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Best Accounting Software for Freelancers and Self-Employed of 2026

We looked at more than 50 accounting software products to find the best fit for freelancers and the self-employed. Our top picks help keep personal and business finances separate and streamline the invoicing process.
Hillary Crawford

Written by

Hillary Crawford
Hillary Crawford
Ryan Lane

Edited by

Ryan Lane
Ryan Lane

Edited by

Ryan Lane
Last updated on Apr 14, 2026

Expert verified

Why trust NerdWallet

Advertiser disclosure

Hillary Crawford

Written by

Hillary Crawford
Hillary Crawford
Ryan Lane

Edited by

Ryan Lane
Ryan Lane

Edited by

Ryan Lane
Last updated on Apr 14, 2026

Expert verified

Why trust NerdWallet

Advertiser disclosure

Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.

Product
Product
 		Best for
Best for
 		NerdWallet rating
NerdWallet rating
 		Starting at
Starting at
 		Promotion
Promotion
 		Learn more
Learn more
Zoho Books

Zoho Books

Free self-employed accounting software

5.0 /5
$0

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

14-day free trial

of the Premium plan.
Learn more

on Zoho Books' website
Wave

Wave Accounting

Simple invoicing

3.8 /5
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $19

N/A
Learn more

on Wave's website
QuickBooks

QuickBooks Solopreneur

Schedule C filers

$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

50% off

for first three months or free 30-day trial.
FreshBooks

FreshBooks

Communicating with clients

4.7 /5
$23/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $43, $70, custom.

70% off

for 4 months.
Learn more

on FreshBooks' website
Xero

Xero

Forecasting cash flow

5.0 /5
$25/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $55, $90.

90% off

for 6 months.
Learn more

on Xero's website
QuickBooks

QuickBooks Online

Paying contractors

5.0 /5
$38/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $75, $115, $275.

50% off

for 3 months or free 30-day trial.
Learn more

on QuickBooks' website

Zoho Books

Best for Free self-employed accounting software

Close
Zoho Books

5.0

 
Read expert review
Starting at
$0

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

Promotion
14-day free trial

of the Premium plan.
External link icon Learn more

on Zoho Books' website

Pros

  • Has a free plan (must make less than $50k in annual revenue). 
  • All plans include mileage tracking, receipt scanning and a customer portal. 
  • Integrates seamlessly with other Zoho business software programs. 
  • Email support in free plan; phone and chat support in paid plans.

Cons

  • Must upgrade to a paid plan to automatically import bank transactions. 
  • Fewer third-party integrations than some competitors.

Wave Accounting

Best for Simple invoicing

Close
Wave

3.8

 
Read expert review
Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $19

Promotion
N/A

External link icon Learn more

on Wave's website

Pros

  • Offers a free plan. 
  • All plans support unlimited invoicing. 
  • Has a simple user interface.

Cons

  • Must subscribe to Wave’s Pro plan or other paid services (payroll, payments, advisor, etc.) to receive customer support from a human.
  • No mileage tracking or client portal.

QuickBooks Solopreneur

Best for Schedule C filers

Close
QuickBooks

Read expert review

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

Promotion
50% off

for first three months or free 30-day trial.
Read Review

Pros

  • Helps match expenses to Schedule C line items. 
  • Offers a free plan. 
  • Paid plan includes mileage tracking and unlimited invoicing.  
  • Chat and phone support Monday through Saturday.

Cons

  • Has less features than most accounting software competitors. 
  • No client portal.

FreshBooks

Best for Communicating with clients

Close
FreshBooks

4.7

 
Read expert review
Starting at
$23/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $43, $70, custom.

Promotion
70% off

for 4 months.
External link icon Learn more

on FreshBooks' website

Pros

  • Can stay in touch with clients via mobile app and see when invoices have been viewed or become overdue.
  • All plans include time and mileage tracking. 
  • Weekday phone support, regardless of plan.

