Zoho Books alternatives
Top Accounting & Invoicing like Zoho Books
The most popular alternative to Zoho Books is QuickBooks. Other great alternatives to Zoho Books are Xero, FreshBooks, Wave, and Sage.
Most alternatives to Zoho Books are in the Accounting & Invoicing category, compared here by price, platform and features.
All Zoho Books alternatives
QuickBooks is Intuit's accounting software for small businesses and self-employed people, offered mainly as the cloud-based QuickBooks Online, with desktop editions for Windows. It handles invoicing, bank feeds, expense and receipt tracking, sales tax, reports and payroll, and connects to many third-party apps and accountants. Intuit Assist adds AI help, and plans are paid after a free trial.
12 QuickBooks alternativesPros
- Widely known by accountants, which eases collaboration
- Large ecosystem of connected third-party apps
- Covers invoicing, bank feeds, sales tax and payroll
Cons
- Subscription costs add up, especially with payroll on top
- Features vary a lot between countries and editions
- Takes longer to learn than simpler invoicing apps
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesXero is a cloud accounting platform from New Zealand used by small businesses together with their accountants and bookkeepers. It reconciles bank feeds, sends invoices and quotes, tracks bills and expenses, handles multiple currencies and offers payroll in several countries, with a large marketplace of connected apps. It is a paid subscription with a free trial.
9 Xero alternativesPros
- Fast bank reconciliation driven by live bank feeds
- Large marketplace of connected apps
- Built for working closely with accountants and bookkeepers
Cons
- No free plan after the trial
- The entry plan caps how many invoices and bills you can create
- Payroll is only available in some countries
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesFreshBooks is cloud accounting software from Toronto designed for freelancers, consultants and small service businesses. It is centred on invoicing, with time tracking, project billing, expense capture, online payments and bank reconciliation, plus double-entry reports for an accountant. Plans are paid by subscription after a free trial.
11 FreshBooks alternativesPros
- Polished invoicing designed around service businesses
- Time tracking and project billing built in
- Easy to use for freelancers without accounting training
Cons
- No free plan once the trial ends
- Lower plans limit the number of billable clients
- Less suited to inventory-heavy or larger businesses
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesWave is accounting software for small businesses and freelancers in North America, owned by H&R Block. The free Starter plan covers unlimited invoices, estimates, expense tracking and double-entry bookkeeping, while the Pro plan adds automatic bank imports, receipt scanning and multiple users. Card payments and payroll are offered as paid services.
9 Wave alternativesPros
- Free plan with unlimited invoices and double-entry bookkeeping
- Simple interface for owners without accounting training
- Estimates, invoices and expenses managed in one place
Cons
- Mainly serves businesses in North America
- Automatic bank imports and receipt scanning need the Pro plan
- No real inventory management
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesSage is a UK software company whose range spans small-business accounting such as Sage Accounting and Sage 50, payroll and HR tools, and Sage Intacct for mid-sized finance teams. Products and features vary by country, covering invoicing, bank feeds, tax returns, payroll and reporting, often used alongside an accountant. Most products are paid subscriptions, some with a free trial.
8 Sage alternativesPros
- Range scales from small-business books to mid-market finance
- Payroll and HR tools available from the same vendor
- Long-established and familiar to many accountants
Cons
- Confusing product lineup that varies by country
- Older desktop products feel dated next to cloud rivals
- Mostly paid subscriptions, with no lasting free plan
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesAkaunting is web-based accounting software for small businesses and freelancers that can be installed on your own server or used in the cloud. The core handles invoices, bills, expenses, customers, vendors, multiple currencies and reports, while paid apps from its marketplace add features such as payroll, inventory and bank feeds. Its source code is published under the Business Source License.
8 Akaunting alternativesPros
- Can be self-hosted on your own server or used in the cloud
- Core covers invoices, bills, expenses and multiple currencies
- Marketplace apps add payroll, inventory and bank feeds
Cons
- Many useful features are paid add-ons from the marketplace
- Business Source License code is not open source in the strict sense
- Self-hosting requires technical skills to install and maintain
Cost / LicenseFreemiumSource availableCategoriesPlatformsInvoice Ninja is an invoicing and billing platform for freelancers and small businesses, offered as a hosted service or as software you can install on your own server. It creates quotes, invoices and recurring billing, tracks time, tasks and expenses, supports many currencies and connects to dozens of payment gateways through a client portal. The source code is available under the Elastic License.
