business software integrations (e.g., payroll, HR, CRM, time tracking)
Live customer support
Overall, Xero users seem to appreciate its pricing, which is significantly less expensive than QuickBooks Online. Other online commenters say the software is easy to use — a big perk if you don’t have any bookkeeping experience. Though QuickBooks Online boasts a variety of in-depth accounting tools, it’s not the easiest software to learn.
Negative comments typically mention bank feeds not loading and Xero’s new invoicing interface (the company has said it will update the latter). Poor customer support also comes up a lot. In our experience, you’ll find such complaints online with any provider. However, it is notable that Xero does not provide an inbound phone number.
Why we picked it: Business owners who prefer ease of use and simplicity will appreciate Xero’s minimalist design and jargon-free language. Like QuickBooks, it's widely used, which makes it easy to find accountants who support it. Unlike QuickBooks, however, Xero allows unlimited users at all plan levels — and at a lower price point. As a QuickBooks alternative, Xero offers less expensive software that competes with QuickBooks’ rich feature set. Read our full Xero Accounting review.

FreshBooks

Best for freelancers
  • $21 per month for the Lite plan.
  • $38 per month for the Plus plan.
  • $65 per month for the Premium plan.
  • Custom pricing for the Select plan.
Feature
FreshBooks
QuickBooks Online
Double-entry accounting
Automatic bank imports
Automatic transaction reconciliation
Unlimited users with at least one plan
Accountant access with all plans
Standard accounting reports (e.g., P&L, balance sheet, AP and AR)
Reporting tags
Industry-specific reports
Invoicing features
Inventory management features
Project tracking features
Mobile app
Business software integrations (e.g., payroll, HR, CRM, time tracking)
Live customer support
Sentiment for FreshBooks on Trustpilot is largely positive. However, the majority of its five-star reviews come from users who were invited to leave feedback. That doesn't mean they're not genuine, though. Users praise both Freshbooks' customer support and ease of use. In fact, some users specifically point out that it’s more intuitive than QuickBooks Online.
On the negative side, FreshBooks users on both Trustpilot and Reddit say they’ve had issues with WePay, one of the company's payment processing options. Multiple users say that WePay flagged large incoming payments and froze — or even closed — their accounts as a result. FreshBooks supports Stripe and PayPal as well, though those products also receive their fair share of negative reviews. (A common trend among most payment processors.)
Why we picked it: With strong invoicing capabilities and an intuitive mobile app, FreshBooks is an affordable alternative for freelancers who might not need all of the features that QuickBooks offers its online customers. The software lets you log time, track mileage, snap photos of expense receipts, set up recurring invoices, send automatic payment reminders and accept payments online through FreshBooks Payments or Stripe. And unlike QuickBooks, which only lets you mark expenses as “billable” in the Online Plus plan and higher, FreshBooks lets you rebill clients for expenses in all plans. One downside: It comes with a stricter user limit. All plans, except the Select plan, include access for only one user; additional users cost $11 each per month. Read our full FreshBooks review.

Wave

Best free and simple QuickBooks alternative
  • $0 for the Starter plan.
  • $16 per month for the Pro plan.
Feature
Wave
QuickBooks Online
Double-entry accounting
Automatic bank imports
Automatic transaction reconciliation
Unlimited users with at least one plan
Accountant access with all plans
Standard accounting reports (e.g., P&L, balance sheet, AP and AR)
Reporting tags
Industry-specific reports
Invoicing features
Inventory management features
Project tracking features
Mobile app
Business software integrations (e.g., payroll, HR, CRM, time tracking)
Live customer support
Wave’s claim to fame used to be the fact that it was free to use. Now, the company has migrated some of its formerly free features, like bank feeds and receipt tracking, to a paid plan. Some users are understandably unhappy about that. But many others appreciate that you can still get the basics for free — something you can’t say for QuickBooks Online. For example, users like that the free plan still lets you use the mobile app to invoice clients from anywhere.
Similar to QuickBooks Online, however, Wave’s customer support gets bad reviews. That’s unsurprising for the free plan. It only comes with chatbot support, unless you opt to use Wave’s online processing or another paid service. Other negative reviews criticize the product’s overall reliability, claiming the auto-categorization tool is prone to making mistakes.
Why we picked it: Wave delivers on most of the basics for micro businesses and self-employed entrepreneurs without requiring expensive add-ons. It’s a solid QuickBooks alternative if you’re on a tight budget and run a small operation, but it’s not ideal for scaling your business. Still, it can be sufficient for businesses with straightforward financials, especially if your main objectives are keeping tabs on expenses, sending invoices and tracking income. Read our full Wave Accounting review.

