- Best overall alternative: Wave Accounting
- Best free plan for small businesses: Zoho Books
- Best for freelancers: Xero
- Best for service-based businesses: FreshBooks
- Best budget option runner-up: ZipBooks
Intuit QuickBooks is a household name, but its Solopreneur edition can be pricey and complicated. Fortunately, lots of alternatives exist. Wave Accounting is a great all-around winner. For niche needs, FreshBooks and others serve freelancers and smaller entities well.
Let’s discover your best alternate options for QuickBooks Solopreneur.
Is Solopreneur the same as Self-Employed?
Solopreneur replaced Self-Employed in the United States. Some countries, such as Australia and Canada, still use the Self-Employed name, though. There are also outdated legacy articles in the QuickBooks knowledge base that use the old title.
Top QuickBooks Solopreneur alternatives comparison
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| Wave Accounting | |||||
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| ZipBooks |
Wave Accounting: Best overall alternative
Wave Accounting shines as a stellar alternative to QuickBooks Solopreneur for freelancers and others seeking comprehensive, no-cost features. The title boasts a broad suite of financial tools, including double-entry accounting, unlimited invoicing and receipt scanning, without a subscription fee. Plus, its user-friendly interface and robust functionality make it highly approachable.
Why we chose Wave Accounting
Wave Accounting is the best overall alternative due to its free yet powerful Starter plan, which delivers a complete set of features typically exclusive to premium accounting software. It’s particularly appealing to new businesses or solo entrepreneurs trying to save money without compromising functionality.
For more information, read our full Wave Accounting review.
Pricing
- Starter: Free.
- Pro: $16/month, billed monthly.
Features
- Unlimited transaction records and invoices.
- Customizable invoicing.
- Automated receipt scanning.
- Double-entry accounting.
- Supports multiple businesses in one account.
Pros and cons
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Zoho Books: Best free plan for small businesses
Zoho Books is an excellent choice if you love simplicity but need robust scalability. The platform delivers a top-notch double-entry accounting solution with abundant functions for growing small businesses. Luckily for your wallet, it offers a zero-cost starter subscription.
With this QuickBooks alternative, you’ll nab classic features like customizable invoices and rich analytics, as well as a user-friendly interface perfect for small businesses needing a quick, easy option. When you’re ready to grow, you can seamlessly connect to other Zoho products.
Why we chose Zoho Books
The solution offers a lot that meets the needs of small businesses. Plus, it boasts a user-friendly platform that is suited for long-term growth via the broader Zoho ecosystem.
For more information, read our full Zoho Books review.
Pricing
Six subscription tiers are on tap. Annual subscriptions include an approximate 15% discount.
- Free: $0 monthly; max one user.
- Standard: $20 monthly; max three users.
- Professional: $50 monthly; max five users.
- Premium: $70 monthly; max 10 users.
- Elite: $150 monthly; max 10 users.
- Ultimate: $275 monthly; max 15 users.
Features
- Seamless connections to other Zoho titles.
- Multi-level transaction approvals.
- Automated 1099-MISC reports.
- Real-time bank feeds.
- Mileage tracking.
Pros and cons
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Xero: Best for freelancers
Xero delivers a powerful yet simple solution tailored to meet the needs of freelancers and sole proprietors. Its strong points include easy bank reconciliation, detailed financial reporting and a massive ecosystem of app integrations. These value-adds make it a scalable solution as your business grows. Plus, the title partners with Gusto for payroll when you’re ready to take on staff.
Why we chose Xero
Freelancers favor Xero due to its straightforward pricing, robust mobile app and excellent features that simplify the complexities of financial management. These features make it easy to work solo yet stay on top of your business finances from anywhere.
For more information, read our full Xero review.
Pricing
Xero has three plans available. A 75% discount applies to the first six months.
- Early: $15 monthly; includes 20 invoices.
- Growing: $42 monthly; unlimited invoices.
- Established: $78 monthly; unlimited invoices.
Features
- Real-time bank feeds.
- Online invoicing and quotes.
- Cash flow tracking.
- Integrations with more than 800 apps.
- Multifactor authentication for added security.
Pros and cons
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FreshBooks: Best for service-based businesses
FreshBooks caters to service providers. The solution emphasizes time-saving advantages, like hands-free recurring invoicing and automated bank transaction organization. It also boasts a project dropbox so clients can upload documents. As a result, you’ll always have a centralized place to store everything you need to finish your contracted work.
Why we chose FreshBooks
We love this title for its thoughtful tools that go beyond accounting to include time tracking, project management and client retention tools. It expertly solves the most common pain points involved in serving clients.
For more information, read our full FreshBooks review.
Pricing
FreshBooks has three tiers available. Annual plans receive 10% off. All plans score 60% off for the first four months.
- Lite: $19 per month; unlimited invoices to five clients max.
- Plus: $33 per month; unlimited invoices to 50 clients.
- Premium: $60 per month; unlimited invoices and unlimited clients.
- Select: Custom pricing.
Features
- Customizable invoices and automatic billing.
- Expense tracking linked to clients or projects.
- Time tracking integrated directly into invoices.
- Automated late payment reminders.
- Comprehensive reports and dashboards.
Pros and cons
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ZipBooks: Best budget option runner-up
No sweat if QuickBooks Solopreneur is more expensive than you’d like because ZipBooks boasts a free accounting solution with a user-friendly interface. You can send unlimited customized invoices to any number of clients without paying a cent. You’ll also snag basic analytics and multi-currency support without charge.
If you have some cash to spare, this competitor’s paid plans offer enhanced features. For less than QuickBooks Solopreneur, ZipBooks offers advanced reports, receipt scanning and artificial intelligence-powered functions. This immense value makes it a great budget-friendly alternative to QuickBooks Solopreneur.
Why we chose ZipBooks
ZipBooks offers a simple, easy-to-use accounting solution that balances functionality and cost-effectiveness. Its intuitive design is excellent for solopreneurs needing basic yet powerful accounting tools.
For more information, read our full ZipBooks review.
Pricing
Four plans are available. All plans included unlimited invoices and clients.
- Starter: Free.
- Smarter: $15 monthly.
- Sophisticated: $35 monthly.
- Accountant: Contact ZipBooks for pricing; accountants/bookkeepers only.
Features
- Unlimited invoicing and expense tracking.
- Smart tagging for expense categorization.
- Project management and time tracking.
- Automated reports and insights.
- Integration with top payment gateways.
Pros and cons
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Do you need an alternative to QuickBooks Solopreneur?
QuickBooks Solopreneur simplifies accounting for independent business owners. However, as versatile as it is, it’s not the perfect solution for every freelancer or solopreneur. Here’s why you might want to consider other options:
- Price sensitivity: QuickBooks Solopreneur starts at $20 a month, which is pricier than most competitors, so it can feel expensive for freelancers just getting started or managing a tight budget.
- Customization needs: While QuickBooks provides essential features, it lacks advanced customization options for invoicing templates, expense categorization and reporting. Alternatives like Zoho Books and Xero offer more flexibility in customizing these elements.
- Unique features: QuickBooks Solopreneur focuses on core accounting needs, but some freelancers require additional features like project management, CRM integration or industry-specific tools. FreshBooks caters to service-based businesses, while Zoho Books offers extensive CRM integration.
- Support and accessibility: QuickBooks primarily provides online support, which may not be suitable for all users. Some alternatives, like FreshBooks and Xero, offer phone support, while Wave Accounting includes live chat support.
Methodology
We researched each alternative’s overall value for money, functionality, customer service quality, user-friendliness and use of double-entry accounting. We also analyzed customer feedback and technical documentation, among other factors.