Cons

  • Lower-tier plans put limits on billable clients.
  • Entry-level plan lacks double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access.

Xero

Best for Forecasting cash flow

Close
Xero

5.0

 
Read expert review
Starting at
$25/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $55, $90.

Promotion
90% off

for 6 months.
External link icon Learn more

on Xero's website

Pros

  • Cash flow forecasting in all plans. 
  • Automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.

Cons

  • No inbound phone customer support or dedicated client portal.
  • Entry-level plan limits invoices to 20 per month.
  • Must subscribe to the highest-tier Established plan to track mileage.

QuickBooks Online

Best for Paying contractors

Close
QuickBooks

5.0

 
Read expert review
Starting at
$38/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $75, $115, $275.

Promotion
50% off

for 3 months or free 30-day trial.
External link icon Learn more

on QuickBooks' website

Pros

  • Industry standard in small-business accounting. 
  • All plans include unlimited invoicing and mileage tracking. 
  • Chat and phone support Monday through Saturday.

Cons

  • Plans can be expensive. 
  • Must upgrade to Plus plan to mark expenses as billable. 
  • No dedicated client portal.
Sort by:
  • Default
  • NerdWallet rating (high to low)
  • Starting at (low to high)

Zoho Books

Best for Free self-employed accounting software

Zoho Books

Zoho Books

Best for Free self-employed accounting software

5.0

 
Read expert review
Starting at
$0

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

Promotion
14-day free trial

of the Premium plan.
External link icon Learn more

on Zoho Books' website

Pros

  • Has a free plan (must make less than $50k in annual revenue). 
  • All plans include mileage tracking, receipt scanning and a customer portal. 
  • Integrates seamlessly with other Zoho business software programs. 
  • Email support in free plan; phone and chat support in paid plans.

Cons

  • Must upgrade to a paid plan to automatically import bank transactions. 
  • Fewer third-party integrations than some competitors.
Zoho Books’ free plan has most of the features freelancers and self-employed entrepreneurs need. It lets you send up to 1,000 invoices per year, automate payment reminders and track your income and expenses. The main downside is that you need to upload bank and credit card statements each month. If you’d like access to automated bank feeds instead, you can upgrade to a paid plan (starting at $20 per month). This helps speed up categorization and reconciliation processes.
Another benefit of using Zoho Books: If you need additional software programs (e.g., for social media, marketing), you likely won’t need to seek out a third-party solution. Chances are, there’s a solution in the Zoho ecosystem that integrates seamlessly. And it probably offers a free plan.
Read full review

Pros

  • Has a free plan (must make less than $50k in annual revenue). 
  • All plans include mileage tracking, receipt scanning and a customer portal. 
  • Integrates seamlessly with other Zoho business software programs. 
  • Email support in free plan; phone and chat support in paid plans.

Cons

  • Must upgrade to a paid plan to automatically import bank transactions. 
  • Fewer third-party integrations than some competitors.
Zoho Books’ free plan has most of the features freelancers and self-employed entrepreneurs need. It lets you send up to 1,000 invoices per year, automate payment reminders and track your income and expenses. The main downside is that you need to upload bank and credit card statements each month. If you’d like access to automated bank feeds instead, you can upgrade to a paid plan (starting at $20 per month). This helps speed up categorization and reconciliation processes.
Another benefit of using Zoho Books: If you need additional software programs (e.g., for social media, marketing), you likely won’t need to seek out a third-party solution. Chances are, there’s a solution in the Zoho ecosystem that integrates seamlessly. And it probably offers a free plan.
Read full review

Pros

  • Has a free plan (must make less than $50k in annual revenue). 
  • All plans include mileage tracking, receipt scanning and a customer portal. 
  • Integrates seamlessly with other Zoho business software programs. 
  • Email support in free plan; phone and chat support in paid plans.

Cons

  • Must upgrade to a paid plan to automatically import bank transactions. 
  • Fewer third-party integrations than some competitors.

