Accounting software is non-negotiable when you are trying to run your company, and the sooner you deploy one of the best accounting software products, the better.
While there are standalone software and tax software invoicing platforms, your accounting platforms will generally be comprehensive. Nevertheless, there are some excellent paid-for accounting systems around, but there are also a vast number of currently available free accounting software solutions, as well as bookkeeping software.
While some are just free levels of paid software, others are freeware programs that you can download and use to assist with budgeting without charge. There are also time management applications that can be integrated for contractors or freelancers who need to pay every hour.
This can be very useful for start-up businesses that would like to keep their accounts balanced without committing to a solution while also reducing initial costs. Other companies may prefer them because they sometimes allow for better control of your data by running on their machines instead of on third-party clouds.
The best accounting solution, irrespective of the theme installed, will also be compatible with any running e-commerce program.
Here we will list the 17 best accounting software currently available on the market, as you can choose for individual expense tracker apps or even consumer accounts, and also have other options to consider:
FreshBooks
FreshBooks is a widely known cloud-based accounting service designed primarily for owners of small businesses. The package has many features, including invoicing, expense tracking, time tracking, a host of company reports, and an option to take credit card payments (for a 2.9 percent plus 30 cents transaction fee). However, it is a simple interface aimed at non-accountants, ensuring that you are immediately up and running.
There’s real diversity here, despite the simplicity. You can bill in any currency, save time by creating recurring invoices, enable customers to pay by ticking a box via credit card. It even bills their credit card automatically to keep everybody’s life easy.
If you’d like more control, the software incorporates many other facilities, like PayPal, MailChimp, Basecamp, WordPress, Gusto, Zendesk, and more. Problems with management are kept to a minimum.
You can access and use the device from your desktop or its free iOS and Android apps, and there’s no need to stress about backups because it’s a cloud-based system. You can try FreshBooks for 30 days without using a credit card if this sounds appealing.
The Lite plan supports invoices, forecasts, time tracking, prices, plus the ability to accept online credit card payments and import expenses from your bank account. The plan costs $15 a month, but it only includes five of your customers.
The Plus package serves a more realistic 50 customers, adds the ability to send ideas, and saves you time by offering regular invoices and the ability to send payment notifications automatically. This package goes for $25 a month.
The $50 a month Premium plan increases the customer cap to 500, and for $10 a month, extra customers may each be added.
QuickBooks
QuickBooks is an easily recognizable name in the world of accountancy and bookkeeping. It is owned by Intuit, which has other solutions with a diverse portfolio that includes Turbotax, Mint, and Pro-connect for small businesses and large ones. There are also numerous versions of QuickBooks, from desktop editions to the trendy online edition.
You can select from QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Self-Employed, QuickBooks Online Advanced, QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping, Mac QuickBooks Laptop, QuickBooks Desktop Pro, QuickBooks Premier, and QuickBooks Business, depending on your requirements. However, if you need a more bespoke alternative, it is possible to build a custom package using the QuickBooks team’s support.
It is important to check out the website to get the current version on pricing, the versions available, and any offers that Intuit has on this vast range of accounting solutions due to QuickBooks-based products’ sheer expansion.
Xero
Xero may catch your interest with its low $9 per month Early Plan account. Nonetheless, when you look closely, limitations soon become clear, including being limited to sending a maximum of five invoices, entering five bills, or reconciling only 20 bank transactions.
Regardless, there are some opportunities here if you can deal with those constraints. The service provides intelligent tracking and management of expenses, with Xero’s excellent app for Android and iOS, optionally on your mobile. There are hundreds of configurable reports, easy budgeting, and no limitations at all on the details you may like to access for additional users or accountants.
If there is a problem with the invoice, bank, or billing problems, then the Xero Growing Plan looks like a better deal. At $30 a month, you can issue as many invoices and file as many bills as you like.
Xero provides plenty of features for any small company, including a helpful “convert your QuickBooks files” service to help you get started, and it’s easy to use. Nevertheless, it’s easier to have utility elsewhere if you don’t need all that power.
See also Xero Accounting Software Review
Sage business cloud accounting
Sage business cloud accounting makes an excellent first impression with its straightforward and gimmick-free pricing. It provides good value at just $25 a month, and there is also a 30-day free trial.
You get quote management modules, invoices, online VAT handling & submission, and smart bank feeds and reconciliation, cash flow forecasting, some extensive reports, and more when you use this software via your desktop or through a mobile app.
