QuickBooks is the default choice for small business accounting mostly because it's the name everyone already knows — not necessarily because it's the best fit for every business. If you're finding it more complex or more expensive than you need, these are worth a look.
1. Wave
Free core accounting and invoicing, aimed squarely at freelancers and very small businesses that don't need payroll complexity.
2. Xero
A strong QuickBooks-equivalent with a cleaner interface and a large ecosystem of third-party integrations, popular outside the US in particular.
3. FreshBooks
Leans toward service-based businesses and freelancers who invoice clients by the hour or project rather than businesses selling physical inventory.
4. Zoho Books
Part of the wider Zoho suite — a sensible pick if you're already using other Zoho products and want them to share data.
5. Sage Business Cloud Accounting
A long-established alternative with strong support for VAT and multi-currency, often favored by businesses with international operations.
6. Kashoo
A simpler, less feature-dense option for businesses that find QuickBooks overwhelming and just need clean bookkeeping basics.
7. Plain spreadsheets (seriously)
For a pre-revenue business or a single freelancer with very few transactions a month, a well-structured spreadsheet is a legitimate zero-cost starting point — you can always migrate once complexity actually demands it.
The right pick depends on whether your pain point is price, interface complexity, or a specific feature QuickBooks doesn't handle well for your business type — check each one's current pricing directly, since it changes often.