Best Accounting Software of 2024

FreshBooks uses cloud-based accounting and invoice software that can be accessed via iPhone, Android, and iPad apps. It claims our top spot for best accounting software because it's easy to use. Even business owners with little or no accounting experience can take advantage of its robust features and helpful functions. It's also reasonably priced and can be used on the go.

FreshBooks' features include:

• Payment reminders
• Recurring invoices with customizable options including due dates and discounts
• Online credit card payments
• Multi-currency and language billing
• Automatic tax calculations for sales tax
• Tax-friendly expense categories
• Remembered vendors 
• Time tracking with a Chrome browser extension
• Bank deposits, recurring payments, and auto bills with bank integration
• Tax help integrations with tax apps, estimates, deductions, and filing tools
• Easily integrates with other products including GSuite and Gusto

FreshBooks' pricing is tiered as follows:

FreshBooks may also offer discounts or bundled pricing if you pre-pay, so make sure you check the website for any offers before you sign up.

Although customer reviews on third-party sites are mostly positive for FreshBooks, with some users lauding the ease of use in invoicing customers, others note ongoing problems with being double charged. Other users have expressed that their personal information was compromised in data breaches.

QuickBooks is another cloud-based accounting software program that also offers separate desktop options you can purchase and download. Its products are typically geared toward small- and medium-sized businesses, and more than 24% market share. It keeps everything organized in one place and keeps your business tax-ready all year long.

Features of QuickBooks include:

• Financial institution integration
• Integration with PayPal, Square, Shopify, and more
• User guides and tax data exporting to help file quarterly and annual tax returns
• Sales tax calculations, returns, and recorded tax payments
• Automatically sort transactions and expenses into tax categories
• Track expenses in one place
• Scan receipts and attach them to invoices
• Share with your accountant or export documents
• Cashflow tracking visible on your dashboard
• Track miles with your smartphone’s GPS

QuickBooks offers tiered pricing so you can pick the best plan for your needs:

Contact QuickBooks directly to see which specific features are included in each tier.

Although some customers are impressed with the ease of use, not all users are fans. Third-party customer reviews point to some problems with customer service with users noting that it takes a long time to get help.

Sage Business Cloud Accounting, formerly known as Sage One, is cloud-based accounting software that allows you to choose your industry, company size, and needs. It will match you with specific accounting solutions and is used by more than 6 million businesses.

Sage Business Cloud Accounting's features include:

• Manage business finances and cash flow
• Accept and receive payments
• Create and send invoices
• Manage payroll
• Available on all devices so you can check your financials on the go
• Integrate with your financial institution and other apps including AutoEntry, Zync, and more
• Tax compliance tools
• Dashboard view with easy-to-read financial reports and analysis
• Inventory control
• Forecast cash flow
• Share access with your accountant in real-time on any device
• Add-ons such as human resources management and estimating

Pricing is tiered for Sage Business Cloud Accounting as follows:

Contact the company directly for specific features your business may need.

Although some users praise customer service, others note that customer service is not available 24/7, which makes it difficult for companies to get help outside normal business hours. Additionally, some users report that they purchased a perpetual license from Sage, but were informed that they would no longer be provided desktop software access as of 2023.

AccountEdge Pro is desktop accounting software for small businesses. It offers robust features and reporting capability, but this is not beginner-friendly software, so if you're not familiar with accounting terminology, you might want to skip this one.

It’s geared toward small- to medium-sized businesses, has a basic version and a Enterprise version, and offers comprehensive accounting solutions full of customizations.

Although AccountEdge Pro is a desktop program, it does offer a cloud-based app you can access from your smartphone.

AccountEdge Pro's features include:

• Bank feeds with integration
• Direct deposit 
• Inventory management 
• Payment processing
• Turn quotes into invoices
• Customer and vendor management
• Full-service payroll
• Free accountant copy
• Unique sales tax code per line item on a single invoice
• Data sync with company files
• Email support

Pricing for AccountEdge Pro is as follows:

To find out more about what features are included and how much add-ons cost or to add custom features, it’s best to contact the company directly.

Xero is a web-based accounting system designed for small and growing businesses. No accounting knowledge is necessary, but what really sets it apart are its extra features. It has a Hubdoc with two-step authentication to keep your data secure, as well as different subscription plans for different business needs.

The software itself is generally considered easy to set up and use. It’s cloud-based and also has Android and iPhone apps. Not to mention its dashboard is intuitive and easy to read, and it can be used to collaborate with multiple users including team members, employees, and your accountant. 

Xero's features include:

• Create expense claims
• Send invoices
• Fast bank reconciliation and integration with your financial institution and over 1,000 add-on apps including HubSpot and Square
• Up-to-date financial reports
• Business data protected
• Real-time cash position
• Collaborate with staff or your accountant

Pricing for Xero is as follows:

Xero comes with a free 30-day trial and although most customers rave about Xero's customer service, some complain that prices are frequently raised.

Zoho's online accounting software lets you track your finances, create invoices, collaborate with your accountant in real-time, and more. It includes multiple products including accounting software, customer relationship management (CRM), inventory control, and human resource management software. 

It also has more than 40 app integrations so it can be used with the software you’re already using. Zoho Books requires no accounting knowledge and can be easily set up. However, it only offers payroll features to companies in the United States and India, so if you need payroll solutions, you will have to choose another accounting software.

Zoho Books' features include:

• Tax compliance and audit reports
• Sales orders
• Invoicing
• End-to-end accounting
• Reconcile bank transactions
• Client portal
• Reports and schedules
• Automatic tax calculations
• 1099 forms and sales tax reports that can be exported

Pricing for Zoho Books is tiered as follows: