Zoho Books is my top QuickBooks alternative because of its scalability and mobile app functionality. Wave is second on my list as it has a free plan, plus a paid plan that is much cheaper than QuickBooks. If you don’t need full bookkeeping software and are looking for the best QuickBooks alternative for sending invoices, I also have recommendations for that.
The best QuickBooks alternatives for small businesses are:
- Zoho Books: Overall best QuickBooks alternative with an outstanding mobile app
- Wave: Best free QuickBooks alternative
- FreshBooks: Best for service-based freelancers
- Xero: Best for unlimited users and managing fixed assets
- Sage 50: Best QuickBooks Desktop alternative for multicompany accounting
- QuickBooks Solopreneur: Best for tracking expenses for Schedule C
Jump to the QuickBooks Invoicing Alternatives if you’re mostly interested in invoicing.
Quick comparison of the best QuickBooks alternatives
Best QuickBooks alternatives
Zoho Books: Best overall QuickBooks alternative with an outstanding mobile app
Pros
- Has a free version for users with less than $50,000 in annual revenues
- Offers scalable pricing plans
- Has an excellent mobile app
- Has a dedicated portal for customers to view and settle invoices
Cons
- Charges an additional fee for more users beyond plan limit
- Only offers project accounting and inventory management in lower plans
- Doesn’t have billing payment features in the Free and Standard plans
- Has limited invoices, expenses, and bills across all plans
Plans pricing |
|
Add-ons pricing |
|
Discount | Annual billing is priced lower than monthly billing |
Free trial | 14 days |
Customer support channels | Phone, live chat, chatbot, email, user community, knowledgebase |
Average user review rating | 4.4 out of 5; read user comments in our review of Zoho Books |
QuickBooks Online | Zoho Books | |
---|---|---|
Track using classes & locations | ✓ | ✓ |
Track inventory costs & units | ✓ | ✓ |
Determine COGS | ✓ | ✓ |
Manual or automatic bank reconciliation | ✓ | ✓ |
Record fixed asset | ✓ | ✓ |
Calculate depreciation of fixed assets | Advanced plan | ✕ |
Calculate gain on sale of fixed asset | Advanced plan | ✕ |
Assign labor & inventory to projects | ✓ | ✓ |
Compare actual & budget project costs | Advanced plan | ✓ |
Zoho Books is my top pick among QuickBooks alternatives because it delivers the same intuitive experience as QuickBooks Online but has a more capable mobile app, which lets you invoice, get paid, track time, scan receipts, and view reports on the go. It also combines ease of use with a smarter pricing model. Unlike QuickBooks, which forces you to upgrade for more users, Zoho lets you stay on your current plan and simply pay $3 per additional user monthly. That kind of flexibility makes it a standout choice for growing businesses that want scalability without runaway costs.
Standout features
- Bills tracking and recurring expenses automation: Ensures bills are paid on time and reduces manual tracking efforts, streamlining financial workflows.
- Direct phone support for paid plans: Offers phone support for all paid plans, providing quick resolutions to user queries; free plan users are limited to email support, which might not be ideal for urgent concerns.
- Easy bank reconciliation: Simplifies the reconciliation process by offering both automated bank feeds and the option to upload statements manually — and this flexibility ensures you maintain accurate and up-to-date financial records with ease.
Use cases
- Individuals needing mobile accounting: Zoho Books tops our list of the leading mobile accounting apps. Its app lets you enter bills, assign expenses to customers and projects, categorize expenses in the bank feed, record time worked, and view reports, making it ideal for QuickBooks users seeking a more capable mobile app.
- Zoho users: Staying within the Zoho environment is ideal for seamless and fast integration. If your business is already using other Zoho products, I highly recommend choosing Zoho Books over QuickBooks Online.
- Freelancers seeking project accounting software: With Zoho Books’ Free plan, businesses with less than $50,000 in annual revenues can enjoy the free plan, which includes useful features for freelancers like creating and sending invoices, tracking time and project expenses to include on invoices, and the ability to manage all your clients in one place.
- Growing businesses: Zoho Books has six pricing tiers that can scale up to 15 users. If you need more, you can add additional seats. Zoho Books wins over QuickBooks Online in scalability.
