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Eric Gerard Ruiz

Eric Gerard Ruiz

Accounting Expert

Find Eric on

Education & Credentials:

  • CPA License, Philippines
  • Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy, Silliman University
  • About
  • Latest Posts

Expertise:

  • Management Accounting
  • Financial Accounting
  • Bookkeeping

Experience:

Eric Gerard Ruiz is an accounting and bookkeeping expert for Fit Small Business. He completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy at Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Philippines. Before joining FSB, Eric has worked as a freelance content writer with various digital marketing agencies in Australia, the United States, and the Philippines.

Hobbies:

During his free time, Eric enjoys watching films, playing games, reading books, and making coffee.

Personal Quote

The best accounting software program is not the one with the most features. Instead, it’s the one that best fits your needs as a small business.

Favorite Accounting Software

  • FreshBooks

Everlance logo

January 27, 2023

Everlance Review: Features, Pricing and Alternatives 2023

Everlance is a mileage and expense tracking app that helps self-employed professionals and businesses monitor mileage deductions. Some of its notable features include automatic mileage tracking, team reporting, long session tracking, and customizable approval workflows. With , you can track up to 30 trips per month for free or subscribe to a paid plan starting at $12 per user monthly for businesses and $8 for self-employed individuals. Everlance Deciding Factors Everlance Alternatives Everlance vs Competitors We compared Everlance with TripLog and MileIQ. TripLog is our best overall mileage tracker app, while MileIQ is our recommended mileage tracker for simple mileage tracking. Pricing isn’t Everlance’s strongest suit because TripLog and MileIQ have more affordable pricing plans. At $12 per month, Everlance offers similar features with TripLog and MileIQ. However, the possible justification for a higher price is the VIP support and live admin and user training included in this plan. TripLog takes the win for mileage tracking features with a perfect score but Everlance gets the second place in this comparison. Our evaluation reveals that Everlance offers decent features with advanced functions like approval workflows. Everlance leads over TripLog and MileIQ in related app features because it has a reimbursement system and tax deduction finder. Everlance Pricing Everlance offers two pricing packages: one for self-employed individuals and another for businesses. Both offer a free plan that includes up to 30 automatic trips per user, per month. Paid plans for businesses and self-employed start at $12 and $8 per user, per month, respectively. The tables below summarize the plans for self-employed individuals and businesses. Everlance Features Customer Service & Ease of Use Everlance has a neat and minimalistic layout, both in the web dashboard and app, making it easy to navigate, even for first-time users. The mobile app is very comprehensive, and the features are easy to locate. Free subscribers can seek help through email, while Premium users receive exclusive access to customer service representatives whom they can chat with directly within the app. If you want customized training and support from a dedicated onboarding and customer success manager, you might want to upgrade to the most expensive plan, FAVR. Everlance User Reviews In Everlance reviews on third-party review websites, most users are real estate agents. What they like about Everlance is its accuracy in tracking mileage, especially if they’re meeting multiple clients in a day. They also commended the platform for making mileage deductions easier during tax season. However, some users found some inefficiencies, such as automatic mileage tracking even if riding in someone else’s car. Though this feature can be turned off, there’s a possibility of forgetting to turn it back on and missing some business-related trips: GetApp: 4.5 out of 5 stars based on around 60 reviews G2: 4.3 out of 5 stars based on about 80 reviews Google Play: 4.4 out of 5 stars based on around 19,200 reviews App Store: 4.8 out of 5 stars based on around 22,800 reviews How We Evaluated Mileage Tracker Apps We evaluated Everlance based on five major categories that should be present in mileage tracker apps. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Is the free plan of Everlance enough for mileage tax deductions? Yes, it is, as you can get IRS-compliant reports and relevant tax data even with the free plan. The only advantages of getting paid plans are unlimited trips, automations in mileage tracking, and advanced features like approval workflows. Is Everlance worth the money? Yes. Self-employed individuals like real estate agents need to spare only $8 per month to get decent mileage tracking features. However, it can get expensive for businesses that allow mileage tracking for multiple employees. Bottom Line If you’re looking for a single app to track your mileage and expenses, is a good choice. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur, a small business, or a large company managing many drivers, you can find the right package for you. The provider has a generous free plan that has many useful features you’ll find in premium packages, such as automatic tracking and unlimited receipt uploads. If you’re a solo business owner or a self-employed individual needing to track mileage for tax purposes, the free plan might be enough. If you’re a company with many employees who drive for work, an upgrade to Premium is worth your money.
MileIQ logo

