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The best QuickBooks alternative available is FreshBooks, thanks to its great value price plans. For businesses in niche industries, such as hospitality, it’s worth exploring the best accounting software for hospitality businesses to ensure you’re getting tools tailored to your specific needs. FreshBooks still offers a competitive selection of features compared to QuickBooks, its more popular counterpart, while offering more value overall.
The right accounting software can make a big difference for your business, and our research shows that QuickBooks is admittedly one of the best. Still, if the price is a bit too high or if it just isn’t what you’re looking for, there are plenty of alternatives out there that get the job done.
Below, we’ve outlined some of the best alternatives to QuickBooks, based on metrics like features, customer support, pricing, and reporting tools, so you can find the right platform for your business.
| Best for | Price from | Free trial | Payroll Processing | Phone support | Try now | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FEATURED  |  |  |  |  |  | ||
| QuickBooks | Wave Financial | Zoho Books | FreshBooks | Kashoo | |||
| Online businesses | Best for small businesses | Best free option | Best for automation features | Usability, inexpensive plans | Easiest Setup | ||
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| | | It’s free, no trial needed | | | | ||
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| Try Xero now | Try QuickBooks | Try Wave today | Try Zoho Books | Try FreshBooks | Try Kashoo Today |
Best Alternatives to QuickBooks
As we mentioned, FreshBooks is our highest rated alternative to QuickBooks, largely due to the more affordable price tag for advanced features. Again though, there are plenty of other options out there, you just have to look.
Click on the links below to be taken to specific platform reviews in comparison to QuickBooks, so you can decide which of these alternatives is the perfect fit.
- FreshBooks – better value than QuickBooks
- Xero – better retail features than QuickBooks
- Zoho Books – better reporting & analytics than QuickBooks
- Wave – has a free plan (QuickBooks doesn’t)
- Sage – easier to use than QuickBooks
- Kashoo – also has a free plan (QuickBooks doesn’t)
FreshBooks
FreshBooks is our go-to QuickBooks alternative, and the main reason is price. While QuickBooks’ cheapest plan is more affordable, it doesn’t offer more advanced features like inventory management, unlike FreshBooks which offers it in the cheapest plan.
FreshBooks does have the occasional downside compared to QuickBooks though. For one, it doesn’t offer payroll processing or other advanced features, scoring a lowly 4 out of 10 in our research opposed to QuickBooks’ 9 out of 10. It does integrate with other programs though, so you won’t be left out in the rain. It also has a few upcharges for additional features in its affordable plans, which can stack up quickly and ruin your savings.
Still, as far as QuickBooks alternatives go, FreshBooks offers easily the best value with its low prices, while still providing a wide range of features to get you by.
Pros
- Great profit and loss comparisons
- Easy import and export for data
- Automated invoicing
- 30-day free trial
Cons
- The $11/user upcharge adds up fast
- No native support for payroll processing
- Price from: $19/Month
- 30-Day Free Trial
- Deal: 50% off the first 6 months
FreshBooks Pricing vs Quickbooks Pricing
Price is a big comparison point for QuickBooks and FreshBooks, and the latter takes the cake on this one, even though it has raised its price in recent years. While QuickBooks offers an undeniably impressive set of features, their plans start at $15 per month, while FreshBooks offers more than enough features at a notedly lower price.
Both offer three separate pricing plans, with FreshBooks consistently coming in at least 10% less per month than QuickBooks on each. Yes, features like payroll processing are missing, but if you can’t swing the big budget move for accounting software, you cannot go wrong with FreshBooks.
See our full guide to FreshBooks Pricing for more detail
Is FreshBooks better than QuickBooks?
It’s a close one, but we’d say QuickBooks is a better overall software suite than FreshBooks, although FreshBooks is far cheaper than QuickBooks for smaller teams. QuickBooks is still the best available accounting software, but as far as alternatives go, FreshBooks is the most competitive, largely due to its low price point.
See our full QuickBooks vs FreshBooks head-to-head guide for our full showdown
| Price | Price (Billed yearly) | Users | Clients | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHEAPEST PLAN | | | | ||
| Lite | Plus | Premium | Select | ||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 5 | 50 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Xero
If you’re a brick-and-mortar store looking for an affordable accounting software, Xero might just be the perfect fit. It offers some seriously competitive pricing, especially compared to QuickBooks, while still providing some great features, like inventory management and EPOS integrations, at its lowest tier. It also offers great financial reporting, so you can gain actionable data as you scale.
