As a self-employed professional, keeping your books in order is a critical but often overwhelming task. With the rise in remote work and side hustles, more people find themselves managing their own finances without the infrastructure of a company behind them.
And that’s why finding the best accounting software for self-employed needs is paramount.
That said, not all business accounting software applications are created equal; some may align with your needs and preferences better than others.
Lucky for you, we’ve done the research and documented our findings. In this post, we discuss 15 of the best accounting software for self-employed individuals and microbusinesses in the US.
Here, we have reviewed and compared the top accounting software, breaking down their offerings and use cases into bite-size chunks. We also discuss the benefits of using accounting software and answer other pressing questions related to the topic.
But first, some quick background information.
We created this list of the best accounting software for self-employed individuals using the following criteria as our measuring yardstick:
Here is a list of the best accounting software for self-employed professionals with features, pricing, and other details to help you make an informed choice in 2024.
Image via QuickBooks
QuickBooks Self-Employed is an easy-to-use accounting solution designed specifically for freelancers and solopreneurs. This tool is part of the broader QuickBooks software ecosystem and seamlessly integrates with their full suite of accounting products.
The platform helps self-employed professionals track income and expenses, maximize tax deductions, manage invoices, capture receipts, log mileage, run financial reports, and calculate estimated quarterly taxes owed.
Here’s a look at some of QuickBooks Self-Employed’s offerings, pricing, USPs, and setbacks.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
You should know that QuickBooks offers a 50% discount on all its plans for the first three months.
Image via QuickBooks
Tool Level
Usability
Image via Zoho Books
Zoho Books is one of the best accounting software for self-employed professionals, with a focus on automation and integration. Zoho Books is part of the Zoho suite of products, which offers a range of solutions for business management, productivity, and collaboration.
And you know what that means?
Zoho Books gets access to all the apps, features, and integrations of Zoho, giving solopreneurs a wider basket of features and functionalities.
This full-featured online accounting software goes beyond basic small business bookkeeping and provides a comprehensive set of accounting and compliance features for solopreneurs.
Take a look at how Zoho Books can serve you.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Zoho Books offers five paid plans:
Image via Zoho Books
Tool Level
Usability
Image via FreshBooks
FreshBooks is another excellent choice for accounting software for self-employed professionals. Founded in 2003 in Toronto, Canada, FreshBooks is an early pioneer of cloud accounting software.
One of its primary aims is to provide an easy-to-use solution for independent professionals to track finances, manage expenses, and gain financial insights.
And FreshBooks backs its status as a veteran in the field with a slew of features and offerings.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
FreshBooks offers a 60% discount on all plans for the first six months.
Image via FreshBooks
Tool Level
Usability
Image via Xero
Xero is one of the best accounting software programs for self-employed professionals and provides online accounting software for small businesses worldwide.
This New Zealand-based cloud-based accounting software connects with banks and financial institutions to automatically import and categorize transactions.
Apart from that, Xero has seamless integrations with popular ecommerce platforms such as Shopify and WooCommerce to streamline order and inventory management.
What’s more?
One of Xero’s USPs is its ability to connect freelancers and self-employed professionals like yourself with a nearby certified CPA or accounting firm at the click of a button.
Let’s look under the hood to see what you get with Xero.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Xero offers a three-month, 75% discount window. This could come in handy for solopreneurs on a tight starting budget.
Image via Xero
Tool Level
Usability
Image via FreeAgent
Of course, FreeAgent makes the list of the best accounting software for self-employed individuals. This tool focuses on delivering the core accounting essentials that self-employed freelancers and independent contractors need without complexity. These include estimates, invoicing, time tracking, expense management, and financial insights.
As one of the best accounting software platforms for self-employed professionals, FreeAgent provides an easy-to-use solution optimized for managing the finances of client work. The client dashboards allow for smooth collaboration workflows between self-employed professionals and their customers.
But it doesn’t end there.
FreeAgent’s direct integration with tax systems in various regions, including the UK’s HMRC, makes it exceptionally useful for managing your taxes efficiently.
FreeAgent also stands out for its user-centric design, which prioritizes ease of use and accessibility. This attribute makes it so that even those with little to no accounting experience can navigate their finances effortlessly.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
The “free” in FreeAgent is there for a good reason, as this tool goes all out when it comes to pricing for solopreneurs.
FreeAgent offers a single-paid plan with a 50% discount for the first six months.
Image via FreeAgent
Tool Level
Usability
Image via Wave
Undeniably one of the best accounting software for self-employed individuals and solopreneurs, Wave provides a massive basket of features, including invoicing and payroll management, at a low cost.
Wave takes cost-effectiveness to a whole new level by offering one of the most feature-rich free plans for small business owners and solopreneurs.
Wave’s commitment to cost-effective financial management and bookkeeping democratizes access to high-quality accounting resources. And this makes it one of the top choices for those just starting out or operating on a tight budget.
Take a look at how Wave matches up against the competition.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Wave has one of the best offerings for its free package users and only offers one paid plan.
Image via Wave
Tool Level
Beginner
Usability
Very easy to use with beginners in mind
Image via Fiverr Workspace
Without a doubt, Fiverr is one of the best self-employed professionals and freelancers to get accounting and bookkeeping solutions.
