Best Small-Business Apps
Calculate your monthly cost estimate
Input your business’s monthly transaction details and we’ll help you sort from the best valueProduct | Cost Estimate | Payment processing fees | Cost Estimate | Learn more | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Square POS Learn more on Square POS's secure website | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | 5.0/5 Best for Point-of-sale systems | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.6% + $0.30 | $0 Free plan; $29 Plus plan; Custom plan available. | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Learn more on Square POS's secure website |
Toast POS Learn more on Toast POS's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Point-of-sale systems | 2.99% + $0.15 | $0 Quick Start Bundle; $69 Core plan; $165 Growth plan. Custom plan also available. | Learn more on Toast POS's secure website | ||
Lightspeed POS Learn more on Lightspeed POS's secure website | 3.5/5 Best for Point-of-sale systems | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.6% + $0.30 | $69 and up. | Learn more on Lightspeed POS's secure website | ||
Shopify Retail POS Learn more on Shopify POS's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Point-of-sale systems | In-person: 2.7% + $0.00 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0 POS Lite; $89 POS Pro. (Paid Shopify plan is required for POS use.) | Learn more on Shopify POS's secure website | ||
Clover POS Learn more on Clover POS's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Point-of-sale systems | In-person: 2.3% + $0.10 Online: 3.5% + $0.10 | $15 $14.95 and up. | Learn more on Clover POS's secure website | ||
Vend POS | Best for Point-of-sale systems | N/A Must use third-party processor. | $89 Lean; $149 Standard; $269 Advanced. Prices vary if billed annually. | |||
QuickBooks Online Learn more on QuickBooks Online's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Accounting | N/A | Learn more on QuickBooks Online's secure website | |||
Xero Learn more on Xero's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Accounting | N/A | Learn more on Xero's secure website | |||
Wave Accounting | 3.5/5 Best for Accounting | N/A | ||||
Zoho Books | 4.0/5 Best for Accounting | N/A | ||||
Gusto Payroll Learn more on Gusto Payroll's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Payroll | N/A | Learn more on Gusto Payroll's secure website | |||
QuickBooks Payroll Learn more on QuickBooks Payroll's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Payroll | N/A | Learn more on QuickBooks Payroll's secure website | |||
OnPay Payroll Learn more on OnPay Payroll's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Payroll | N/A | Learn more on OnPay Payroll's secure website | |||
Patriot Payroll Learn more on Patriot Payroll's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Payroll | N/A | Learn more on Patriot Payroll's secure website | |||
Payroll4Free | Best for Payroll | N/A | ||||
RUN Powered by ADP Learn more on RUN Powered by ADP's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Payroll | N/A | Learn more on RUN Powered by ADP's secure website | |||
FreshBooks Invoicing Learn more on FreshBooks Invoicing's secure website | Best for Invoicing | N/A | Learn more on FreshBooks Invoicing's secure website | |||
Zoho Invoice | Best for Invoicing | N/A |
Our picks for
Point-of-sale systems
Point-of-sale systems allow you to ring up customers and complete sales, and the best ones can be customized to fit your business and industry. Restaurants, for example, need POS systems that allow for table management and coordination. Retail shops, meanwhile, require robust inventory management features in their retail point-of-sale systems.
Square POS
on Square POS's secure website
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.6% + $0.30
$0
Free plan; $29 Plus plan; Custom plan available.
Pros
- Deep list of features.
- Free version offers a lot of functionality.
- Square offers helpful related services, like payroll, that integrate closely with its POS system.
Cons
- Can’t run on Windows devices.
- Complex industries might prefer a more specialized system.
Toast POS
on Toast POS's secure website
2.99% + $0.15
$0
Quick Start Bundle; $69 Core plan; $165 Growth plan. Custom plan also available.
Pros
- Promises no additional transaction fees or markups.
- Restaurant-friendly features for managing tables, inventory and employee performance.
- Multi-location management and the ability to publish different menus and set different prices at different locations.
