QuickBooks has long been a go-to for small business owners and their accountants, but it isn't the best accounting software choice for every small business. A number of other accounting products on the market may be better suited to your business, depending on its size, your budget and your comfort with accounting software. NerdWallet evaluated nearly a dozen products to curate this list of the best QuickBooks alternatives for small businesses.
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Best QuickBooks Alternatives
Product | Promotion | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Xero Learn more on Xero's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Overall alternative | $15/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $42, $78. | 30-day free trial or monthly discount (terms vary). | Learn more on Xero's secure website |
FreshBooks Learn more on FreshBooks' secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Freelancer-friendly features | $19/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom. | 30-day free trial or monthly discount (terms vary). | Learn more on FreshBooks' secure website |
Zoho Books Learn more on Zoho Books' secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Zoho suite integrations | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275. | 14-day free trial of the Premium plan. | Learn more on Zoho Books' secure website |
Sage 50 Accounting Learn more on Sage 50 Accounting's secure website | 3.5/5 Best for Desktop solution | $59/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $101.92, $172. | Discount for the first year (terms vary). | Learn more on Sage 50 Accounting's secure website |
Wave Accounting | 3.5/5 Best for Free software | $0 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16 | N/A | |
NetSuite | Best for Enterprise solution | N/A Quote-based. | N/A |
Our pick for
Overall alternative
Xero
Learn more
on Xero's secure website
Starting at
$15/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $42, $78.
Promotion
30-day free trial
or monthly discount (terms vary).
Xero allows unlimited users at every subscription tier, a valuable feature for businesses where several users may need at least limited access to the system to run reports or analyze performance. In terms of functionality and features, Xero is one of QuickBooks Online’s biggest competitors and has a more customizable dashboard that lets each user rearrange or hide panels.
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 phone number for customer support listed.
- Entry-level plan limits bills and invoices to five and 20 per month, respectively.
Our pick for
Freelancer-friendly features
FreshBooks
Learn more
on FreshBooks' secure website
Starting at
$19/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom.
Promotion
30-day free trial
or monthly discount (terms vary).
FreshBooks is a simple and affordable option for freelancers and very small businesses that don’t require many users and prioritize being able to operate on the go via mobile app. It’s an especially inexpensive choice for those who can work within lower-tier plans’ billable client limits, and all plans include time tracking.
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
- Lacks features that quickly growing companies need, like audit trails for accountants to review.
- 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.
Our pick for
Zoho suite integrations
Zoho Books
Learn more
on Zoho Books' secure website
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.
Promotion
14-day free trial
of the Premium plan.
Zoho Books packs an impressive collection of features and capabilities for an affordable price, and higher-tier plans let users automate workflows and track project profitability. It’s an especially good choice for users that already use the company’s other in-house apps.
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).
Our pick for
Desktop solution
Sage 50 Accounting
Learn more
on Sage 50 Accounting's secure website
Starting at
$59/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $101.92, $172.
Promotion
Discount for the first year
(terms vary).
Sage 50 Accounting is a desktop product that has to be locally installed, but it includes features you’d find in cloud-based software, like automated bank reconciliation. This makes it a good solution for small-business owners who are hesitant to adopt an entirely cloud-based system or don’t have reliable internet access. Entrepreneurs who are newer to accounting will also appreciate having a dedicated account representative and free training modules to help them get used to the software.
Pros
- Advanced inventory tracking and job costing features.
- Industry-specific features for construction, retail and professional services businesses.
- Phone and chat support, plus a dedicated account representative in all plans.
Cons
- Lowest-tier plan doesn’t include audit trails.
Our pick for
Free software
Wave Accounting
Starting at
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16
Promotion
N/A
Wave’s free accounting software lets you create unlimited invoices and bills, manually enter bank transactions and run reports. Although the free plan can be a simple solution for small, service-based businesses, Wave’s paid Pro plan offers a wider range of features like the ability to add additional users, automatically import bank records and auto-categorize transactions.
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 third-party integrations, mileage tracking feature or ability to accept in-person card payments.
Our pick for
Enterprise solution
NetSuite
Starting at
N/A
Quote-based.
Promotion
N/A
Business owners that foresee extreme growth, like global expansion, may consider a cloud-based enterprise resource planning product like NetSuite, as opposed to accounting software intended only for small businesses. Clients can customize their plans with add-on modules and additional users.
Pros
- Can scale to accommodate larger, enterprise businesses.
- Offers an array of other software products, like CRM, HR, supply chain management, global business management and commerce software for larger companies.
- Industry-specific software solutions for a wide range of businesses, including nonprofits, advertising and digital marketing, consulting, retail and food and beverage.
