If you are a busy small business owner or professional freelancer searching for the best accounting software, don’t just pick the first solution that you can find (read: there are plenty of Quickbooks alternatives out there). There are many great accounting solutions to choose from that are feature-rich, easy-to-use, and in some cases, completely free.
Below is a roundup of the best accounting software solutions in 2022 for freelancers and small business owners who have little time and money to invest in them. Keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all solution; each platform offers a different set of benefits and features. So, when you are trying to figure out which one will be most suitable, you need to decide which of the following criteria is most important to you and your business:
- The price tag
- How easy it is to use
- Reporting capabilities
- Mobile access and mobile features
- Customer service
- Integration with third-party apps
While all of the options in this list score pretty high in these criteria, in the list below, we’ll highlight some of the biggest features and benefits of each accounting software platform.
5 Free Best Accounting Software Options for Small Business
Let’s start with the free small business accounting apps:
1. Wave
Wave is touted as “a free, online software alternative to Quickbooks,” which basically sums up the platform in a nutshell. This popular cloud-based accounting solution is specifically targeted to entrepreneurs, freelancers, consultants and small businesses with less than 10 employees. Wave offers an assortment of features, such as invoicing, credit card payments, accounting, and payroll, and it takes only a minute to sign up for an account.
PostBooks is another free open source accounting tool with all the standard features, such as a general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, invoicing, and bank reconciliation. It also sports a relatively easy-to-use interface. But what really sets the platform apart is its robust set of features that includes CRM, sales and inventory management. This is a good option for a growing b2b business that involves significant inventory and works with many suppliers.
3. Manager
Manager is simple to use and set up, and this free accounting program supports an impressive list of all the accounting features you could ever need… and then some. But, perhaps one of the biggest features that makes Manager stand out is that it supports multiple languages as well as local tax codes, local date formats, local currency formats, and country-specific tax reporting.
4. TurboCASH
A powerful fully-featured, multi-user accounting system. For years, TurboCash has been touted as one of the world’s leading open source accounting software for small businesses. TurboCASH is available in 25 different languages and covers over 80 different local tax codes. When joining TurboCASH you become a part of a community that has over 100,000 members.
5. GnuCash
A personal and small business free open source application, GnuCash has been continuously upgraded and developed since it was first released in 1998. GnuCash is perfect for small business since it is designed to be easy to use, while still being powerful and flexible. It offers a full range of features including: double entry accounting, scheduled transactions, account tracking, statement reconciliation, and financial reporting.
Generate forms, invoices, quotes and orders in an instant, plus automate recurring transactions so you can easily send them by email or fax. It’s free version is for businesses with less than five employees.
7. QuickFile
Free online small business accounting that does not require desktop software. Designed specifically for non-accountants, QuickFile offers free tiers for small businesses while still delivering automatic invoicing, purchase receipt management, quotations and multi-currency support.
Cheap Accounting Software for Small Businesses and Freelancers
8. FreeAgent
FreeAgent is best suited for professional freelancers and micro businesses. It supports a project management feature that allows you keep track of billable hours, as well as all the standard accounting features. What makes FreeAgent unique is that it offers unlimited users, clients, invoices, expenses and other functions for one low monthly price: $20 a month.
9. FreshBooks
Cloud-based accounting software, FreshBooks, offers a clear, user-friendly interface. With a focus on making accounting doable- even for those who hate accounting- it has become one of the most popular platforms for small serviced-based businesses. It also sports a great, fully-featured mobile accounting app for both iOS and Android devices. The price is doable as well with packages starting as low as $19.95 a month.
10. Xero
Xero is another affordable alternative to QuickBooks Online for small businesses. This easy-to-use, cloud-based accounting software offers a wide assortment of features and integrates with many popular third-party apps. Packages start at an affordable $20 per month and includes features like invoicing, mobile apps, billing, expense reports and unlimited users.
11. Harvest
Harvest offer allows users to easily track time spent on jobs, create and send professional invoices to their clients, and receive payments. You can also record expenses, store receipts, generate reports and connect an assortment of third-party apps including: Apps, Salesforce, and Basecamp. The platform has a limited free version, after that packages start at $12 a month.
