FreshBooks
Pros
- Automated invoicing
- Credit card payments
- Affordable pricing
Cons
- Limited invoice customization
Minimum Project Price
$10+
Linking News guarantees that press releases will be published on top-tier media sites, like Yahoo, Business Insider, Associated Press, and others. It stands out because it offers a 100% white-label distribution service, which gives a positive online impression and promotes reliability.
Pricing Plans
The press release distribution pricing of Linking News depends on how many distribution platforms or sites you’d want your PR content on. These are the prices for each press release:
- Basic plan – $159 (published on 100+ sites)
- Standard plan – $369 (published on 400+ sites)
- Silver plan – $869 (published on 400+ sites including top media sites like Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo News, MarketWatch, and more)
- Gold plan – $1,680 (published on 400+ sites including Bloomberg, Street Insider, Benzinga, six international Yahoo sites, and several other international sites)
All plans include a white-label distribution service, unlimited keyword links, unlimited embedded images, and unlimited word count.
Most Notable Features
- Huge network: Linking News has a network of over 900,000 journalists and 330,000 publications. It can help brands earn visibility.
- White-label coverage: Since Linking News won’t be adding its name to your release, your brand gets all the attention.
- Easy to use: New users won’t have any problem using the platform. They can simply copy and paste the content, customize the format, and upload images in minutes.
- Turnaround time: After your press release is approved, it will take 1–2 days before it goes live on media and news sites.
- Chinese distribution networks: If you want to get coverage from the Chinese media, Linking News offers distribution services to over 2,000 Chinese media outlets.
- Hyper-targeting: Just like other press release sites, users can choose to target only specific regions and industries.
- Detailed Report: Users get a report with live links and other performance tracking stats within 1–3 days after the release is published.
Customer Support
Its customer support team works closely with users to assist with publishing content and answering questions. Users can send an email to contact@linkingnews.com for all their concerns. It offers support in both English and Chinese language.
Read our full, comprehensive FreshBooks review.
QuickBooks
Pros
- Easy to use and learn
- Satisfying reports
- Easy to fix errors
- Available on all devices
Cons
- Lack of reports outside of accounting
Minimum Project Price
$20+
QuickBooks offers accounting software packages marketed by a top business accounting software company, Intuit. Its line of products targets to meet the varying needs of 4.5 million small to medium-sized businesses. Users can choose between QuickBooks Desktop, a one-time purchase license-based installable application, and QuickBooks Online, cloud-based software with a recurring monthly cost.
Pricing Plans
How much does QuickBooks cost per month? Plans on QuickBooks for self-employed cost differently. But they sure suit any business’s needs.
- Simple Start: $25 monthly
- It gives access to one user plus your accountant.
- With QuickBooks simple start, you can review your income and expenses, create invoices, SMB accounting, and other basic features.
- Essentials: $50 monthly
- It gives access to three users plus your accountant.
- Besides tracking and invoicing features, this includes insights and reports and multi-currency tools.
- Plus: $80 monthly
- It gives access to five users plus your account.
- This plan includes extra features to track inventory, projects, and locations, and manage budgets and recurring transactions.
- Advanced: $90 monthly
- It gives access to more than five users
- This plan includes advanced features, involving business analytics and insights, employee expenses, on-demand online training, and much more.
All plans also include a 30-day trial. That is perfect for those who hesitate whether to get the software or not.
Most Notable Features
- Simplified Accounting: Quickbooks payroll options and its income and expenses tracking features enable businesses to organize all their finances and cash flow in one place.
- Multiple and Flexible Plans for Easy Scalability: Whether you’re a freelancer or a solopreneur looking to take your business to the next level, this easy software for accounting has flexible plans that frame the needs of every small business.
- Unlimited Invoiced and Advanced Invoicing Features: Send unlimited invoices any time from a mobile phone. Its automated invoicing features allow users to generate invoices and automatically send them to regular clients, saving time.
- Over 650 App Integrations: Eliminate other manual work by integrating multiple third-party apps that you already use, like PayPal, Amazon, Shopify, and over 650 more apps.