Wave Accounting

Best for Simple invoicing

Wave

Wave Accounting

Best for Simple invoicing

3.8

 
Read expert review
Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $19

Promotion
N/A

External link icon Learn more

on Wave's website

Pros

  • Offers a free plan. 
  • All plans support unlimited invoicing. 
  • Has a simple user interface.

Cons

  • Must subscribe to Wave’s Pro plan or other paid services (payroll, payments, advisor, etc.) to receive customer support from a human.
  • No mileage tracking or client portal.
Wave’s biggest strength is its simplicity. It lets you track your income and expenses, run basic reports and send invoices. There’s nothing particularly fancy about it. And for lots of freelancers, that’s probably a good thing.
We found Wave’s invoicing process to be especially straightforward in our hands-on testing. There’s no clutter — you just upload your logo, choose your colors and fill out the fields. And Wave doesn’t put a limit on invoicing or billable clients, regardless of the plan you choose.
That said, Wave’s free plan has its limits. You’ll need to upgrade to one of its paid services to receive customer support. That’s also the case if you want to scan receipts (unless you pay for an add-on) and access automated bank feeds.
Read full review

Pros

  • Offers a free plan. 
  • All plans support unlimited invoicing. 
  • Has a simple user interface.

Cons

  • Must subscribe to Wave’s Pro plan or other paid services (payroll, payments, advisor, etc.) to receive customer support from a human.
  • No mileage tracking or client portal.
Wave’s biggest strength is its simplicity. It lets you track your income and expenses, run basic reports and send invoices. There’s nothing particularly fancy about it. And for lots of freelancers, that’s probably a good thing.
We found Wave’s invoicing process to be especially straightforward in our hands-on testing. There’s no clutter — you just upload your logo, choose your colors and fill out the fields. And Wave doesn’t put a limit on invoicing or billable clients, regardless of the plan you choose.
That said, Wave’s free plan has its limits. You’ll need to upgrade to one of its paid services to receive customer support. That’s also the case if you want to scan receipts (unless you pay for an add-on) and access automated bank feeds.
Read full review

Pros

  • Offers a free plan. 
  • All plans support unlimited invoicing. 
  • Has a simple user interface.

Cons

  • Must subscribe to Wave’s Pro plan or other paid services (payroll, payments, advisor, etc.) to receive customer support from a human.
  • No mileage tracking or client portal.

QuickBooks Solopreneur

Best for Schedule C filers

QuickBooks

QuickBooks Solopreneur

Best for Schedule C filers

Read expert review

Starting at
$0

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20.

Promotion
50% off

for first three months or free 30-day trial.
Read Review

Pros

  • Helps match expenses to Schedule C line items. 
  • Offers a free plan. 
  • Paid plan includes mileage tracking and unlimited invoicing.  
  • Chat and phone support Monday through Saturday.

Cons

  • Has less features than most accounting software competitors. 
  • No client portal.
Quickbooks Solopreneur is the “lite” version of QuickBooks Online. And perhaps more importantly, it’s less expensive. We don’t recommend it for more complex small businesses — like ones with brick-and-mortar locations or employees. But it can be sufficient for self-employed freelancers who file Schedule Cs.
There’s a free Solopreneur plan, but the paid plan is better for most businesses. That’s because it helps you sort expenses into the correct tax categories. This makes it easier to fill out your Schedule C accurately come tax time. Solopreneur’s paid plan also lets you share your records with your accountant. Other features include profit and loss and sales reports, mileage tracking and receipt scans.
Read full review

Pros

  • Helps match expenses to Schedule C line items. 
  • Offers a free plan. 
  • Paid plan includes mileage tracking and unlimited invoicing.  
  • Chat and phone support Monday through Saturday.