January 24, 2023

MileIQ Review: Features, Pricing & Alternatives 2023

MileIQ is a cloud-based mileage tracking software that tracks your drive and mileage automatically and then classifies your trips as personal or business. The platform is free for the first 40 drives each month, and you can upgrade to the Unlimited plan at $5.99 monthly if you need to go beyond 40 trips. is accessible through a mobile app and web dashboard. MileIQ Deciding Factors MileIQ Alternatives MileIQ vs Competitors We compared MileIQ with TripLog and Hurdlr. TripLog is our overall best mileage tracking app while Hurdlr is our best mileage tracker for rideshare drivers. MileIQ leads in pricing over TripLog and Hurdlr because it offers more tiers for businesses. But in terms of mileage tracking, TripLog gets a perfect score because it contains all the features we’d like to see in mileage trackers. However, MileIQ is still a good choice for businesses that don’t need complex trackers. In related app features, MileIQ needs third-party integrations to work with accounting software or expense trackers. Hurdlr leads in the area because it has accounting and bookkeeping capabilities included in the plan. Overall, MileIQ is a decent mileage tracker for businesses that aren’t engaged in courier or delivery services. MileIQ Pricing MileIQ offers separate packages for personal and team use. With MileIQ’s Personal package, you can test out MileIQ for free for 40 drives per month and upgrade to the Unlimited plan if you need unlimited mileage tracking. Those interested in the For Teams package can subscribe to MileIQ’s Lite plan for $50 per driver, per year. If you want a premium solution, MileIQ is launching a new plan called Teams Pro―$100 per driver, per year. On top of what’s offered in its other plans, it also provides simple invoicing, custom reimbursement rates, multiple admins, and personalized support. MileIQ Features While not as comprehensive as other mileage tracker apps like TripLog and Hurdlr, MileIQ offers many useful features that can help you automate your mileage tracking workflows. Below is a list of some of MileIQ’s most notable features. MileIQ User Reviews Users said that they find the MileIQ app easy to use and like being able to set multiple filters to classify data. However, others have noticed that the platform forgets to record trips, and some pointed out that MileIQ needs to keep running in the background, which can deplete smartphone batteries. Here are the scores of the MileIQ on app stores and a user review website: App Store: 4.7 out of 5 stars based on around 43,200 reviews Play Store: 4.5 out of 5 stars based on around 62,100 reviews G2: 4.1 out of 5 stars based on around 40 reviews How We Evaluated Mileage Tracker Apps We evaluated MileIQ based on six major categories that should be present in mileage tracker apps. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Is MileIQ really free? Yes, MileIQ is free to download and use. It offers 40 free drives per month, and if you go beyond that, you can get a premium subscription or wait for the next month’s free drives. Is MileIQ still included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions? MileIQ has no longer been associated with Microsoft since 2021, and the inclusion of MileIQ in Microsoft 365 Business accounts ended in March 2022. Bottom Line If you’re looking for an automatic mileage tracker for mileage reimbursement or tax purposes and don’t need accounting or expense tracking, then is right for you. It can be easy to forget to log your business drives from time to time, so it’s nice to have a simple automatic mileage tracker like MileIQ. With a single swipe, you can classify your trips instantly as personal or business. The free version tracks up to 40 trips per month, which should be enough if you make one trip per day. If you’re concerned that you might go beyond 40 trips, then you can sign up for any of the paid plans, which are generally more affordable than those from similar providers.
TripLog logo