- One-Click Reporting: With just a click, you can get insights into how your business is doing. Just view the balance sheet, profit and loss records, and other reports.
- Multiple Currencies: Simplify bank reconciliation and generate reports in different currencies. QuickBooks supports more than 150 currencies, making it one of the best accounting software for self-employed, small businesses, and startups.
- Cloud, SaaS, Desktop App, and Mobile App: Access QuickBooks via the web, desktop app, or mobile app, anywhere you are.
Customer Service
Its exceptional customer support is reachable in various ways. Depending on your concern, you can get help from its dedicated phone support, search through the resources, or post your question in the online community.
You can find phone support at 1 (877) 683 3280 from 5 am to 6 pm PST, Monday through Friday, and 7 am to 4 pm PST on Saturday and Sunday to get immediate help with your concern.
It also has in-software assistance in the form of an AI live chat and an online international community and help center where you’ll find answers to important topics, like accounts, banking, tax, and more.
Wave
Pros
- Free option
- Integration with other software and tools
- Cloud-based
Cons
- Payroll option available only in the US and Canada
Minimum Project Price
$0+
Wave’s accounting packages for small businesses have everything you need in one place. Since 2010, Wave has tracked over $330 billion in expenses and income and served millions of small businesses. Users love it because it provides unlimited income and expense tracking and several more accounting features at absolutely zero cost. No need to install any software as Wave is cloud-based. Plus, it has paid services, such as payment processing and payroll, saving you from the hassle of looking for another vendor.
Pricing Plans
Wave offers the best free accounting software for everyone to use. That includes income and expense tracking, financial statements, reports, receipt scanning, and more. You don’t pay a dime for this unless you sign up for its add-on services with the following prices:
- Payroll Services
- A. Self-service Payroll: $20 monthly + $6 monthly per employee or independent contractor.
- B. Tax service Payroll: $35 monthly + $6 monthly per employee or independent contractor.
- Tax Service: $129 per month
- Includes filing tax returns, representing you before the IRS, quarterly review, and more.
- Bookkeeping Service: $129 monthly
- Includes planning, categorizing transactions, reconciliation, and more.
- Accounting Coach: $79 monthly or $199 one-time fee
- Receive advice, guidance, and live coaching on the best way to handle accounting in your small business.
Most Notable Features
- Wave Dashboard: Get instant insights into your business, such as expense breakdown, via one of the most popular accounting software.
- Professional Invoice Templates: Make recurring or one-time billing and invoicing easy with customizable templates that are free to use.
- Free Mobile App: Send invoices, perform significant transactions, and track your business anytime and anywhere you go.
- Multi-Currency: Wave supports over 160 currencies with exchange rates that are updated daily.
- Chart of Accounts: Get access to a chart of accounts that’s configurable to help you make accounting as simple as possible.
- Inventory: Add item names, descriptions, and prices for easy billing.
- Reports: Generate 12 different reports, such as a cash flow report, either accrual or cash-basis, for easy quarterly or yearly comparison.
- Cloud, SaaS, and Mobile app: Wave is 100% web-based, but you can download its invoicing and receipt scanning apps on mobile.
Customer Service
In addition to being one of the best accounting software for small businesses, Wave’s multi-channel customer support is also what makes it stand out. It provides in-account support, which enables users to contact support through the in-software support form.
It also has its help center if you need navigational instructions and how-to guides related to accounting. If you need business tips or want to discuss ideas with fellow entrepreneurs, the online community is the best avenue. Phone and chat support are available for paid services only, such as payroll and credit card payment processing. As for email, customer support is available via media@waveapps.com.
BizSight 365
Pros
- Cloud, SaaS, and web-based
- Bank reconciliation
- Accounting integration
Cons
- Expensive personalized phone support
Minimum Project Price
$10+
BizSight 365 is flourishing as one of the best online accounting software for small businesses today. It’s a second-generation and entry-level Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution hosted on Azure. It is based on different pieces of technology used by Microsoft itself, allowing it to support common browsers. Its accounting, payroll, reporting, and other robust features run on the latest technology, so there’s no need to worry about downtimes during upgrades or updates. Unlike other software, BizSight 365 caters to bilingual clients, which is a unique advantage.
