The best accounting software for handyman businesses should have features like project accounting, income and expense tracking, financial reporting, and time tracking. Since many handyperson businesses handle client projects, the ability to manage project costs and bill clients should also be present. With that in mind, here are the five best handyman accounting software:
- Zoho Books: Best overall handyman accounting software with strong mobile accounting
- QuickBooks Online: Best for handyman businesses with employees and those seeking professional bookkeeping support
- FreshBooks: Best for handyman businesses requiring strong project management tools, especially those with only one or two users
- ZipBooks: Most affordable bookkeeping software for handyman businesses with basic project accounting
- Wave: Best free accounting software for handyman businesses that don’t require project accounting
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Our experts developed a special scoring rubric that allows us to objectively assess every handyperson accounting software we review. We carefully identify the essential features crucial to handyperson businesses, and we evaluate whether these features are offered in the top accounting platforms we recommend. This allows us to provide unbiased insights and accurate recommendations based on the unique needs of your business—aligning with our Fit Small Business Editorial Policy.
Best Handyman Accounting Software: Quick Comparison
Zoho Books: Best Overall Handyman Accounting Software With Strong Mobile Accounting
Pros
- Has a powerful mobile application that lets you invoice clients, record time worked, track mileage, and more (beneficial for fieldwork)
- Offers a free plan for handyperson businesses with $50,000 or less in annual revenue
- Is packed with many features but is more affordable than other similar full-featured software
- Allows you to add more users above plan limits for $3 per user, per month
- Has outstanding customer support options, including phone and live chat
Cons
- Doesn’t allow you to track projects in Free and Standard plans
- Has a limited support network of Zoho Advisors; may be difficult to seek professional help if needed
- Lacks fixed asset accounting features
- Requires a third-party integration to pay employees
Zoho Books offers a free plan for businesses that have $50,000 or less in annual revenue and five paid subscription options. Project accounting is included only in the Professional and higher plans.
- Free: $0 for one user, 1,000 invoices per year, and annual revenue of $50,000 or less
- Standard: $20 per month for three users and 5,000 invoices per year
- Professional: $50 per month for five users and unlimited invoices
- Premium: $70 per month for 10 users
- Elite: $150 per month for 10 users
- Ultimate: $275 per month for 15 users
All plans come with a 14-day trial, and we recommend a Professional subscription for handyperson business accounting. You can add additional users for $3 each monthly.
The accounting features of Zoho Books are comparable to QuickBooks Online, but Zoho is more affordable and generally has better customer support than QuickBooks. It has a free plan that is most likely adequate for handyperson businesses with $50,000 or less in revenue and those that primarily handle small repairs or maintenance tasks.
Zoho Books is renowned for its powerful mobile accounting app, which is packed with many features, including the ability to invoice clients, accept payments, and track mileage. The app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices, also allows you to record time worked—making it ideal for handyperson businesses that bill their clients on an hourly basis. These features are why Zoho Books leads our roundup of the best mobile accounting apps.
Despite Zoho Books’ outstanding features, some freelance handyperson businesses might find Zoho Books too much for their needs. By getting Zoho Books Professional, you get features like custom workflows and recurring journals, which might not be necessary for part-time handyperson businesses. We instead recommend FreshBooks and ZipBooks if you need scaled-down alternatives. Also, if you want to work with a local bookkeeper, QuickBooks Online is a better option since you might have difficulty finding a Zoho Advisor in the United States.
QuickBooks Online: Best for Handyman Businesses With Employees and Those Seeking Professional Bookkeeping Support
Pros
- Has a vast network of QuickBooks ProAdvisors, making it easy to seek professional bookkeeping support
- Provides direct integration with QuickBooks Payroll to manage your employees
- Allows you to track activity by location and classes; ideal for handyperson businesses offering different service lines and operating in multiple locations
- Lets you track mileage using the mobile app
- Allows you to quickly add billable time and materials to invoices
Cons
- Doesn’t allow you to track time through the mobile app unless you purchase the QuickBooks Workforce (formerly QuickBooks Time) mobile app
- Requires at least the Plus plan for project accounting and class and location tracking
- Is a bit more expensive than other similar software; has no free plan like Zoho Books
QuickBooks Online offers four subscription options. Only Plus and Advanced offer the ability to track income and expenses by project, and the most recommended plan for handyperson businesses is Plus:
- Simple Start: $30 per month for one user
- Essentials: $60 per month for up to three users
- Plus: $90 per month for up to five users
- Advanced: $200 per month for up to 25 users
You can try QuickBooks Online for free for 30 days, then pay the regular monthly price. Otherwise, you can buy QuickBooks Online now and get 50% off for three months plus a free guided setup.
