Bookkeeping & accounting tools
Books, reports and tax prep. 4 tools we track, checked .
Short answer page: What's the best bookkeeping & accounting tool?
Ranked by fit for solo businesses: tools we profile in depth first, then those used in our research notes, then the rest. Affiliate status never changes the order.
- 1
QuickBooks Online
Pick this if you want books your accountant already knows.
Accounting software for small businesses, widely used by accountants.
Paid plans only · Free plan: Trial only · $0 · then $38/mo ($19/mo for 3 months) · Difficulty 3/5
- 2
Xero
Pick this if you want accounting outside the US or with many bank feeds.
Cloud accounting with bank feeds and invoicing.
Paid plans only · Free plan: Trial only · $27/mo ($5.40/mo for the first 3 months) · Difficulty 3/5
- 3
Wave
Pick this if you want free bookkeeping for a solo business.
Free accounting and invoicing for small businesses; payments cost extra.
Free plan + paid plans · Free plan: Yes · Difficulty 2/5
- 4
FreshBooks
Pick this if you want freelancers billing clients.
Invoicing and accounting for freelancers and service businesses.
Paid plans only · Free plan: Trial only
Side-by-side
| Tool | Pricing model | Free plan | Starting price | Difficulty | Output rights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online | Paid plans only | Trial only | $0 · then $38/mo ($19/mo for 3 months) | 3/5 | Not a content generator | Books your accountant already knows |
| Xero | Paid plans only | Trial only | $27/mo ($5.40/mo for the first 3 months) | 3/5 | Not a content generator | Accounting outside the US or with many bank feeds |
| Wave | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | See official site | 2/5 | – | Free bookkeeping for a solo business |
| FreshBooks | Paid plans only | Trial only | See official site | – | – | Freelancers billing clients |
"Starting price" is shown only for tools we profile in depth, where we read the official pricing page on . For the others, check the official site.