ZenBusiness reviews its own products and services and compares them to others in the industry.
Compare the best accounting software as reviewed by ZenBusiness.
scroll for more
Ready to form an LLC? Starts at $0 + state fees and only takes 5-10 mins
Last Updated: July 31, 2025
If you’re running a business, then one thing should be at the top of your to-do list: getting the best accounting software. After all, good software can help you monitor your cash flow, track your bank transactions, and make wise business decisions based on your finances. It’ll help you save time by showing you all your data and giving you a full picture of your income and expenses.
But which software has all the tools you need? Which ones have tools you don’t need? More importantly, how much will it cost you? These are all important questions to answer.
That’s where this guide comes in. We’ll compare some of the best accounting software options so you can pick the best one to help you run your business.
If you’re running your small business as an LLC or corporation, then business accounting software is an absolute must; you might even say it’s more important than your internet connection. Good software will help you maintain your corporate veil by clearly separating your personal and business finances. But even if you’re running an unincorporated business like a sole proprietorship, good accounting software can help you operate your business more efficiently.
For starters, a good business accounting software can make taxation and payroll significantly easier because you’ll have all of this information on hand when it’s time to tackle these tasks. Tax season is a lot easier when your accounting software has already been recording transactions and creating an income statement for you all year.
Plus, accounting software can help you set reasonable expectations for the growth of your business. It can also provide custom reports that identify which parts of your business provide the best return on investment at a glance.
Last, but not least, using accounting software can help you prepare financial reports for investors. When you have clear and concise financial data at your fingertips, it’s easy for potential investors to get a snapshot of your business activities and decide if they want to invest in your business or not.
But what makes an accounting software product worth using? How much should you expect to pay? We’ll answer these questions and many more as we dig into the details of these companies. Let’s dive into our favorites.
Recommended: Think Carefully When Picking Business Accounting Software
With a price point of $20/month, ZenBusiness Money Pro presents fully featured accounting software at a more reasonable rate than many competitors. With ZenBusiness Money Pro, you can create and send custom invoices, accept credit cards and online payments, and manage client accounts. We also include handy accounting tools to track revenue and expenses, and you can also tag tax deductions as you go. You’ll also have access to a suite of tax tools to make every business owner’s least-favorite time of year go much more smoothly.
We include reports and insights to help you discover inefficiencies in your business, and you can even track mileage for travel. All told, it’s an impressive collection of features for one low price point. It’s tough to top what ZenBusiness Money Pro has to offer at this price point.
Zoho Books is one of just a few companies offering fully featured accounting software at no charge, and it’s a tempting option for small startups that have expansion plans. Zoho Books has one free tier and five paid tiers (priced at $20, $50, $70, $150, or $275 per month), so it’s a viable option if you want software that can grow with you.
For some businesses, a big downside to Zoho Books is that most of the integrations with other platforms and apps are included in paid packages, not the free version. Another drawback is that Zoho Books limits how many users can access the software; if you have more than 10 people on your team who’ll use it, you’ll need to pay for the $70/month plan.
If your business doesn’t have complicated books and you want to start with a free software option, Wave can be a good fit. Wave gives you a free look at your cash flow with the option to accept online payments (for a fee), invoicing on the go with the mobile app, and the ability to create estimates, invoices, bookkeeping records, and manage cash flow. Wave also offers a Pro subscription for $16 a month, which adds digital receipt captures and tracking, auto-importing your bank account transactions, automating late payment reminders, and more.
For us, the biggest drawback to Wave is that there is no customer support for small business owners who use the free version; you’ll need to subscribe to Pro or add other features like receipt scanning or use a Wave bookkeeping advisor (both with extra fees). Not having priority support as a free user would be one thing, but zero support whatsoever is a big downside.
Xero is another solid option if you need multiple users. If Wave sounded a bit too basic to you, but you like the idea of unlimited users at no extra charge, Xero could be a good fit. One big perk is that even Xero’s cheapest plan has pretty good reporting possibilities, including managing W-9s and 1099s and sales taxes. Through Hubdoc, you can also track your receipts. Pricing ranges from $20 to $80 per month, depending on your plan.
The downsides? Xero’s customer support is unique. They don’t provide a phone number; if you ever need help, you’ll have to schedule a support session (their website says they’ll call you directly if you need extra help). That approach can be frustrating when you need a quick resolution to a problem. Additionally, the base plan limits you to only five billable clients and 20 invoices per month, which can be well below what many small businesses need.
