Top Quickbooks Alternatives & Competitors in 2026
The best Quickbooks Accounting Software alternatives are Xero, Zoho Books, and Freshbooks, each offering general ledger, with pricing from free.
The best Quickbooks Accounting Software alternatives are Xero, Zoho Books, and Freshbooks, each… Show more
The best Quickbooks Accounting Software alternatives are Xero, Zoho Books, and Freshbooks, each offering general ledger, with pricing from free.
Starting from: $0/month
Free
- Robust and secure cloud-based software
- Customizable and intuitive dashboard and reports
- Numerous integrations
- Full desktop and mobile access
- Lack of 24/7 customer phone support (except for Advanced)
- Payroll costs extra
- Learning curve
Starting from: $25/month
Early
Now $1/mo.
- Outstanding context-aware assistance
- Efficient utilization of artificial intelligence
- Delivers vital business insights
- Enhanced client data management
- Interface layout could be improved
- Lacks inventory assembly features
- Time logs need to be linked to specific projects.
Starting from: $0/month
Free
- Account packages are reasonably priced
- Ability to add on a range of different services
- Very easy to use on desktop and mobile
- Allows for plenty of time-saving due to automation
- Probably not suitable for very large businesses
- Separate accounts needed for different businesses
- No payroll services as an add-on option
The best QuickBooks alternative for most small businesses is Xero if you need more users, Zoho Books or Patriot if price is the problem, and Sage 50 if you are leaving QuickBooks Desktop. Intuit raised QuickBooks Online renewal prices on or after 1 August 2026, and each plan still caps the number of users, so hiring one more person can force a plan upgrade. Current plan prices and what each plan includes are in our QuickBooks review.
Based out of the UK, Sage Group is a multinational company that develops enterprise application software. The company offers various types of accounting, payroll, and payment processing software. Not… Read more
Based out of the UK, Sage Group is a multinational company that develops enterprise application software. The company offers various types of accounting, payroll, and payment processing software. Not only do they have desktop-based accounting software, but they also have cloud-based software that’s designed with small and mid-sized business owners in mind.
Learn more in our full Sage review.
Pros & Cons
- Create separate profiles for your employees and accountant
- Send clients invoices directly from the dashboard
- Automatically backup and secure your data
- Limited customization
- No payroll processing features
Features
- General Ledger
- Bookkeeping
- Manages Accounts Payable/Receivable
- Income & Expenses Tracking/Management
- Financial Reporting
- Receipt Scanning
- Invoicing
- Record Expenses
- Record Mileage
- Generate Invoices
- Recurring Expenses
- Tax Compliance
- Manage Tax Calculations/Reporting
- Accountant-Prep Friendly
- Automation of Invoices/Notifications
- Purchase Order Automation
- Payment Processing
- Time tracking
- Third-party Integrations
- Windows
- Android
- iPhone/iPad
- Mac
- Web-Based
Pricing
$128.67
mo/
month
$182.5
mo/
month
$271.17
mo/
month
Zoho Books is the online accounting software for managing finances, automating business workflows, and collaborating across departments in your business. Its affordable price model and numerous… Read more
Zoho Books is the online accounting software for managing finances, automating business workflows, and collaborating across departments in your business. Its affordable price model and numerous features make this ideal keeping all of your accounting needs under one platform.
Learn more in our full Zoho Books review.
Pros & Cons
- Account packages are reasonably priced
- Ability to add on a range of different services
- Very easy to use on desktop and mobile
- Allows for plenty of time-saving due to automation
- Probably not suitable for very large businesses
- Separate accounts needed for different businesses
- No payroll services as an add-on option
Features
- General Ledger
- Bookkeeping
- Manages Accounts Payable/Receivable
- Income & Expenses Tracking/Management
- Account Reconciliations
- Financial Reporting
- Invoicing
- Tax Compliance
- Manage Tax Calculations/Reporting
- Accountant-Prep Friendly
- Automation of Invoices/Notifications
- Suggests Transaction Matches
- Purchase Order Automation
- Project Management
- Time tracking
- Third-party Integrations
- Windows
- Android
- iPhone/iPad
- Mac
- Web-Based
Pricing
$0
mo/
month
$15
mo/
month
$40
mo/
month
$60
mo/
month
$120
mo/
month
$240
mo/
month
Freshbooks has accounting software that saves time without sacrificing professionalism. Their easy financial record keeping, unique invoice templates, and flexible business model make it easier for… Read more
Freshbooks has accounting software that saves time without sacrificing professionalism. Their easy financial record keeping, unique invoice templates, and flexible business model make it easier for businesses of any size to grow efficiently. Over 30 million people have used Freshbooks.
Learn more in our full Freshbooks review.
Pros & Cons
- Easy recurring invoices
- Excellent custom invoicing
- Competitive plan pricing
- Award-winning customer support
- High cost per user
- Manual balance sheet generation
Features
- General Ledger
- Bookkeeping
- Manages Accounts Payable/Receivable
- Income & Expenses Tracking/Management
- Account Reconciliations
- Financial Reporting
- Receipt Scanning
- Invoicing
- Record Expenses
- Generate Invoices
- Recurring Expenses
- Tax Compliance
- Manage Tax Calculations/Reporting
- Accountant-Prep Friendly
- Automation of Invoices/Notifications
- Suggests Transaction Matches
- Payment Processing
- Payroll Processing
- Project Management
- Time tracking
- Third-party Integrations
- Windows
- Android
- Linux
- iPhone/iPad
- Mac
- Web-Based
Pricing
$2.3
mo/
month
$4.3
mo/
month
$7
mo/
month
Wave is an all-in-one financial platform designed specifically for freelancers, solopreneurs, and micro-businesses. It combines professional invoicing, double-entry accounting, and receipt scanning… Read more
Wave is an all-in-one financial platform designed specifically for freelancers, solopreneurs, and micro-businesses. It combines professional invoicing, double-entry accounting, and receipt scanning into a single interface. Unlike traditional software that charges high monthly fees, Wave offers its core features for free, making it the top choice for businesses watching their bottom line.