- Live support available by phone, email or instant message.
- Pay-as-you-go plan with no monthly fee available.
Cons
- Some features, like online ordering and the loyalty program, may cost extra based on the package you choose.
- If you close your account before your contract term ends, you’ll have to pay the remaining subscription and software financing fees.
Lightspeed POS
on Lightspeed POS's secure website
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.6% + $0.30
$69
and up.
Pros
- Offers robust inventory management.
- Good customer service offerings.
- Lots of integrations.
Cons
- High price.
- Annual contracts required for lower pricing.
Shopify Retail POS
on Shopify POS's secure website
In-person: 2.7% + $0.00
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
$0
POS Lite; $89 POS Pro. (Paid Shopify plan is required for POS use.)
Pros
- Has good features for multichannel selling.
- Offers integrated, flat-rate payment processing.
- Easy to use.
Cons
- More e-commerce focused than other competitors.
Clover POS
on Clover POS's secure website
In-person: 2.3% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10
$15
$14.95 and up.
Pros
- 24/7 customer support.
- Can pay for hardware in installments.
- Can create a customized customer loyalty program.
- Includes online ordering capabilities.
Cons
- Cannot use existing tablets that weren’t bought through Clover.
Vend POS
N/A
Must use third-party processor.
$89
Lean; $149 Standard; $269 Advanced. Prices vary if billed annually.
Pros
- Inventory management feature allows you to forecast trends and automate reorder points so you don’t run out of stock.
- Unlimited users.
- Ability to add customer profiles and create custom loyalty programs.
- Live support available.
Cons
- No free plans available.
- Loyalty program is only available on more expensive plans.
- Payment processing isn’t included.
- Prepayments are nonrefundable; if you prepay for a year and don’t use the full term, you can’t get the money back.
Our picks for
Accounting
With careful bookkeeping and good accounting software, you can track your business's revenue, profit margins and overall financial health. It can also help you answer important questions, like, "How much can I afford to spend on marketing this month?"
QuickBooks Online
on QuickBooks Online's secure website
N/A
$30/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $55, $85, $200.
50% off
for first three months or free 30-day trial.
Pros
- Easy to share information with your accountant and to find QuickBooks experts and online resources if needed.
- More than 750 app integrations, including live, in-house bookkeeping.
- Robust feature set includes thorough record-keeping, comprehensive reporting, excellent invoicing and inventory management, plus a capable mobile app.
- Daily phone support and 24/7 chat support in all plans.
Cons
- Expensive compared to the competition.
- Lower-tier Simple Start and Essentials plans don’t support billable expenses.
- Limited account users with each plan.
Xero
on Xero's secure website
N/A
$13/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $37, $70.
30-day free trial
or monthly discount (terms vary).
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.
Wave Accounting
N/A
$0
Free (Wave makes money via paid money management products).
N/A
Pros
- Free.
- Unlimited partners, collaborators and accountants.
- Intuitive, customizable invoicing capabilities compete with those of more robust accounting solutions.
Cons
- Lacks features that quickly growing companies need, like audit trails. There are no additional plans to increase functionality.
- Must subscribe to Wave’s 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.
Zoho Books
N/A
$0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.
14-day free trial
of the Premium plan.
Pros
- Less expensive than some competitors; free plan available for businesses with less than $50k in annual revenue.
- Email support in free plan; 24/5 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 picks for
Payroll
Paying your employees is a must, and good payroll software can make it easier to manage and track wages, withholdings and tax filings. Many programs also give employees access to a portal so they can view their pay history.
Gusto Payroll
on Gusto Payroll's secure website
N/A
$40/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $80, custom pricing. Fee per employee varies by tier.
25% off
the Plus plan for a limited time.
Pros
- Benefits administration (401(k)s available in all 50 states; health benefits are available in 37 states and Washington, D.C.).
- Time-tracking features at higher-price tiers (limited at Simple level).
- Certified HR experts available (at the Premium level).
