QuickBooks Online
QuickBooks Online Alternatives
Table of Contents
Regarding accounting software, QuickBooks has long been a favorite among small businesses. However, many businesses are now seeking QuickBooks alternatives due to cost, feature needs, or specific industry demands. We will review alternatives to QuickBooks such as Quicken, FreshBooks, Xero, and NetSuite, comparing them based on pricing, features, integrations, and other relevant factors to help you find the best solution for your business.
Best alternative to QuickBooks
There are plenty of alternatives to Quickbooks to suit everybody, but can they measure up, or are they just a temporary solution? To answer these questions, we must consider the alternatives to Quickbooks in terms of features, integrations, and pricing.
Quicken vs QuickBooks
Quicken and QuickBooks are both popular financial management tools that serve different audiences. While QuickBooks is known for its powerful business accounting features, Quicken focuses more on personal finance management.
Pricing:
- QuickBooks: Offers a range of plans starting from $35/month for the Simple Start plan, going up to $235/month for Advanced. The plans are flexible and scale with business needs, including payroll and tax functionalities at higher tiers.
- Quicken: The Starter plan’s pricing starts at $47.88/year, making it much more affordable for personal use. Other tiers include the Premier plan ($95.88/year ) and the Home & Business plan ($131.88/year), which offer more comprehensive financial tracking for individuals who also run small businesses.
Features
QuickBooks
- Payroll and tax management
- Invoicing and payments
- Expense tracking and budgeting
- Detailed financial reports
- Integrations with a wide array of tools
Quicken
- Personal finance management
- Investment tracking
- Bill pay and budgeting
- Simple reporting features
Pros and Cons
- QuickBooks Pros: Advanced accounting tools for small to medium-sized businesses; Excellent reporting and analytics features.
- Quicken Pros: Affordable pricing, especially for individuals and freelancers; Simple and easy-to-use interface
- QuickBooks Cons: Expensive, especially for small businesses; It has a steep learning curve for non-accountants.
- Quicken Cons: Not ideal for larger businesses; Limited features compared to QuickBooks.
Integrations
- QuickBooks: It offers seamless integrations with hundreds of third-party applications, including Stripe, Square, Salesforce, and more. It’s perfect for businesses that want to connect accounting to other business processes.
- Quicken: Has fewer integration options, focusing more on personal finance software and tools like Excel for exporting data.
Conclusion
Quicken is best suited for individuals or small businesses that want to manage both personal and business finances in one place. On the other hand, QuickBooks provides comprehensive business accounting tools that are essential for larger businesses or companies with more complex financial needs.
FreshBooks vs QuickBooks
FreshBooks and QuickBooks are two of the most popular accounting solutions for small businesses, but they cater to slightly different needs. While QuickBooks is known for its extensive accounting features, FreshBooks is more geared toward freelancers and service-based businesses.
Pricing
- QuickBooks: Starts at $35/month for basic accounting, scaling up to $235/month for advanced features.
- FreshBooks: Pricing starts at $19/month for the Lite plan, which supports up to five clients. The Plus plan is $33/month and includes up to 50 billable clients, while the Premium plan ($60/month) supports unlimited clients.
Features
QuickBooks
- Complex accounting tools
- Payroll services
- Inventory tracking
- Customizable invoices and reports
- Project tracking and time management
FreshBooks
- User-friendly invoicing system
- Expense tracking
- Time tracking for freelancers
- Automatic payment reminders
- Team collaboration tools
Pros and Cons
- QuickBooks Pros: Extensive accounting features suitable for growing businesses; Scalable with advanced reporting.
- FreshBooks Pros: Simplified invoicing and payment processing; Perfect for freelancers or service-based businesses.
- QuickBooks Cons: Higher learning curve; More expensive for smaller businesses.
- FreshBooks Cons: Limited reporting and inventory tracking; Not as comprehensive for large businesses.
Integrations
- QuickBooks: Integrates with a wide variety of apps and tools, including Shopify, Trello, HubSpot, and more.
- FreshBooks: Integrates with popular tools like Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, and G Suite, but has fewer integrations overall compared to QuickBooks.
Conclusion
FreshBooks may be the best fit for you if you’re a freelancer or a service-based business looking for an easy-to-use invoicing and time-tracking solution. However, if your business requires more robust accounting features and payroll management, QuickBooks is likely the better choice.