8 Invoice Ninja alternativesPros
- Self-hostable or available as a hosted service
- Connects to dozens of payment gateways through a client portal
- Recurring invoices, quotes, time and expense tracking included
Cons
- Not a full double-entry accounting system
- Elastic License code is not open source in the strict sense
- Many settings make the initial setup time-consuming
Cost / LicenseFreemiumSource availableCategoriesPlatformsGnuCash is a free, open source desktop accounting program for tracking personal finances or keeping small-business books with double-entry accounting. It manages bank and credit card accounts, investments, multiple currencies, customers, vendors, invoices and bills, and can import QIF, OFX and CSV files or fetch transactions online. It runs offline on Windows, macOS and Linux and is licensed under the GPL.
7 GnuCash alternativesPros
- Free, open source double-entry accounting
- Works offline, with your data kept on your own computer
- Imports QIF, OFX and CSV files from banks
Cons
- Dated interface that feels clunky next to modern apps
- Double-entry concepts can confuse non-accountants
- No built-in cloud sync between devices
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesPennylane is a French platform that brings invoicing, supplier bills, bank connections, expense receipts and bookkeeping together in a single tool shared between a business and its accountant. It targets small and mid-sized companies and accounting firms, with cash-flow dashboards and support for France's e-invoicing reform. A free plan covers invoicing for micro-entrepreneurs; other plans are paid.
8 Pennylane alternativesPros
- One workspace shared between a business and its accountant
- Brings together invoicing, supplier bills, receipts and bank feeds
- Ready for France's e-invoicing reform
Cons
- Built for the French market and its accounting rules
- The free plan only covers invoicing for micro-entrepreneurs
- Full value depends on your accountant also using Pennylane
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesTiime is a French management app for freelancers and small businesses that combines quotes and invoices, receipt capture, bank account syncing and pre-accounting, often shared with an accounting firm. The free plan covers unlimited invoicing and receipt management, and paid plans add a business bank account with a card, multiple users and more features. It supports France's e-invoicing requirements.
7 Tiime alternativesPros
- Free plan includes unlimited invoicing and receipt management
- Bank sync and receipt capture prepare the books for your accountant
- Ready for France's e-invoicing requirements
Cons
- Aimed at French businesses, with little use abroad
- Business bank account and multiple users require paid plans
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesIndy is a French bookkeeping app built for independent workers such as micro-entrepreneurs, liberal professions and small companies. It syncs bank accounts, categorises transactions automatically, creates quotes and invoices and helps prepare tax returns, and it also offers a business bank account. The core features are free, with paid plans that add advanced management and filing of tax returns.
7 Indy alternativesPros
- Core bookkeeping features are free
- Synced bank transactions are categorized automatically
- Built around the tax obligations of French freelancers
Cons
- Designed for France, so of little use elsewhere
- Filing tax returns requires a paid plan
- Less suited to companies with complex accounting needs
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategories
Zoho Books vs its alternatives at a glance
Pricing, platforms and the key features of Zoho Books, compared with its most popular alternatives.
| App | Pricing | Platforms | Bank sync | Expense tracking | Integrations | Invoicing | Multi-currency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Zoho Books | Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | |||||
 QuickBooks | Free trial | Web, Windows, iPhone, Android | |||||
 Xero | Free trial | Web, iPhone, Android | |||||
 FreshBooks | Free trial | Web, iPhone, Android | |||||
 Wave | Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | |||||
 Sage | Free trial | Web, Windows, iPhone, Android |
Zoho Books alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Zoho Books?
The most popular alternative to Zoho Books is QuickBooks: Intuit's accounting software for small businesses. Other great alternatives are Xero, FreshBooks, Wave, and Sage.
Is there a free alternative to Zoho Books?
Yes, 7 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including Wave, Akaunting, Invoice Ninja, and GnuCash.
Is there an open source alternative to Zoho Books?
Yes, one open source alternative is listed: GnuCash.
Is Zoho Books free?
Zoho Books has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.
Compare Zoho Books with its alternatives
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