The best accounting software for trucking businesses should make it easy to manage loads, expenses, and receivables. Equally important, the software must provide the ability to run detailed reports for billing customers, paying drivers, and filing International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) reports.
Keeping accurate and detailed information on mileage and trips is important―whether you’re an owner-operator or running a small trucking business. Of all the available products on the market, we’ve narrowed it down to provide you with this list of the best four trucking accounting software options.
Top 4 Trucking Accounting Software 2020
Trucking Accounting Software | Best For |
|---|---|
(Best overall) Trucking businesses that need an entire operations management solution | |
Owner-operators who need a mobile accounting and tracking solution | |
Midsized and growing trucking operations | |
Trucking companies that need detailed IFTA tracking and reporting |
Q7: Best Overall Trucking Accounting Software
 | Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Training and technical support are included | Site software is not compatible with macOS | |
Fully featured general ledger and journal entries | You must contact the vendor for pricing | |
Accounts receivable and payable features as well as account reconciliations | No free trial | |
Pricing
| ||
Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Training and technical support are included | Site software is not compatible with macOS |
Fully featured general ledger and journal entries | You must contact the vendor for pricing |
Accounts receivable and payable features as well as account reconciliations | No free trial |
Pricing:
| |
Q7 is an all-inclusive trucking management system from Frontline Software Technology. With Q7, you can manage dispatch, fuel, inventory, mileage, employees, and vehicle information all in one interface. The Q7 software was built as one program from the ground up so that you get a robust accounting experience that seamlessly integrates with the other operational functions of the software package instead of having several different modules that you have to log in and out of to perform different tasks in the software.
QuickBooks Online: Best for Owner-operators Who Need a Mobile Solution
 | Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Mileage tracking | Industry-specific tools | |
Integrates with trucking apps | Requires additional setup for trucking use | |
Cloud-based access from anywhere | Built-in dispatching tools | |
Pricing
| ||
Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Mileage tracking | Industry-specific tools |
Integrates with trucking apps | Requires additional setup for trucking use |
Cloud-based access from anywhere | Built-in dispatching tools |
Pricing:
| |
QuickBooks Online is versatile accounting software used by many businesses worldwide. With its extensive app marketplace, you can build a solution that works for your trucking business without the hassle of using multiple software packages. You can cover dispatching with apps like Breezeworks and integrate with trucking industry tools like PortPro and RAMA Logistics Software. Most apps in the Intuit Marketplace are subscription-based and come with an additional fee. For that reason, you should include the cost of any apps you want to use when deciding what fits in your bookkeeping software budget.
Axon: Best for Midsized or Growing Trucking Companies
 | Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Real-time accounting software | You have to contact the vendor for pricing | |
Easy payroll processing | Tax tasks can be difficult | |
Includes accounts payable and accounts receivable | On-site installation only | |
Pricing
| ||
Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Real-time accounting software | You have to contact the vendor for pricing |
Easy payroll processing | Tax tasks can be difficult |
Includes accounts payable and accounts receivable | On-site installation only |
Pricing:
| |
Axon Software is a great choice for a midsized or growing trucking operation. It is all-inclusive and comes with easy to use payroll tools for paying employees, owner-operators, carriers, and reimbursing expenses. Axon’s accounting features include order management, invoicing, bank reconciliations, and in-depth reports, to name a few. Financial reporting offers profit and loss, income, and balance sheet reports as well as detailed transaction information.
TruckingOffice: Best for Detailed IFTA Tracking & Reporting
 | Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Made specifically for trucking operations | Lacks some freight functionality | |
Includes logistics management tools | Does not accept electronic payments on invoices | |
Integrates with PC*MILER routing and mileage add-on | Cannot email invoices from within the software | |
Pricing Basic (Full Truck Load Hauling Only)
| ||
Features We Like | What’s Missing |
Made specifically for trucking operations | Lacks some freight functionality |
Includes logistics management tools | Does not accept electronic payments on invoices |
Integrates with PC*MILER routing and mileage add-on | Cannot email invoices from within the software |
Pricing:
| |
TruckingOffice’s Truck Management Software (TMS) is a great way to track all the details of your trucking business. It is a cloud-based solution, so you can access it from anywhere with any internet-ready device. The TMS package is largely concentrated on tracking all the information you need for extremely accurate IFTA tax filing. You can pull basic financial reports from the software, but don’t expect a profit and loss, income statement, or balance sheet from this software package.
How We Evaluated Trucking Accounting Software
Accounting software for the trucking industry should allow for dispatch and order management as well as fuel, mileage, and load/freight tracking. The best trucker accounting software will allow you to track all of these things in detail so your reporting can be as detailed and accurate as possible. For example, having the ability to generate a trip report that includes all expenses for a load is key. Another example is the software must have the ability to track the details of a load so IFTA reports can be filed. All of the products discussed in this article take these unique requirements into consideration.
We evaluated each product on our list of top four trucker accounting software based on cost, user-friendliness, customer reviews, and the following key features:
- Load tracking: Track detailed information for each load, including delivery date and time, truck information, driver details, and expenses
- Trip reports: Run a report that includes all expenses, vehicle mileage and maintenance for each trip so you can bill customers, pay drivers, and do IFTA reporting
- Expense tracking: Keep track of tolls, parking, fuel, and other expenses for each trip
- Income tracking: Bill customers immediately after a load has been delivered or soon thereafter
- IFTA tracking and reporting: Track all of the required data by a municipality to complete the quarterly filing of the IFTA reports.
Bottom Line
Truck drivers and fleet managers encounter accounting and reporting needs that are specific to the trucking industry. Because of that, it’s important to find an accounting solution that provides everything you need or integrates with other applications to create a useful package for you and your business. Our list of the four best trucking accounting software options has a wide range of features and prices, allowing you to pick the one that works best for you.
Of the four products on our list, we recommend Q7 as the best overall trucking accounting solution. Not only does it include robust accounting tools, but it also provides the functionality you need to stay on top of the most important parts of your business.
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