Zoho Books offers strong mobile access, rich integrations, and powerful reports that serious users need. It beats QuickBooks on pricing with more plans and lets you add users without a forced upgrade. That flexibility makes it ideal for businesses looking to scale. But its short 14-day trial is less generous than QuickBooks’ offers. Support and navigation are also weaker, especially on the free plan.
Wave: Best free QuickBooks alternative
Pros
- Provides a comprehensive free plan for a single user
- Offers straightforward setup
- Allows easy creation and tracking of unpaid bills and invoices
- Captures and scans expense receipts in the free version for an additional fee
- Enables uploading bank statements in the free plan
Cons
- Supports only one user in the free plan
- Doesn’t allow bank account connections in the free version
- Is not ideal for businesses with complex accounting needs, such as inventory tracking, project accounting, or separating expenses by class or location
- Lacks live customer support in the free plan
Plans pricing |
|
Add-ons pricing |
|
Discount | N/A |
Free trial | N/A |
Customer support channels |
|
Average user review rating | 4.38 out of 5; read user comments in our Wave review |
QuickBooks Online | Wave | |
---|---|---|
Track using classes & locations | ✓ | ✕ |
Track inventory costs & units | ✓ | ✕ |
Determine COGS | ✓ | ✕ |
Manual or automatic bank reconciliation | ✓ | ✕ |
Record fixed asset | ✓ | ✕ |
Calculate depreciation of fixed assets | Advanced plan | ✕ |
Calculate gain on sale of fixed asset | Advanced plan | ✕ |
Assign labor & inventory to projects | ✓ | ✕ |
Compare actual & budget project costs | Advanced plan | ✕ |
I chose Wave as the best option if you want a free QuickBooks alternative to manage essentials like categorizing expenses, sending invoices, and tracking unpaid bills — features that QuickBooks doesn’t offer without a paid plan. While Zoho Books includes a free tier, it caps eligibility at $50,000 in annual revenue, making Wave Starter the stronger pick among QuickBooks alternatives due to its no-cost access with no income limits.
Standout features
- Easily manage sales tax: Add sales tax directly to invoices, bills, and estimates for seamless tracking.
- Track invoices with customer profiles: Create profiles to monitor invoice status and streamline client management.
- Receipt scanning with OCR: Use optical character recognition to scan and organize receipts efficiently; receipt scanning is included in the Pro plan.
- Simplify bill management: Record and monitor unpaid bills with ease to stay on top of expenses.
Use cases
- Businesses that don’t need complex accounting software: Wave is best for those with basic accounting needs, like income and expense tracking and invoicing. It doesn’t offer premium features like project accounting, time tracking, and inventory management.
- Entrepreneurs with multiple businesses: Wave’s software can be used for managing multiple companies because it allows you to add an unlimited number of businesses into one account. It also has impressive reporting capabilities for such low-priced software.
- Freelancers and self-employed individuals: Wave is a great fit for freelancers who want a free QuickBooks alternative for managing invoices, expenses, and payments without the complexity of traditional accounting software. It is easy to set up, supports online payments, and provides professional-looking invoices — ideal for solo service providers needing streamlined financial tools without extra costs.
Wave delivers strong value with free accounting and invoicing that QuickBooks doesn’t match. It’s easy to use and works well for small businesses with simple needs. However, it lacks recurring bills, credit memos, and purchase orders, hurting its A/R and A/P score. The banking tools are limited, with no direct bank feeds or check printing. Inventory, mobile access, and support options are also weak.
FreshBooks: Best for service-based freelancers
Pros
- Provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Offers excellent customer service
- Features project accounting with a built-in time tracker
- Delivers outstanding invoice customization features
Cons
- Charges an additional fee for adding more users
- Lacks class tracking for income and expenses
- Can’t assign cash receipts and expenses to multiple bank accounts without a bank feed
Plans pricing |
|
Add-ons pricing |
|
Discount | Varies throughout year, but currently no discount is available |
Free trial | 30 days |
Customer support channels | Self-help library, phone number, chatbot, and community page |
Average user review rating | 4.5 out of 5; read user comments in our FreshBooks review |
QuickBooks Online | FreshBooks | |
---|---|---|
Track using classes & locations | ✓ | ✕ |
Track inventory costs & units | ✓ | ✕ |
Determine COGS | ✓ | ✕ |
Live bank connection | Optional | Required |
Record fixed asset | ✓ | ✕ |
Calculate depreciation of fixed assets | Advanced plan | ✕ |
Calculate gain on sale of fixed asset | Advanced plan | ✕ |
Assign labor & inventory to projects | ✕ | Labor only |
Compare actual & budget project costs | Advanced plan | ✓ |
I like how FreshBooks handles time tracking — it’s fast, simple, and perfect for billing client hours. The timer connects to invoices directly, which saves me time. It’s very beginner-friendly, though some features feel too basic. Expense tracking auto-matches to bank feeds, which is unique and easy to use. But I can’t track account balances until transactions clear, which makes it harder to manage cash flow.