Zoho Books

Best variety of features at a low cost
  • $0 per month for the Free plan.
  • $20 per month for the Standard plan.
  • $50 per month for the Professional plan.
  • $70 per month for the Premium plan.
  • $150 per month for the Elite plan.
  • $275 per month for the Ultimate plan.
Feature
Zoho Books
QuickBooks Online
Double-entry accounting
Automatic bank imports
Automatic transaction reconciliation
Unlimited users with at least one plan
Accountant access with all plans
Standard accounting reports (e.g., P&L, balance sheet, AP and AR)
Reporting tags
Industry-specific reports
Invoicing features
Inventory management features
Project tracking features
Mobile app
Business software integrations (e.g., payroll, HR, CRM, time tracking)
Live customer support
Positive reviews of Zoho products applaud how the company offers various apps under the same umbrella. For example, you can use Zoho Books as your accounting software program and Zoho Social as your social media management solution.
Zoho Books is less expensive than QuickBooks Online, and some commenters point out that you get fewer features as a result. However, they say it can be a viable option for businesses that don’t need all of QuickBooks Online’s bells and whistles. They suggest just making sure your accountant is familiar with it first.
Why we picked it: Zoho Books offers a lot of the same features as QuickBooks, like inventory management, reporting tags, invoicing and bank rules — but at a lower price. Higher-tier plans also include extra features you don’t find among all accounting software, like customizable workflow rules for email alerts and the ability to let your clients approve or comment on timesheets before adding billable hours to an invoice. If you commit to the Zoho ecosystem, you can smoothly integrate its CRM and other software with Zoho Books. If not, its third-party integrations might be limiting. Read our Zoho Books review.

Sage 50 Accounting

Best for desktop solution
  • $61.92 per month, for 1 user, for the Pro Accounting plan.
  • $103.92 per month, for 1 user, for the Premium Accounting plan.
  • $177.17 per month, for 1 user, for the Quantum Accounting plan.
  • Prices increase with each additional user.
Feature
Sage 50 Accounting
QuickBooks Enterprise
Double-entry accounting
Automatic bank imports
Automatic transaction reconciliation
Unlimited users with at least one plan
Accountant access with all plans
Standard accounting reports (e.g., P&L, balance sheet, AP and AR)
Reporting tags
Industry-specific reports
Invoicing features
Inventory management features
Project tracking features
Mobile app
Business software integrations (e.g., payroll, HR, CRM, time tracking)
Live customer support
Sage 50 users value the software’s ease of use, customer support and integrated payroll services. (Those services do cost extra.) It’s also worth noting that a lot of these comments come from people who say they’ve used Sage products for more than 10 or even 20 years. The company definitely has some loyal customers.
But not all longtime customers seem happy with the product anymore. Some users say they experience issues, like bank feed freezes and lost data, when Sage updates its software. Others suggest the desktop software’s limitations will render it outdated, especially since so many software products are completely cloud based now.
Why we picked it: If your business is smaller in size and you have need for only a few users to access your accounting software, then Sage 50’s desktop accounting software is an excellent alternative to QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, which is designed — and priced — for much larger organizations. You can purchase Sage 50’s mid-level plan, Premium Accounting, for less than QuickBooks Enterprise’s lowest-tier plan. Sage 50 Accounting will give you unlimited phone and chat support and advanced reporting, similar to what you’d get with the least expensive QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise plan, in addition to advanced inventory tracking and management plus invoice tracking and a long list of additional features. Like QuickBooks, Sage 50 Accounting offers payroll as an add-on. Read our full Sage 50 review.

