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Short answer
QuickBooks Online is our top pick among the 6 accounting tools we ranked, scoring 87/100. Paid plans start at $38/mo.
QuickBooks Online (87/100): best overall for US small businesses.
Xero (86/100): best for teams that want unlimited users.
Zoho Books (86/100): best value, with a free plan.
Sage Intacct (81/100): best for mid-sized companies outgrowing QuickBooks.
FreshBooks (79/100): best for freelancers and service businesses.
Accounting software keeps your books: bank feeds and reconciliation, invoices and bills, and the reports your accountant and tax return depend on. Most vendors advertise a steep introductory discount, so the number that matters is the regular price once the promotion ends, plus what each plan limits: users, invoices, bills or billable clients.
We scored six tools on six weighted criteria and list each one's regular price, what the entry plan caps, and where features like inventory, projects and multi-currency start.
Prices are the regular US price of the cheapest paid plan on each vendor's pricing page on Oct 26, 2026, not the introductory discount. QuickBooks, Xero and FreshBooks advertise limited-time promotions for new customers. Sage Intacct is priced by quote.
QuickBooks Online is one of the most widely used small business accounting tools in the US. Simple Start covers one user with bookkeeping, invoicing and automated bill pay; Plus adds inventory tracking, project profitability and bill approval workflows for up to 5 users, and Advanced supports 25 users.
Who it's best for
US small businesses that want a tool their accountant or bookkeeper is likely to know already.
Why it made the shortlist
It combines broad accountant familiarity and a large app ecosystem with plans that scale from one user to 25 on Advanced.
Strengths
Widely used by US accountants and bookkeepers
Inventory, project profitability and bill approvals on Plus
Up to 25 users on Advanced
Watch-outs
Regular prices are high once the intro discount ends
Simple Start is limited to one user
Lowest G2 rating on this list (4.0/5)
Skip it if: You're a freelancer with a handful of clients; a simpler, cheaper tool will do.
Xero is cloud accounting with no per-user license fees. Early caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills a month; Growing ($59) removes those caps and adds auto-reconcile; Established ($97) adds multi-currency, projects and expense claims.
Who it's best for
Small businesses with several people in the books, and businesses outside the US, where Xero is widely used.
Why it made the shortlist
Unlimited users on every plan make it the cheapest way to give your whole team and your accountant access.
Strengths
No per-user fees on any plan
Unlimited invoices and bills from Growing
Payroll via Gusto as an add-on
Watch-outs
Early's 20-invoice and 5-bill caps are tight
Multi-currency and projects need Established ($97)
Skip it if: You send more than 20 invoices a month but only want to pay entry-level prices.
Zoho Books is accounting software priced per organization. The free plan covers businesses under $50K in annual revenue; Standard adds bank feeds and sales tax tracking, and Professional ($40 billed annually) adds inventory, multi-currency and project profitability.
Who it's best for
Small businesses that want full double-entry accounting at a low price, especially those already using Zoho apps.
Why it made the shortlist
It includes more features per dollar than anything here, with inventory and multi-currency at $40 a month billed annually.
Strengths
Free plan for businesses under $50K revenue
Inventory and multi-currency on Professional
Extra users from $2.50 a month
Watch-outs
Less common among US accountants than QuickBooks
Interface takes longer to learn
Skip it if: Your accountant insists on QuickBooks.
Score breakdown
Core bookkeeping & reconciliation (25%)4.5/5
Invoicing & payments (15%)4.5/5
Bills & expenses (15%)4/5
Reporting & room to grow (15%)4/5
Ease of use (15%)3.5/5
Price & value (15%)5/5
4
Sage Intacct
Best for mid-sized companies outgrowing QuickBooks
FreshBooks is invoicing-first accounting for service businesses. Lite covers 5 billable clients, Plus ($43) 50 clients with proposals and retainers, and Premium ($70) unlimited clients with project profitability.
Who it's best for
Freelancers, consultants and agencies that bill clients for time and projects.
Why it made the shortlist
Its invoicing, proposals and time-based billing are the easiest to use here, and it has the highest G2 rating on this list.
Strengths
Best-in-class invoicing and proposals
Rated 4.5/5 on G2
30-day trial with no card
Watch-outs
Plans are capped by number of billable clients
Each team member costs $11 a month
Skip it if: You sell physical products and need inventory.
Wave offers free invoicing and bookkeeping on its Starter plan, with card processing fees when customers pay online. Pro ($19 a month) adds automatic bank imports, receipt capture and payment reminders.
Who it's best for
Sole proprietors and very small businesses that want basic books for free.
Why it made the shortlist
Its free plan includes unlimited invoices, estimates, bills and bookkeeping records.
Strengths
Free plan with unlimited invoices and bills
Pro is $190 a year
Simple to use
Watch-outs
Automatic bank imports need Pro
Limited reporting and no inventory
Skip it if: You have employees, inventory or more than one person doing the books.
Score breakdown
Core bookkeeping & reconciliation (25%)3.5/5
Invoicing & payments (15%)4/5
Bills & expenses (15%)3/5
Reporting & room to grow (15%)2.5/5
Ease of use (15%)4.5/5
Price & value (15%)5/5
How we scored accounting software
Each tool gets a 0 to 5 rating on every criterion. We weight the ratings below, convert the total to a score out of 100, and only rank tools that score 70 or higher. Open any tool's Score breakdown to see its ratings. Full process on our methodology page.
Core bookkeeping & reconciliation25%
Invoicing & payments15%
Bills & expenses15%
Reporting & room to grow15%
Ease of use15%
Price & value15%
How to choose accounting software
Compare regular prices, not promotions. QuickBooks, Xero and FreshBooks advertise big introductory discounts. Budget for the price you'll pay after the first few months.
Check the limits on the entry plan. QuickBooks Simple Start is one user, Xero Early caps invoices and bills, and FreshBooks Lite caps billable clients.
Ask your accountant. If you work with an accountant or bookkeeper, use the tool they already know; it saves hours at month end and tax time.
Plan for inventory, projects and currencies. These usually start on mid-tier plans: QuickBooks Plus, Xero Established or Zoho Books Professional.
Make sure your bank connects. Bank feeds drive reconciliation. Check that your bank is supported before you migrate.
Accounting FAQ
What is the best accounting software for small businesses?
QuickBooks Online scores highest in our ranking for US small businesses. Xero is the best choice if several people need access, and Zoho Books is the best value.
What is the best free accounting software?
Wave's Starter plan is free with unlimited invoices and bills. Zoho Books is free for businesses under $50K in annual revenue.
How much does QuickBooks Online cost?
QuickBooks Online's regular prices are $38 a month for Simple Start, $85 for Essentials, $140 for Plus and $340 for Advanced, with introductory discounts for new customers.
Is Xero cheaper than QuickBooks?
At regular prices, Xero Early is $27 a month versus $38 for QuickBooks Simple Start, and Xero has no per-user fees. Xero Early caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills a month.