If you aren’t a brick-and-mortar store though, Xero could have a few limitations that might be a turn off. For one, it lacks a number of valuable ecommerce integrations, which can really get in the way of your online store taking off. If this isn’t a dealbreaker though, you could do a lot worse than Xero when it comes to a QuickBooks alternative.
Pros
- Works effortlessly with platforms such as Shopify, Squarespace, and Square Online
- Integrates with Amazon, Etsy, and other ecommerce sites
- Impressive mobile apps
Cons
- Doesn't track expenses as standard
- Price from: $15/month
- 30-day free trial
- Payroll with Gusto: From $40/month
Xero Pricing vs QuickBooks Pricing
Xero isn’t nearly as competitive as FreshBooks, but it’s still definitely more affordable than QuickBooks at only $12 per month. It offers payroll processing, which even FreshBooks didn’t offer, which means the case could be made that it’s a better option if you really need that feature.
Is Xero better than QuickBooks?
Again, no it’s not. Xero is a great option that’s more affordable than QuickBooks, but it lacks in some notable feature categories, namely ecommerce integrations. Still, a little savings never hurt anyone, which is why we still recommend Xero if QuickBooks isn’t for you.
Still unsure? We have a full Xero vs QuickBooks guide for you to check out
| Price | Users | Clients | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | ||
| 20 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Zoho Books
Zoho offers a massive selection of business apps, and Zoho Books is one of them that offers accounting tools to run your business. As far as a QuickBooks alternative, it’s a bit competitive, considering it offers a free plan as well as a vast catalog of features in its higher tier plans.
Unfortunately, those plans get pretty expensive. They start off as more expensive than QuickBooks from the get-go, and only get worse from there. Plus, with just a single vendor for ecommerce and EPOS integrations in Square, you’re quite limited as far as getting your business operations to run seamlessly.
Check out our Zoho Books pricing and review guide for more information, or read our full guide to Zoho Books vs Quickbooks for our plan-by-plan comparison.
Pros
- Large invoice limit on lowest tier
- Provides project accounting functionality at a cheaper rate than competitors
- Extensive accounts receivable functionality
Cons
- Accounts payable functionality unavailable on lowest tier
- Limited integrations
- Charges an extra fee per month for document scanning
- Price from: $15/month (after free plan)
- 14-day free trial
- Permanent free plan, if annual revenue < $50K
Zoho Books Pricing vs QuickBooks Pricing
Zoho offers a bare bones free plan, which is attractive to anyone that’s ever heard of money. It’s simply not going to get the job done for the average small business though, which means you’re going to have to pay the high prices found in its plan. Compared to what you could get with QuickBooks, the price just doesn’t feel worth it, but could be what you’re looking for.
Is Zoho Books better than QuickBooks?
That’s a big no from us on this one. While the free plan is attractive and Square isn’t a terrible integration to put all your eggs in, Zoho Books just doesn’t offer the same value that QuickBooks does at a more competitive price. If you already use other Zoho apps it makes sense, otherwise you’re better off with a different accounting software honestly.
| Price | Users | Automatic bank reconciliation | Inventory management | Set up recurring bills | Track expenses | Record payments in multiple currencies | Client database | Advanced analytics | Custom reports | ||
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| Free | Standard | Professional | Premium | Elite | Ultimate | ||||||
| 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 15 | ||||||
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Wave
If you’re looking for something to actually replace QuickBooks, we’re not sure the rest of the list is going to fit what you’re looking for. Now owned by H&R Block, Wave is a solid accounting software with a free forever plan that has no hidden fees and no setup charges, so you really can get going without it cutting into your budget.
As we explain below though, free accounting software can be quite limited. This one in particularly has a free plan but has a wide range of extra fees for payroll processing, making it more expensive than any software on this list. The only reason it’s not at the bottom of the list is that it provides a functional tool for tracking outstanding payments to suppliers.
In fact, when it comes to metrics like advanced features, Wave is extremely bad, scoring a staggering 0 out of 10 in our research, compared to QuickBooks with a 9 out of 10. Still, it covers a lot of basic features with a plomb, scoring 10 out of 10 on accounts receivable and 9.5 out of 10 on bookkeeping, so if budget is your primary concern, Wave might work as a QuickBooks alternative.
Read our Wave vs QuickBooks guide to see how the providers compare at length.