For self-employed professionals who want an all-in-one solution for financial management and running their solo business, Fiverr Workspace has the answers. Fiverr Workspace offers a robust platform combining invoicing, time tracking, and client collaboration.
But to make it even better, Fiverr Workspace integrates all these features with its online freelancing marketplace.
This creates an avenue for independent contractors across various specializations and niches to connect with clients and showcase their services. And to also seamlessly manage workflows, invoices, payments, and accounting in one place.
As one of the best accounting software for self-employed users, Fiverr Workspace simplifies managing the business and finances of freelancing.
The gist of it is that Fiverr Workspace is a one-stop shop for everything freelancing and is a great tool for self-employed professionals.
Take a look at what Fiverr Workspace is offering.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Like Wave, Fiverr Workspace allows freelancers a lot of room with its free plan and offers only one paid plan.
Image via Fiverr Workspace
Tool Level
Usability
Image via Kashoo
Kashoo is one of the best accounting software for self-employed users looking for financial features that grow with their businesses.
Kashoo positions itself as an accounting solution that grows with your business. It starts with straightforward tools for basic bookkeeping, invoicing, payment management, and reporting. However, it can scale up to handle multi-location inventory tracking, enhanced analytics, and revenue recognition needs.
What’s more?
It aims to deliver robust accounting capabilities for small and medium businesses (SMBs) in an intuitive interface that business owners can easily use themselves. It couples this with fair pricing that smooths the transition as solo businesses grow without overwhelming non-accountant owners.
To sum up, Kashoo suits the end-to-end accounting needs of SMBs from starting out to maturing with seamless transitions and training resources.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Kashoo offers just one pricing plan, and it is an annual plan. Kashoo also displays pricing for a sister accounting tool for small business owners: TrulySmall Accounting.
Image via Kashoo
Tool Level
Usability
Image via OneUp
OneUp provides self-employed entrepreneurs and solopreneurs with an integrated accounting platform tailored to ecommerce businesses selling online.
Beyond just managing finances, OneUp offers freelancers and independent store owners tools to handle taxes, legal paperwork, shipping, CRM, analytics, and inventory under one umbrella.
What’s more?
OneUp aims to provide online merchants, consultants, and digital freelancers with a unified platform to streamline their solopreneur business operations with automation. This way, they get a unified view of the business and make data-driven decisions.
Take a look at the pros, cons, and pricing of OneUp and decide if it’s what you need.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
OneUp offers a complete 30-day free trial window that comes with unlimited user slots and features for new entrants. After this honeymoon period, the payment plans include:
Image via OneUp
Tool Level
Usability
Image via ZipBooks
ZipBooks is regarded as one of the most user-friendly accounting platforms tailored for the needs of self-employed solopreneurs and freelancers. It provides an intuitive invoicing, payments, expense tracking, reporting, and contact management solution without overwhelming non-accountants with complex general ledger functions.
With a user-friendly interface and a flexible pricing model that includes a free starter option, ZipBooks makes professional accounting tools accessible to a wider range of self-employed individuals.
As one of the best accounting software for self-employed individuals in terms of simplicity, ZipBooks aims to help streamline the core financial operations of solopreneurs.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Image via ZipBooks
Tool Level
Usability
Image via TrulySmall Accounting
TrulySmall Accounting is designed to cater specifically to the needs of freelancers, microbusinesses, and self-employed individuals who require simple and efficient accounting solutions.
TrulySmall Accounting offers a simplified suite focused on seamless invoice creation for clients, estimates management, payments tracking, expense reporting, and financial insights.
This focus on simplicity and user-friendliness positions TrulySmall as a top player among the best accounting software for self-employed individuals. It also appeals to those who value ease and efficiency over comprehensive, complex features.
TrulySmall Accounting embodies the principle that effective financial management should be accessible to all, regardless of business size or accounting expertise.
Interestingly, TrulySmall Accounting is a product of the folks at Kashoo.
So, take a look at what you get with TrulySmall Accounting.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
TrulySmall Accounting has three pricing plans with limited features. They include:
Image via TrulySmall Accounting
Tool Level
Usability
Image via Patriot Software
Patriot Software offers a range of accounting, payroll, and tax solutions tailored for the needs of small businesses and their accountants. However, the accounting and payroll solutions come in separate packages, so you might have to purchase them individually if you want the full-range service.
By delivering robust features and guidance without the complexity of enterprise platforms, Patriot Software allows independent contractors and freelancers to manage their finances in a DIY fashion.
Patriot Software aims to deliver comprehensive yet accessible accounting and tax tools for small businesses and the accountants that support them. It caters to users without an accounting background while still providing robust financial features.
Interested? Take a look at what you get with Patriot Software.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
As mentioned, Patriot Software has different packages for its accounting and payroll solutions. The accounting packages include:
Image via Patriot Software
Tool Level
Usability
Image via Neat
Optimized for independent users, Neat offers self-employed solopreneurs one of the most innovative automated accounting solutions. As its name suggests, Neat is primarily interested in helping you declutter your financial workspace and enhance spotless bookkeeping.