Most handyperson businesses may not have the expertise or time to manage their books, so QuickBooks Online, our best small business accounting software, can be of great help with its assisted bookkeeping options. It stands out with its vast network of QuickBooks ProAdvisors, meaning help is easily accessible whenever needed. Whether you are always busy with fieldwork or you have complex expense structures, it’s easy to find a QuickBooks ProAdvisor to help you manage all your accounting tasks.
Another option is to sign up for QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping, which provides you access to a dedicated bookkeeper for personalized bookkeeping assistance. They can help you with various tasks, such as categorizing financial transactions, reconciling bank accounts, and generating advanced reports. See how it can benefit your handyperson business in our QuickBooks Live Bookkeeping review.
QuickBooks Online is also great for those with employees because of its direct integration with QuickBooks Payroll. With QuickBooks Payroll, you can manage employees’ compensations, pay them through checks or deposits, manage tax payments and filings, and more. Learn more in our QuickBooks Payroll review.
On the downside, QuickBooks Online might be expensive for freelance handyperson businesses—and our recommended alternatives are FreshBooks and ZipBooks. Pick FreshBooks if you handle complex projects because of its project accounting features. Meanwhile, ZipBooks is suitable for businesses accepting simple projects and minor repairs.
FreshBooks: Best for Handyman Businesses Requiring Strong Project Management Tools, Especially Those With One or Two Users
Pros
- Is focused on service-based rather than product-based businesses due to its strong project accounting features, making it ideal for handyman businesses
- Allows you to track time for billable hours and add time entries to invoices easily
- Enables you to track mileage using the app
- Provides extensive customer support options, including phone support and live chat
Cons
- Includes only one user in the base price of all plans; additional users are $11 each per month
- Doesn’t allow you to track income and expenses by class and location
- Doesn’t let you track bank account balances without establishing a bank feed connection
FreshBooks plans are only for one user. Project accounting requires the Premium plan.
- Lite: $19 per month for five billable clients
- Plus: $33 per month for 15 billable clients
- Premium: $60 per month for unlimited billable clients
- Select: Custom priced
There is a 30-day free trial for the Lite, Plus, and Premium plans. Also, you can add more users for $11 each per month.
FreshBooks is one of our best accounting software for handyman businesses due to its strong project management features. You can send and create proposals quickly without having to start with a blank document on Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Once approved, you can convert the proposal to an invoice. It also allows you to track time for projects and easily convert those time entries to invoices.
When providing estimates to clients, handyperson businesses can use FreshBooks to create detailed project cost breakdowns. Once the project is completed, they can compare their estimates to their actual project costs and see which types of projects are consistently more profitable. This helps handyman businesses adjust their pricing or service offerings accordingly.
Although its project accounting is outstanding, it may not be a good pick for large businesses because FreshBooks’s banking features aren’t flexible. It requires a bank feed connection to specify which bank account receives deposits or pays expenses. While this is a very unusual cash flow feature, it does prevent users from mistakenly posting a payment to the wrong bank account. Zoho Books and QuickBooks Online are our recommended alternatives for large handyperson businesses dealing with a large volume of financial transactions.
ZipBooks: Most Affordable Bookkeeping Software for Handyman Businesses With Basic Project Accounting
Pros
- Lets you track income and expense by project for only $35 per month
- Offers assisted bookkeeping services for handyperson businesses needing professional support
- Supports an unlimited number of users in the Sophisticated and Accountant plans
Cons
- Cannot compare actual to estimated project costs
- Is the only accounting software on this list with no mobile application
- Has no integration for electronic payments to vendors and suppliers
You can try ZipBooks’ paid plans for 30 days. Only the Sophisticated plan offers project tracking.
- Starter: Free for unlimited invoices for one user
- Smarter: $15 per month for five users
- Sophisticated: $35 per month for unlimited users
The features in the free Starter plan are extremely limited, and we think Wave is a much better option if you’re looking for free software.