Pros
- Completely free to use
- Offers affordable add-ons
Cons
- Lacks features
- Struggles to scale with growing businesses
- Price from: Free
- Transaction fee: 2.9% + 60¢ for Visa/Mastercard/Discover
- Transaction fee: 1% for bank payments
- Payroll add-on: From $35/mo + $6/user/mo
Wave Pricing vs QuickBooks Pricing
Wave doesn’t offer pricing plans, just its free plan right out of the gate. However, if you want other features necessary to the platform, you’re going to have to pay extra, and we mean a lot extra. In fact, the extra costs will make it more expensive the QuickBooks’ cheaper plans, which takes away its main attraction (that it’s free).
Is Wave better than QuickBooks?
Unequivocally no. The free plan is an attractive tool for tracking outstanding payments to suppliers, but there’s no reason to pay that much more for features like payroll processing when QuickBooks — and virtually every other provider on this list — offers a more affordable way to do it.
Sage
All businesses need some kind of accounting software, but retail businesses should specifically be looking at Sage if they want something that caters to their specific needs. This platform provides a low-cost, functional accounting tool with an inventory feature and retail-centric reports. And at only $12 per month, it easily competes with other low-cost options on this list.
As with all platforms that hope to replace QuickBooks, there are a few caveats that might sway you a different way though. It lacks any meaningful EPOS or ecommerce integrations, which could really impede you from scaling down the road, particularly if you want to improve your online store. It does the basic really well though, and it’s very easy to use, so it’s certainly worth considering.
As far as our research is concerned, Sage just doesn’t impress anywhere, with bookkeeping, accounts payable, and accounts receivable scores failing to get above 8.5 out of 10, so there are built in limitations. Plus, with a 1.75 out of 10 on advanced features, your scalability is going to be notably hampered compared to QuickBooks.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Integrates with Microsoft 365
- 30-day free trial
Cons
- App selection is limited
- Additional users cost extra
- Price from: $12/Month
- 30-Day Free Trial
- Deal: 70% off the first 6 mos
Sage Pricing vs QuickBooks Pricing
Sage offers only two pricing plans, compared to most other software’s three, and they’re both quite competitive. The cheapest plan comes in at only $12 per month. Remember, you’re definitely getting less than QuickBooks, like no payroll processing, but the savings could be worth it for you.
Is Sage better than QuickBooks?
Sorry again, but Sage isn’t better than QuickBooks. The lack of integrations across EPOS and ecommerce functionalities is a big hit for Sage, even at the lower price point, and the lack of email support definitely doesn’t help it’s case. Not a bad alternative, but you can probably do better.
We have more detail on QuickBooks vs Sage in our full head-to-head guide
| Price | Users | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Start | Standard | ||
| $12 per month | $23 per month | ||
| 1 | Unlimited |
Kashoo
Simple is the name of the game for Kashoo, offering basic accounting software in its free plan. Aimed almost exclusively at small businesses, this attractive plan provides the basics you need to get by, but that’s about it. In fact, beyond the low price, Kashoo scored the lowest overall in our research, netting a mere 6.2 out of 10 in our research. For comparison, QuickBooks scored a 9.4 overall for its platform.
With high priced premium plans that keep it from being really competitive, Kashoo just doesn’t offer enough to be a viable QuickBooks alternative. Plus, with virtually no reporting throughout the platform, you won’t be able to know what’s working and what isn’t, leaving you high and dry when it comes to decision time. And again, it only integrates with Square, which can be a problem for some businesses.
Pros
- Simple and speedy to work out
- Impressive customer support
Cons
- Doesn't have the most advanced features
- Price from: $27/Month
- 14-Day Free Trial
- Payroll integration available
Kashoo Pricing vs QuickBooks Pricing
The Kashoo free plan is pretty much just aimed at those looking to use it for invoices. In fact, the website even says that payments and expenses features are “coming soon,” so you won’t be able to do much on this free plan. The next cheapest plan is $20 per month, which is more than QuickBooks, essentially pricing it out of its affordable edge.
Is Kashoo better than QuickBooks?
No, Kashoo is not better than QuickBooks. Again, while the free plan looks nice on paper, you won’t be able to do much with it, forcing you to opt for a paid plan, which does less and costs more than QuickBooks. Simply put, we’d highly recommend looking else for your QuickBooks alternative, or you could just stick with the best.
Should You Choose QuickBooks Anyway?