12. Kashoo
Kashoo makes it simple to keep track of expenses, take pictures of receipts, and send invoices. Kashoo’s online accounting software also features double-entry bookkeeping, mobile apps, and collaboration features, so you can share your books with your bookkeeper, accountant, and business partners. The most cost-effective plan is a yearly subscription at $199. What makes Kashoo unique is that it offers users access to a dedicated expert who can help you set up features, such as payroll and payment processing.
So, there you have it, our roundup a of the best accounting software solutions in 2021 for freelancers and small business owners. Had any experience using the platforms in our best accounting software roundup? Let us know comments below.
Nice list, Susan.
I’m a fan of Wave. I’ve been using it for about a year, and it’s definitely made my life easier 🙂
Seems like it’s more geared towards really small businesses that need a simple accounting tool, though.
Hi Simcha,
What specifically about Wave do you like the best?
Hi Simcha,
Have you tried SlickPie (www.slickpie.com)? SlickPie is also 100% free, but I find it to be much faster than Wave. They both offer similar features, but SlickPie’s performance just hooked me in.
Have you looked into SlickPie? It’s a free accounting software program, and a great solution for business. Easy and quick to use and super easy to learn. The dashboard is nice on the eyes and makes it easy to track the progress of your business.
No one likes Quickbooks anymore?
I’m happy with QBO, and it makes things real easy come tax time.
But I’ve heard good things about Xero.
Hi Adam,
I think Quickbooks scares a lot of accounting-phobic people away. I have heard that it is a little harder to set up and work with than some of the other platforms.
Interesting list Susan,
I think a lot of small business owners and freelancers are not in need of a full accounting package such as QuickBooks or FreeAgent. They are better of concentrating on their business and growing it while leaving the real book-keeping and accounting part to their accountants.
They therefore are fine with simply using an invoicing software which generates an income and expenses report which the business owner can forward to their accountant at the end of the year. We offer such a simple and straight forward online invoicing software at InvoiceBerry and I’d love you to have a look at it and think about including us on your list.
Have a great day,
Uwe
Founder & CEO InvoiceBerry
https://www.invoiceberry.com
Greetings Susan and fellow readers,
I, too, have a heart for helping small businesses that struggle, especially with their bookkeeping. Long ago, I volunteered with the local Small Business Development Centers in Michigan. A big part of my job was to help owners reconcile their checkbooks.
I took note of the problems they were experiencing and came up with my solution to the problem. My bookkeeping solution started out over 20 years ago as a paper system with step-by-step instructions, then it became Excel based with category columns for their expenses and is now a stand-alone, desktop program. It’s very straight forward and efficient. And if they follow the instructions we provide the user can generate their own financials statements to send to their tax preparers at year-end.
You are correct in saying there are many QuickBooks alternatives. We have a Free trial of Big E-Z Books on our website that anyone can download from their Windows PC and it’s available on Amazon. I would be so grateful if you would consider checking it out.
Happy Bookkeeping!
Michelle Carley, Owner and CEO of Big E-Z Bookkeeping Co.
http://www.bigez.com
Very informative post! you have provided here information abut very useful software for small business. Some software like EXRO, HARVEST and GNUCASH have seemed very useful according to my business. I have never used these but now I can’t wait to using these. Thanks for sharing this amazing information about accounting software.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for publishing this article. There are a lot of great companies with a lot of great products here. In fact, we’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from them as we’ve built Billy over the years.
Billy is a free, cloud-based, easy-to-use accounting software for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Feel free to check us out today at https://www.billyapp.com
Thanks for such a great roundup! Have you looked into Apptivo? It can manage invoices, track expenses, record customer payment transactions, customize based on personal needs, etc. It is a cloud-based program, ideal for use and affordable for small business.
Take a look: http://www.apptivo.com/invoice-app/
Awesome post! Thanks for sharing, Susan!
Hey,
Great List of accounting software, I am also looking for a freelancer software or accounting software. Now I found your blog and there are many software I can use for my business account. Thanks for sharing, it will really very helpful for me.
I think Wave is great for great features.