Cons
- Pricing is not transparent.
- Setup fee.
Xero
Best overall QuickBooks alternative
- $15 per month for the Early plan.
- $42 per month for the Growing plan.
- $78 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) | ✅ | ✅ |
Customizable reports | ✅ | ✅ |
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 | ✅ | ✅ |
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.
» MORE: Xero vs. QuickBooks Online
FreshBooks
Best for freelancer-friendly features
- $19 per month for the Lite plan.
- $33 per month for the Plus plan.
- $60 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) | ✅ | ✅ |
Customizable reports | ✅ | ✅ |
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 | ✅ | ✅ |
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.
» MORE: FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks Online
Wave
Best for free software
- $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) | ✅ | ✅ |
Customizable reports | ✖ | ✅ |
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 | ✖ | ✅ |
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.
» MORE: Wave vs. QuickBooks Online
Zoho Books
Best for Zoho suite integrations
- $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) | ✅ | ✅ |
Customizable reports | ✅ | ✅ |
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 | ✅ | ✅ |
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.
» MORE: Best Zoho Books alternatives
Sage 50 Accounting
Best for desktop solution
- $58.92 per month, for 1 user, for the Pro Accounting plan.
- $101.92 per month, for 1 user, for the Premium Accounting plan.
- $172 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) | ✅ | ✅ |
Customizable reports | ✅ | ✅ |
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 | ✅ | ✅ |
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, like 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.
» MORE: Sage 50 vs. QuickBooks Online
NetSuite
Best for enterprise solution
Quote-based.
Feature | NetSuite | 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) | ✅ | ✅ |
Customizable reports | ✅ | ✅ |
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 | ✅ | ✅ |
Why we picked it: If you run a large business or anticipate rapid growth of your business, then you may be interested in enterprise-level accounting software. While QuickBooks’ enterprise solution is locally installed on a desktop (unless you pay extra for cloud access), NetSuite’s solution is cloud-based from the start. That means you can get real-time access to your financial data anytime, anywhere. In addition to its core accounting features, NetSuite also offers CRM and HR solutions (including payroll) so you can centralize all of your software under one umbrella.
» MORE: NetSuite vs. QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks is a great option for growing small businesses that work frequently with an accountant or bookkeeper and that could benefit from detailed transaction tracking and in-depth reporting. With robust reporting, more than 750 integrations, scalable plans and customer support that’s available seven days a week, QuickBooks helps you keep a finger on the pulse of each area of your business. If you’re considering one of QuickBooks’ small-business products, the Plus plan gives you access to a range of useful features like inventory tracking, project profitability tools and billable expenses.
Just because QuickBooks comes with a lot of benefits, though, doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for every business. Here are some reasons you may want to explore QuickBooks alternatives:
- The cost of QuickBooks can be high.
- Simple Start and Essentials plans don’t let you mark expenses as billable.
- Each plan limits how many users you can add.
And if you're a solopreneur who plans to keep your business very small, you can find simpler, more affordable options in our list of the best accounting software for freelancers and the self-employed.
Do you use QuickBooks for invoicing?
Description: If you’re primarily using QuickBooks Online for its invoicing functions, you may find a more suitable and more affordable alternative among our picks for the best invoicing software.
The best QuickBooks alternative for your business depends on your budget, the type of business you run and which features you need. In other words, the right fit will vary from business to business.
In terms of QuickBooks’ biggest competitors, Xero is a strong contender. It offers a lot of the same key features as QuickBooks 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.
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 has income and expense tracking, invoicing, basic reports and bank feeds, and it lets you add as many collaborators as you need for free. It doesn’t, however, integrate with point-of-sale systems or third-party apps for payroll.
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.
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.
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 July 11, 2024
Methodology
NerdWallet independently reviews accounting 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. Learn more about how we rate small-business accounting software.
Frequently Asked Questions
Xero is one of QuickBooks’ biggest competitors and offers many similar features, including a wide range of reports, transaction tracking capabilities and integration options. If you want to get a better idea of what Xero’s user interface is like, you can try out the software free for 30 days.
QuickBooks does not have a free version, but it does offer free 30-day trials if you want to test it out before committing. Free QuickBooks alternatives include Wave and Zoho Books’ entry level plan.
QuickBooks Online offers promotions for new customers who are willing to skip the free trial and jump straight into a monthly subscription. Usually, it’s 50% off for the first three months, which can save you a total of $45 to $300 the first year, depending on the plan. QuickBooks sometimes offers larger discounts around particular holidays, like Memorial Day.
