QuickBooks alternatives for small business

QuickBooks is one of the best-known accounting tools for small businesses. Several other tools do the same job well. Price, the number of users and the features you actually use all matter. Here is how the main alternatives compare, and who each one suits.

A note on the prices

All prices below are US prices in US dollars, taken from each vendor's own pricing page as of October 2026. They are the regular monthly prices. Most vendors also run discounts for the first few months. Prices differ by country and change often, so open the linked page before you decide.

For comparison, QuickBooks Online starts at 38 dollars a month for Simple Start with 1 user. Essentials is 85 dollars with 3 users, Plus is 140 dollars with 5 users, and Advanced is 340 dollars with 25 users.

Xero

Xero's US plans are Early at 27 dollars a month, Growing at 59 dollars and Established at 97 dollars, as of October 2026. Early has limits: 20 invoices and 5 bills. Xero's page says there are no per-user license fees.

• Suits: businesses that want their team or bookkeeper inside the books without paying per person.
• Less suited to: very small businesses that send many invoices but want the cheapest plan, because of the Early limits.

Zoho Books

Zoho Books has a Free plan for businesses with yearly revenue under 50,000 dollars. It includes 1 user plus 1 accountant and up to 1,000 invoices a year. Paid plans start with Standard at 20 dollars a month, or 15 dollars a month billed yearly, with 3 users. All as of October 2026.

• Suits: small businesses that want full accounting at a low price, and people who already use other Zoho apps.
• Less suited to: anyone who needs payroll inside the same product. Zoho sells payroll as a separate app.

FreshBooks

FreshBooks is built around invoicing clients. Its US plans as of October 2026 are Lite at 23 dollars a month for up to 5 billable clients, Plus at 43 dollars for 50 clients and Premium at 70 dollars for unlimited clients. Extra team members cost 11 dollars a month each.

• Suits: service businesses and freelancers who bill clients for time and projects.
• Less suited to: businesses with many small customers, because the cheaper plans cap billable clients.

Wave

Wave has a free Starter plan with unlimited invoices, estimates and bookkeeping records. Pro costs 19 dollars a month, or 190 dollars a year, as of October 2026. Wave is only for businesses in the United States and Canada.

• Suits: very small US or Canadian businesses with simple books and a tight budget.
• Less suited to: businesses outside those two countries, or teams that need inventory and project tools.

Or a smaller QuickBooks plan

If cost is your only problem, look at QuickBooks' own cheaper options first. In the US there is a Free plan with 1 user, 1 bank connection and 2 invoices a month, unless you turn on QuickBooks Payments. For one-person businesses, QuickBooks Solopreneur has a Lite plan at 20 dollars a month. Staying put avoids the work of moving.

How to choose

Write down how you actually work before you compare features.

• How many people need to log in, including your bookkeeper or accountant?
• How many invoices and bills do you handle in a month?
• Do you sell products from stock, or services by the hour or project?
• Do you pay employees, and in which country?
• Do you deal in more than one currency?
• Which tool does your accountant already know?

Then try the two tools that fit best. Most offer a trial or a free plan. Enter one real month of transactions in each, and see which one you find easier to keep up with every week.

If you want a closer look at one pair, see QuickBooks vs Xero, Zoho Books vs QuickBooks or Wave vs QuickBooks. If you work alone, QuickBooks alternatives for the self-employed is a better fit.

Before you switch

1. Export your reports: profit and loss, balance sheet, and open invoices and bills.
2. Export your customer, supplier and product lists.
3. Pick a clean start date, such as the first day of a month or tax year.
4. Ask your accountant to set or check the opening balances.
5. Keep read access to the old tool for as long as your tax rules need the records.

Whatever you pick, the habits matter more than the software. A weekly routine like the one in bookkeeping basics works in any of these tools. Tax and record rules differ by country, so check with an accountant where you file.