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How we score
Each tool gets a rating from 0 to 3 on seven features. Your answers decide which features count and how much. The total is the fit score. Highest total is first.
Weights
| Feature | Counts when you say | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll | You run payroll | 3 |
| Inventory | You sell physical products | 3 |
| Invoicing | 10 or more invoices a month | 2 |
| Accountant access | You work with an accountant | 2 |
| Several users | More than one user | 2 |
| Free plan | You want to pay nothing | 3 |
| Ease of learning | Always | 1 |
With a low budget (up to $30 a month), a tool with a free or low-cost entry gets +2. A tool whose cheapest paid plan is above $30 gets -2, and a tool that raised prices in August 2026 gets -3. A tool unavailable in your country is removed.
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.
What the scoring never uses
Commissions, partner status and click counts are not inputs. The scoring file contains no reference to them, and an automated test flips partner status in the data and checks that the order stays the same.
Limits
The ratings are our editorial judgments, not vendor claims or lab tests. They simplify. Use them to shortlist, then read the vendor's own page.
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.