All this is well illustrated and easy-to-use generally. Detailed online assistance and video tutorials are just a click or two away if you get into problems, with the “free 24/7 unlimited phone and email support” deal that can help make any newbie happy.
A more simple offering called Accounting Start is also available at Sage. This does not provide funding for quotes, projections, vendor bills, or include cash flow predictions. However, it is just $10 a month and may be appropriate for start-ups and small businesses.
You should read this Starting A Business: Simple Things You Must Know
Kashoo
Selecting an accounting package means browsing a complex table of comparisons, checking for hidden catches, and trying to find out which product is right for you. Kashoo avoids all that with a single $19.95 a month package, or $199 annually, which provides just about all you’re likely to need.
Kashoo shines when it comes to multi-currency support, a significant aspect of today’s global economy. It also facilitates credit card purchases at a competitive 2.9 percent plus 0.30 cents service charge for all major carriers like Amex, Visa, and Mastercard.
You also profit from open invoices to reconcile accounts online and links to over 5,000 financial institutions. This product’s uncluttered interface and the dashboard provide a good overview of your current financial position.
Kashoo also provides customer service through the gamut of email, web, live chat, and social media – this company can also respond to an old-fashioned letter. However, one new shortcoming to remember is that there is only a smartphone app for iOS, leaving Android users out for the time being in the cold. Kashoo provides a 14-day trial for those looking to try out the service.
Kashflow
KashFlow is proud to keep things straightforward, which when you deal with your accounts and everything tax-related, is always good news. This cloud-based computing solution can be used for as long as you can get linked from anywhere and anytime. The service comes equipped with a complete suite of instruments that can allow you to tackle your accounting tasks and be used to take on payroll and HR responsibilities.
The Starter kit, which is targeted at sole traders, contractors, and small businesses, costs £ 8 a month plus VAT. You can submit unlimited quotes and ten invoices, alongside 25 bank transactions being reconciled. Although it is just a single user account that deals with bank feed, along with a customizable dashboard, it has a smartphone app.
The version for big companies is £ 16.50 a month plus VAT and is targeted at growing companies and limited businesses. This has the advantage of making unlimited invoices and quotations, plus you can reconcile complete transactions with banks. It’s multi-user and helps you with online control and send VAT returns.
KashFlow has its ‘company and payroll’ bundle, which costs £ 22.50 a month plus VAT, along with additional payroll functionality. At the time of writing, KashFlow still had more attractive pricing focused on an annual payment plan than the monthly costs shown above. It might bring savings if you’re pleased to commit.
ZohoBooks
ZohoBooksis only one small part of an India-based, much larger business concern that provides all sorts of solutions for anyone and everyone. ZohoBooks make a great cost-effective alternative with its clean and quick cloud-based interface, whether you are a freelancer, sole trader, or someone running a small company.
Although ZohoBooks also has an amazing app presence, the desktop route is a strong one, making it a decent mobile bet as well.
ZohoBooks’Basic’ currently costs $9/£6 a month per organization. You get approximately 50 contacts (as you can develop transaction records for the maximum number of customers or vendors), two users (as you and your accountant do and five automated workflows for that.
The most common package is ‘Regular,’ which comes with up to 500 contacts, three users, and ten automated workflows and is $19/£12 a month. Besides that, ‘Professional’ is a complete bells-and-whistles interface that provides 500 contacts, ten users, and ten automated workflows for $29/£18.
Also, you get two months free when you register for an annual package. Zoho provides additional add-ons that you can read more about from its website. There’s even a 14-day trial available for free.
Zip books
Zip books provide accounting software that has a modern interface along with a comprehensive feature set. It promises to make accounting quick to save time and get on with other things.
You can access the ‘Starter tier’ for free. It supplies an infinite number of customers with unlimited invoices, making it less restrictive than certain other free accounting deals. It can also be used for free bookkeeping, and to make payments via credit cards and PayPal.
Paid levels start at $15 a month and include most of the features you’re going to need. However, it will cost $35 a month if you need very advanced ones, such as smart tagging, as well as advanced reporting and intelligence.
Gnucash
GnuCash is an accounting software originally developed as an open-source alternative to apps like Intuit’s Quicken, built for individuals and small businesses. This software has been around since the late 1990s and is available for Linux, GNU, OpenBSD, Android, macOS, and Windows.
It manages invoicing & credit notes, payable &receivable accounts, employee expenditures, and even specific payroll characteristics, along with various currencies, cards, and accounts. Its sheer versatility makes it a good option when it comes to accounting software for kitchen table firms.
