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Bookkeeping software: 3-year total cost
Monthly list price times 36, for every plan we cover. Annual billing and add-ons are shown separately where a vendor publishes them.
| Tool and plan | Per month | Per year | 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Books Free | Free | $0 | $0 |
| Wave Starter | Free | $0 | $0 |
| Wave Pro | $19/mo | $228 | $684 |
| Zoho Books Standard | $20/mo | $240 | $720 |
| FreshBooks Lite | $23/mo | $276 | $828 |
| Xero Early | $27/mo | $324 | $972 |
| QuickBooks Online Simple Start | $38/mo | $456 | $1,368 |
| FreshBooks Plus | $43/mo | $516 | $1,548 |
| Zoho Books Professional | $50/mo | $600 | $1,800 |
| Xero Growing | $59/mo | $708 | $2,124 |
| FreshBooks Premium | $70/mo | $840 | $2,520 |
| Zoho Books Premium | $70/mo | $840 | $2,520 |
| QuickBooks Online Essentials | $85/mo | $1,020 | $3,060 |
| Xero Established | $97/mo | $1,164 | $3,492 |
| QuickBooks Online Plus | $140/mo | $1,680 | $5,040 |
| QuickBooks Online Advanced | $340/mo | $4,080 | $12,240 |
Annual billing at Zoho Books
Zoho lists a lower per-month price when billed annually. Three years at that price:
| Plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing | 3 years, annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $20/mo | $15/mo | $540 |
| Professional | $50/mo | $40/mo | $1,440 |
| Premium | $70/mo | $60/mo | $2,160 |
What this table leaves out
- Payroll, payments and time tracking add-ons. QuickBooks sells these separately.
- FreshBooks charges $11 a month per extra team member.
- Card processing fees, such as Wave's 2.9% + $0.60 on Starter.
- Future price changes. QuickBooks raised prices in August 2026.
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