We know you came here looking for a QuickBooks alternative, but we have to tell you: Our research shows that QuickBooks is the best accounting software available right now.
Simply put, it offers the most features, scoring 10 out of 10 in all major categories, the most robust analytics, with a 10 out of 10 in financial reporting, the best support, with a 9.3 out of 10, and a 30-day free trial that lets you try it before you buy. From expense tracking and payroll processing features to Office 365 integration and email support, there’s not a lot to say about QuickBooks other than it’s the best for a reason.
The only sticking point for QuickBooks is probably the price. With the lowest plan at $15 per month, it’s definitely more expensive than the average competitor, which hovers around $10 per month. Still, you’re getting more than enough bang for your buck, so if you can afford it, it’s certainly worth the investment.
Take a look at some of the pricing plans for QuickBooks below to get a better idea of just how much comes with this high-quality accounting software.
| Price | Users | Bookkeeping Does it include bookkeeping functions? | Accounts payable Does it include a range of accounts payable functions? | Accounts receivable Does it include a range of accounts receivable functions? | Project accounting Does it offers tools to track different projects? | Financial reporting Does it offer financial reporting tools? | Budget & forecasting Does it offer budgeting and forecasting tools? | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Solopreneur | Simple Start | Essentials | Plus | Advanced | |||||
| 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 25 | |||||
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Methodology: How We Test QuickBooks Alternatives
We take our impartial research and analysis seriously, so you can have complete confidence that we're giving you the clearest, most useful recommendations.
After conducting an initial exploration to identify the most relevant, popular, and established tools in the market, we put them through their paces with hands-on testing to see their real strengths and weaknesses. In this case, we put eight accounting software products to the test across 111 areas of investigation.
Based on years of market and user needs research, we've established an accounting software testing methodology that scores each product in four main categories of investigation and 24 subcategories; this covers everything from the features and functionality to pricing, and much more.
Our main testing categories for accounting software are:
Help and Support: the assistance and resources available to users when they encounter issues or need guidance while using the accounting software. This can include documentation, tutorials, knowledge bases, email or chat support, phone assistance, and training resources.
Pricing: the cost associated with using the accounting software. It includes factors such as licensing fees, subscription plans, any additional charges, account limits, and payment fees.
Main Functions: the key areas of accounting that the software focuses on. This includes functionalities such as financial statements preparation, income and expense tracking, managing vendor and customer accounts, generating invoices and receipts, handling payroll and tax calculations, and providing reports for financial analysis.
Software Functionality: the software capabilities such as integrations, mobile capability, as well as any additional features outside of accounting-focused ones.
When it comes to calculating a product's final score, not all testing areas are weighted evenly, as we know some aspects matter more to our readers than others, which are merely "nice to have." After hundreds of hours, our process is complete, and the results should ensure you can find the best solution for your needs.
At Tech.co, we have a number of full time in-house researchers, who re-run this testing process regularly, to ensure our results remain reflective of the present day.
Free Alternatives to QuickBooks
If you’re looking for something to replace QuickBooks, there’s a good chance you’re doing so because of the price. While the alternatives we mentioned above a great, many of them still cost money (except for Wave and Kashoo, which both offer free plans).
Subsequently, if you’re on a really tight budget and need to save some serious money, there are some free accounting software providers out there. Brands like Lendio and ZipBooks all offer accounting features that can get you by in a pinch without you having to even look at your wallet.
However, it’s worth noting that free accounting software is often lacking in some pretty important areas. You often won’t be able to use features like payroll, reporting, forecasting, inventory, and invoicing, which are considered key features are the average small business.
All this to say that accounting software is really one of those business resources worth paying for. After all, when it comes down to it, what’s important than effectively tracking your finances, right?
Verdict: Is QuickBooks the best choice?
We’ve done some pretty extensive research on the subject, and it’s true: QuickBooks is the best accounting software available today. It offers an unparalleled feature catalog, robust reporting, expert support, and a generally customizable platform that can improve any business. Plus, it comes with a 30-day free trial, so you can try it out before you commit.
However, it can get a bit expensive, particularly for small businesses, so we understand the desire for some viable alternatives. As we mentioned, FreshBooks is the best alternative to QuickBooks, as it comes at a lower price while still offering a lot of great features.
The accounting software industry is always evolving and staying on top of the latest developments can make a big difference. Take a look at our handy comparison guide to get even more information about this helpful business software.
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