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Accounting software for small nonprofits
You have a few volunteers or staff in the books, a tight budget, and a treasurer who changes every few years.
Top matches for small nonprofits
We scored a typical setup: 3 users, about 3 invoices a month, an accountant. Your answers may differ, so the quiz is the better test.
1. Wave
- Has a free plan
- Easy to learn
Free plan available. Paid plans from $19/mo.
2. Zoho Books
- Solid general fit
Free plan available. Paid plans from $20/mo.
3. QuickBooks Online
- Widely used by accountants
- Handles several users well
Paid plans from $38/mo.
All five, scored
| Tool | Fit score | Cheapest option |
|---|---|---|
| Wave | 16 | Free plan available. Paid plans from $19/mo. |
| Zoho Books | 16 | Free plan available. Paid plans from $20/mo. |
| QuickBooks Online | 14 | Paid plans from $38/mo. |
| Xero | 14 | Paid plans from $27/mo. |
| FreshBooks | 9 | Paid plans from $23/mo. |
Fit score is the sum of weighted ratings on How we score. Higher is a better fit.
Fit ratings
| Our fit rating | QuickBooks Online | Xero | FreshBooks | Zoho Books | Wave |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll | Strong | Good | Limited | Limited | Limited |
| Inventory | Strong | Good | Minimal or none | Strong | Minimal or none |
| Invoicing | Good | Good | Strong | Good | Strong |
| Accountant access | Strong | Strong | Good | Good | Limited |
| Several users | Strong | Strong | Limited | Good | Limited |
| Ease of learning | Good | Good | Strong | Good | Strong |
| Free plan | Minimal or none | Minimal or none | Minimal or none | Good | Strong |
Ratings are our editorial judgments, published on How we score. They are not vendor claims.
Take the 90-second quiz The quiz needs no email or phone number.
General software matching only. For tax rules that apply to small nonprofits, ask a tax professional.
How we are paid. Vendor links on this site go straight to each vendor's own pricing page. They are not referral links today, so we earn no commission from them. We plan to join vendor referral programs. When those links go live they will earn us a commission, this notice will say so, and results will still ignore commissions. This is software matching, not accounting or tax advice. Read the details.