Best Accounting and Bookkeeping Software for Businesses (September 2026)
This ranking reviews accounting and bookkeeping platforms built for business use, covering ledgers, invoicing, payroll add-ons, tax preparation support, and reporting tools. Placement was determined by breadth of accounting functions, integration with banking and payment systems, and clarity of pricing across plan tiers.
At a glance
All 7 tools in this ranking, in order.
| # | Tool | Best for | Free plan | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Small and medium-sized businesses | Free plan | Details ↓ | |
| 2 | Freelancers and small businesses | Free plan | Details ↓ | |
| 3 | Small businesses and freelancers | Free trial | Details ↓ | |
| 4 | Small and medium-sized businesses | Free trial | Details ↓ | |
| 5 | UK freelancers and small businesses | Free trial | Details ↓ | |
| 6 | Small to medium businesses in Australia/NZ | Free trial | Details ↓ | |
| 7 | Small and midsize businesses and accounting firms | Free trial | Details ↓ |
The 7 best Accounting tools
Accounting and bookkeeping for businesses.
Zoho Books is cloud-based accounting software from Zoho designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It supports invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, inventory management, and generation of financial reports such as profit and loss statements and balance sheets. The platform includes client and vendor portals, project time tracking, and automation for recurring transactions and payment reminders. Zoho Books integrates with other Zoho applications and third-party payment gateways, and supports multiple currencies for businesses handling international transactions. It suits small business owners and accounting teams seeking an integrated financial management solution.
- Invoicing and expense tracking
- Bank reconciliation
- Financial reporting
Ranked #1 of 7 in Accounting · Zoho Books profileVisit zoho.com ↗Wave Accounting is a cloud-based accounting platform designed for small businesses and freelancers. It provides tools for invoicing, income and expense tracking, and financial reporting, allowing users to manage bookkeeping without specialized accounting knowledge. The platform supports bank and credit card connections for automatic transaction imports and offers receipt scanning for expense management. Additional modules cover payments processing and payroll in supported regions. Wave is often used by sole proprietors, freelancers, and small companies seeking a straightforward way to handle core accounting tasks without complex setup or extensive accounting staff.
- Invoicing
- Expense tracking
- Financial reporting
Ranked #2 of 7 in Accounting · Wave Accounting profileVisit waveapps.com ↗Kashoo is a cloud-based accounting application designed for small businesses and self-employed professionals. It offers features such as income and expense tracking, invoicing, bank account reconciliation, and automated categorization of transactions to simplify bookkeeping. Kashoo also provides basic financial reporting, including profit and loss statements, to help owners monitor cash flow. Its interface emphasizes ease of use over the more complex functionality found in enterprise accounting platforms, making it suitable for freelancers, sole proprietors, and small business owners who need straightforward financial management without an accounting background.
- Automated bookkeeping
- Invoicing
- Bank reconciliation
Ranked #3 of 7 in Accounting · Kashoo profileVisit kashoo.com ↗Xero is a cloud-based accounting platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It provides tools for invoicing, bank reconciliation, expense tracking, payroll, and financial reporting, accessible through a web browser or mobile app. Xero integrates with a range of third-party business applications, including payment processors, inventory systems, and CRM tools. Accountants and bookkeepers can use it to manage multiple clients from a single dashboard. The platform supports multi-currency transactions, making it suitable for businesses with international dealings. Xero is commonly used by small business owners, freelancers, and accounting professionals seeking an alternative to desktop accounting software.
- Bank reconciliation
- Invoicing and payroll
- Third-party app integrations
Ranked #4 of 7 in Accounting · Xero profileVisit xero.com ↗FreeAgent is cloud-based accounting software designed for freelancers, sole traders, and small businesses, particularly in the UK. It covers invoicing, expense tracking, time tracking, and bank reconciliation through direct feeds. The tool supports Self Assessment and Making Tax Digital for VAT, helping users prepare and submit tax information to HMRC. Dashboards give an overview of cash flow, outstanding invoices, and tax estimates. It suits businesses seeking a straightforward way to manage day-to-day bookkeeping without needing dedicated accounting staff, and is often used alongside or recommended by accountants familiar with UK tax requirements.
- Invoicing and expense tracking
- Bank feed reconciliation
- Making Tax Digital VAT support
Ranked #5 of 7 in Accounting · FreeAgent profileVisit freeagent.com ↗MYOB is an accounting platform aimed at small and medium-sized businesses, primarily in Australia and New Zealand. It provides tools for invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, payroll, GST/tax reporting, and inventory management. The software supports multiple users and can connect with bank feeds to automate transaction entry. MYOB also offers reporting features to help business owners and accountants monitor cash flow and financial performance. It is available as a cloud-based product with mobile app access, suiting businesses that need integrated accounting and payroll compliance features tailored to local tax regulations.
- Invoicing and expense tracking
- Payroll and tax compliance
- Bank feed reconciliation
Ranked #6 of 7 in Accounting · MYOB profileVisit myob.com ↗Bill.com is a cloud-based platform for managing accounts payable and accounts receivable processes. It automates invoice creation, approval workflows, and bill payments, allowing businesses to send and receive payments electronically. The platform integrates with accounting software such as QuickBooks, Xero, and NetSuite, syncing financial data to reduce manual entry. Features include document capture, customizable approval chains, and vendor and customer management tools. Bill.com is suited to small and midsize businesses, as well as accounting and bookkeeping firms, looking to centralize and streamline invoicing, payment collection, and cash flow tracking within existing accounting systems.
- AP/AR automation
- Accounting software integrations
- Approval workflows
Ranked #7 of 7 in Accounting · Bill.com profileVisit bill.com ↗
Frequently asked
- What is the best Accounting tool right now?
- Zoho Books tops this ranking, followed by Wave Accounting and Kashoo. The full order, with what each tool is for, is on this page.
- How many Accounting tools does this ranking cover?
- 7 tools are ranked here, from 1 to 7: Zoho Books, Wave Accounting, Kashoo, Xero, FreeAgent, MYOB, Bill.com.
- How does Software Index decide the order?
- Position reflects our editorial read of how well a tool fits the mainstream buyer in this category. Software Index is funded by listings, so companies can pay to appear or to upgrade how their entry is shown.
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