January 24, 2023

TripLog Review: Features, Pricing & Alternatives 2023

TripLog is a cloud-based mileage tracking app with integrated expense and time tracking tools. It tracks your mileage automatically, and you can then categorize your drive as personal or business with a single swipe. It provides various ways to track your mileage, including manual, Bluetooth-enabled, and automatic tracking, and allows you to track up to 40 trips per month for free. You can sign up for a free trial of the Premium plan of for 15 days with no credit card required. TripLog Deciding Factors TripLog New Features for 2023 TripLog Card: TripLog now offers a reloadable company debit card service to improve user experience in expense tracking and reimbursements. With this program, users can charge company expenses using TripLog and reconcile all TripLog card transactions automatically. TripLog ACH: The new automated clearing house (ACH) feature enables users to reimburse employees for mileage within the TripLog dashboard. All ACH reimbursements will also appear as separate within your accounting software for faster categorization. TripLog Alternatives TripLog vs Competitors We compare TripLog with other leading mileage tracker apps to help you decide whether it’s right for you or if you need to look elsewhere. In our evaluation of the mileage trackers above, each software has individual advantages and disadvantages. MileIQ leads in pricing because it offers three pricing tiers for business plans, whereas TripLog only offers two. MileIQ takes the lead because of its flexibility in packages. However, TripLog gets a perfect score in mileage tracking features because it allows users to track mileage in different ways. It offers devices that track mileage if you don’t want to use your smartphone. Meanwhile, Hurdlr takes the lead in related app features because it also offers accounting and tax calculations. Overall, TripLog deserves to be our best mileage tracker app because of its flexibility and affordable price point. On the contrary, we still recommend for smaller companies needing more affordable business plans, while is best for rideshare drivers. TripLog Pricing TripLog offers a free plan and three paid subscriptions with prices that start at $5.99 per user monthly. The free option supports a single user and lets you log up to 40 trips per month manually, while the Premium package supports unlimited tracking. A custom plan, Enterprise, is also available for advanced mileage tracking features like multi-level approval hierarchy and custom tags. A Time and Scheduling add-on is also available for users at $4 per user, per month. TripLog Features TripLog offers features that can help your company efficiently track mileage and related costs such as parking, tolls, and fuel expenses. Let’s check out TripLog’s core features below. TripLog User Reviews Users like TripLog because it’s easy and convenient to use, especially the mobile app. However, some reviewers shared problems with the app and occasional bugs in the system. G2: 4.7 out of 5 stars based on around 40 reviews Software Advice: 4.08 out of 5 stars based on around 70 reviews How We Evaluated Mileage Tracking Software We evaluated TripLog based on six major categories that should be present in mileage tracker apps. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Does TripLog use mobile data? It will consume mobile data if you use smartphone GPS to track mileage. How is the battery usage of TripLog? If you’re using smartphone GPS, expect heavy battery usage. We recommend plugging your phone into a power source to keep battery levels high. Bottom Line is a great mileage-tracking solution for businesses that need a single solution for tracking mileage, time worked by employees, and vehicle-related expenses like parking, fuel, and meals. It offers six different ways of tracking mileage, so you’ll certainly find one that meets your exact tracking needs. Additionally, it has a useful route planning feature that you won’t find in most other mileage tracking software on the market. Instead of having to get three separate apps for tracking mileage, expenses, and time, TripLog gives you an all-in-one solution.
Businesswoman using smartphone and laptop with charts and graphs on the screen.

