Nowadays we don’t have any time to lose at all — and this is especially true if you are running a business. And preparing your books is anything but fun. Thankfully, you can avoid that tediously long process by using an online accounting solution. However, there are so many accounting software solutions with different features, pricing plans etc. that it is virtually impossible to pick the right one. Well, not anymore!
Through this handy side-by-side comparison you will be able to cut the Gordian Knot and choose your ideal solution. You will find information about what to do before you start your search, and how you should choose your online accounting software candidates. Once you have them, you can check out our comparison chart, the comparison articles and the reviews of different accounting solutions. Finally you can find some more advice on getting the most out of free trials and how to turn your software into a true virtual assistant.
To determine the best accounting software, we researched more than 20 programs and applications before deciding on the top eight. We chose these based on the features and functions specifically designed for small business owners, how easy they are to use, cost, and more. Here are our top picks. Best Accounting Software. Best Overall: FreshBooks. Comparing Accounting Software For Your Business Every business, no matter how small, should have an accounting process, and we believe accounting software is the best way to go. Accounting software allows you to organize your business finances, perform key insights into your business spending and earnings, and stay compliant with taxes. The internet is your friend when it comes to finding detailed information on accounting packages. Comparison charts. There are plenty of websites that offer comparison charts for accounting packages they recommend. We have an accounting software comparison chart here, as well, so make sure to include that in your research.
Main Features | FreshBooks | QuickBooks Online | Sage Business Cloud Accounting |
Logo | |||
Rating | |||
Reviews | |||
Visit | |||
Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial |
Coupons | Coupons | Coupons | Coupons |
# Users | 5 | Up to 25 | Unlimited |
# Clients | 500 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Invoicing | |||
Expense Tracking | |||
Time Tracking | |||
Quote Management | |||
Bill Management | |||
Recurring Billing | |||
Time Sheet Sharing | |||
Taxing | |||
Multiple Tax Rates | |||
Multi-Currency | |||
Bank Imports | |||
Backups | |||
Clients Portal | |||
1099s Printing |
Mobile | FreshBooks | QuickBooks Online | Sage Business Cloud Accounting |
Mobile-Friendly Site | Tablet | ||
iOS App | |||
Android App | |||
Windows Mobile App | |||
Time Tracking | Coming soon | ||
Receipt Processing | iOS | ||
Customer Management | |||
Invoicing |
Integrations & Extra Services | FreshBooks | QuickBooks Online | Sage Business Cloud Accounting |
Paper Invoice Service | |||
Check Printing | |||
Accountant Access | |||
Google Apps | |||
Salesforce | |||
Credit Card Payments | |||
E-Commerce, POS | |||
Payroll Processing | |||
Inventory Management | |||
Document Management | G Suite | ||
Lead Tracking | |||
API |
Pricing | FreshBooks | QuickBooks Online | Sage Business Cloud Accounting |
Lowest Price | $15/mo | $10.36/mo | $10/mo |
1 Month Plan | $15/mo | $12.95/mo | $10/mo |
3 Months Plan | n/a | n/a | n/a |
6 Months Plan | n/a | n/a | n/a |
1 Year Plan | n/a | $11.49/mo ($137.95) | n/a |
Free Trial | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
Free Plan | |||
Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 60 days |
Payment Options | FreshBooks | QuickBooks Online | Sage Business Cloud Accounting |
Visa | |||
PayPal | |||
Mastercard | |||
American Express | |||
Wire Transfer |
Customer Support | FreshBooks | QuickBooks Online | Sage Business Cloud Accounting |
24/7 Support | |||
FAQ | |||
Tutorials | |||
Video Tutorials | FreshBooks Classic | ||
Live Chat | |||
Phone | |||
Community | |||
Training Events | |||
Google+ |
QuickBooks GoPayment – Best accounting integration. The Chip and Magstripe Reader is even compatible with QuickBooks Desktop 2018+ software via USB cable. In other words, you can actually.
About | FreshBooks | QuickBooks Online | Sage Business Cloud Accounting |
Headquarters | Canada/Ontario | California | United Kingdom |
Founded | 2003 | 1983 | 1981 |
Languages | EN | EN, FR, DE, IT, ES, CH | EN, FR, DE, ES, PT, NL |
Comparison Guide
Beverage: Understanding Online Accounting Software
Before you start looking for the ideal software, you have to understand what an online accounting solution is. Once of the best places to start is our FAQ in which we thoroughly answer all of the most frequent and important questions about accounting software. You can also read our glossaries about upcoming reviews of online accounting solutions, or check out various guides in different topics like the safety of the cloud-based software, what kind of third-party tools can be integrated into accounting solutions, what are the pros of using this software instead of Excel spreadsheets, and whom do we recommend such a solution.
Appetizer: Choosing the Features
Once you understood the basics of an online accounting solution it is time to sit down and think about what you need. And we are not talking about the software – at least for now – but the features you will need. There are plenty of online accounting solutions, plenty of pricing plans, and, obviously, plenty of features to choose from. If you don’t know which feature is mandatory and which one would be a fifth wheel, you might end up spending a fortune on a premium accounting solution full of features the 2/3 of which will never be used.
Thus only after you decided which features you can proceed with the search for the ideal accounting solution. And we will help you make this step too through the nice comparison chart you see above and our other comparisons in which we let two companies face each other.
First Dish: Digging Into Reviews
Compare Accounting Software Via Connect
After you are through our comparisons, memorize the most sympathetic online accounting solutions and check out their respective reviews. In these reviews, written by accounting software experts and fellow users, you will find more detailed information about the developer of the software and some of its main features. You can find out whether the software is available on mobile platforms, how many and what kind of third party services you can integrate into the solution, and what our thoughts are about the customer support. And last, but not least, you can see screenshots from the software itself and you can compare the different pricing plans with the help of a detailed pricing chart.
Second Dish: Giving it a Spin
Has one of the online accounting solutions convinced you? Or you still have doubts about a chosen software? Then fear not, because you have still one chance before making the decision and purchasing the accounting solution: the free trials.
What are those? Well, consider them as the demos or the business cards of the online accounting companies. Remember that these companies want to convince you that their solutions are the best; therefore they allow you to use their top product for a limited amount of time without being obliged to pay a subscription fee. This is also a perfect way to take the software for a test drive: you can check all the features you have read about in our reviews and form your own opinion about the online accounting solution. Thus you can already start using the software if you like it, and you only have to start paying for the accounting company’s services after the trial period expires — which is usually 14 to 30 days. And if you change your mind, just terminate your account and try out another software.
Dessert: Getting the Best Deal
Now that you know the basics of online accounting software, know about the key differences between a handful of companies of interest, studied the comparison chart, read the thorough reviews, selected the most sympathetic accounting solution and you already took it for a test drive, you have nothing else to do but to purchase the software and enjoy the ride. But before you do that, check out our coupons and special offers: by doing so you will find the latest information about discounted pricing packages, special deals and many more.
Accounting Software
So without further ado, let us wish you good luck with your new online accounting software. But before you go, one more thing: do not forget that these software are capable of integrating with hundreds of other, third-party software. Alongside the handy mobile applications, these integrated services can turn your accounting solution into true virtual assistants.