Xero vs QuickBooks
Xero and QuickBooks are often compared due to their similar feature sets and target audiences. Both platforms provide cloud-based accounting solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, but each has unique advantages.
Pricing
- QuickBooks: Pricing starts at $35/month and goes up to $235/month for advanced accounting features.
- Xero offers three pricing plans: Starter ($29/month), Standard ($46/month), and Premium ($62/month). Xero’s pricing is more transparent, and it offers a wider range of features at lower entry-level prices.
Features
QuickBooks
- Customizable reporting and analytics
- Payroll integration
- Advanced tax and invoicing features
- Inventory management
Xero
- Double-entry bookkeeping
- Easy integration with Stripe and PayPal
- Project and time tracking
- Multi-currency support in higher-tier plans
Pros and Cons
- QuickBooks Pros: Best-in-class reporting features; Scalable for larger businesses
- Xero Pros: More affordable entry-level pricing; Free payroll integration for U.S. customers in
- QuickBooks Cons: More expensive than Xero; Steeper learning curve for new users.
- Xero Cons: Limited customer support compared to QuickBooks; Fewer reporting options.
Integrations
- QuickBooks: Offers hundreds of integrations with popular tools and apps.
- Xero: Also integrates with a wide variety of apps but emphasizes seamless integrations with tools like Stripe, PayPal, and Square for online payments.
Conclusion
Xero is ideal for small businesses that want a user-friendly, cost-effective accounting solution, while QuickBooks is better suited for companies that need more robust accounting features and extensive reporting options.
NetSuite vs QuickBooks
NetSuite and QuickBooks are both popular accounting software solutions, but they serve different markets. NetSuite is an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solution designed for larger enterprises, while QuickBooks caters more to small and medium-sized businesses.
Pricing
- QuickBooks: Starts at $35/month, with premium options up to $235/month.
- NetSuite: Pricing is custom-quoted based on the size and needs of the enterprise, often starting at $999/month for smaller implementations.
Features
QuickBooks
- Basic and advanced accounting features
- Invoicing, payroll, and tax management
- Inventory tracking
NetSuite
- Complete ERP solution
- CRM, eCommerce, and more
- Highly customizable workflows
- Advanced reporting and analytics
- QuickBooks Pros: Affordable and scalable for small businesses; Robust accounting features
- NetSuite Pros: Complex solution for large enterprises; Includes CRM and eCommerce functionalities
- QuickBooks Cons: Not ideal for large enterprises; Limited customization
- NetSuite Cons: Expensive and complex to implement; Overkill for small businesses.
Integrations
- QuickBooks: Connects to a variety of third-party apps like Salesforce and Shopify.
- NetSuite: Offers integrations with other enterprise software like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Oracle products.
Conclusion
If you’re running a small or medium-sized business, QuickBooks is likely the better choice for affordability and ease of use. For large enterprises with complex needs, NetSuite provides a comprehensive, customizable ERP solution that can manage all aspects of the business.
Gusto vs QuickBooks
Gusto and QuickBooks are popular tools for small to medium-sized businesses, but they serve slightly different purposes. While QuickBooks is known for its complex accounting features, Gusto focuses primarily on payroll and human resource management. This makes it a great companion tool to QuickBooks or even a standalone option for businesses with significant payroll needs.
Pricing
- QuickBooks: Offers several pricing tiers starting at $35/month for the Simple Start plan and scaling up to $235/month for the Advanced plan.
- Gusto: The Simple plan’s pricing starts at $40/month plus $6 per employee. The Plus plan is $80/month plus $12 per employee, and the Premium plan is $180/month plus $22 per employee. Both plans offer a range of HR features.
Features
QuickBooks
- Full accounting suite
- Payroll add-on available
- Inventory tracking
- Customizable financial reports
- Tax filing services (with payroll plans)
Gusto
- Full-service payroll
- Benefits administration (health, 401k, etc.)