Money Manager Ex
Money Manager Ex is another excellent open-source platform, well built and packed with enough features to rival premium apps. It’s simple to understand, and in no time, you can have your accounts and transactions set up. Money Manager Ex’s versatility makes it a perfect option for single traders or your home finances.
This free accounting software is a portable app, so you can save and use it directly from a USB drive without even having to download it. There’s also an Android app on the move to check your accounts.
Wave
Wave is among the most popular online accounting services with more than 2 million customers, and it’s totally free for accounting, invoicing, and receipts. However, you’ll need to pay for it if you want personal technical assistance. Payroll is still not included in the free service, and you get the occasional commercial, as much as you do in virtually any free online service.
It is an application that is very well engineered and properly planned out. While it is probably a little simple for medium-sized companies, it is an excellent alternative for sole traders, freelancers, and small companies.
Note that while Wave is free to use, you still pay per transaction, currently between 1.4 percent -2.9 percent plus a fee of around $0.25. This does not matter for start-ups and companies with low sales volumes, but they might find a more efficient pricing model for companies with large sales volumes.
TurboCASH
TurboCASH has been continuously developing free accounting software since April 1985 and is highly common in Europe, the US, Canada, and Australia. It is accessible in 23 languages and has a group of more than 100,000 users online.
Itis probably a little much for freelancers or sole traders, designed for small to mid-sized enterprises (SMBs). Nonetheless, TurboCASH can accommodate VAT, debtors and creditors, sales orders, multiple companies, and numerous users if you need anything a little more useful than a cash book.
Although TurboCASH is free and covers almost all of the basics required with accounting software, there’s a paid-for version available as an update that offers more great functionality. This paid-for version allows it to run from the cloud and, among other items, includes budgets, payroll, PDF files, and a ledger analyzer.
VT cash book
It may not earn any artistic awards, but VT Cash Book is not there to look good: it aims to document financial transactions with the least amount of fuss daily. It uses ‘autocomplete’ to boost data entry, supports various bank accounts and bank reconciliation.
It can also plan returns on VAT and allow profit & loss, balance sheets, and ledgers to be produced. The free accounting software is installed along with its companion application, the paid-for VT Transaction+. Nonetheless, you wouldn’t need to purchase the latter to use the former.
NCH express invoice
NCH express invoice caters to most types of companies with Desktop, Mac, iPad, and Android versions. You can have it for free without time limits or other limitations if you have less than five employees.
It is designed to quickly produce invoices, quotes, and orders to automate and submit recurring ones via email or fax. There is also a decent selection of reports to pore over. The free accounting software is only just a front-end for w web-based service, but that’s no bad thing unless the organization fails to get a good internet connection.
Invoice expert’s free (Lite) version
Invoice expert’s free (Lite) version is limited to 100 customers/products. Yet, it maintains the Advanced Edition functionality, which retails at $69.95 (approximately £55), including inventory and customer management, invoicing and quoting, sales order, and inventory management.
At first glance, this free accounting software is a little daunting, particularly on the template editing screens, but it’s easy enough. It’s an American application, but to select the currency, it requires your windows’ location so that it can change itself for anyone outside the US accordingly.
Adminsoft Accounts
Adminsoft Accounts is an accounting package of software-driven by ads to generate revenue, making it free to install and use. According to the website, more than 300,00 individuals have taken advantage of a remarkably robust free accounting scheme(and a refreshingly simple set of terms and conditions).
In addition to invoicing and announcements, it can manage remittance recommendations, inventory management, purchase orders, budgeting, and some HR functions. It’s a UK application, so the default is sterling pounds, but it also runs efficiently in other currencies.
You can purchase a paid-for edition to run the app without ads at a slightly higher cost if you also want to use ‘AutoManager’ or ‘Shop/Cafe Manager.’
Quickfile
QuickFile provides small companies with several free levels explicitly designed for non-accountants while also offering automated invoicing, purchase/receipt processing, quotes, and support for multi-currency. It adds in a wholly branded customer market and allows for a professional solution at a hard to beat rate.
It is cloud-based instead of a software download. If you like the free version, for a nominal price of $58/£45 monthly, you can switch to an ad-free, more upgraded system with bulk invoicing, revision history, and a host of power-user functionality.
We hope you find this article useful! You should take a look at this article and learn How You Can Start a New Business with Little or No Money – 3 Effective Tips
Also find why you need to use an accounting software.