Bookkeeper360

Best for bookkeeping assistance
  • $49 per month plus hourly cost for support for Pay-As-You-Go plan.
  • $399 and up per month for Bookkeeping plan.
  • $1,149 and up per month for Controller plan.
Feature
Bookkeeper360
QuickBooks Live
Accounting reports
Integrates with QuickBooks Online
Ability to complete back-office tasks (e.g., inventory management, invoicing)
CFO advisory services
Pay-by-the-hour bookkeeping assistance
Mobile app
Live customer support
There aren’t as many online reviews of Bookkeeper360 as there are for more traditional accounting software products, so it’s difficult to spot trends. But positive reviews typically laud the product’s convenience. These users are happy to have professional bookkeepers to assist them during the setup process and help them solve accounting issues.
Other commenters say they were disappointed by slow response times, and some question whether their bookkeeping was done correctly. If you try out Bookkeeper360, it might be a good idea to treat the free consultation as a test to determine whether it’s a good fit.
Why we picked it: If you’re not satisfied with QuickBooks Live’s online bookkeeping service, you may want to look into Bookkeeper360. It offers everything from hourly bookkeeping help for the occasional hiccup to full-service assistance with accounting, back-office and budgeting tasks. Plus, it integrates with Xero as well as QuickBooks Online. Ultimately, it could be a good fit if your goal is to take a less hands-on approach to bookkeeping to make time for other tasks. Read our full Bookkeeper360 review.

Striven

Best for industry-specific plans
  • $35 per month per user for the Standard plan.
  • $70 per month per user for the Enterprise plan.
Feature
Striven
QuickBooks Online
Double-entry accounting
Automatic bank imports
Automatic transaction reconciliation
Unlimited users with at least one plan
Accountant access with all plans
Standard accounting reports (e.g., P&L, balance sheet, AP and AR)
Reporting tags
Industry-specific reports
Invoicing features
Inventory management features
Project tracking features
Mobile app
Business software integrations (e.g., payroll, HR, CRM, time tracking)
Live customer support
Striven users generally have positive things to say about the company’s customer support and usability. People with growing businesses like having all of the applications they need — like accounting, customer relationship management and task management — under one software umbrella. Plus, it’s a cheaper ERP solution than NetSuite.
In terms of what they dislike about Striven, users often point out the fact that the program has limited third-party integrations. Its main built-in integrations include Shopify, Square and Stripe, but not much else. You can use its API to build your own connections, but that may require developer experience.
Why we picked it: Striven might not have the name recognition that QuickBooks has, but its selection of industry-specific software packages earns it a spot on the list. In some ways, Striven is also a more exhaustive all-in-one product that combines accounting features with customer relationship management tools, human resources and productivity software. If you’re interested, you can test drive the core edition (which isn’t industry specific) or the package for professional services, manufacturing or field services for seven days. Read our full Striven review.

Square Invoices

Best invoicing-only solution
  • $0 per month for the Free plan.
  • $20 per month for the Plus plan.
Feature
Square Invoices
QuickBooks Online
Double-entry accounting
Automatic bank imports
Automatic transaction reconciliation
Unlimited users with at least one plan
Accountant access with all plans
Standard accounting reports (e.g., P&L, balance sheet, AP and AR)
Reporting tags
Industry-specific reports
Invoicing features
Inventory management features
Project tracking features
Mobile app
Business software integrations (e.g., payroll, HR, CRM, time tracking)
Live customer support
People who use Square Invoices mostly like its simplicity and ease of use. Square’s POS system is known for having a user-friendly interface, and its invoicing solution seems to be no different. Commenters also like that you can use it to track and send contracts.
Negative reviews say the company has withheld payments from their clients. This isn’t necessarily surprising. Businesses can quickly start accepting payments with Square because the company doesn’t require them to open their own merchant account. But this can lead to less account stability and more freezes. Weigh that trade-off when choosing any third-party payment processor.
Why we picked it: Maybe your business is small enough that you don’t need a full-blown accounting software product. If you’re mainly looking for a way to invoice clients, Square Invoices is a simple, affordable alternative to other products listed here. We give it high marks, in part, because of its free plan, which includes unlimited invoices, estimates and contracts. For lower processing rates, you can subscribe to the paid Plus plan. Read our full Square Invoices review.

💬 Which QuickBooks alternatives do business owners recommend?