Standout features
- Cheaper QuickBooks alternative: Offers a cost-effective solution for small businesses, particularly for single users managing their finances on a limited budget; the pricing structure makes it accessible for entrepreneurs who need essential accounting features without overspending.
- Customizable invoicing options: Stands out with its robust invoice customization tools, allowing businesses to personalize their invoices with branding, payment terms, and additional details — and this ensures that every invoice looks professional and meets specific business requirements.
- Unlimited invoicing across all plans: Allows you to send unlimited invoices in all plans — and this feature provides flexibility and ensures you can handle growing invoicing needs without worrying about additional costs.
Use cases
- Freelancers and DIY business owners: If you want to DIY bookkeeping to save money, FreshBooks is easy to use even if you don’t have an accounting background. By familiarizing yourself with its modules, you can easily learn how to navigate around FreshBooks.
- Service-based businesses: Since FreshBooks doesn’t have inventory features, its project accounting features suit service-based businesses, especially those that bill by the hour. With FreshBooks’ built-in time tracker, you can easily track time, bill clients, and monitor project income and expenses.
- Contractors and consultants: FreshBooks is a strong choice for independent contractors and consultants needing to track time, manage retainers, and send recurring invoices. Its proposal and estimate features make it easy to scope work and convert estimates into invoices, which is ideal for client-facing work.
I gave FreshBooks top scores for integrations and mobile access, which both worked really well. But pricing is limited since each plan includes only one user and extra users cost more. Banking also scored low because you need a direct bank connection to reconcile accounts. I liked the project tools for tracking estimates vs. actuals, though there’s no inventory tracking. Support and setup were weaker, and tax setup felt too manual to be user-friendly.
Xero: Best for unlimited users & managing fixed assets
Pros
- Supports unlimited users for all plans
- Is more affordable than QuickBooks Online
- Offers extensive integration options within the Xero App Store
- Includes a dedicated fixed asset manager, unlike other software in this guide
Cons
- Lacks popularity in the US
- Offers payroll only via third-party integration with Gusto
- Limits the lowest plan to 20 invoices and five bills
Plans pricing |
|
Add-ons pricing | N/A |
Discount | 95% off for 3 months |
Free trial | 30 days |
Customer support channels | Chatbot, email, and self-help library |
Average user review rating | 4.4 out of 5; read user comments in our Xero review |
QuickBooks Online | Xero | |
---|---|---|
Track using classes & locations | ✓ | ✓ |
Track inventory costs & units | ✓ | ✓ |
Determine COGS | ✓ | ✓ |
Manual bank reconciliation | ✓ | ✓ |
Record fixed asset | ✓ | ✓ |
Calculate depreciation of fixed assets | Advanced plan | ✓ |
Calculate gain on sale of fixed asset | Advanced plan | ✓ |
Assign labor & inventory to projects | ✓ | ✓ |
Compare actual & budget project costs | Advanced plan | ✓ |
I like Xero because it’s affordable, scalable, and doesn’t limit user seats like QuickBooks does. The fixed asset manager is built in, which saves users from paying extra for depreciation tracking. It’s ideal for growing teams that need access without jumping tiers. I also appreciate how Xero keeps pricing simple across all plans. For businesses managing assets, it’s a better deal than QuickBooks, and the unlimited users make collaboration much easier.
Standout features
- Outstanding project accounting: Tracks expenses, revenues, and project profitability in real time.
