The 5 best accounting software & tools for startups in 2026

CustomBooks, formerly AccountingSuite, is best for CPAs and small to mid-sized companies with anywhere from five to 500 employees. It automates routine tasks like tax filing, reconciliation, report generation, and account allocations. This allows you to focus on higher-value activities for clients through strategic advising or tax planning. You also get a lot of control with Sage – the customisable profit and loss reports are https://www.theclintoncourier.net/2025/12/19/main-advantages-of-accounting-services-for-startups/ a key example. Sage can help establish a strong brand identity by customising external documents like invoices and reports with your logo, as well as allowing you to change themes and fonts. You can also customise the dashboard to your liking, so you get a lot of control over your workflow.

Intuit QuickBooks

A city commuter needs something small and fuel-efficient, while a family of five heading out on road trips needs space and safety features. Beyond size, your industry often comes with its own set of compliance rules, reporting standards, and common operational workflows. A retail business, for example, will prioritize inventory management and sales tax calculations, while a healthcare provider has to think about HIPAA compliance and intricate insurance billing. Understanding these nuances from the get-go will help you narrow down your options and find a tool that truly supports your unique business journey.

Integration capabilities

You’ll also get access to Wagepoint payroll software, ZenCash, Basecamp, and developer and API access for third-party apps. There are almost 100 different apps and programs that work with LessAccounting. View the midsize business accounting software page for a list of options. While a super-niche industry may not have a software option exclusively developed for them, they can generally turn to specialized vendors.

• ZarMoney’s invoicing and estimate tools stand out as a combination of simplicity and effectiveness that increases the likelihood of your organization’s invoices getting paid on time.
• QuickBooks Online is a comprehensive accounting platform designed for startups and small teams.
• On the Better Business Bureau, Sage 50 holds a lower-than-average “C-” rating due to its failure to respond to complaints against the business.
• However, advanced features like inventory management and advanced analytics are available only with the paid plans.
• It’s widely regarded as an industry leader, especially for small businesses.

How To Choose the Best Accounting Software

• It provides real-time reporting for actionable insights into business performance.
• But if you need advanced features, dedicated support, or more automation, a paid plan is usually worth it—and still way cheaper than hiring a full-time accountant.
• Options such as Sage 50c, Zoho Books, and Quickbooks Online are great low-priced options for new businesses, but they’ll lack ways to customize the software towards your business.
• With decades of experience in the accounting industry, Sage offers powerful tools to handle various financial tasks efficiently.
• The software helps with essential financial tasks like invoicing and payment processing.
• Many businesses find it beneficial to integrate their accounting and payroll software.

If your business sends invoices, the ability to email them and accept online payments can help you get paid faster. Businesses that accept online payments get paid faster than those relying on traditional payment methods. Some accounting programs integrate with third-party payment processors, whereas other vendors require you to use their in-house processing services. You an get 90 percent off for the first four months of service when paying monthly. So, for example, the Lite plan will only cost you $2.10 per month for the first four months. If you choose to pay annually, you get get the same discount on the first four months, plus an additional 10 percent off for the rest of the year.

It supports multi-currency transactions and local tax regulations out of the box. Like Intacct, NetSuite offers a drag-and-drop report builder called SuiteAnalytics. However, creating complex custom reports requires some degree of coding knowledge. We tested FreshBooks for ourselves and found report customization pretty basic. You can change and compare dates and switch from accrual to cash-based accounting. However, it does include 20 built-in reports that help monitor financial health, like profit and loss, general ledger, and balance sheet.

Practice Proactive Financial Planning

Whether a company has one employee or dozens, FreshBooks adjusts to changing needs without becoming overly complex. The platform is particularly well-regarded for its invoicing capabilities. In fact, some business experts consider it the best small business invoicing software available today. Xero helps with tax preparation by organizing your financial information throughout the year. This gives you a chance to test the software before committing your money. This integration saves time by keeping all your important information in one place.

How to choose accounting software

The support team comprises real humans who are willing to stay on the line until you’re satisfied. Oracle Netsuite accounting for startups currently holds an “A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau; however, on third-party review sites like Trustpilot, the feedback is dismal. Netsuite currently has a 1.4-star average rating on Trustpilot, which was somewhat unsurprising after the customer “service” we received while talking to Oracle Netsuite.

• Now that you have a fair idea of what to look for, let’s get to our top picks for the best accounting software for small business owners available on the market today.
• Unlike Xero, FreshBooks lets you send an unlimited number of invoices and estimates with every plan.
• Ultimately, embracing automation isn’t just about streamlining current processes; it’s about setting your business up for sustainable growth.
• ZipBooks empowers businesses with the tools they need to manage finances effectively and make informed decisions to unlock their growth potential.
• Free tools can be great for testing the waters—but paid software gives you the power and flexibility to handle what’s next.
• Neat is accounting software that provides all the bookkeeping and invoicing basics.
• ZarMoney streamlines invoicing with global payment options, order life-cycle management, discrepancy identification, sales tax automation and permissions and role-based entry system.

ZarMoney isn’t flashy, but it’s stable, structured and built for small businesses that are scaling upward fast. Sage Intacct is the undisputed top choice for growing healthcare businesses because it combines financial, operational and clinical data in one unified system. While testing, I was impressed by how it pulls in insights like revenue per clinician, number of patients served, visits per location and payer mix alongside traditional metrics like net income and expenses. When you’re looking at different software options, make it a point to ask specifically how they connect with your existing tech stack. Do they offer direct, out-of-the-box integrations, or will you need to rely on third-party connectors or APIs?