"Recently, I chatted with a QuickBooks Online user who criticized the software’s customer support. But they weren't sure about switching. Why? QuickBooks has all the bookkeeping tools their established business needs. It’s also the industry standard.
"My advice to them: consider Xero. It has a comparable feature set and industry-wide popularity. While it doesn’t have an inbound phone number, like QuickBooks does, users on TrustPilot and Reddit say that representatives typically resolve issues promptly.
"But what about very small businesses with small budgets and simpler accounting needs? Reddit users mention Zoho Books, Xero and FreshBooks, but I see that an overwhelming number bring up Wave. They say it’s a simple, less expensive alternative — as long as your books aren’t complicated."
Hillary Crawford, lead writer covering small business

QuickBooks pros and cons

Understanding the upsides and downsides of QuickBooks’ popular accounting software product, QuickBooks Online, can help you find an alternative that checks the right boxes. Here are its main benefits and drawbacks:
Pros

Recognizable brand with a longstanding reputation in the accounting industry.

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.

When to choose an alternative to QuickBooks

QuickBooks is popular for a reason, but that doesn’t make it a one-size-fits-all solution for every business. Here are some scenarios when you might consider an alternative:
Cash and coins.
QuickBooks is too expensiveQuickBooks’ pricing is competitive, but subscriptions to its higher-tier plans, which include more features like inventory tracking, can be steep. Plus, unlike Zoho Books and Wave, there are no free plans.
Paper documents wrapped with a ribbon that has a checkmark on it.
You need to mark expenses as billableQuickBooks’ Simple Start and Essentials plans don’t let you mark expenses as billable, which could be a dealbreaker for service-based and project-based businesses. FreshBooks, however, lets you assign billable expenses to clients in all plans. 
Couple of hands typing on a laptop.
You need to grant access to more usersQuickBooks’ highest-tier Advanced plan lets you add up to 25 users. If you need more users than that, you may want to go with an alternative, like Xero, that allows unlimited users. 
Woman sitting on top of some coins.
You’re a solopreneurQuickBooks is packed with features, like detailed transaction tracking and reporting, that are nice to have but not necessary for many very small businesses. If you’re a solopreneur, you’ll find a couple of simpler options in our list of the best accounting software for freelancers and the self-employed.

What is the best QuickBooks alternative?

Xero is our top pick among QuickBooks alternatives. It offers a lot of the same key features as QuickBooks, but at a lower price point and is growing in popularity in the U.S. Your accountant or bookkeeper will almost certainly be familiar with QuickBooks, but they may also know the ins and outs of Xero.
However, the right fit will vary from business to business. The best QuickBooks alternative for you will depend on your budget, the type of business you run and which features you need.

Is there a free QuickBooks alternative?

One of the best free accounting software options is Wave Accounting. It’s not as scalable as QuickBooks, but it can accommodate solopreneurs and, in some cases, businesses with a handful of employees.
Wave’s free plan has income and expense tracking, invoicing and basic reports. However, you’ll need to subscribe to its paid Pro plan to automatically import bank transactions, categorize transactions and add users. Additionally, Wave doesn’t offer built-in integrations with POS systems or other third-party apps. If you’re looking for a more scalable option with a free plan and more built-in app integrations, Zoho Books could be a good choice.

How we choose and rate accounting software

NerdWallet’s accounting software ratings favor products that are easy to use, reasonably priced, have a robust feature set and can grow with your business. The best accounting software received top marks when evaluated across 10 categories and more than 30 subcategories.
Pie chart displaying accounting software ratings categories and percentages
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.
Our evaluations also take user sentiment into account. This involves looking through individual reviews and feedback on sites like Trustpilot, Reddit, the App Store and Google Play. Then, we use AI tools to help spot larger trends within those comments. Since we cannot verify each user’s individual experience, we don’t incorporate user reviews in our star ratings.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.

A guide to our star ratings

Accounting software that receives a NerdWallet rating of 5 stars is outstanding among its competition. It delivers great value to users with a range of features and integrations at an affordable — and transparent — price. It also offers multiple avenues for customer support.
Accounting software that earns 4 or 4.5 stars is excellent. It includes all the standard features and most advanced features but is lacking in areas such as integrations, a mobile app and/or pricing transparency.
Accounting software with a rating of 3 or 3.5 stars is a solid choice. It lacks certain key features and integrations, and it may also lack pricing transparency. Alternatively, it may be a free product that lacks certain desirable features but offers enough to be worth consideration for businesses on a tight budget.
Accounting software that we rate below 3 stars is found to be lacking in several key categories, and we therefore won’t typically recommend it.
Former NerdWallet writer Amrita Jayakumar contributed to this article.
Last updated on April 15, 2025