What’s more?
As a specialist in receipt tracking and expense management, Neat helps transform physical documents into digital data through its sophisticated scanning technology. This feature can dramatically simplify bookkeeping and tax preparation for non-accounting-savvy professionals.
Apart from that, Neat allows for seamless integration with a deluge of business tools, making it one of the best accounting software for self-employed individuals.
Let’s take a look at some critical information on Neat.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Like Kashoo, Neat offers only one pricing plan, and it is a yearly plan. This plan comes with a 14-day free trial period to allow you to test-run the service and decide if it’s what you want.
Neat’s single-plan pricing is:
Image via Neat
Tool Level
Usability
Image via ZarMoney
In ZarMoney, we found one of the best accounting software for self-employed professionals tailored for invoicing, expense tracking, impressive financial insights, and much more. It consolidates core financial workflows for clients into an integrated platform for solopreneurs.
This tool allows you to sync feeds from over 9,500 US and Canadian banks and collaborate with employees and contractors, all from an easy-to-use interface for non-accountants.
Best of all?
We found that ZarMoney is one of those tools carefully designed for freelancing and small business operations but imbued with enterprise-grade functionality and features.
Let’s take a look at some of these features and how they match up.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
ZarMoney has no free plan but comes with a 15-day free trial period.
Image via ZarMoney
Tool Level
Usability
Image via AccountEdge Pro
AccountEdge Pro is a desktop-based accounting solution that savvy self-employed professionals like yourself would find very useful. With advanced accounting capabilities built for scalability, AccountEdge Pro is regarded as one of the best accounting software for professional solopreneurs and business owners.
AccountEdge Pro delivers powerful financial controls that are well-suited for self-employed users ready to scale beyond their basic bookkeeping needs. It seamlessly combines advanced accounting tools with inventory, order, and customer management in a complete solution.
Because it features enterprise-grade functionality, AccountEdge Pro is perfect for advanced self-employed professionals running mostly high-transaction product-based businesses.
These are some of the features you will gain access to by using this tool.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Pricing
It was not surprising to find that AccountEdge Pro offers no free plan, given its intermediate-expert-focused nature. Also, its monthly subscription plans only offer basic features; extra add-ons, such as payroll processing and bank feeds, have to be purchased.
Image via AccountEdge Pro
Tool Level
Usability
Q1. What are some of the best accounting software for self-employed professionals?
Here are our top 13 picks for the best accounting software for self-employed professionals:
Keep these in mind when you go looking for the best accounting software for self-employed professionals.
Q2. Why do I need accounting software and what key things should I look for when choosing one?
As a self-employed professional or freelancer, having the right accounting software for your business needs is critical. These tools allow you to seamlessly handle financial workflows such as invoicing clients, managing expenses, processing payments, and estimating taxes.
DIY accounting software optimized for the self-employed allows you to manage your entire freelance or solo business finances in one place and remain compliant. The automated features save time on bookkeeping while giving you insights into key financial metrics.
On how to choose the best accounting software for self-employed professionals like yourself, some key features to look for include:
Choosing a platform that aligns with your independent business needs and user experience comfort will ensure you choose an ideal accounting solution.
Q3. Should I use free or paid accounting software?
One major consideration when choosing a software accounting tool suited for solopreneurs and freelancers is whether to use free or paid accounting software.
Free plans on tools such as Wave or FreeAgent work well for basic solopreneur accounting needs. However, paid plans provide a more robust docket tailored for the self-employed, such as:
The productivity benefits and specialized tools make paid accounting software worth the monthly fees for most full-time, self-employed users. However, if you have very limited accounting needs for your small business, then choosing a free platform should be fine.
Q4. How much does self-employed, optimized accounting software cost?
Pricing for paid accounting software optimized for the self-employed can range from as little as $3.75 (discount included) to as much as $350 per month, depending on the features and platform.
Entry-level plans on platforms such as Xero, FreshBooks, and TrulySmall start around $3.75 to $9 monthly. Mid-tier plans with extra capabilities on platforms such as QuickBooks Self-Employed and OneUp can range from $20 to $35 monthly. And enterprise plans on feature-rich platforms like Zoho Books or ZarMoney can get as high as $350 per month.
That said, the monthly cost of your accounting software plan may be fully deductible as a business expense for self-employed users.
Q5. What tax features should I look for in accounting software?
Since self-employed users have to handle their own income taxes when it’s tax season, some important tax-related capabilities to look for include:
Having the right tax handling features ensures maximizing write-offs and smooth, compliant filing for self-employed professionals.
Choosing the best accounting software for self-employed freelancers, solopreneurs, or independent consultants is critical to effectively managing your finances.
When in doubt, the right accounting software provides easy invoicing, payment collection, expense tracking, tax planning, collaboration, and financial insights, all on an intuitive platform.
With the advancement of easy-to-use yet powerful accounting technology, self-employed users like yourself have more choices than ever before.
Taking advantage of these DIY solutions can save time, effort, and money over brick-and-mortar bookkeeping and accounting. This way, you get more room to focus on growing your solo or freelancing business. Good luck!
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