ZipBooks offers assisted bookkeeping services with prices starting at $125 per month.
ZipBooks can track income and expenses by project using custom tags in the Sophisticated plan for only $35 per month for unlimited users. This feature is most likely sufficient for handyman businesses that often handle simple projects, such as those that provide painting services and home repairs. If you only need a time tracking tool without advanced project tracking, then ZipBooks’ Smarter plan at $15 monthly might be enough.
A drawback to using ZipBooks is that it cannot assign estimates to projects, so you’ll need to use another tool to compare estimated and actual expenses per project or consider an alternative like QuickBooks Online. Also, ZipBooks has no mobile accounting app, which can be a problem for handyperson businesses that are often on the go. If mobile accounting is important to you, we recommend Zoho Books.
Wave: Best Free Accounting Software for Handyman Businesses That Don’t Require Project Accounting
Pros
- Is completely free for accounting and invoicing
- Is easy to set up and use―even for beginners
- Supports an unlimited number of users
- Allows you to set up roles with different access levels
Cons
- Cannot track income and expenses by project
- Has limited customer support options; no phone support
- Has no paid plans to upgrade to once you outgrow its features
- Doesn’t allow you to track time
Wave is free for accounting and invoicing. Charges apply for the following services:
- Wave Receipts: $8 per month for unlimited receipt scans via their mobile app
- Bank payments: 1% per transaction but a minimum of $1 fee
- Credit card payment processing: 2.9% plus 60 cents per transaction or 3.4% plus 60 cents per AMEX transaction
- Wave Payroll: $40 monthly for tax service states or $20 for self-service states, plus $6 per month per active employee or independent contractor (read our Wave Payroll review to learn more)
- Wave Advisor: $149 monthly for bookkeeping support
- Accounting and payroll coaching: $379 per coaching session and email support
If you don’t need to track profitability by project, Wave is a great free option. It allows you to track income and expenses, send unlimited invoices, and track basic receivables from customers and payables to suppliers. You can also connect your bank accounts to the program for automated transaction import.
Unfortunately, it lacks many features essential for handyman businesses, including project accounting and time tracking. Additionally, there’s no option to upgrade to a paid plan if you want more features. Once you outgrow its features, you have no choice but to upgrade to a new accounting software.
How We Evaluated Accounting Software for Handyman Business
We evaluated the best handyman accounting software using the scoring rubric below.
10% of Overall Score
The price of software is an important factor for some handyperson businesses on a tight budget. We prefer accounting software that is affordable yet has many useful features.
20% of Overall Score
The general accounting features of top accounting software for handyman businesses should enable users to manage vendors and customers, track outstanding balances, scan and read receipts, and create recurring expenses. These are important for the daily accounting tasks of the handyman business.
35% of Overall Score
Handypersons need to manage projects, create project reports and estimates, and track time. Since handyman jobs are project-based, project accounting features weigh heavily in our evaluation.
10% of Overall Score
Since handyman businesses work with clients, a decent mobile app should accompany them wherever they need to go. The app must have accounting features, time tracking functionality, and even mileage tracking.
10% of Overall Score
Most handyperson businesses don’t have accounting expertise, so it’s important to choose a handyman accounting software that is easy to set up and use. We awarded extra points to cloud-based software because of the accessible and user-friendly interfaces.
10% of Overall Score
Users should be able to easily contact the provider for support through various channels, like phone and email and live chat. It’s also helpful if there are sufficient self-help resources for minor issues.
5% of Overall Score
We considered actual reviews from users to reflect the true value of the software in our evaluation. We used scores from reputable user review websites as a basis for this criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Accounting software can help handyperson businesses bill the right amount to their clients. With features like income and expense tracking and project accounting, your business can optimize the right amount of client fees, include billable expenses to client billings, assess the performance of client projects, and capture deductions for tax purposes.
Project accounting, financial reporting, and income and expense tracking are the most important features to look for in a small business handyperson accounting software.
Bottom Line
The best accounting software for handyman businesses should help business owners track the profitability, performance, and financial condition of their operations. It must have a set of general accounting and project management features that make it easier for business owners to manage their business’s resources and make guided decisions.