- HR tools
- Automatic tax filing
- Employee self-service portals
Pros and Cons:
- QuickBooks Pros: Complex financial management tool; Great for businesses needing full accounting and payroll
- Gusto Pros: Excellent payroll and HR features; Easy to use, with built-in compliance and tax filing
- QuickBooks Cons: Payroll features cost extra and are more basic than Gusto’s
- Gusto Cons: Not a complete accounting solution; It is more expensive per employee for businesses with large teams
Integrations
- QuickBooks: Integrates seamlessly with a wide variety of business apps, including Gusto itself. QuickBooks also integrates with Stripe, Shopify, and other popular tools for a complete business management suite.
- Gusto: Integrates with QuickBooks and other accounting platforms like Xero and FreshBooks, making it easy to use alongside existing financial tools. It also integrates with Asana, Trello, and other HR tools.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a complete accounting and financial management tool, QuickBooks is the clear choice. It offers a range of features beyond payroll.
However, if your business is primarily focused on payroll, benefits, and HR management, Gusto excels with its specialized payroll features and HR tools. Many businesses benefit from using Gusto for payroll QuickBooks for accounting as they integrate smoothly together, providing an all-in-one solution.
Free QuickBooks Alternatives
Several free QuickBooks alternatives offer complex accounting features for small businesses and freelancers looking to manage their finances without the hefty price tag.
While these tools may not provide all the advanced functionalities of QuickBooks, they can still meet the needs of businesses looking to handle basic accounting tasks like invoicing, expense tracking, and financial reporting.
Below are some of the best free QuickBooks alternatives that you can consider.
Wave Accounting
One of the most popular free alternatives to QuickBooks is Wave Accounting, a powerful tool for small businesses and freelancers. Unlike QuickBooks, Wave offers free core accounting features, making it an excellent option for budget-conscious users.
Key Features
- Free invoicing and expense tracking
- Unlimited receipt scanning
- Bank connections for automatic transaction imports
- Financial reporting tools
- Pay-as-you-go payroll and payment processing (optional)
- 100% free for accounting and invoicing
- User-friendly interface
- No limits on the number of users or transactions
- Limited to small businesses and freelancers
- Payroll services are available but come at an additional cost
ZipBooks
ZipBooks is another strong contender as a free QuickBooks alternative. It offers a free tier for basic accounting needs. It’s ideal for small businesses that need essential features like invoicing and expense tracking but don’t require advanced tools like inventory management.
Key Features
- Free invoicing and expense management
- Basic financial reporting
- Simple project tracking
- Business health score based on financial performance
- Free tier offers solid features for small businesses
- Clean and easy-to-navigate dashboard
- Paid plans are affordable if you need more features
- Lacks advanced features like payroll and inventory tracking in the free version
- Limited customization for reports
Zoho Books
Another excellent free QuickBooks alternative is Zoho Books. Zoho Books offers a free plan for small businesses with less than $50,000 in annual revenue. It is a strong contender for startups or small businesses needing accounting software without a hefty cost. The free version includes features like:
- Invoicing (up to 1,000 invoices annually)
- Expense tracking
- Customer portal
- Automated payment reminders
- Multi-lingual invoicing
While it’s free, Zoho Books still provides essential accounting functionalities and integrates with various apps, including other Zoho products, Stripe, and PayPal, offering a seamless experience for small businesses.
If you need to scale, Zoho Books offers premium plans starting at $20 per month with additional features like recurring expenses, project tracking, and multi-currency invoicing.
With Zoho Books, you get a free QuickBooks alternative that can grow with your business, providing the tools you need at an affordable rate.
Conclusion
If you’re searching for a free QuickBooks alternative, tools like Wave, ZipBooks, and Zoho Books offer strong features without the cost. While they may lack some advanced functionalities, they are excellent for small businesses, freelancers, and startups that need to manage their finances effectively without paying for expensive software.
These free solutions provide an accessible way to handle invoicing, expenses, and reporting, making them viable alternatives to QuickBooks for budget-conscious businesses.
Alternatives to QuickBooks conclusion
In conclusion, while QuickBooks remains a top choice for small and medium businesses, several viable alternatives exist, such as Quicken, FreshBooks, Xero, NetSuite, and Gusto.
Each alternative to QuickBooks offers unique features tailored to different business needs. Whether you’re seeking a free QuickBooks alternative, a solution for freelancers, or robust enterprise tools, these options provide flexibility, pricing, and integrations to suit any business.
By evaluating these QuickBooks alternatives for small businesses, you can find the best alternative to QuickBooks Online that aligns with your financial management requirements.