January 18, 2023

5 Best Mobile Accounting Apps for 2023

A mobile accounting app should let its users access, encode, and process accounting data wherever and whenever, regardless of the device used—so you’ll want one that’s easy to use and accessible through different platforms. We’ve researched apps from many of the top bookkeeping software to help you find the best one for your small business: : Best overall mobile accounting app : Best companion mobile app for QuickBooks Online users : Best bookkeeping app for a large mobile sales force using iOS : Best for freelancers and solopreneurs : Best free mobile invoicing app Best Mobile Accounting Apps Compared Zoho Books: Best Overall Mobile Accounting App QuickBooks Online: Best Companion Mobile App for QuickBooks Online Users Sage Accounting: Best for a Large Mobile Sales Force Using Apple Devices FreshBooks: Best for Freelancers and Solopreneurs Zoho Invoice: Best Free Mobile Invoicing App Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What is the major advantage of using mobile accounting apps? With mobile accounting apps, you can access accounting information in real time without having to open your laptop or log in via web browser. What is mobile accounting? Mobile accounting is the process of performing accounting tasks through a smartphone or tablet. Through mobile bookkeeping apps, you can input accounting data into the system and generate reports when needed without having to use the web-based or desktop application. Bottom Line We’ve provided a list of the best mobile accounting apps to help your small business succeed. Before choosing your bookkeeping software, consider which functions you’ll want to perform directly from the app, like invoicing. If you want to do most accounting functions on the go, may be your best choice.
Expensify logo

January 12, 2023

Expensify Review: Features, Pricing & Alternatives 2023

Expensify is a cloud-based expense management application that tracks expenses and allows employees to submit them for reimbursement. It focuses on expense tracking and reporting, with features like individual tracking, expense policies, and approvals. offers free plans for individuals and paid plans for businesses starting at $20 per user. Expensify Deciding Factors Expensify Alternatives Expensify Pricing Expensify offers two groups of pricing plans for individuals and groups. Under each pricing group, two tiers of pricing options are offered depending on the users’ needs. Expensify Features Expensify’s core feature is expense management—nothing more, nothing less. It focuses on expense recording, tracking, reporting, and reimbursement. If you maintain books and accounts for your business, you can integrate Expensify with your accounting software. After logging in, the software will prompt you to set up your account. Expensify’s concierge will guide you during your first use of the app. It’ll provide tips and procedures to get you acquainted with its features. Regardless, you can always contact customer support by clicking the blue message bubble at the bottom-right corner of the screen. Expensify User Reviews Those who left Expensify reviews praised the platform for having a clean interface and mentioned that its SmartScans reduced data entry time when recording expenses. We agree that the user interface (UI) design and overall user experience of the system are  outstanding. However, some users said that they found inefficiencies, such as the inability to upload credit card statements. There are also instances where some encountered duplicate entries for receipts. Overall, Expensify offers a competent expense tracking solution. The score of Expensify in user review sites are as follows: G2: 4.5 out of 5 based on around 3,700 reviews GetApp: 4.4 out of 5 based on around 950 reviews Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) How much is Expensify? Expensify is free for individuals. Business plans start at $5 per user, per month, if billed annually. Is Expensify worth buying? While Expensify can be expensive compared to competitors, users get free Expensify cards for the whole team. Expensify is worth it if your business wants to give all employees a company card. Bottom line Overall, is the ideal app for businesses needing to process and reimburse expense reports. Its features can help accountants and accounting clerks speed up bookkeeping procedures and correctly book expenses based on Expensify reports. In other words, expenses processed under Expensify will provide more accurate information for bookkeeping than those tracked manually in a spreadsheet. We highly recommend it as a supplementary app to your accounting software. However, it’s not a standalone bookkeeping program.
A man using calculator while doing a calculations.

