Best Startup Accounting Software
Product | Promotion | Learn more | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Zoho Books Learn more on Zoho Books' secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Overall accounting software for startups | $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 |
Xero Learn more on Xero's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Simple startup accounting software | $20/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $47, $80. | 95% off for 3 months plus get a $300 Amazon voucher (terms apply). | Learn more on Xero's secure website |
QuickBooks Online Learn more on QuickBooks Online's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Accounting software for well-funded startups | $35/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $65, $99, $235. | 50% off for first three months or free 30-day trial. | Learn more on QuickBooks Online's secure website |
FreshBooks Learn more on FreshBooks' secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Accounting software for startups in creative fields | $19/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom. | Get 80% off for 4 months. 30-Day Money Back Guarantee. | Learn more on FreshBooks' secure website |
Odoo | 4.0/5 Best for Accounting software for tech-savvy startups | $0 For use of a single app. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $31.10, $46.70. | Monthly discount for the first 12 months. |
Our pick for
Overall accounting software for startups
Zoho Books
on Zoho Books' secure website
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275.
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; 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
Simple startup accounting software
Xero
on Xero's secure website
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $47, $80.
plus get a $300 Amazon voucher (terms apply).
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.
- Must subscribe to the highest-tier Established plan to claim expenses.
Our pick for
Accounting software for well-funded startups
QuickBooks Online
on QuickBooks Online's secure website
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $65, $99, $235.
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.
- 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.
Our pick for
Accounting software for startups in creative fields
FreshBooks
on FreshBooks' secure website
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom.
for 4 months. 30-Day Money Back Guarantee.
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
Accounting software for tech-savvy startups
Odoo
For use of a single app. Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $31.10, $46.70.
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.
NerdWallet’s picks for the best startup accounting software
Zoho Books
- $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.
Xero
- $20 per month for the Early plan.
- $47 per month for the Growing plan.
- $80 per month for the Established plan.
QuickBooks Online
- $35 per month for the Simple Start plan.
- $65 per month for the Essentials plan.
- $99 per month for the Plus plan.
- $235 per month for the Advanced plan.
FreshBooks
- $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.
Odoo
- $0 per month for use of a single app.
- $38.90 per user per month for access to all apps.
- $58.40 per user per month for access to all apps across multiple companies plus Odoo’s external API.