QuickBooks On-line raised its costs once more on July 1, 2025. Now, its standard Plus plan is $16 dearer than it was in July 2024.

Does this imply it’s time to think about different choices? It’s true — QuickBooks is the trade normal in small-business accounting. Nevertheless it’s not the reply for each enterprise.

This one’s apparent. On-line commenters usually complain about QuickBooks’ value hikes and tendency to upsell. Possibly you’re in the identical boat, and what you are promoting can’t sustain with QuickBooks’ elevated value.

In that case, calculate how a lot you’d save every year with a less complicated, cheaper various, like Zoho Books. Its plans begin at $0 per thirty days, versus $38 per thirty days.

In fact, Zoho Books’ free possibility does quite a bit lower than QuickBooks On-line’s introductory plan. Zoho’s Normal tier will get you nearer, together with options like automated financial institution feeds. And it’ll nonetheless value you $18 much less per thirty days than QuickBooks’ most cost-effective possibility.

If the financial savings justify transferring your books to a unique software program product, go for it. There’s no assure that these merchandise received’t additionally improve in value over time. Nonetheless, they might not do it as regularly as QuickBooks. Zoho Books, for instance, hasn’t upped its costs since 2021.

QuickBooks On-line has extra options than numerous very small companies want. For instance, smaller freelance companies might solely require primary reporting and invoicing capabilities. The identical goes for companies with out workers.

All these operations usually have easier funds than companies with a number of departments, areas or worker roles. Their taxes are often extra simple, too.

For instance, numerous sole proprietors report their enterprise’s funds of their particular person tax kinds. That sometimes means their books don’t have to be as detailed. In fact, you’ll need to be sure to’re nonetheless separating what you are promoting and private bills.

One in all QuickBooks On-line’s most precious options is its transaction monitoring tags, which are actually known as customized fields. These are separate from the classes used to assign every transaction to a particular account.

Customized fields provide the freedom to group transactions by different standards, like division. Then, you should use them to drill down into studies and evaluate totally different segments of what you are promoting.

If customized fields aren’t vital for what you are promoting, you would possibly select a less complicated various, like FreshBooks or Wave. They nonetheless allow you to categorize transactions by account, however they don’t provide extra granular monitoring choices. FreshBooks plans begin at $21 per thirty days, and Wave’s plans begin at $0.

Earlier than you ditch QuickBooks or select accounting software program for the primary time, be certain that to talk along with your accountant. Inform them what you don’t like about QuickBooks, and ask in the event that they’re prepared to work with another.

A number of accountants, for instance, are accustomed to Xero. When it comes to performance, it mainly matches QuickBooks. In case your accountant offers you the inexperienced gentle, it’s in all probability price attempting out. Xero plans vary from $20 to $80 per thirty days, which might end in vital financial savings.