- Scalable plans for growing businesses: Offers flexible pricing plans that cater to businesses of all sizes, allowing for smooth transitions as your company grows; with unlimited user access included at no extra cost, Xero ensures your accounting system can scale alongside your operations.
- Features inventory and COGS tracking: Simplifies inventory management by providing tools to monitor stock levels, inventory values, and COGS — and it even supports real-time updates to help you maintain accurate records and make informed decisions.
Use cases
- Fixed asset management: Xero is the only software on this list with a dedicated fixed asset manager that can help manage fixed asset information and depreciation schedules. I recommend getting Xero if you need to manage multiple fixed assets.
- Large accounting teams: You don’t have to worry about user limits with this platform. You can add all members of the accounting team within Xero.
- Project accounting: Xero has one of the best project accounting features of the providers in this guide. In our evaluation, it aced this category because it can track and compare costs, assign income and expense to projects, and create project estimates.
Xero scored high for core accounting, A/R, A/P, inventory, and solid reporting tools. It tracks inventory, calculates COGS, and integrates with over 100 apps. I also liked the built-in asset manager, which handles depreciation without an upgrade. But support is limited, and setup isn’t beginner-friendly. The mobile app also lacks key features, so Zoho Books may be better for on-the-go access.
Sage 50: Best QuickBooks Desktop alternative for multicompany accounting
Pros
- Provides consolidated financial statements for multiple companies
- Offers competitive inventory management features
- Integrates with Microsoft 365
Cons
- Is only available to Windows users
- Is challenging for users without solid accounting software experience
- Is not a popular choice with limited support in the US
Plans pricing |
|
Add-ons pricing | N/A |
Discount | Annual billing is priced lower than monthly billing |
Free trial | No free trial, but you can access a free test drive account |
Customer support channels | Phone support, email, live chat, chatbot, and self-help resources |
Average user review rating | 3.9 out of 5; read user comments in our Sage 50 review |
QuickBooks Online | Sage 50cloud | |
---|---|---|
Track using classes & locations | ✓ | ✓ |
Track inventory costs & units | ✓ | ✓ |
Determine COGS | ✓ | ✓ |
Manual bank reconciliation | ✓ | ✓ |
Record fixed asset | ✓ | ✓ |
Calculate depreciation of fixed assets | Advanced plan | ✕ |
Calculate gain on sale of fixed asset | Advanced plan | ✕ |
Assign labor & inventory to projects | ✓ | ✓ |
Compare actual & budget project costs | Advanced Plan | ✕ |
Manually consolidating multiple companies can be a hassle, but I’ve found that Sage 50 makes it incredibly easy. With just a few clicks, parent companies can merge financial statements without the usual headaches. It also offers advanced budgeting tools that are great for setting and tracking financial goals, and it handles foreign currency transactions seamlessly with ASC 830/FAS 52 compliance. With the demise of QuickBooks Desktop for new users, Sage 50 is my top choice for a desktop accounting software.
Standout features
- Industry-specific features: Includes customized tools designed for the construction, manufacturing, and distribution industries — these features address unique challenges (such as job costing for construction, production tracking for manufacturing, and order management for distribution), ensuring that businesses in these sectors have the support they need to operate efficiently.
- Audit trail feature: Provides a clear and secure record of all transactions, helping you stay compliant with regulatory requirements; this tool is invaluable for monitoring changes, detecting errors, and ensuring accountability within financial operations.
- FIFO and LIFO options: Accommodates diverse accounting needs by letting you choose methods, which is particularly beneficial if you manage inventory costs in fluctuating markets or adhere to specific reporting standards.
Use cases
- Multicompany accounting: If your organization owns several businesses or companies, Sage 50 is a good choice for creating consolidated financial statements, something that QuickBooks Online can’t do. Parent companies can merge financial data from subsidiaries quickly and accurately, streamlining reporting and ensuring a comprehensive view of financial performance.
- Businesses seeking special accounting features: Aside from consolidation, Sage 50 has job costing features that can help with accounting for costs on a per-job level.
- Businesses outgrowing QuickBooks: Sage 50 is a solid upgrade for companies hitting QuickBooks’ limitations in areas like inventory, job costing, and consolidated reporting. It supports more complex workflows and provides features like LIFO inventory and advanced user permissions, which many QuickBooks competitors lack.
