18 Best Small-Business Apps of June 2023

on Square POS's secure website

Payment processing fees

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 2.6% + $0.30

Monthly fee

Free plan; $29 Plus plan; Custom plan available.

Square is easy to use, and the company offers transparent pricing and live support. It’s also mobile-friendly and works on iPhones, iPads and Androids. For small businesses that don’t need advanced functionality, there’s also a free plan.

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

4.0

on Toast POS's secure website

Payment processing fees

2.99% + $0.15

Monthly fee

Quick Start Bundle; $69 Core plan; $165 Growth plan. Custom plan also available.

Toast’s restaurant-specific design prioritizes features that make the back-of-house and front-of-house operate smoothly. You can manage menus and tables easily, get useful reporting and analytics and accept orders from multiple platforms.

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

3.5

on Lightspeed POS's secure website

Payment processing fees

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 2.6% + $0.30

Monthly fee

$69

and up.

Lightspeed’s inventory management system sets it apart from the competition. That makes it an ideal choice for large businesses that keep track of a lot of inventory in multiple locations, with various discount rules or tax classes.

Pros

Offers robust inventory management.
Good customer service offerings.
Lots of integrations.

Cons

High price.
Annual contracts required for lower pricing.

Shopify Retail POS

4.5

on Shopify POS's secure website

Payment processing fees

In-person: 2.7% + $0.00

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee

POS Lite; $89 POS Pro. (Paid Shopify plan is required for POS use.)

Shopify makes it possible to almost instantly set up and run an e-commerce store and has helpful features like automated emails sent to shoppers who abandon their virtual shopping carts. It also offers software and hardware for accepting payments in store — including the option to rent hardware rather than buying it. In order to use its POS system and products, you must subscribe to the Shopify e-commerce plan, so Shopify POS is best for existing Shopify e-commerce users.

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

4.0

on Clover POS's secure website

Payment processing fees

In-person: 2.3% + $0.10

Online: 3.5% + $0.10

Monthly fee

$15

$14.95 and up.

Clover’s sleek hardware options are a good fit for business of many types including restaurants, retail stores and professional services.

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

Payment processing fees

N/A

Must use third-party processor.

Monthly fee

$89

Lean; $149 Standard; $269 Advanced. Prices vary if billed annually.

Vend is a retail-specific POS that allows you to set sales targets for your team, manage inventory easily and forecast purchasing trends. It doesn’t come bundled with hardware and payment processing services, so you can choose your favorites from a variety of compatible options.

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

5.0

on QuickBooks Online's secure website

Payment processing fees

N/A

Starting at

$30/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $55, $85, $200.

Promotion

50% off

for first three months or free 30-day trial.

QuickBooks is the industry leader for small-business accounting software, so it’s easy to find an accountant or bookkeeper who will support it. Its multiple tiers of service can easily scale with your company, too. QuickBooks Online, the cloud-based version, can also be accessed anywhere.

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

4.5

on Xero's secure website

Payment processing fees

N/A

Starting at

$13/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $37, $70.

Promotion

30-day free trial

or monthly discount (terms vary).

Xero is easy to use, rich with features and widely supported by bookkeepers and accountants. Unlike some competitors, it doesn’t place any limit on the number of users you can add.

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

3.5

Payment processing fees

N/A

Starting at

Free (Wave makes money via paid money management products).

Promotion

N/A

Unlike its competitors, Wave's accounting software is completely free. With it, you can add unlimited users and unlimited bank and credit card connections. It’s also possible to run multiple businesses from the same account.

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

4.0

Payment processing fees

N/A

Starting at

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

Promotion

14-day free trial

of the Premium plan.

Zoho Books offers plenty of useful features at an affordable price, including a free option for businesses that bring in less than $50,000 per year. It also has handy automation tools so you can, for example, send email notifications to yourself when an employee creates an invoice that exceeds a certain amount.

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

5.0

on Gusto Payroll's secure website

Payment processing fees

N/A

Starting at

$40/month

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

Promotion

25% off

the Plus plan for a limited time.

Gusto gives employees access to a self-service portal for payroll- and benefit-related information that’s accessible even after they leave a company. It also administers full-service payroll across 50 states and offers online and phone support.

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

5.0

on QuickBooks Payroll's secure website

Payment processing fees

N/A

Starting at

$45/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $75, $125. Fee per employee varies by tier.

Promotion

50% off

50% off for three months or 30-day free trial; terms apply.

QuickBooks Payroll offers full-service payroll services in all 50 states with a direct connection to QuickBooks Online, unlimited payroll runs and next-day or same-day deposits. Also nice: Employees can view pay stubs, withholdings and remaining vacation day balances.

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

4.5

on OnPay Payroll's secure website

Payment processing fees

N/A

Starting at

$40/month

Plus $6 per employee.

Promotion

One month free

Terms apply

OnPay offers a wide range of payroll features plus benefits administration and HR tools for one base rate.

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

4.0

on Patriot Payroll's secure website

Payment processing fees

N/A

Starting at

$17/month

Plus $4 per employee. Additional pricing tiers (per month): $37.

Promotion

One month free

Terms apply

Patriot's payroll software is a relatively affordable payroll option that offers direct deposits, an employee portal, unlimited payrolls and multiple locations and pay frequencies. There’s also email, chat and phone support available.

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

Payment processing fees

N/A

Payroll4Free is one of the few payroll companies that allows you to run payroll at no cost — as long as you aren’t paying over 25 people. You will have to pay for additional services such as tax filing and W-2 processing. It supports tax calculations, PTO tracking, an employee portal, and direct deposits or paper checks. It also offers live and email support.

RUN Powered by ADP

4.5

on RUN Powered by ADP's secure website

Payment processing fees

N/A

Starting at

$79/month

Plus $4 per employee. Custom pricing also available.

Promotion

Three months free

Terms apply

RUN Powered by ADP is the industry leader’s cloud-based payroll software for businesses with up to 49 employees. This app allows you to automate payroll, enter data online or by mobile app and, in more advanced subscription tiers, manage human resources tasks such as background checks.

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

Payment processing fees

N/A

Starting at

$15

Monthly.

FreshBooks bundles accounting and invoicing tools together with useful automation features, handy mobile apps and integration options. With the mobile app, you can send automated messages to clients to remind them about invoices or late payments. It’s a helpful feature for entrepreneurs on the go.

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.