Accounting Software Reviews (2026): QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks, Zoho Books and Wave

Our accounting software reviews rank QuickBooks Online first for most US small businesses, from $38 a month at list price as of November 2026. Xero is the best value for teams that need unlimited users, while Wave and Zoho Books offer free plans.

These accounting software reviews cover five tools that US small businesses use most: QuickBooks Online, Xero, FreshBooks, Zoho Books and Wave. All five are cloud accounting software for small business, so you work in a browser or a mobile app. We compared each on price, users, limits and fit. All prices come from official vendor pricing pages, checked on November 12, 2026. We did not run hands-on tests, so each verdict rests on public plan data and documentation.

• QuickBooksOur pick
• Xero
• FreshBooks

Tool
QuickBooksOur pick
Xero
FreshBooks

Accounting software reviews: prices at a glance

Entry prices range from $0 on Wave and Zoho Books to $38 a month on QuickBooks Online. The table below lists list prices on monthly billing unless noted.

Several vendors also run promotions. For example, QuickBooks showed 50% off for three months, and Xero showed 80% off for three months. So check the current offer before you sign up.

How did we rate each tool in these accounting software reviews?

We scored each tool from 0 to 10 on public data only. Price, users, limits and accountant support carry the most weight.

QuickBooks Online review: best overall

QuickBooks Online has four plans: Simple Start at $38, Essentials at $85, Plus at $140 and Advanced at $340 a month.¹ Users rise from 1 on Simple Start to 25 on Advanced. Intuit also stresses flexibility on its pricing page:

Yes, you're free to switch QuickBooks Online plans or cancel at any time.

QuickBooks wins on breadth and on how many US accountants already know it. However, it costs the most, and its price climbs fast as you add users. See our full QuickBooks review.

Rating: 8.7/10.

Xero review: best for unlimited users

Xero offers Early at $27, Growing at $59 and Established at $97 a month in the US as of November 2026.² Its pricing page states there are no per-user license fees. That makes Xero cheaper than QuickBooks for teams with several bookkeepers or managers.

Still, Early limits you to 20 invoices and quotes plus 5 bills a month. So most growing businesses need Growing. For a head-to-head, read our QuickBooks vs Xero comparison.

Rating: 8.5/10.

FreshBooks review: best for service businesses

FreshBooks costs $23 for Lite, $43 for Plus and $70 for Premium a month, while Select uses custom pricing.³ The main limit is billable clients: 5 on Lite, 50 on Plus and unlimited on Premium. In addition, each extra team member costs $11 a month.

FreshBooks shines at invoicing and time tracking for freelancers and agencies. Our FreshBooks review covers its invoicing tools in depth.

Rating: 8.3/10.

Zoho Books review: best value paid plans

Zoho Books starts free for businesses with revenue under $50,000 a year. The free plan also caps you at 1,000 invoices and 1,000 expenses a year.⁴ Paid plans run from $20 a month for Standard to $275 for Ultimate on monthly billing. Annual billing lowers Standard to $15 a month.

Zoho Books fits teams that already use Zoho CRM or other Zoho apps. Also, its user counts grow from 3 on Standard to 15 on Ultimate.

Rating: 8.2/10.

Wave accounting review: best free option for freelancers

Wave Starter costs $0, and Wave Pro costs $19 a month or $190 a year.⁵ Pro adds automatic bank imports, unlimited receipt capture and user roles. Starter, by contrast, has no bank import, so you enter transactions by hand.

Card payments cost 2.9% plus $0.60 per transaction on Starter. Pro waives the $0.60 on the first 10 transactions each month. For more $0 options, see our guide to the best free accounting software.

Rating: 7.6/10.

QuickBooks vs Xero vs FreshBooks: which fits your business?

QuickBooks fits most product and service businesses, Xero fits multi-user teams, and FreshBooks fits client-billing firms. The right pick depends on how you earn and who touches the books.

