Best Real Estate Accounting Software of 2024
Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Whether you’re a freelance real estate agent or you own a small real estate business, you’ll want accounting software with strong core accounting features, including double-entry accounting, income and expense tracking, and automated reconciliation of all your transactions. You’ll also want to choose software that includes tools to help you market your business and properties and manage communications with your clients. If those tools aren’t built in to the accounting software you select, then be sure the software integrates with third-party apps to help you meet those needs.
You’ll find both end-to-end real estate software solutions and accounting software with real estate-focused integrations in our list below.
Why trust NerdWallet
Best real estate accounting software
Product | Starting at | Promotion | Learn more |
---|---|---|---|
Zoho Books NerdWallet Rating Learn more on Zoho Books' website | $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 |
Xero NerdWallet Rating Learn more on Xero's website | $15/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $42, $78. | 75% off for six months on Business Edition plans. | Learn more on Xero's website |
QuickBooks Online NerdWallet Rating Learn more on QuickBooks' website | $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' website |
FreshBooks NerdWallet Rating Learn more on FreshBooks' website | $19/month Additional pricing tiers (per month): $33, $60, custom. | 30-day free trial or monthly discount (terms vary). | Learn more on FreshBooks' website |
Sage Intacct Learn more on Sage's website | N/A Quote-based. | N/A | Learn more on Sage's website |
Propertybase | N/A Quote-based. | N/A |
Real estate agents and brokerage firms have accounting software needs that differ from property managers and property management companies. If you manage properties, you may find a better fit for your business needs in the software solutions that make our list of the best property management software, including features for collecting rent and managing lease agreements.
A closer look at our top real estate accounting software picks
Zoho Books
Why we picked it: Zoho Books takes our top spot for real estate accounting software for a number of reasons. First is that it offers a variety of reasonably priced monthly plan options ranging from a free option (designed for small businesses with less than $50,000 of annual revenue and requiring access for only one user) to an option suited for well-established businesses that require access for more than a dozen users. In this way, Zoho is a solution that can evolve with you from a solo real estate agent to a midsize brokerage firm.
Zoho’s core accounting software is packed with standard features such as automated transaction reconciliation (including bank feeds and the ability to set transaction categorization rules), invoicing and billing capabilities, a customizable chart of accounts and more. It also includes a wealth of reporting and tax features. Additionally, real estate agents will find Zoho Books’ document management and collaboration tools, including a customer portal available in all plan tiers, particularly useful.
Propertybase
Propertybase
Why we picked it: Propertybase is a complete software solution designed specifically for real estate businesses. Tools within the platform include those for CRM, marketing and sales. With Propertybase, you can build a website to showcase your brand, automate the marketing process to generate meaningful leads, manage client relationships and gather rich business insights.
The software handles all the unique needs of a real estate business apart from accounting. For that function, Propertybase has a direct integration with QuickBooks Online.
Xero
Why we picked it: Xero includes several features built directly in to its accounting software that real estate businesses will find useful. The software’s contact management tool will enable you to keep detailed records of client communications and keep contact information at the ready. You and your team can also photograph and upload receipts for convenient expense tracking, organize and share documents, and track the financial health of your business. You can also do all of this and more from Xero’s highly rated mobile app.
Plus, Xero receives a full 5-star rating from NerdWallet. It stands out among competitors for its simplicity and ease of use. We typically recommend it as an excellent alternative to QuickBooks Online, as it carries nearly all the same features but at a more affordable price.
» MORE: Xero vs. QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online
Why we picked it: QuickBooks Online is one of the best known and widest used accounting software products on the market. As such, it’s a smart choice for a brokerage firm looking for an out-of-the box accounting solution that any bookkeeper or accountant is sure to be well-versed in.
With four plan options, QuickBooks is an accounting software solution that can grow with your real estate business. Many of the product’s best and most useful features — such as advanced financial planning and tracking, comprehensive reporting and 24/7 support — are packaged in the Plus and Advanced plans, which come at a higher price point than many others on this list. This is why we believe QuickBooks Online is better suited for brokerage firms rather than solo agents.
FreshBooks
Why we picked it: FreshBooks is NerdWallet’s pick for best overall freelance accounting software. It comes with all the standard accounting features you would need and expect, but its low-cost monthly plan options make it especially desirable for self-employed real estate agents (or even vacation rental hosts who wish to carefully track and report their rental income). Alongside its accounting features, FreshBooks includes tools for generating and customizing invoices, collecting online payments, tracking time and expenses, managing projects and generating reports.
Sage Intacct
Why we picked it: For well-established real estate businesses looking to automate as much of the accounting process as possible, including accounts payable and accounts receivable, and engage with powerful reporting and insights software, Sage Intacct is a solid cloud accounting software solution. It’s designed for businesses of 20 to 500 employees, and you’ll find its quote-based pricing better suited to firms with large software budgets.
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.
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.