Cons

  • Has less features than most accounting software competitors. 
  • No client portal.
Quickbooks Solopreneur is the “lite” version of QuickBooks Online. And perhaps more importantly, it’s less expensive. We don’t recommend it for more complex small businesses — like ones with brick-and-mortar locations or employees. But it can be sufficient for self-employed freelancers who file Schedule Cs.
There’s a free Solopreneur plan, but the paid plan is better for most businesses. That’s because it helps you sort expenses into the correct tax categories. This makes it easier to fill out your Schedule C accurately come tax time. Solopreneur’s paid plan also lets you share your records with your accountant. Other features include profit and loss and sales reports, mileage tracking and receipt scans.
Read full review

Pros

  • Helps match expenses to Schedule C line items. 
  • Offers a free plan. 
  • Paid plan includes mileage tracking and unlimited invoicing.  
  • Chat and phone support Monday through Saturday.

Cons

  • Has less features than most accounting software competitors. 
  • No client portal.

FreshBooks

Best for Communicating with clients

FreshBooks

FreshBooks

Best for Communicating with clients

4.7

 
Read expert review
Starting at
$23/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $43, $70, custom.

Promotion
70% off

for 4 months.
External link icon Learn more

on FreshBooks' website

Pros

  • Can stay in touch with clients via mobile app and see when invoices have been viewed or become overdue.
  • All plans include time and mileage tracking. 
  • Weekday phone support, regardless of plan.

Cons

  • Lower-tier plans put limits on billable clients.
  • Entry-level plan lacks double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access.
FreshBooks is among our top freelance accounting software picks for several reasons. But it really stands out for its client communication tools. All plans come with a client portal that lets your customers comment on invoices and view due dates. You can even invite them to join projects you’re working on for them.
The mobile app is convenient too. It lets you respond to clients’ questions and see when they open an invoice. You can use it to track time and mileage as well. This is ideal for freelancers who often work on the go instead of in an office. Plus, most competitors either make you pay extra for time tracking or don’t include it at all.
Read full review

Pros

  • Can stay in touch with clients via mobile app and see when invoices have been viewed or become overdue.
  • All plans include time and mileage tracking. 
  • Weekday phone support, regardless of plan.

Cons

  • Lower-tier plans put limits on billable clients.
  • Entry-level plan lacks double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access.
FreshBooks is among our top freelance accounting software picks for several reasons. But it really stands out for its client communication tools. All plans come with a client portal that lets your customers comment on invoices and view due dates. You can even invite them to join projects you’re working on for them.
The mobile app is convenient too. It lets you respond to clients’ questions and see when they open an invoice. You can use it to track time and mileage as well. This is ideal for freelancers who often work on the go instead of in an office. Plus, most competitors either make you pay extra for time tracking or don’t include it at all.
Read full review

Pros

  • Can stay in touch with clients via mobile app and see when invoices have been viewed or become overdue.
  • All plans include time and mileage tracking. 
  • Weekday phone support, regardless of plan.

Cons

  • Lower-tier plans put limits on billable clients.
  • Entry-level plan lacks double-entry accounting reports, bank reconciliation and accountant access.

Xero

Best for Forecasting cash flow

Xero

Xero

Best for Forecasting cash flow

5.0

 
Read expert review
Starting at
$25/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $55, $90.

Promotion
90% off

for 6 months.
External link icon Learn more

on Xero's website

Pros

  • Cash flow forecasting in all plans. 
  • Automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.

Cons

  • No inbound phone customer support or dedicated client portal.
  • Entry-level plan limits invoices to 20 per month.
  • Must subscribe to the highest-tier Established plan to track mileage.
If you want to better understand busy versus slow times of the year, Xero might be able to help. All of its plans let you forecast cash flow at least 30 days out. This isn’t critical for every freelance business. But it’s certainly a nice feature to have — especially if you’re trying to dial in your operations.
One of Xero’s other distinguishing features is Hubdoc. You can use it to store bills and receipts and sync their details with Xero. If you deal with a lot of financial documents, this can help you avoid the receipts-in-a-shoebox situation.
Read full review

Pros

  • Cash flow forecasting in all plans. 
  • Automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.