Learn more in our full Wave review.
Pros & Cons
- Unlimited invoicing, clients, and bookkeeping at $0/mo.
- Manage several entities under one login for free.
- Uses double-entry accounting to keep your books audit-ready.
- Does not track stock levels or COGS effectively.
- Lacks deep project management and advanced user permissions.
- Limited custom tagging and "granular" filtering.
Features
- Bookkeeping
- Manages Accounts Payable/Receivable
- Income & Expenses Tracking/Management
- Account Reconciliations
- Financial Reporting
- Invoicing
Pricing
$0
mo/
month
$19
mo/
month
Patriot developed its accounting software to be powerful, affordable, and easy to use. It onboards new customers with a comprehensive startup wizard, and easily imports customers, vendors, and trial… Read more
Patriot developed its accounting software to be powerful, affordable, and easy to use. It onboards new customers with a comprehensive startup wizard, and easily imports customers, vendors, and trial balances. Create invoices easily while paying bills and generating understandable financial reports.
Learn more in our full Patriot review.
Pros & Cons
- Unlimited number of users per subscription
- Variety of accounting reports
- Automated import of bank feeds
- Lack of inventory management tools
- Customer support limited to business hours
Features
- General Ledger
- Bookkeeping
- Manages Accounts Payable/Receivable
- Income & Expenses Tracking/Management
- Account Reconciliations
- Financial Reporting
- Invoicing
- Record Expenses
- Record Mileage
- Generate Invoices
- Recurring Expenses
- Accountant-Prep Friendly
- Automation of Invoices/Notifications
- Purchase Order Automation
- Payment Processing
- Payroll Processing
- Time tracking
- Third-party Integrations
- Windows
- Android
- Linux
- iPhone/iPad
- Mac
- Web-Based
Pricing
$10
mo/
month
$15
mo/
month
Is QuickBooks Desktop being phased out?
Partly - Intuit stopped selling new US subscriptions to QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus, Premier Plus and Mac Plus on 30 September 2024, and Desktop 2023 lost payroll, bank feeds and support after 31 May 2026. QuickBooks Enterprise is still sold, and existing subscribers can renew. So Desktop is not switched off, but the path Intuit wants you on is QuickBooks Online. If you want to stay on installed software, look at Sage 50. There is no perpetual-licence option in Sonary's lineup: Sage 50 is subscription-only too.
What does a 5-person team pay on each alternative?
This is where the switch pays off. QuickBooks Plus is the cheapest QuickBooks plan that fits 5 users, at $140 a month. Read the table as the monthly list price for 5 users on the cheapest plan that allows it, checked on each vendor's pricing page on 23 September 2026.
Software | Plan | 5-user monthly cost | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
QuickBooks Online | Plus | $140 | Payroll is extra |
Xero | Growing | $55 | No per-user fees, payroll through Gusto at extra cost |
Zoho Books | Professional | $50 | Extra users $3 each above 5 |
FreshBooks | Plus + 4 extra users | $87 ($43 + 4 × $11) | Capped at 50 billable clients |
Patriot | Accounting Premium | $30 | Unlimited users, US only |
Wave is left out because it is built for one owner. Sage 50 is left out because its pricing is per-bundle, not per-user.
Xero: the best QuickBooks alternative for growing teams?
Yes, when seats are the problem - Xero charges no per-user licence fees, so the Growing plan at $55 a month costs the same for 2 people or 12 (Xero US pricing page, 23 Sep 2026). The cheapest plan, Early at $25, caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills a month, so most businesses land on Growing. Sonary's review likes the in-app help and notes the gap: no inventory assembly.
Zoho Books and Patriot: what is the cheapest real switch?
Zoho Books Professional is $50 a month, or $40 billed annually, with 5 users, and the free plan covers 1 user plus an accountant for businesses under $50K in revenue (Zoho Books US pricing page). Patriot Accounting Premium is $30 a month with unlimited users, and it plugs into Patriot's payroll at no extra integration cost. That matters because QuickBooks payroll now starts at $88 a month plus $6.50 per employee on its entry bundle.
FreshBooks and Wave: do freelancers need QuickBooks at all?
Most do not. FreshBooks Lite is $23 a month for up to 5 billable clients and Plus is $43 for 50 clients, built around invoicing and time tracking (FreshBooks pricing page). Wave's Starter plan is free, and Pro is $19 a month - the cost moves to card processing at 2.9% + 60¢ per payment (Wave pricing page). Sonary rates Wave for 1-5 person businesses. Skip both if you hold inventory.
Sage 50: the pick for QuickBooks Desktop users?
For installed, inventory-heavy accounting, yes. Sage 50 Pro is $128.67 a month, Premium $182.50 and Quantum $271.17, all on a minimum one-year commitment (Sage pricing page, 23 Sep 2026). That is not cheaper than QuickBooks. You pay it to keep desktop software, deeper inventory and 24/7 phone support, which Sonary's review lists as a pro.
See also:
- best accounting software for small business
- best free accounting software
- best payroll services for small business
- QuickBooks vs Xero
- Zoho Books vs QuickBooks