List of The Best Free Accounting Tools
Wave
Wave Accounting
Starting At: $0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $16
Why Choose Wave:
Wave offers intuitive invoicing capabilities and is ideal for small businesses focusing on invoicing and payment collection. The free plan includes customizable invoicing but lacks advanced features like audit trails and third-party integrations.
Pros: Free plan available.
Cons: Limited features for growing businesses. Requires paid plan for customer support.
Zoho Books
Best for Scalability
Starting At: $0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20, $50, $70, $150, $275
Why Choose Zoho Books:
Zoho Books is great for startups anticipating growth. It offers a feature-rich experience including invoicing, inventory management, and mobile app integration, with scalable pricing tiers.
Pros: Free plan available for businesses under $50k annual revenue.
Cons: Limited third-party integrations compared to competitors.
ZipBooks
Best Free Accounting Software for Macs
Starting At: $0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $15, $35, custom
Why Choose ZipBooks:
ZipBooks integrates seamlessly with Square and PayPal for online payment processing, making it ideal for Mac users. The free plan includes unlimited invoicing and expense tracking.
Pros: Direct integration with Square and PayPal.
Cons: Limited to one user in the free plan, no live customer support.
Odoo
Best for Customization
Starting At: $0
Additional pricing tiers per user (per month): $38.90, $58.40
Why Choose Odoo:
Odoo offers a comprehensive suite of business apps including CRM and HR, with a customizable accounting module. It’s suitable for businesses needing scalable software solutions.
Pros: Unlimited users, vast library of integrated apps.
Cons: Paid plan required for full feature access and support.
Brightbook
Best for Freelancers and Self-Employed Professionals
Starting At: $0
Why Choose Brightbook:
Brightbook is tailored for freelancers and small businesses with basic accounting needs. It allows unlimited invoicing and user management but lacks double-entry accounting.
Pros: Free invoicing and user management.
Cons: No double-entry accounting, manual bank statement imports.
ProfitBooks
Best for Inventory Management
Starting At: $0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $20
Why Choose ProfitBooks:
ProfitBooks specializes in inventory management for startup retail businesses, offering over 40 financial reports and inventory tracking capabilities.
Pros: Extensive inventory management features.
Cons: Free plan limitations on invoices and products, single user.
Manager
Best for Desktop-Based Free Accounting Software
Starting At: $0
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $59 for cloud edition
Why Choose Manager:
Manager is a robust desktop-based accounting software offering unlimited invoicing and various financial reports. It’s ideal for single-user setups preferring local installation.
Pros: Unlimited invoicing, comprehensive financial reporting.
Cons: Limited to single-user in free version, manual bank statement imports.
GnuCash
Best for Open-Source Free Accounting Software
Starting At: $0
Why Choose GnuCash:
GnuCash is open-source and customizable for businesses familiar with coding. It supports double-entry accounting but lacks automation and multi-user capabilities.
Pros: Open-source flexibility, supports various financial reports.
Cons: Less automated, outdated user interface, no multi-user support.
