Accounting Software Compared
Five bookkeeping tools priced at their regular rates, so you can see what you will pay after the intro discount ends.
Written and reviewed by the BizCredX Editorial Team Figures checked October 13, 2026
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The Short Answer
- Free, with room to growWave Starter is free, and Zoho Books has a free plan while revenue stays under $50K.
- Most widely usedQuickBooks Online. Most accountants know it, which saves money at tax time.
- Many users, no per-seat feesXero says it has no per-user licence fees on any plan.
- Service-heavy, invoice-firstFreshBooks, but the price depends on how many billable clients you have.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Provider | Paid plans from (regular price) | Free option | Users | Watch for | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online | $38 a month (Simple Start). Essentials $85, Plus $140, Advanced $340. | Check the pricing page for a free tier | 1 on Simple Start, 3 on Essentials, 5 on Plus, 25 on Advanced | The headline price is a 50% promo for 3 months. Budget for the regular price. | Sellers who want their accountant's preferred tool |
| Xero | $27 a month (Early). Growing $59, Established $97. | None listed | No per-user licence fees | Early caps invoices and bills (20 invoices and 5 bills at last check). Intro price lasts 3 months. | Sellers who want several people in the books |
| FreshBooks | $23 a month (Lite, 5 billable clients). Plus $43 (50 clients), Premium $70 (unlimited). | None | Extra team members cost $11 a month each | Pricing is tied to billable clients, not revenue. A growing customer list moves you up a tier. | Service-leaning sellers with a small client list |
| Zoho Books | $20 a month billed monthly, or $15 billed annually (Standard). Professional $50 or $40, Premium $70 or $60. | Free plan: 1 user plus an accountant, up to 1,000 invoices a year, while annual revenue stays under $50K | 3 on Standard, 5 on Professional, 10 on Premium | The free plan ends when revenue passes $50K. | Small sellers watching every dollar |
| Wave | $19 a month or $190 a year (Pro) | Starter is $0 with unlimited invoices, estimates and bookkeeping records | Not covered in this review | Card payments run 2.9% + 60¢ (Amex 3.4% + 60¢) on Starter. Receipt capture and payroll are paid add-ons. | Brand-new sellers who need records, not features |
Checked October 13, 2026 against each provider's own pages (listed under Sources). Prices, fees and rates change, so confirm on the provider's site before you apply.
Provider by Provider
QuickBooks Online
The default most accountants expect
Best for: Sellers who want their accountant's preferred tool
- Widely supported by accountants and apps
- Four tiers to grow into
- Strong third-party integrations
- Regular price is double the promo price
- User limits push you up a tier quickly
Xero
Unlimited users, tiered by volume
Best for: Sellers who want several people in the books
- Lower entry price than QuickBooks
- No per-user fees
- Payroll available as an add-on
- Early plan limits bite fast for busy sellers
- Intro pricing hides the regular rate
FreshBooks
Built around invoicing clients
Best for: Service-leaning sellers with a small client list
- Friendly invoicing and time tracking
- Simple interface
- Client limits make it a poor fit for high-volume product sellers
- Team members cost extra
Zoho Books
Strong value, generous free plan
Best for: Small sellers watching every dollar
- Real free plan with an accountant seat
- Lowest paid entry price here
- Free plan has a revenue ceiling
- Smaller app ecosystem than QuickBooks
Wave
Free bookkeeping for the smallest sellers
Best for: Brand-new sellers who need records, not features
- Free tier is genuinely useful
- Auto-importing bank transactions on Pro
- Fewer features than QuickBooks or Xero
- Add-ons raise the real cost
What E-Commerce Sellers Should Look For
Most accounting tools handle bank feeds and invoices equally well. The differences that matter to product sellers are inventory and cost of goods tracking, handling marketplace payouts that bundle many orders and fees into one deposit, and how easily your accountant can log in.
If you sell on Amazon, plan for a connector that turns each settlement into clean journal entries. A2X and Link My Books are two of the names sellers use for this. Check which accounting packages and plans they support before you pick software, because that choice can narrow your list.
Inventory tracking tends to sit on the higher tiers. Check the plan page for the feature you need rather than assuming the cheapest plan includes it.
Compare the Regular Price, Not the Promo
QuickBooks and Xero both lead with steep discounts for the first three months. Wave and FreshBooks run similar offers. The table above uses regular prices because that is what you will pay for the other nine months of the year, and the year after.
Why Clean Books Help Your Credit Applications
Lenders and card issuers underwrite from your numbers. Clean profit and loss statements make business credit applications easier and make revenue-based financing offers sharper. If you plan to apply for a line of credit within twelve months, start reconciling now.
Ready to Open an Account?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I switch later?
Yes, but moving between systems means exporting your chart of accounts and history, and some history won't carry over cleanly. Pick something you can live with for at least a year.
Do I need accounting software if I use a spreadsheet?
A spreadsheet works while volume is low. Once you reconcile marketplace payouts every week or need clean reports for a lender, software saves hours.
Is the free plan really free?
Wave Starter and Zoho Books' free plan cost nothing for software, but payments, receipt capture and payroll can add fees. Check which add-ons you will actually use.
Keep Comparing
This is informational, not financial advice. Vendor terms, card offers, and bureau reporting policies change, and a general guide can't account for your specific credit history or business situation. Confirm current terms directly with the issuer or vendor before applying. See our editorial policy for how we verify what we publish.