QuickBooks alternatives: better and cheaper for small business
This article includes Roadfolio, which is built by ITF Business. Other tools may include affiliate links; if you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
QuickBooks dominates small business accounting because nobody got fired for picking QuickBooks. But for many small businesses, it's overkill, hard to learn, and expensive. The alternatives have gotten dramatically better. Here's an honest comparison.
Quick picks
- Best for contractors/freelancers with mileage: Roadfolio
- Free for service businesses: Wave
- Best overall alternative: Xero
- Best for hour-billing freelancers: FreshBooks
- Best for solopreneurs: Bench (full bookkeeping service)
- Stay with QuickBooks if: you have employees + inventory + complex needs
Roadfolio (best for contractors and field-service)
roadfolio.net. Free tier, Pro $29.99/mo, Elite $49.99/mo.
- Automatic mileage tracking with IRS-compliant logs
- Professional invoicing with one-click pay
- Expense and receipt management
- Client and job organization
- RoadBuddy AI voice assistant (Pro)
- Quotes and proposals (Elite)
- Built for: contractors, handymen, real estate agents, mobile mechanics, anyone who drives for work
- Limit: not full accounting (no chart of accounts, no journal entries). Pair with Wave free if you need that, or use Roadfolio reports with a CPA.
The alternatives
Wave (free)
Free accounting software for small businesses. waveapps.com.
- Free: full accounting, invoicing, expense tracking, receipt scanning
- Paid: credit card payments (2.9% + 60¢), payroll ($20-$35/mo)
- Best for: service businesses, freelancers, small shops without inventory
- Limit: no inventory tracking, no project tracking, US/Canada focused
Xero
Cloud-based, modern, often considered easier than QuickBooks. xero.com.
- Plans: $15-$78/month
- Strong inventory features
- Best multi-currency support
- Unlimited users on all plans (QuickBooks charges per user)
- Better mobile app than QuickBooks
- Best for: growing small businesses, international, those who want a modern interface
FreshBooks
Built for freelancers and service businesses. freshbooks.com.
- Plans: $19-$60/month
- Best invoicing in the market
- Time tracking built in
- Project tracking
- Limit: weaker for product businesses, no inventory beyond basic
- Best for: freelancers, consultants, agencies, anyone billing by hour or project
Zoho Books
Part of the Zoho suite. Best value for money. zoho.com/books.
- Free: up to $50k revenue/year
- Paid: $15-$240/month
- Integrates with all of Zoho (CRM, projects, inventory)
- Slightly steeper learning curve
- Best for: businesses already using other Zoho tools, value-conscious
QuickBooks Self-Employed (still cheap)
If you want some QuickBooks features cheap. QuickBooks Self-Employed.
- $15-$35/month
- Geared at sole proprietors
- Mileage tracking, basic tax tracking
- Limitation: limited features, hard to scale up
- Best for: sole proprietors who file Schedule C, want minimal features
Bench (bookkeeping service, not software)
They do the books for you. bench.co.
- $249-$499/month
- Includes dedicated bookkeeper
- Monthly financial statements ready for taxes
- Best for: time-poor small business owners who'd rather pay than learn
Sage
Long-time accounting tool, used by accountants. sage.com.
- Multiple products (Sage Business Cloud, Sage 50, etc.)
- Best for: businesses whose accountant prefers Sage
Akaunting
Free, open source. akaunting.com.
- Free hosted or self-host
- Add-ons for additional features
- Best for: technically inclined users wanting full control
Comparison table
| Tool | Best for | Free tier? | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roadfolio | Contractors, freelancers, gig workers | Yes | Free / $29.99 |
| Wave | Service businesses | Yes (full) | Free |
| Xero | Growing businesses | No | $15/mo |
| FreshBooks | Freelancers | No | $19/mo |
| Zoho Books | Zoho ecosystem users | Yes (under $50k rev) | $15/mo |
| QuickBooks SE | Sole proprietors | No | $15/mo |
| QuickBooks Online | Established small businesses | No | $35/mo |
| Bench | Hands-off owners | No | $249/mo |
Decision matrix
Solo freelancer (just you, services only)
Wave (free) or FreshBooks ($19/mo). Skip QuickBooks.
Small service business with employees
Wave free + Gusto payroll ($40/mo). Or QuickBooks if your accountant insists.
Retail / product business with inventory
QuickBooks Online (Plus or higher) or Xero. Need real inventory features.
Restaurant
Restaurant-specific tools like Restaurant365 or use QuickBooks + a restaurant POS.
E-commerce store
Xero with A2X integration for Amazon/Shopify reconciliation.
Multi-entity business
QuickBooks Online Advanced or Xero. Most others struggle with multiple entities.
Common QuickBooks frustrations alternatives solve
"QuickBooks is too complicated for my simple business"
Wave or FreshBooks. Designed for non-accountants.
"QuickBooks Online is expensive"
Wave (free), Zoho Books ($15/mo), or QuickBooks Self-Employed ($15/mo).
"I can't get to my data without QuickBooks"
Cloud alternatives (Xero, Wave, FreshBooks) all let you export. Better data portability than desktop QuickBooks.
"QuickBooks charges per user"
Xero, Wave, FreshBooks all include unlimited users at base prices.
What to ask your accountant before switching
- Do you work with [target software]?
- What's the cost to import a year of data into the new system?
- What's the best time to switch (year end vs mid year)?
- What integrations do we need (bank, payment processor, payroll)?
Migration considerations
- Most tools can import QuickBooks data via standard files
- Migrate at year-end for clean records
- Keep QuickBooks access for prior years (subscription continues read-only)
- Run parallel for a month if it's critical to your business
- Notify your bank's bill pay if it changes
5 things to do before choosing
- List the 5 things you need from accounting software.
- Check what your accountant supports.
- Try free trials of 2-3 options.
- Test the mobile app of each.
- Read recent reviews on G2 or Capterra.
Want help comparing options?
If you're frustrated with QuickBooks or starting fresh, Isaac can sit with you and walk through what fits your business.