the main difference between zoho books and quickbooks online is that zoho books has a free plan for businesses with revenue less than $50,000, which makes it better for freelancers and part-time businesses. quickbooks online is more expensive, but stands out for its number of integrations and its extensive network of professional quickbooks consultants, making it easy to find a local bookkeeper if you need help.
comparison at a glance between zoho books and quickbooks
when to use each
when to use an alternative
- companies that require fixed asset accounting: neither zoho books nor quickbooks online can track fixed assets. xero has a fixed asset manager that allows you to track fixed assets like vehicles and equipment and set up depreciation schedules.
- businesses that want desktop software: zoho books and quickbooks online are cloud based. if you prefer a locally installed desktop software, you should consider quickbooks pro, premier or enterprise, the desktop versions of quickbooks.
- businesses that need to send unlimited invoices for free: zoho the free book plan only allows you to send up to 1,000 invoices per year. If you have many clients and need to send a large volume of invoices, sign up for Lendio Accounting (formerly Sunrise) to issue unlimited invoices for free.
small business adjustment case study
To make it easy for you to choose between these two powerful accounting software, we compared Zoho Books and Online QuickBooks in an in-house developed case study. the results are summarized in the following graph.
You are reading: Zoho books vs quickbooks
zoho books vs quickbooks online: prices
zoho books is more affordable than quickbooks. If you have a small business with five users and need inventory management and project accounting, you can save with Zoho Books Professional Plan at $50 per month, compared to QuickBooks Online Plus at $85 per month. Another important consideration is that Zoho Books has a low fee for adding additional users ($3 per user, per month). when we do the math, a total of 15 users on the pro plan would cost $80 per month, compared to quickbooks plus with the same price but only five users.
zoho books vs quickbooks online: features
banking & cash handling
despite some limitations of zoho books, we consider this section a draw. both are capable of importing bank transactions and reconciling bank accounts, which is important for businesses.
accounts receivable
quickbooks online and zoho books are equally excellent in terms of accounts receivable (a/r) management. both come with powerful billing features, which are much more recommended than other similar software.
however, quickbooks online is preferable when collecting taxable payments in different states, as it calculates sales tax automatically based on your customer’s address. it also allows you to refund a customer’s credit balance with a check, something you can’t do with zoho books.
accounts payable
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quickbooks online is slightly better than zoho books as some of its accounts payable (a/p) features are easier to use. For example, you can apply vendor credits when paying an invoice instantly, unlike Zoho Books, which requires you to enter a vendor credit on a separate screen from the invoice payment.
inventory management
product-based businesses will find zoho books and online quickbooks reliable for inventory management. both allow you to create an inventory item and easily manage and track inventory and make adjustments if needed.
Given that, your choice may come down to price. if you have five users, for example, you can choose zoho books. Inventory Management is available on QuickBooks Online Advanced for $85 per month, while Zoho Books Professional Plan is only $50 per month; both include up to five users.
zoho books vs quickbooks online: ease of use
Both are generally easy to use, but zoho books is a bit easier to set up. It involves several steps to set up a company in quickbooks online, while you can create a new company file in zoho books with just a few steps.
zoho books and quickbooks online: integrations
zoho books and quickbooks have extensive integrations, which are useful for automating different business workflows, such as time tracking and payment processing. the best option depends on the types of integration you need, but in general, both are already functional and the integrated applications are just a bonus.
zoho books vs quickbooks online: mobile app functionality
zoho books easily beats online quickbooks in mobile accounting. Its mobile app is more functional, as it does other things the QuickBooks app can’t, like enter bills and bill payments, and record time worked and then assign it to a project or client. if you usually work with your smartphone, zoho books is the best option.
zoho books vs quickbooks online: assisted accounting
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quickbooks online has the edge, with its huge network of local bookkeepers compared to 500 zoho books consultants in the US. this means that it is usually easier to find a professional quickbooks consultant than a zoho books consultant.
If you need a live accounting service, you can activate the QuickBooks Live plugin within the QuickBooks online software. Available for an additional fee, this feature gives you access to a dedicated bookkeeper who will own and manage your books for you.
another alternative is to find a local quickbooks consultant. One of the biggest benefits of quickbooks online is that it is popular and commonly used by many businesses and accountants. You won’t have any trouble finding a local accountant near you.
quickbooks live prices depend on your monthly expenses.
- low-volume accounting: $200 per month, for businesses with $25,000 in monthly expenses
- medium-volume accounting: $400 per month—for businesses with $25,001 to $150,000 in monthly expenses
- high-volume accounting: $600 per month—for businesses with $150,001 or more in monthly expenses
In the meantime, zoho books users who require assisted accounting can contact an independent zoho books consultant. These advisors are professional accountants, bookkeepers, and tax professionals who have completed the certification requirements set by Zoho Books. To find one, you should check out Zoho Books’ online directory of independent accountants, bookkeepers, and financial advisors.
zoho books vs quickbooks: customer support
The most notable advantage of zoho books is that you can initiate a call to a representative, unlike quickbooks where you must first submit a ticket and then wait for them to call you back. Also, QuickBooks does not allow you to send an email to seek help. however, both offer a wide variety of self-help resources, such as video tutorials, blogs, webinars, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and user community forums.
end result
Comparing Zoho to QuickBooks, Zoho Books offers many of the same features available in QuickBooks, but with more affordable plans and an unbeatable mobile app. however, if price is not an issue and you want easy access to a local bookkeeper who can provide accounting support for your business, quickbooks online may be the best option.
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