- Free account setup.
- Next-day direct deposit (at Plus and Premium levels).
Cons
- More expensive than some options.
- Limited hours for live support.
QuickBooks Payroll
on QuickBooks Payroll's secure website
N/A
$45/month
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $75, $125. Fee per employee varies by tier.
50% off
50% off for three months or 30-day free trial; terms apply.
Pros
- Benefits administration at all levels.
- Time-tracking features available (Premium and up).
- Next-day direct deposit at Core level (same-day at Premium).
- HR support available (Premium and up).
- The option to choose a 30-day free trial or 50% off base price for first three months; terms apply.
- Easy integration with QuickBooks Online.
Cons
- Limited integration with non-QuickBooks products.
- Additional fees if you have employees in more than one state (Core and Premium).
OnPay Payroll
on OnPay Payroll's secure website
N/A
$40/month
Plus $6 per employee.
One month free
Terms apply
Pros
- Benefits administration included.
- Integrates with third-party software for time tracking.
- HR tools included.
- One-month free trial; terms apply.
- Straightforward pricing.
- Integrates with QuickBooks and Xero.
Cons
- Doesn’t run payroll automatically.
- Limited customer support hours.
Patriot Payroll
on Patriot Payroll's secure website
N/A
$17/month
Plus $4 per employee. Additional pricing tiers (per month): $37.
One month free
Terms apply
Pros
- Time tracking available as add-on.
- HR support available as add-on.
- One-month free trial; terms apply.
- Covers up to 100 employees.
Cons
- Doesn't offer benefits administration.
- Extra fee for 1099 e-filing (at Basic level).
- Limited accounting integration options.
Payroll4Free
N/A
RUN Powered by ADP
on RUN Powered by ADP's secure website
N/A
$79/month
Plus $4 per employee. Custom pricing also available.
Three months free
Terms apply
Pros
- Benefits administration available as add-on.
- Time-tracking features available as add-on.
- HR features offered at higher tiers, including HR help desk support.
- First three months free; terms apply.
- Ability to scale up for growing businesses.
Cons
- Opaque pricing.
- Limited HR support at base level.
Our picks for
Invoicing
If you send bills or invoices to customers, invoicing software can be a key tool to keep track of transactions and what you’re still owed. The best options also handle quotes and estimates, time tracking and integration with payment processing and accounting systems.
FreshBooks Invoicing
on FreshBooks Invoicing's secure website
N/A
$15
Monthly.
Pros
- Bundles accounting and invoicing together.
- Mobile app available.
- Large number of integration options.
- Automated client messages.
Cons
- Doesn’t integrate directly with accounting software such as QuickBooks.
Zoho Invoice
N/A
$0
Free.
N/A
Pros
- Automatic payment reminders.
- Integrates with popular payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal.
- Time-tracking tools, plus project management.
- Converts estimates into invoices.
- Recurring invoices and automatic billing for repeat clients.
- Client portal available.
Cons
- Limits users to 1,000 invoices per year.
- Not designed to accept in-person payments.
Point-of-sale
- Hardware options including card readers, terminals, cash drawers and receipt printers.
- Inventory tracking features.
- Monthly software fees and payment processing fees.
- Accepts swiped, tapped and keyed payments.
- Offline and mobile payment processing options.
- Live support offered 24/7.
Accounting
- Easy to use.
- Robust accounting reports.
- Invoicing capabilities.
- Integrations with third-party apps including payroll and point-of-sale systems.
- Daily customer support.
- Scalability.
Payroll
- Unlimited payroll runs.
- Calculates, files and pays federal, state and local payroll taxes.
- Provides employee access through a portal or mobile app.
- Benefits administration.
- Next-day or same-day direct deposit options.
- Accounting integrations.
Invoicing
- How much do you want to pay each month?
- What features are must-haves?
- Does it need to be scalable?
- Does it need to integrate with other software you use?
- Are you interested in bundling with another app such as accounting?