I gave Sage 50 strong scores for A/P, A/R, project tools, and reporting features. It supports job costing and estimates, which are great for tracking project performance. Integrations are decent, and customer service is available 24/7 by phone or chat. But pricing is steep, especially for teams, and the mobile app is very limited. It’s also harder to set up and use compared to other QuickBooks alternatives.
QuickBooks Solopreneur: Best for tracking expenses for Schedule C
Pros
- Is ideal for tracking personal and business expenses
- Tracks mileage effectively
- Is excellent for invoice creation and tracking
Cons
- Lacks full bookkeeping capabilities
- Is unsuitable for self-employed individuals selling inventory
- Cannot generate financial statements
Plans pricing | $20 per month |
Add-ons pricing | N/A |
Discount | 50% off for three months |
Free trial | 30 days |
Customer support channels | Live chat, chatbot, online resources, and community forum |
Average user review rating | 3.9 out of 5 based on around 100 reviews on Capterra |
QuickBooks Online | QuickBooks Solopreneur | |
---|---|---|
Track using classes & locations | ✓ | ✕ |
Track inventory costs & units | ✓ | ✕ |
Determine COGS | ✓ | ✕ |
Manual bank reconciliation | ✓ | ✕ |
Record fixed asset | ✓ | ✕ |
Calculate depreciation of fixed assets | Advanced plan | ✕ |
Calculate gain on sale of fixed asset | Advanced plan | ✕ |
Assign labor & inventory to projects | ✓ | ✕ |
Compare actual & budget project costs | Advanced plan | ✕ |
I included QuickBooks Solopreneur on this list because it’s an excellent option for self-employed individuals looking to track income and expenses for reporting on Schedule C of their tax returns. Although it’s a QuickBooks product, it is entirely separate from QuickBooks Online and comes at a much lower cost. One standout feature is its ability to separate business and personal expenses, making it ideal for those who combine their business and personal expenses in a single bank account.
Standout features
- Categorize income and expenses with ease: Lets you categorize income and expenses within QuickBooks Solopreneur, which is the primary feature needed for Schedule C filers.
- IRS-aligned classification: Automatically classifies income and expenses into categories that match IRS Schedule C requirements, simplifying tax preparation.
- Mileage deduction tracking: Automatically calculates mileage deductions for all work-related trips, ensuring you maximize tax savings without extra effort.
Use cases
- Freelancers using the same bank account for personal and business use: QuickBooks Solopreneur lets you categorize personal and business transactions. This feature can help you keep track of items that should or should not be included in tax returns.
- Individuals preferring easy-to-use software: Since QuickBooks Solopreneur is not a full accounting software, it’s easier to use than QuickBooks Online. It’s perfect for freelancers who don’t have to track A/R and A/P.
I didn’t fully rate QuickBooks Solopreneur since it can’t track assets or liabilities. It earned solid marks for pricing and tools like invoicing and mileage tracking. But banking is too basic, and it lost TurboTax transfer support. QuickBooks Online is better for COGS, inventory, and projects. For full accounting, other QuickBooks alternatives are stronger choices, especially for growing businesses that need more than basic tracking.
My methodology for the best QuickBooks alternatives
I rated all the accounting software on this list based on their capabilities to be a substitute for QuickBooks. Moreover, I included the insights I gathered from our case study to show you what I think about these solutions based on the case study criteria.
5% of Overall Score
We first determined a pricing score by assessing the software’s price for one, three, and five users. We also considered whether there was a free trial, monthly pricing, and a discount for new customers. After determining the pricing score, we assigned a value score based on the pricing score and the solution’s total score across all categories except Value.
5% of Overall Score
We evaluated general features like the flexibility of the chart of accounts, the ability to add and restrict the rights of users, and how your information can be shared with an external bookkeeper. We also searched for ways to provide more granular information like class and location tracking and custom tags.
10% of Overall Score
This assessed the ability to print checks, establish live bank feeds, and import bank transactions from a file. We also looked closely at the bank reconciliation feature. We wanted to see the ability to reconcile bank accounts with or without imported bank transactions and a list of book transactions that have not yet cleared the bank.
10% of Overall Score
In addition to the basics of issuing invoices and collecting customer payments, we evaluated the software’s ability to create customized invoices. We also assessed whether it could handle non-routine transactions like short payments, credit memos, and the refund of credit balances in customer accounts.
