Best Accounting Software 2026
Quick Take
We evaluated 18 accounting and finance tools on pricing, features, ease of use, integrations, and support. These are the best accounting software options for 2026, ranked by our weighted scoring algorithm.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
| # | Tool | Best For | Starting Price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | QuickBooks Online | Most businesses | $30/mo | 8.6/10 |
| 2 | Xero | Teams & international businesses | $15/mo | 8.4/10 |
| 3 | Zoho Books | Budget-conscious businesses | $0/mo | 9.3/10 |
| 4 | FreshBooks | Freelancers & service businesses | $Custom/mo | 8.4/10 |
| 5 | Wave | Solopreneurs on a budget | $0/mo | 6.8/10 |
| 6 | Sage Business Cloud | Mid-market & growing businesses | $Custom/mo | 8.1/10 |
1. QuickBooks Online | Most businesses
The 800-pound gorilla of SMB accounting. QuickBooks Online dominates market share for a reason. deep integrations, solid reporting, and an ecosystem of accountants who know it inside out. The pricing creep over the past few years is real, though.
Our take: The industry standard for a reason. Deep feature set, massive integration ecosystem, and every accountant knows it. The pricing creep is real, but the product delivers.
QuickBooks Online Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Start | $30 | $18/mo |
| Essentials | $60 | $36/mo |
| Plus | $90 | $54/mo |
| Advanced | $200 | $120/mo |
2. Xero | Teams & international businesses
Beautiful UI, unlimited users on every plan, and strong international support. Xero is the main QBO alternative for businesses that want modern cloud accounting without Intuit's lock-in. Particularly strong in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
Our take: Unlimited users on every plan and beautiful UI. The best QBO alternative, especially for businesses outside the US.
Xero Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $15 | — |
| Standard | $42 | — |
| Premium | $78 | — |
3. Zoho Books | Budget-conscious businesses
Part of the massive Zoho ecosystem. Free for businesses under $50K revenue, then competitively priced. Strong automation features and excellent if you're already in the Zoho ecosystem. The UI is functional but not winning any design awards.
Our take: Free under $50K revenue, then aggressively priced. 90% of QBO's features at 50% of the price. Best value in accounting software.
Zoho Books Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | — |
| Standard | $15 | $10/mo |
| Professional | $40 | $26/mo |
| Premium | $60 | $40/mo |
| Elite | $120 | $80/mo |
4. FreshBooks | Freelancers & service businesses
Started as invoicing software, grew into full accounting. FreshBooks is beloved by freelancers and service businesses for its dead-simple invoicing and time tracking. The accounting features are adequate but not as deep as QBO or Xero.
Our take: The best invoicing experience in the market. Limited as full accounting software, but unbeatable for invoice-heavy businesses.
FreshBooks Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Select | Custom | — |
| Lite | $19 | $14/mo |
| Plus | $33 | $24/mo |
| Premium | $60 | $44/mo |
5. Wave | Solopreneurs on a budget
Genuinely free accounting and invoicing. no catch, no 'freemium' bait-and-switch. Wave makes money on payment processing and payroll add-ons. Perfect for solopreneurs and micro-businesses who need real double-entry accounting without spending a dime.
Our take: Genuinely free accounting that actually works. Limited features but zero cost. Can't argue with that.
Wave Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting (Free) | $0 | — |
| Payments | $0 | — |
| Payroll (Tax States) | $40 | — |
6. Sage Business Cloud | Mid-market & growing businesses
Legacy accounting giant that's been transitioning to cloud. Sage covers everything from micro-business (Sage Accounting) to mid-market (Sage Intacct). The cloud products are solid but the transition from desktop Sage 50 has been rocky for some users.
Our take: Sage Intacct is the upgrade path when you outgrow QBO. The SMB products are solid but less polished.
Sage Business Cloud Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Sage Intacct | Custom | — |
| Accounting Start | $15 | — |
| Sage 50 (Accounting) | $49 | $44/mo |
How We Ranked These Tools
Each tool is scored across 5 dimensions: Features (30%), Pricing (25%), Ease of Use (20%), Integrations (15%), and Support (10%). Scores are computed from verified pricing data, feature audits, and aggregated user reviews from G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius.
Read our full scoring methodology for details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best accounting software for startups?
Zoho Books (free under $50K revenue) or Wave (always free) for bootstrapped startups. QuickBooks Online or Xero for funded startups that want to scale. Your choice should align with what your accountant or bookkeeper prefers.
Do I need accounting software if I have an accountant?
Yes. Your accountant needs access to organized financial data. Accounting software automates bank feeds, invoice tracking, and expense categorization so your accountant can focus on tax strategy and advice instead of data entry.