Cons

  • No inbound phone customer support or dedicated client portal.
  • Entry-level plan limits invoices to 20 per month.
  • Must subscribe to the highest-tier Established plan to track mileage.
If you want to better understand busy versus slow times of the year, Xero might be able to help. All of its plans let you forecast cash flow at least 30 days out. This isn’t critical for every freelance business. But it’s certainly a nice feature to have — especially if you’re trying to dial in your operations.
One of Xero’s other distinguishing features is Hubdoc. You can use it to store bills and receipts and sync their details with Xero. If you deal with a lot of financial documents, this can help you avoid the receipts-in-a-shoebox situation.
Read full review

Pros

  • Cash flow forecasting in all plans. 
  • Automated bill and receipt capture through Hubdoc.

Cons

  • No inbound phone customer support or dedicated client portal.
  • Entry-level plan limits invoices to 20 per month.
  • Must subscribe to the highest-tier Established plan to track mileage.

QuickBooks Online

Best for Paying contractors

QuickBooks

QuickBooks Online

Best for Paying contractors

5.0

 
Read expert review
Starting at
$38/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $75, $115, $275.

Promotion
50% off

for 3 months or free 30-day trial.
External link icon Learn more

on QuickBooks' website

Pros

  • Industry standard in small-business accounting. 
  • All plans include unlimited invoicing and mileage tracking. 
  • Chat and phone support Monday through Saturday.

Cons

  • Plans can be expensive. 
  • Must upgrade to Plus plan to mark expenses as billable. 
  • No dedicated client portal.
QuickBooks Online is pricey, but it can be a good fit for more complex freelance businesses. Sometimes as a business grows, freelancers hire contractors to help them with their workload. QuickBooks Online can help you manage these contractors and prepare Form 1099s. It also lets you assign vendor payments to specific 1099 categories.
QuickBooks Online is more scalable than products like Wave too. Most freelancers won’t need to subscribe to its higher-tier plans. But if your business of one turns into a business with multiple employees, it can continue to support you.
QuickBooks Online’s other strength is its recognizability. Accountants are typically familiar with it. And that’s important if you plan on collaborating with one on your books.
Read full review

Pros

  • Industry standard in small-business accounting. 
  • All plans include unlimited invoicing and mileage tracking. 
  • Chat and phone support Monday through Saturday.

Cons

  • Plans can be expensive. 
  • Must upgrade to Plus plan to mark expenses as billable. 
  • No dedicated client portal.
QuickBooks Online is pricey, but it can be a good fit for more complex freelance businesses. Sometimes as a business grows, freelancers hire contractors to help them with their workload. QuickBooks Online can help you manage these contractors and prepare Form 1099s. It also lets you assign vendor payments to specific 1099 categories.
QuickBooks Online is more scalable than products like Wave too. Most freelancers won’t need to subscribe to its higher-tier plans. But if your business of one turns into a business with multiple employees, it can continue to support you.
QuickBooks Online’s other strength is its recognizability. Accountants are typically familiar with it. And that’s important if you plan on collaborating with one on your books.
Read full review

Pros

  • Industry standard in small-business accounting. 
  • All plans include unlimited invoicing and mileage tracking. 
  • Chat and phone support Monday through Saturday.

Cons

  • Plans can be expensive. 
  • Must upgrade to Plus plan to mark expenses as billable. 
  • No dedicated client portal.