10% of Overall Score
The A/P score consisted of the basics like tracking unpaid bills, recording vendor credits, and short-paying invoices, but it also included some more advanced features—such as paying bills electronically, creating recurring expenses, and working with purchase orders. Receipt capture and the ability to automatically generate bills from captured receipts were also part of our A/P evaluation.
10% of Overall Score
10% of Overall Score
At the very least, we looked for software that could create multiple projects and separately assign income and expenses to those projects. We also searched for the ability to create estimates and assign those estimates to projects. Ideally, the program would then compare the actual expenses to the costs on the original estimate.
5% of Overall Score
Software should be able to track sales tax for multiple jurisdictions with varying tax rates. It’s helpful to have a function to easily record the remittance of the sales tax by jurisdiction. The very best tool will also help determine which jurisdictions sales are taxable to based on the address of the customer or delivery.
10% of Overall Score
I evaluated basic financial reports (such as a balance sheet, income statement, and general ledger) and common management reports (like A/R and A/P aging).
5% of Overall Score
Ideally, a mobile app should have all the same features as the computer platform, including the ability to capture receipts, send invoices, receive payments, enter and pay bills, and view reports.
5% of Overall Score
While it’s nice to have as many integrations as possible, we focused our evaluation on the four integrations we believe are most critical for small businesses: payroll, online payment collection, sales tax filing, and time tracking.
10% of Overall Score
The largest component of usability is the ability to find bookkeeping assistance when users have questions. This could be in the form of a bookkeeping service directly from the software provider or from independent bookkeepers familiar with the program. Other components of usability include customer service and ease of use.
5% of Overall Score
Our user review score is the average user review score reported by Capterra and G2. Other review sites might be used if a score from Capterra or G2 is unavailable.
Best QuickBooks invoicing alternatives
QuickBooks Online is a well-rounded accounting software, but it can be excessive if you’re just looking for an invoicing solution. With that, here are some invoicing software that you may want to pick instead for invoicing alone:
- Invoicera: Best standalone invoicing software
- Zoho Invoice: Best free standalone invoicing software
- Square Invoices: Best for businesses processing infrequent transactions
Monthly pricing | Number of users | Completely customize invoices | Mobile invoicing | Create recurring invoices | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
$35 to $235 | 1 to 25 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
$19 to $149 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Free | 1 to 20 | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | |
$0 to $20 or custom | 1 only | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Invoicera: Best standalone invoicing software as an alternative to QuickBooks
Pros
- Lets you manage multiple companies with one account
- Includes expense management features
- Tracks staff time and expenses by project
- Supports multicurrency and multilingual invoicing
Cons
- Is unable to track time from the mobile app
- Can be expensive for businesses with more than 20 users
- Limits the number of billable clients per plan
Plans pricing |
|
Add-ons pricing | Additional clients can be added to any plan and additional users can be added to all plans except Starter.
|
Discount | Annual billing is lower than monthly billing |
Free trial | 7 days |
Customer support channels | Phone and email support, live chat, online support tickets, and self-help guides |
Average user review rating | 4.7 of 5, see what users have said in our Invoicera review |
I picked Invoicera as the top invoicing-only QuickBooks alternative for its customizability and billing features. It handles recurring invoices, expenses, and multi-currency well. I also like its flexible templates and broad payment integrations. But it doesn’t support live bank feeds or core bookkeeping tools. That makes it less suitable for full accounting compared to other QuickBooks alternatives.
Invoicera stood out for advanced invoicing and strong customization, great for complex workflows. I liked the approval system that lets teams review and approve invoices before sending. Its mobile app also works well, offering useful tools on the go. But pricing is less competitive with no free plan or new-user discounts. Bookkeeping is limited too, unless paired with software like QuickBooks Online.