For example, a five-person agency that bills hours would pay $70 a month on FreshBooks Premium, plus $11 for each extra team member. The same team would need QuickBooks Plus at $140 a month to cover five users. Meanwhile, Xero Growing costs $59 a month with no per-user license fees.

So for a team that only needs invoicing and expenses, Xero or FreshBooks cost less. However, QuickBooks makes sense if your accountant already works in it, because a smooth handover saves billable hours at tax time.

The FreshBooks figure assumes the owner plus four extra team members at $11 each. Your own total will vary with roles and add-ons.

Is Wave or Zoho Books better for freelancers?

Zoho Books is better for most freelancers, while Wave suits those who want the simplest free tool. Both start at $0, but their limits differ.

Zoho Books Free covers businesses with revenue under $50,000 a year and allows 1 user plus 1 accountant. It also caps you at 1,000 invoices and 1,000 expenses a year. Wave Starter, by contrast, has no stated revenue cap, but it lacks automatic bank imports.

In addition, the paid upgrades differ. Wave Pro costs $19 a month and adds bank imports and receipt capture. Zoho Books Standard costs $20 a month, or $15 on annual billing, and supports 3 users. So freelancers who plan to hire soon may prefer Zoho Books.

What do these accounting software reviews leave out?

These accounting software reviews focus on small-business plans with public US prices. We left out enterprise systems such as NetSuite and Sage Intacct, because they quote prices privately.

We also covered only online small business accounting software, so desktop products sit outside this guide. In addition, we did not cover payroll in depth. None of the plan prices above include payroll, so treat it as a separate cost. If payroll is a must, compare the payroll option for each tool as well as the base plan.

Finally, we did not score mobile apps or bank feeds one by one. Instead, we flagged the clear gaps, such as Wave Starter's lack of automatic bank imports. If a feature is critical for you, confirm it during a free trial. Most vendors on this list offer either a free plan or a discounted first few months, so testing costs little. For instance, connect one real bank account and send one real invoice before you commit. That small test shows how each tool handles your own data, which no review can fully predict.

Which accounting software features matter for tax time?

Clean records and 1099 tracking matter most when tax season arrives. Good accounting software keeps both in one place.

The IRS says you should generally keep records for 3 years. That rises to 6 years if you left out income worth more than 25% of the gross income on your return, and to 7 years for a bad-debt deduction.⁶ The IRS also states:

Keep records indefinitely if you do not file a return.

In addition, the Form 1099-NEC threshold rose from $600 to $2,000 for payments made after December 31, 2025, according to the IRS.⁷ So check that your tool tracks contractor payments and updates its 1099 rules for the 2026 tax year.

What tools do accountants use with small business clients?

Most accountants work inside the client's own accounting file. So your choice of software also decides how easily your accountant can help you.

For example, Zoho Books Free includes 1 user plus 1 accountant, and Xero adds no per-user fees when you invite an adviser. QuickBooks Online, meanwhile, counts users by plan, from 1 on Simple Start to 25 on Advanced. Therefore, ask your accountant which system their firm prefers before you migrate a year of data.

How to choose using these accounting software reviews

Match the tool to your business type first, then to your budget. These rules of thumb cover most accounting software for small businesses.

• Most small businesses with an accountant: QuickBooks Online.
• Teams with many users: Xero, since it has no per-user fees.
• Freelancers and agencies that bill hours: FreshBooks.
• Zoho app users or tight budgets: Zoho Books.
• Solo freelancers with simple books: Wave Starter.

Also, think about where your business will be in two years. Switching accounting systems mid-year is painful, because you must move open invoices, bills and bank rules. So pick a tool with a plan that can grow with you, even if you start on the cheapest tier. For example, Zoho Books scales from a free plan to 15 users, and QuickBooks scales from 1 user to 25.

Next, ask your accountant which tool they support. Many firms work faster in one system, and that can save you more than the subscription costs. For a ranked list, see our guide to the best accounting software for small business, or browse our QuickBooks alternatives.

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