Logo iconJump to

How we select the best accounting software for freelancers
Do freelancers and the self-employed really need accounting software?
What features does the best freelance accounting software have?
How freelancers can choose the best accounting software
Table of contents
  • How we select the best accounting software for freelancers
  • Do freelancers and the self-employed really need accounting software?
  • What features does the best freelance accounting software have?
  • How freelancers can choose the best accounting software

How we select the best accounting software for freelancers

Our writers and editors cover more than 50 accounting software products for small businesses. To find the best options for freelancers and the self-employed, we considered what sets freelance businesses apart from more complex ones.
This led us to prioritize the following:
  • Price point. Lots of freelance businesses don’t need all the features that more complex businesses do (e.g., payroll integrations, inventory tracking, advanced reporting). So they shouldn’t pay as much for their accounting software. Half of the options on our list have free plans. The ones that make you pay at least have entry-level plans that should suffice for freelancers. Our roundup of the best free accounting software has more options if you don’t want to pay for a subscription. 
  • Mobile app capabilities. Some freelancers, like photographers, work from different locations. Most of our top picks feature mobile mileage tracking and invoicing capabilities. That way, you’re not tied to a desk or laptop. 
  • Straightforward invoicing. Freelance businesses typically receive payment via invoice. The products we chose make it easy to create invoices and customize them with your logo and brand colors. 
  • Simplicity over complex functionality. In general, freelancers don’t need to go all out when it comes to accounting software. And they don’t need industry-specific solutions like restaurants or retailers do. The necessities include quick invoicing and easy transaction tracking above all else.

Do freelancers and the self-employed really need accounting software?

If your freelance business is your full-time job, you should be using accounting software. For one, it can help you separate business and personal transactions. It also ensures you’re reporting expenses accurately when it’s time to claim tax deductions.
Accounting software can save you time too. Most solutions import new transactions straight from your bank or credit card account. And you can use the software to invoice clients and stay on top of overdue payments.

What features does the best freelance accounting software have?

The table below lists features that are typically useful to freelancers and the self-employed. You can use it to compare products and identify which ones best meet your needs.
Zoho Books
Wave
QuickBooks Solopreneur
FreshBooks
Xero
QuickBooks Online
Automatically imports bank transactions
✔️ (paid plans only)
✔️ (paid plans only)
✔️
✔️
✔️
✔️
Client portal for viewing past invoices
✔️
X
X
✔️
X
X
Mileage tracking
✔️
X
✔️
✔️
✔️ (Established plan only)
✔️
Time tracking
✔️ (Professional plan and up only)
X
X
✔️
X
X
Can mark expenses as billable
✔️
X
X
✔️
✔️
✔️ (in Plus plan and up only)
Unlimited invoicing
X (limited to 1,000/year in free plan)
✔️
✔️
✔️ (in Premium plan and up only)
✔️ (Growing plan and up only)
✔️

How freelancers can choose the best accounting software

To find the best solution for you, follow these steps:
  1. Consider your business’s growth trajectory. If you plan to keep your freelance business a one-person operation, you can probably opt for solutions like Wave or QuickBooks Solopreneur. If you think you might grow your business down the road, FreshBooks, Xero or QuickBooks Online are better options. They integrate with a variety of other software programs and offer plans with more features. 
  2. Set a budget. Free accounting software is great. But if you think you’ll grow out of it, decide how much you’re willing to spend on a monthly subscription. Other factors to consider include online processing costs for invoice payments. 
  3. Determine your invoicing needs. Aside from the ability to invoice clients, what other invoice-related features do you need? Some examples include recurring invoicing and client portals that let customers view their transaction history.  
  4. Test out its user interface. All accounting software products have different user interfaces. It’s important that the product you choose feels intuitive to you. Lots of the products we list offer free trials. If they don’t, try signing up for a demo or searching for videos online.  
» MORE: Best invoicing software for freelancers
Last updated on April 14, 2026

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. Our editorial team reviews information on a regular basis for consistency and accuracy.
We also periodically update our scoring system to reflect changing industry norms and business needs. For instance, in 2026, we stopped factoring in whether mobile apps work for both Android and iOS smartphones. If an accounting software product has its own mobile app, it’s almost always available for both operating systems.
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. Learn more about how we rate small-business accounting software.
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.
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QuickBooks

QuickBooks Online

50% off your first 3 months

QuickBooks Online

50% off your first 3 months

External link icon Learn more

on QuickBooks' website