QuickBooks Solopreneur, formerly called QuickBooks Self-Employed, is a great bookkeeping software option for freelancers who want to make life easier during tax time. Their basic bookkeeping offering includes mileage tracking, receipt tracking, sales tax tracking, and more. It’ll also help you assess your financial health quickly since it lets you categorize expenses as business or personal expenses.
Another perk: as an Intuit product, QuickBooks integrates seamlessly with TurboTax (and you’ll get 20% off your federal filing fee as a QuickBooks customer). Currently, QuickBooks Solopreneur costs $20 per month.
Note: QuickBooks Solopreneur is different from QuickBooks Online (covered later), which is geared towards registered businesses instead of freelancers and sole proprietors.
FreshBooks often has generous sign-up incentives; they’re currently offering a 30-day free trial and 60% off for four months. It’s also an easy-to-use option, so you can quickly get started and stay informed about your business’s financial health.
FreshBooks includes unlimited estimates and customizable invoices for clients at all subscription levels, although the entry-level plan is limited to a prohibitive five billable clients per month. Another significant limitation of that $21/month plan is the fact that it doesn’t offer double-entry accounting.
QuickBooks Online is the biggest name in the accounting software industry. QuickBooks has been around for longer than most of its competitors, and it’s arguably the best choice for business owners who need a robust, fully-featured accounting software.
QuickBooks’s new Intuit Assist is an AI assistant that can help automate tasks like generating invoice reminders. This tool is included on all plans. Most package tiers also include robust reports for accounts receivable and accounts payable, so you know where your balance sheet stands.
QuickBooks Online has two main drawbacks. First, it can be pretty expensive; the cheapest option starts at $38 a month, with tiers maxing out at a staggering $275 a month. If budget is an issue, you may have better luck with other accounting software options. Some users also find that there’s a pretty steep learning curve with QuickBooks.
No matter what type or size of business you’re running, good accounting software is an essential tool. Accounting tools can be just as helpful to your day-to-day operations as a registered agent service.
Only you can decide which accounting software is best for your business; you know your big-picture needs. Hopefully, this guide has helped you weigh the pros and cons of the best software choices so you can pick the best fit and manage your books well. Good luck!
Recommended: Apps for Keeping Better Financial Records for Your Business
In terms of sheer number of users, QuickBooks Online is one of the most popular accounting software tools. It’s from a well-known brand, and it’s a fully-featured software with a wide range of resources like invoicing, expense tracking, tax tools, and integrations with a variety of apps.
But don’t let popularity alone be the only factor in your decision about business accounting software. You’ll need to carefully evaluate which software best fits your business size, budget, and feature needs. That could mean you use QuickBooks, ZenBusiness Money Pro, or another software.
If ease of use is your top priority, FreshBooks and ZenBusiness Money Pro are both great choices. FreshBooks has an intuitive interface designed for non-accountants, while ZenBusiness Money Pro keeps things simple with features like expense tagging and tax tracking built right in. Both platforms offer helpful tools without overwhelming new users.
Yes, there are a few free accounting software options available. Wave and Zoho Books both offer free plans with basic features like income and expense tracking, invoicing, and some reporting. However, free plans often come with limitations, such as fewer integrations or limited customer support. For businesses on a tight budget, these tools can be a good starting point.
Absolutely — most accounting software platforms include tools to help with taxes and invoicing. Features like expense categorization, deduction tagging, and mileage tracking can make tax time much smoother. Custom invoicing is available with platforms like ZenBusiness Money Pro, FreshBooks, and QuickBooks. Some tools even integrate with tax software like TurboTax for added convenience.
Many small business owners successfully manage their finances using accounting software without a CPA. Good software can automate key tasks like tracking expenses, generating reports, and preparing invoices. However, if your finances are complex or you’re unsure about tax requirements, consulting a CPA — even if it’s only occasionally — can be a smart move.
Accounting Software Reviewed
Compare Products
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 850,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
Ready to Start Your Business?
ZenBusiness is a financial technology company and is not a bank. Banking services provided by Thread Bank, Member FDIC. The ZenBusiness Visa Debit Card is issued by Thread Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. FDIC insurance is available for funds on deposit through Thread Bank, Member FDIC. *Your deposits qualify for up to a maximum of $3,000,000 in FDIC insurance coverage when placed at program banks in the Thread Bank deposit sweep program. Your deposits at each program bank become eligible for FDIC insurance up to $250,000, inclusive of any other deposits you may already hold at the bank in the same ownership capacity. You can access the terms and conditions of the sweep program at https://thread.bank/sweep-disclosure/ and a list of program banks at https://thread.bank/program-banks/. Please contact customerservice@thread.bank with questions regarding the sweep program.
Open Your Business Bank Account