- NCH: Best for Financial Analysis
- Zoho Books: Best for Zoho Books
- ZipBooks: Best for Invoicing
- Sunrise: Best for Profit and Loss Statements
- GnuCash: Best for Linux
- TrulySmall Invoices: Best for Freelancers
- Wave Accounting: Best for Ease of Use
Updated: Mar 29, 2023, 7:04pm
Accounting software is a great way to manage your finances if you’re a small business owner, freelancer or contract worker. These solutions typically include features such as invoicing, expense tracking and financial reports. While free accounting software won’t have all the bells and whistles of a paid version, it can still be a valuable tool for managing your finances.
To help you find the best free accounting software for your needs, we’ve compiled a list of our top picks. We selected these solutions based on pricing, features, support, reputation and more.
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If your small business has less than five employees, you can use the free version of NCH for your accounting software. The free version lacks some of the bigger features suitable for larger enterprises, but still has much to offer. Examples of financial statements you can generate include income statements, balance sheets, profit and loss (P&L) statements and sales analysis by item, customer and salesperson. Whether you run on a Mac or PC, this software is compatible.
Who should use it:
NCH free accounting software is best for small businesses that want to be able to generate various financial reports.
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Zoho is a comprehensive suite of business software and Zoho Books is its accounting component. The free version includes all the features you need to get your finances in order, including expense and mileage tracking, reconciliation, invoices and email support. One of its best features is that it can integrate with other Zoho products, such as Zoho CRM, making it a good choice if you’re already using other Zoho software for your business.
Paid plans start at INR 749 per month, billed annually, and offer features that include multiple users, bulk updates, timesheets and sales tax tracking. Learn more about what Zoho has to offer with our Zoho Books review.
Who should use it:
Zoho Books is best for small businesses that are already using other Zoho products and want to integrate their accounting software for a seamless experience.
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While some of its competition limits the number of invoices you can send, ZipBooks free accounting software has unlimited invoicing. This makes it a good choice if your business relies heavily on invoicing for revenue. In addition to invoicing, you also get basic reports, vendor and customer management and digital payments through Square or PayPal. Paid plans start at $15 per month, and include features, such as auto-billing, reminders, time tracking and the ability to save invoice line items.
Who should use it:
ZipBooks free accounting software is best for businesses that need to send a lot of invoices, such as service-based businesses.
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If you’re looking for free accounting software that has strong P&L statements, Sunrise is a good choice. In addition to being able to generate P&L statements, you can also process payments, manage income, send invoices, manage expenses and send quotes. It has one paid plan, which is around INR 1,644 per month and includes features, such as cash flow insights, auto-categorizing expenses and payment integrations.
Who should use it:
Sunrise free accounting software is best for businesses that want to generate detailed profit and loss statements.
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If you’re a Linux user, your choices for free accounting software are more limited. GnuCash is a good option that’s compatible with Linux, as well as Windows, BSD, Solaris and Mac. It includes features, such as bank account tracking, expense tracking, financial calculations and reports. While it doesn’t have as many extras with its small business features, it makes up for it in flexibility, with the ability to track stocks, commodities and other investments.
Who should use it:
GnuCash free accounting software is best for businesses that need to track investments and want software that’s compatible with Linux.
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If you’re a freelancer, you may not need all the features that come with more comprehensive free accounting software. TrulySmall Invoicing is a good option for those who just need the basics. It includes data storage, invoice status tracking, automatic payment reminders and professional templates.
With a TrulySmall accounting plan, you can send invoices, track income, generate reports, track sales and sales tax, accept payments and track expenses. This costs around INR 1,645 per month or around INR 1,480 per month when billed annually.
Who should use it:
TrulySmall free accounting software is best for freelancers who need basic accounting features.
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Wave Accounting free accounting software is one of the easiest to use, with an interface that’s similar to Mint. With Wave, you can track income and expenses, send invoices, track sales tax and create reports. Run multiple businesses from the same account, check your dashboard to see how business is doing and collaborate with unlimited partners and accountants.
Paid plans start at around INR 1,645 per month and include features, such as invoicing, receipts, payment tracking and double-entry bookkeeping. It also has a feature called Wave Payroll that allows you to pay employees. Learn more about what it has to offer with our Wave Accounting review.
Who should use it:
Wave Accounting free accounting software is best for businesses that want an easy-to-use accounting software.
Company | Forbes Advisor Rating | Best For | Time Tracking | Customer Portal | Learn More |
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4.8
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Best for Financial Analysis
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4.7
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Best for Zoho Users
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4.7
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Best for Invoicing
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4.6
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Best for Profit and Loss Statements
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4.5
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Best for Linux
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4.0
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Best for Freelancers
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No
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3.9
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Best for Ease of Use
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No
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To determine the best free accounting software, we looked at a variety of factors, including features, customer reviews and value. We whittled down our options after assigning weighted scores to each feature, and then we ranked the companies based on those factors.
We prioritized features that are important for small businesses, such as invoicing, time tracking and expense tracking. We also looked at how easy the software is to use. Is it available on multiple platforms? Does it have a user-friendly interface?
We also looked at customer reviews to see what users are saying about the software. Often, marketing promises don’t always match reality, so reviews can help determine whether a software lives up to its claims.
Finally, we looked at the value of the service. While you’re not paying for it, you’re investing time in learning and using the software. Is it worth your time?
When ranking the best free accounting software, we considered these factors to help you find the best software for your business.
When choosing free accounting software, it’s important to consider your needs. What features are you looking for? Do you need time tracking? Invoicing? Customer support? Consider what’s important to you and your business, then find software that offers those features.
It’s also important to consider ease of use. Accounting software can be complex, so you’ll want to find something that’s easy to use and install or, better yet—it’s available in the cloud. Consider how user-friendly each software is as well as whether it’s available on multiple platforms.
Finally, consider customer reviews. What are users saying about the software? Are they happy with the features? Does it offer customer support to rectify any issues? Pay attention to both the positive and negative reviews to get a balanced picture of each software.
Kathy Haan, MBA is a former financial advisor-turned-writer and business coach. For over a decade, she’s helped small business owners make money online. When she’s not trying out the latest tech or travel blogging with her family, you can find her curling up with a good novel.
Rob is a former Managing Editor, SMB at Forbes Advisor. Before joining Forbes Advisor, he was a content producer at Fit Small Business. In that role, he was responsible for writing, editing, and strategizing content geared toward small business owners. Before that, he worked at PCMag as a business analyst.