Pricing Plans
When it comes to defining the price of this accounting software, BizSight loves to keep it simple.
- Free 3-month trial
- The first three months are in the house. Therefore, you’ll have 90 days to try its features and gauge whether it fits your needs.
- Features include invoicing and payments, tracking, recording, journals, bank reconciliation, and more.
- Pro: $15 monthly per user
- Includes the same features found in the free trial, plus importing and exporting Excel files, inventory adjustments, and physical count.
- Manufacturing: $35 monthly per user
- Offers software for small businesses in the manufacturing field to enable more control of the inventory, sales orders, and purchase orders.
- Includes material planning, WIP and cost tracking, employee time tracking, production reporting, and more.
Most Notable Features
- All-Inclusive Cloud Accounting Software Capability: It lets you create and customize invoices in a snap, add detailed notes, and track income and expenses in the cloud or local device.
- Sales Orders Tracking: Track drop-ship purchases and backorders.
- Organized Recording: Keep detailed data on vendor bills, cash and credit expenses, and purchase orders.
- Inventory: It’s packed with tools for costing, inventory control, and physical count, perfect for small businesses requiring regular inventory records.
- Manufacturing: Create and track work orders, costs, work-in-process goods—ideal for businesses in the manufacturing industry.
- International Support: This small business accounting software has already been used in the US and 13 other countries in varying industries. It has dedicated global support with multi-currency and VAT.
- Cloud, SaaS, and Desktop App for Windows: Access your account through the web or locally installed software.
Customer Service
Customer support is reachable via email at hello@biztechnologies.co, phone (614) 352-2472, and the site’s Contact Us page.
BizSight 365 offers a personalized annual phone support service to users to get the most out of the software subscription. It covers software assistance, remote desktop access, business guidance, and more from its service partners, CPA firms, and technology vendors. The prices are $175 for a single incident, $500 for 3-pack support incidents, and $750 for 5-pack support incidents.
Xero
Pros
- Easy and efficient invoicing
- Affordable pricing
- Errors can be easily fixed
Cons
- Reporting
Minimum Project Price
$10+
Since 2006, Xero is widely considered one of the best financial, tax, and accounting software in the market. has grown to have over two million subscribers and several global offices. Its software optimizes a single unified ledger, allowing business owners to record and work in a similar set of books the entire time. Its robust accounting software lets users do all accounting tasks, from invoicing to monitoring employee spending.
Pricing Plans
Whether you need basic or advanced accounting software, Xero brings flexible plans for all-sized businesses.
- 30-Day Free Trial
- Test Xero’s features without limitations for one month free of charge.
- Early: $12 monthly
- Suits sole traders, freelancers, and new businesses that seek key accounting features.
- Send quotes and up to 20 invoices.
- Growing: $34 monthly
- Ideal for growing small businesses.
- Unlimited invoices, quotes, bills, bank reconciliations, and bills.
- Established: $65 monthly
- For any sized and established business.
- Includes the standard features with the added benefit of multi-currency.
As one of the best business accounting software, it offers optional services, such as claim expenses and project tracking, for $4 and $7 per month, respectively.
Most Notable Features
- Bills Tracking: Helps users stay on top of their bills, cash flow, and accounts payable.
- Bank Connections: Allows users to link their bank accounts for seamless and secure transactions.
- Payment Solutions: Connect to payment solutions like Stripe to make online payment processing faster.
- App Integration: Choose from over 800 online accounting apps in the app marketplace and personalize your software by integrating payroll, point-of-sale, and other software solutions.
- Cloud, SaaS, and Mobile App: Besides accessing via the web, apps for iOS, Android, and iPad are available to download.
- Bank Reconciliation: Keep your account up-to-date by reviewing and matching transactions daily using suggested matches.