January 12, 2023

6 Best QuickBooks Alternatives in 2023 (Free & Paid)

QuickBooks Online is a great small business accounting software, but it isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Whether you find it expensive or difficult to use or are looking for something that it doesn’t offer, there are plenty of substitutes for you to consider, including a free QuickBooks alternative. Here are the best QuickBooks alternatives, each with its own differentiating features and use cases: : Best overall QuickBooks alternative with an outstanding mobile app : Best for service-based businesses wanting excellent customer service : Best for unlimited users : Best free QuickBooks alternative : Best QuickBooks Desktop alternative for multicompany bookkeeping : Best for landlords managing a few rental properties QuickBooks vs Alternatives: Quick Comparison Zoho Books: Best Overall QuickBooks Alternative With an Outstanding Mobile App As our second-best small business accounting software, we recommend choosing if you’re looking for a platform that’s similar to QuickBooks Online but has a more functional mobile app. Its mobile app is useful for freelancers and small business owners who often do business or work outside of their office space. Additionally, Zoho Books delivers an experience similar to QuickBooks Online in terms of robust inventory, accounts receivable (A/R), and accounts payable (A/P) features. FreshBooks: Best for Service-Based Businesses Wanting Excellent Customer Service Unlike QuickBooks, customer support is available by calling its toll-free number. Beyond good customer service, it’s known for its terrific-looking invoices, and it has an impressive array of integrations with ecommerce platforms. If you need multiple users, it isn’t a great choice since all users in excess of the one included with each plan are $10 per month. FreshBooks also doesn’t have good inventory accounting, so we only recommend it for service-based businesses. Xero: Best for Unlimited Users While has comparable features to QuickBooks Online, it has a lower price and includes an unlimited number of users in all subscriptions. As such, it’s a great choice if you have a large accounting team, and it’s our top recommendation for budget-conscious small businesses. The major drawback of Xero compared to QuickBooks Online is that it’ll be much harder to find a bookkeeper to help you. Wave Accounting: Best Free QuickBooks Alternative is an ideal choice for accounting and invoicing if there’s no need for advanced accounting functions. This software is ideal for service businesses and freelancers who only want to keep track of revenue and expenses as transactions clear their bank account, but also for invoicing customers. However, Wave isn’t suitable for growing businesses because of its limited accounting features. We recommend choosing another software in this list if your business is expected to need advanced accounting in the near future like inventory tracking. Sage 50cloud: Best QuickBooks Desktop Alternative for Multicompany Bookkeeping lets you manage all your businesses on a single platform, making it one of our top choices for multicompany accounting software. Its highest plan includes advanced budgeting tools and multicompany support that allows you to create consolidated financial statements for multiple entities. On the downside, we can’t recommend it to DIY business owners and non-accountants because it’s difficult to use. However, it’s a great choice if you have an internal bookkeeper. Quicken: Best for Landlords Managing a Few Rental Properties is the best software to buy if you need to track the income and expenses of a few rental properties. As a bonus, Quicken helps manage personal finances and investment performance. It’s way simpler than QuickBooks Online. However, Quicken isn’t a full-fledged accounting software. Hence, we only recommend this app to individuals tracking rental income and expenses. Feature Comparison: QuickBooks vs Its Alternatives When evaluating the top QuickBooks alternatives, we place a strong emphasis on three key features that we think are very crucial to those needing a great substitute for QuickBooks Online. The feature comparison tables below will help you determine how other software compares to QuickBooks in terms of mobile app, inventory management, and project accounting. How We Evaluated QuickBooks Alternatives We rated the accounting software products on this list based on their capabilities to be a substitute for QuickBooks. Moreover, we included the insights we gathered from our case study to show you what we think about these solutions based on the case study criteria. Breakdown FAQs Why should I look for an alternative to QuickBooks? QuickBooks isn’t a one-size-fits-all accounting software. While QuickBooks Online is our best small business accounting software, the subscription cost can be a main factor why you should look for an alternative. Moreover, QuickBooks Online’s features may be too complex for your needs. Hence, you should look for a simpler QuickBooks Online alternative. What makes QuickBooks popular? Aside from its features, QuickBooks has a vast network of certified public accountants (CPAs), bookkeepers, and firms that offer accounting support through the QuickBooks ProAdvisor program. This program helps businesses get access to professional accounting help, locally and internationally. Bottom Line dominates the market for small business accounting—but it isn’t always the best answer, and there are many alternatives to QuickBooks to consider. Depending on your budget, required features, and industry, you might find an alternative software that will meet your needs better.
hand holding pen pointing at tablet