Zoho Invoice: Best free standalone invoicing software
Pros
- Integrates with Zoho’s other specialty apps, including Zoho Books and Zoho CRM
- Offers project and time management features
- Is free forever with no ads or in-app purchases
- Has customizable invoices
Cons
- Lacks approval workflows for issuing invoices
- Can manage outgoing invoices only
Plans pricing | Free forever; no credit card required to sign up and no ads or in-app purchases; you’ll have access to all features, including invoicing, expense tracking, and project management |
Add-ons pricing | N/A |
Discount | N/A |
Free trial | N/A; software is free |
Customer support channels | Phone, email, chatbot, and self-help library |
Average user review rating | 4.7 out of 5; check out users’ insights in our Zoho Invoice review |
I chose Zoho Invoice as the best free invoicing software because it’s feature-rich without costing anything. It supports professional invoices, multiple currencies, and tax rules across markets. The dashboard is clean and keeps financial info easy to follow. It lacks accounting tools but pairs well with Zoho Books for that. The client portal is a bonus for sharing docs and improving client communication.
Zoho Invoice scored high for invoicing and customization, especially impressive for a free tool. But it lacks built-in accounting, so you need Zoho Books to handle bookkeeping. QuickBooks includes accounting features out of the box, making it easier to use. Support is also limited, with no phone or live chat help available. If service matters most, FreshBooks is a stronger pick for live agent access.
Square Invoices: Best for businesses processing infrequent transactions
Pros
- Offers features for estimates, signatures, and tracking invoices and payments
- Is free to use with predictable payment processing fees
- Is seamlessly compatible with Square’s suite of business tools
- Saves customer profiles and payment information
- Provides the best invoice customization among all providers reviewed in this guide
Cons
- Lacks a built-in expense tracking tool
- Requires a paid upgrade to Square Invoices Plus for some features
- Offers less competitive pricing for high-volume businesses compared with other providers
Plans pricing |
Both tiers allow you to add an unlimited number of users. |
Add-ons pricing | N/A |
Discount | N/A |
Free trial | 30 days |
Customer support channels | Automated chat assistant and phone support |
Average user review rating | 4.7 of 5; see what users have said in our Square Invoices review |
I like Square Invoices for its ease of use and free access, great for small or part-time businesses. It offers customer profiles, reminders, and estimate-to-invoice automation. Its pricing is clear and fair, even if not the cheapest. Payment options like buy now, pay later (BNPL) and ACH payments add flexibility for customers. It also integrates well with Square POS and Payments for a smooth business setup.
Square Invoices earned strong scores for customization, mobile tools, and transparent pricing. I liked the template flexibility and ease of adding branding elements. But support is weak without email help, and the interface isn’t the most intuitive. It also lacks accounting features, so you’ll need another tool for bookkeeping. For all-in-one needs, I’d go with something like Zoho Books instead.
My methodology for the best QuickBooks invoicing alternatives
I evaluated all the invoicing software based on their ability to be a QuickBooks substitute. Here are the criteria that I used in evaluating QuickBooks invoicing alternatives:
10% of Overall Score
The most important factor in our pricing score is the monthly cost of the program. However, we also considered any limitations on transactions, vendors, or customers. Finally, we scored platforms that offer a monthly option higher.
25% of Overall Score
A fully customizable invoicing software allows you to upload your company logo, select from various invoice templates, change invoice colors, edit invoice fields, and add personalized messages to customers.
25% of Overall Score
We looked into essential invoicing features, like the ability to create recurring invoices and set up automatic payment reminders.
10% of Overall Score
Along with subjective evaluation by our accounting experts, the ease-of-use score indicates whether the software is cloud-based. Other components include whether it requires a third-party bookkeeping software integration.
5% of Overall Score
A mobile accounting app comes in handy for businesses that need to send invoices on the go.
15% of Overall Score
A good invoicing software must also provide sufficient customer support options for users, like phone support and live chat.
10% of Overall Score
We gathered average review ratings of all providers from leading user review sites.
How to Select a QuickBooks Alternative
It’s important to consider your specific business needs, budget, and desired features. Here are some suggestions:
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
QuickBooks isn’t a one-size-fits-all accounting software. While it is our top-recommended small business accounting software, the subscription cost can be a major factor in why you should look for an alternative. Moreover, its features may be too complex for your needs.
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. You can check out our guide on how to find a QuickBooks ProAdvisor.
We recommend Wave as the best free alternative to QuickBooks because it has a free plan for invoicing and accounting. Read our review of Wave for more information about its features.
Bottom line
QuickBooks 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 option that will better meet your needs.