Best Accounting Software for Self-Employed Top 10 Compared

Ruby is good at figuring out what you want, offering you a collection of help articles based on the keywords you typed. Just don’t ask Ruby complex stuff like the meaning of life—it’ll only drone on about capital assets. If the conversation goes nowhere, you can talk to a human instead to solve the trickier bits. The website doesn’t have that “serious accounting app” vibe, but it’s very easy to move around the app, not overwhelming in any way.

Best self-employed accounting software for creating complete invoices

(And we’re pretty sure that’s every business owner, right?) And yes, you can send unlimited invoices with every FreshBooks plan, but the plan you pick determines the number of clients you can bill. Freelancers with more than five clients need FreshBooks Plus, which starts at $25 a month. In ZarMoney, we found one of the best accounting software for self-employed professionals tailored for invoicing, expense tracking, impressive financial insights, and much more.

Is Zoho Books a good choice for the self-employed?

  • Enter payment options embedded in invoices — no more clients logging into their bank accounts or peer-to-peer payment platforms (or writing and mailing checks).
  • These tools are designed to help freelancers, contractors, consultants, and small business owners streamline their accounting processes, automate tasks, and make smarter financial decisions.
  • These include estimates, invoicing, time tracking, expense management, and financial insights.
  • This platform also offers robust reporting tools so you get a full picture of your finances.
  • You’re also able to edit the graph to show your balance or ongoing and ongoing transactions, and customize the data available, to glean detailed insights into your finances.

That’s not to say another software platform won’t have a specific tool or feature that’s more suited to your needs. Read on for our full reviews of the best accounting software for self-employed people, sole traders, and freelancers to find out which is best for you. Most accounting software offers customer support, tutorials, and guides to help you learn how to use it. TrulySmall Accounting is perfect for sole proprietors who want to keep their accounting simple and effective. It’s a great choice for those who don’t need a lot of extra features but still best bookkeeping software for self employed want to manage their finances well. FreshBooks is a great example of how accounting software can be both functional and fun.

Xero’s well-organized headings made it easy for us to carry out simple tasks like creating and editing invoices and uploading receipt images. One member of our user tester team also commented on how easy it was to create bills with the platform, before adding relevant information like descriptions and client information. QuickBooks is also one step ahead of competitors when it comes to artificial intelligence. The platform lets you extract relevant information from invoices, categorize expenses, and flag potential errors or unusual charges with its powerful AI toolkit.

best bookkeeping software for self employed

The interface allows self-employed users to connect their bank accounts and streamline payments. The tool provides comprehensive reporting that helps in understanding financial performance. Xero is well known for its dashboard, which emphasizes clarity and efficiency for on-the-go management. Its ability to integrate with a variety of other applications adds extra value by automating multiple tasks. Starting at just $20 per month, QuickBooks Solopreneur is among the most affordable accounting services for those self-employed. You can use the platform’s mobile app to track mileage and categorize trips, and we like that this facilitates your claiming of travel-based tax deductions.

Wave Accounting: Most affordable accounting software

best bookkeeping software for self employed

AccountEdge Pro is ideal for self-employed individuals who need a comprehensive accounting solution. If you’re set on using QuickBooks as your accounting software provider, we recommend QuickBooks Online over QuickBooks Self-Employed. At $25 a month, QuickBooks Online includes mileage tracking, cash flow management, and sales tax tracking.

What are the disadvantages of FreeAgent?

It’s worth seeking accounting platforms that include these basic analyses, though you might not need other financial reports — these are often geared toward full-on businesses. However, if you do get other reports with your accounting software, you might have an easier time growing from a one-person operation into a team. Enter payment options embedded in invoices — no more clients logging into their bank accounts or peer-to-peer payment platforms (or writing and mailing checks). Instead, everyone who owes you money can pay it right from where they see their charges detailed. This convenience can encourage repeat customer and client transactions while streamlining your cash flow. If you plan to receive payment on your invoices directly from your accounting software, you may also need to factor in credit card processing costs.

Is there free accounting software available?

The primary three services Hurdlr offers are their mileage tracker, expense tracker, and self-employed tax assistance. It’s been the giant in the small business accounting industry for many years, and it offers great basic-to-high level accounting functions across its many products. In addition, since QuickBooks is an Intuit program, it works well with TurboTax and other Intuit products to make all of your financial accounting tasks a snap.

  • It’s been the giant in the small business accounting industry for many years, and it offers great basic-to-high level accounting functions across its many products.
  • If you make under $50K USD, Zoho Books’ free plan gives you features comparable to QuickBooks Online, FreshBooks, and Xero—all at no cost.
  • Plus, the free plan limits your online payment gateways to Stripe and PayPal.
  • Don’t opt for a software just because it’s trending and has thousands of positive reviews by customers.

Bench offers bookkeeping services for self-employed individuals and small businesses. Its service includes access to a team of professional bookkeepers who manage your financial records and provide monthly reports. In summary, TrulySmall Accounting is a solid option for freelancers and very small businesses looking for a user-friendly accounting solution. ZipBooks is a user-friendly accounting software that is perfect for self-employed individuals. This software helps freelancers manage their finances without feeling overwhelmed.

How did we find using Xero?

You can still track expenses with a third-party app, of course—Xero syncs with more than 1,000 other apps, which outpaces even QuickBooks—but built-in expense tracking is undeniably simpler. FreshBooks’ fantastic invoices are easy to customize to your business, and its automated recurring invoices and late payment reminders help you get paid quickly and easily. Its $15 a month starting price is a bit higher than average, but if your business relies largely on invoices to get paid, give FreshBooks a hard look anyway. AccountEdge Pro is a desktop-based accounting solution that savvy self-employed professionals like yourself would find very useful.

Quickbooks Self-Employed (best accounting software for freelancers)

The best bookkeeping software isn’t always the most expensive — it’s the one that fits your workflow, business type, and future growth plans. You can use these tools to view what you owe and to which vendors you owe it. Plus, with the best accounting platforms, you can make one-click bulk payments. This way, you’re unlikely to be saddled with late payment fees that cut away at your profit and cash flow.