January 11, 2023

5 Best Accounting Software Programs for Freelancers in 2023

The best accounting software for freelancers and self-employed workers must be easy to use since many don’t have extensive knowledge of accounting and have more valuable things to do than bookkeeping. Moreover, it should have essential general accounting functions, like expense tracking and reporting, and features useful to freelancers, such as tax calculation, mileage tracking, and invoice tracking. : Best overall accounting software for freelancers : Best for service-based freelancers who track hourly labor : Best for freelancers who want to outsource to a local bookkeeping expert as the business grows : Best free accounting software for freelancers : Best for tracking profits and preparing tax returns Comparison of Best Accounting Software for Freelancers See fullscreen table × Zoho Books: Best Overall Accounting Software for Freelancers FreshBooks: Best for Service- or Project-Based Freelancers Who Track Hourly Labor QuickBooks Online: Best for Freelancers Who Want to Outsource Bookkeeping When the Business Grows Wave: Best Free Accounting Software for Freelancers QuickBooks Self-Employed: Best for Tracking Profit & Preparing Tax Returns How We Evaluated Accounting Software for Freelancers We evaluated freelancing accounting software based on the needs of most freelancers. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Can I use QuickBooks as a freelancer? Yes, QuickBooks Self-Employed at $15 per month is designed exclusively for freelancers. However, you may wish to use QuickBooks Online Simple Start for $30 per month if you send many invoices to customers. What is the simplest bookkeeping software? While not as feature-packed as QuickBooks Online, many freelancers love FreshBooks for its simplicity and great customer service. Bottom Line While is our highest-rated accounting software for freelancers, might be better for freelancers who want to outsource bookkeeping through the QuickBooks ProAdvisor network. is great for project or service-based freelancers, whereas is a totally free alternative. Finally, for freelancers who only want to compile their income and expenses and file a tax return, may be optimal.
Rydoo logo

January 11, 2023

Rydoo Expense Management Review: Pricing, Features & Alternatives 2023

Rydoo, an expense management software program, can process business expenses and streamline your expense processing and approval without the need for excessive paperwork and labor hours. You can submit and approve expenses through the web or on-the-go via the app. offers plans that start at $10 per month if billed annually. Rydoo Deciding Factors Rydoo Alternatives Rydoo Pricing Rydoo Features As one of our best business expense trackers, Rydoo’s main features focus on expense processing. You can use its features to create workflows to organize and structure processing. When using Rydoo, there are two roles: personal and approver. Let’s check out these roles. Personal Role Users assigned a personal role are allowed to submit and track their expenses. Approver Role In your company, you can set approvers to review and approve employee expenses. You can give approver roles to managers or supervisory employees. You can switch to this role by clicking “Approver” in the dashboard. Expense Policies Another helpful feature of Rydoo is its expense rules. You can reduce the work of approvers by setting up expense rules and letting Rydoo filter out expenses that don’t comply with expense limits, minimum documentation requirements, or that have incomplete descriptions. Rydoo User Reviews Users praise Rydoo for its clean and sleek user interface. Some pointed out that Rydoo should fix minor problems like recognizing correct company users when using optical character recognition (OCR). G2: 4.4 out of 5 based on around 720 reviews Capterra: 4.4 out of 5 based on around 180 reviews Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Is Rydoo free? You can try Rydoo for free for 14 days. There is no free plan in Rydoo. Where is Rydoo based? Rydoo has offices in Belgium, France, Poland, Brazil, the Philippines, Portugal, and the United States. Bottom Line is an app that can help your company report expenses properly because it has application control features that prevent employees from submitting expenses that violate expense rules. However, it lacks a reimbursement system, so you’ll have to process the checks or automatic deposits elsewhere. Overall, it works best for expense management and control, especially if your business has an accounting software or ERP system.

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Education & Credentials

  • CPA License, Philippines
  • Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy, Silliman University

Personal Quote

The best accounting software program is not the one with the most features. Instead, it’s the one that best fits your needs as a small business.

Favorite Accounting Software

  • FreshBooks
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