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QuickBooks Online vs Zoho Books
QuickBooks Online: The default choice for most US accountants. Payroll, payments and time tracking are separate paid add-ons. Zoho Books: Has a free plan for small revenue and inventory features on paid plans. Prices listed are per organization.
Plans and prices
| Tool | Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online | Simple Start | $38/mo | 1 |
| QuickBooks Online | Essentials | $85/mo | 3 |
| QuickBooks Online | Plus | $140/mo | 5 |
| QuickBooks Online | Advanced | $340/mo | 25 |
| Zoho Books | Free | Free | 1 user + 1 accountant. 1,000 invoices a year; while revenue stays under $50K |
| Zoho Books | Standard | $20/mo | 3 |
| Zoho Books | Professional | $50/mo | 5 |
| Zoho Books | Premium | $70/mo | 10 |
The cheapest paid plan is $38 a month at QuickBooks Online and $20 a month at Zoho Books, a gap of $216 a year ($648 over three years).
Where each one rates higher
- QuickBooks Online rates higher on payroll, accountant access, several users.
- Zoho Books rates higher on free plan.
| Our fit rating | QuickBooks Online | Zoho Books |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll | Strong | Limited |
| Inventory | Strong | Strong |
| Invoicing | Good | Good |
| Accountant access | Strong | Good |
| Several users | Strong | Good |
| Ease of learning | Good | Good |
| Free plan | Minimal or none | Good |
Ratings are our editorial judgments, published on How we score. They are not vendor claims.
Who wins for four typical setups
Same scoring as the quiz, limited to these two tools, for US businesses.
| Setup | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Solo freelancer, 5 invoices a month, wants free | Zoho Books |
| Product shop, 3 users, works with an accountant | QuickBooks Online |
| Small team with payroll and an accountant | QuickBooks Online |
| Invoice-heavy, wants to stay under $30 a month | Zoho Books |
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