The Best Small Business Accounting Software: Top Solutions for 2025

best free accounting software for small business

Yes, it’s still our top choice for free accounting software, but many features that were once free now require payment to use. Whereas Wave used to offer all its accounting features for free and only charge payroll users, there’s now a free and a paid Wave plan. We’re disappointed that this pricing change has relegated some previously free tools, such as bank transaction auto-import, to paid status. A top free accounting software to consider from the start of your search is Wave accounting software. Through this option, you’ll be able to connect unlimited bank and credit card accounts to your books. You’ll also be able to add unlimited income tracking, expense tracking, and guest collaborators for free.

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Adding on Patriot Payroll costs $17/month +$4/month per person – $37/month + $4/month per person. The more expensive payroll plan is full-service, automatically filing and paying payroll taxes for your business. Time tracking and attendance can be Bookkeeping for Chiropractors added to your plan, each at a cost of $6/month + $2 per employee/contractor. Additionally, FreshBooks is impressively easy to use as the software is free of accounting jargon and boasts an easy-to-navigate interface.

Key Features to Consider

We found Wave’s invoicing suite to be among the easiest to use across all accounting platforms. No, it wasn’t quite as user-friendly as the invoicing suite in our review of FreshBooks, which was our top best free accounting software for small business pick for invoicing. However, it was crisp, clean, and easy to use (and customize with our branding), leaving us overall impressed.

  • It has no additional cost to you, and never affects the editorial independence of our reviews.
  • Zoho Books is ideal for small teams, offering affordability and smooth integration within the Zoho ecosystem.
  • While it might not be as convenient, third-party invoicing software is also available.
  • You need to do this anyway as you grow and add to your contact and product/service databases.
  • We provide different levels of support, depending on the plan and/or the add-on features you choose.

Slack pricing

Learn more about what Zoho has to offer with our Zoho Books review. Wave is a free online bookkeeping service that offers basic features like income and expense tracking. You can effectively analyze the financial health of your business, find ways to generate more profit, and move forward with your business plan. Going one step further than Zoho, QuickFile also has a mobile app, which allows multi-tasking side hustlers to create invoices and snap expenses receipts on the go.

best free accounting software for small business

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  • We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence.
  • Still, if you’re a small operation, these options may feel satisfying.
  • The software supports multiple currencies, which is helpful for international transactions.
  • Similarly, Zoho Books’s cheapest plan doesn’t include automatic journal entry creation.
  • Learn more about what Zoho has to offer with our Zoho Books review.
  • Other small-business owners can benefit from doing the same early on.

While software can create these, professional interpretation may be needed to fully understand their implications. For example, a product sales analysis might reveal which items are most popular, guiding inventory and marketing choices. Accurate categorization leads to more precise accounting financial reports and tax returns. Advanced features can save time and improve accuracy for businesses with complex financial needs.

Xero – free trial available

Rita also volunteers her time as a SoleMate, or charity runner for Girls on the Run, raising money for scholarships for girls. She is a regular columnist for Kiplinger & US News & World Report, and a past spokesperson for the AARP Financial Freedom Campaign. In 2023, she was named the No. 2 Most Influential Financial Advisor in the Investopedia Top 100. Most accounting software providers offer free trials, so you can try out the software before you commit to it. Many also offer free tutorials and support, so you can get help when you need it.

best free accounting software for small business

Odoo: Best Open-Source Option

best free accounting software for small business

With over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag. This is a straightforward guide to the chart of accounts—what it is, how to use it, and why it’s so important for your company’s bookkeeping. An in-depth guide to setting up the accounting basics for your law firm.

best free accounting software for small business

Why You Should Import Transactions and Bank Balances

If you can’t migrate the data, you will have to have your accounting information spread across two different systems. Since it is cloud-based, Brightbook lets you monitor and track your financials in real-time from anywhere. While there is no dedicated mobile app to access the program, you can use any mobile browser to view and update your data.

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