- Contacts and Smart Lists: Review your client or supplier’s sales, invoices, emails, and other transactions in the contact history.
Customer Service
Xero is a top business accounting solution that provides unlimited user support 24/7 for free. But if you have questions and want immediate answers, you can search through its resource center’s posts and discussions.
If you’re unable to get answers from posts, you can log in and hit the Get in touch button at the end of each support article, and someone will get back to you through email.
Xero doesn’t have inbound phone support, so it doesn’t have any phone numbers. In cases where you need phone support, you can request it by filling out the online form.
Buyer’s Guide: Picking the Best Accounting Software for Small Business
A single Google search will give you innumerable options, but what is the best accounting software for your small business? With every company saying theirs is the best, it’s difficult to pin down the best software that meets all your accounting needs. Here’s a quick buyer’s guide to help you with what to consider when selecting the perfect accounting software for you.
How to Choose the Best Accounting Software for Small Business: Step by Step
Costs
First, you should consider how much you are willing to shell out for accounting software. Then, find the top 10 accounting software with plans that are within your budget range. Check thoroughly if any of these companies have the features that you need. If none, you may need to increase your budget to accommodate your needs. Don’t go for affordable software that lacks essential features.
Usability
Do you need offline accounting software or an online one? In our fast-paced digital world, you might prefer an online choice. So, at this point, you should decide if you want web-based software that operates on a cloud or an app.
First of all, you must consider its ease of use. While many busy business owners want to access their finances via a mobile app, some prefer the traditional way of the web. Also, you must not forget to opt for a product that enables shared accessibility features. If you want another person to access your records, make sure you get one with the appropriate number of allowed users.
Customer Support
Despite the different types of accounting software, excellent software has accessible and responsive support. Encountering problems with your software can be frustrating. But it’s even more frustrating if you can’t reach someone from the other line to straighten things out. That’s why you should choose a company that has responsive customer support. Ensure the company has other communication channels, so if you can’t reach its phone support, you can send questions through email or chat.
Features
The common misconception about products is that the more features, the better. But that’s not all true. When choosing accounting software, pick one with vital features, such as tax and accounting features.
For instance, if you are looking for the best accounting software for your small construction business, you might want to leave the extra features out. Some features have associated costs, so you’ll end up spending more on something you don’t need at the moment. Plus, unnecessary features may make your dashboard look unorganized. Only include features that serve your needs.
Best Accounting Software for Small Business: The Takeaway
Money is the lifeline of every business, and if you don’t know where your finances go, prepare for a collapse. Here’s the thing—if you can’t translate your business into numbers, you can’t improve it. That’s why an accounting software where you can record your expenses, income, and literally every dollar that goes in and out is a must, independent of the business size.
You can even opt to use free open-source business accounting software if you have no budget. It doesn’t matter if you get free or paid software. Using one doesn’t only give you readable data about your business health, but it also boosts productivity and collaboration. It also centralizes financial management.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest accounting software for small businesses?
The easiest accounting software programs are FreshBooks, QuickBooks, and Wave. Accounting may seem an intimidating task. However, thanks to the unlimited resources on the internet, it’s now easier to learn. Also, accounting software developers today consider fundamental factors, such as ease of use and simplicity, when building software, so even people with non-finance degrees can learn to use the software in days.
Do I still need an accountant if I use accountant software?
Although the accounting software will certainly automate many lengthy processes, such as storing and analyzing data, that doesn’t mean that it will replace the accountant. You still need an accountant that guides you through your financial journey and gives you valuable advice to keep up with the ever-changing tax legislation. These are important aspects that accounting software cannot replace.
How much does CPA cost for a small business?
Generally, a CPA costs from $150 to over $400 per hour depending on the business size, type of work, experience, and location. Each accountant must have their own plan with a flat rate and variable costs.
Overall, hiring a certified accountant can be more expensive than investing in accounting software. However, as stated above, a human accountant is not replaceable. So, it’s important to invest in both options to make the best of your finances.