25 Best Accounting Software for Small Businesses Worldwide

Running a business involves a wide range of responsibilities, from managing cash flow and tracking spending to remaining compliant and fully informed of tax regulations. A good accounting software can reduce your effort by automating tasks, simplifying reporting, and offering real-time information. With the global business market constantly developing, particularly with the increase of remote work and cross-border commerce, your accounting software must be innovative and keep up with the latest developments and modifications.

Our blog reviews the best accounting software for small businesses worldwide in 2025, including full descriptions, essential features, cost, and more.

What to Look for in Accounting Software

Before getting into the list and details, here’s what every small business or enterprise should look for:

• Ease of Use: Intuitive interface that doesn’t require an accounting degree.
• Core Features: Invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, and tax calculations.
• Expansion: Grows with your business.
• Cloud-Based Access: Work from anywhere.
• Multi-Currency Support: needed for international operations.
• Integration Options: Connects with tools like PayPal, Stripe, Shopify, etc.
• Mobile App: Manage finances on the go.

Top 25 Accounting Software for Small Businesses Worldwide

1. QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks accounting software Online is a market leader in small business accounting software. It is known for its brilliant feature set and strong brand reputation; It offers everything from basic invoicing and expense tracking to more advanced functions like payroll and inventory. The cloud-based system allows real-time collaboration with accountants and easy integration with hundreds of third-party apps, including Shopify, PayPal, and Square.

Key Features:

• Invoicing, payments, payroll
• Real-time dashboards
• Tax filing support
• Extensive third-party integrations

Pricing: Starts at $30/month

Best For: All types of small businesses

2. Xero

Xero is a cloud-based accounting platform ideal for businesses with international operations. Its user-friendly interface, amazing and strong automation features, and comprehensive reporting tools make it a favorite among accountants and business owners. It supports unlimited users even at lower pricing tiers, and integrates with over 800 apps.

Key Features:

• Real-time collaboration with accountants
• Inventory management
• Mobile app
• Multi-currency support

Pricing: Starts at $13/month

Best For: International businesses and ecommerce

3. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is intended for freelancers and service-oriented small companies. It is well-known for its time tracking, project management, and client billing capabilities. Users can easily submit professional-looking invoices and get payment promptly thanks to the straightforward interface. FreshBooks also supports team collaboration and interacts with Trello, Slack, and G Suite platforms.

Key Features:

• Time tracking
• Customizable invoices
• Client communication tracking
• Expense categorization

Pricing: Starts at $17/month

Best For: Freelancers, consultants, and small service providers

4. Zoho Books

Zoho Books is part of the larger Zoho ecosystem, making it an excellent choice for companies already using Zoho CRM, Projects, or Inventory. It automates recurring billing, payment reminders, and bank reconciliation. It also entirely complies with international tax regulations such as VAT and GST.

Key Features:

• Client portal
• Multi-lingual invoicing
• GST compliance (India)
• Workflow automation

Pricing: Starts at $20/month

Best For: Zoho ecosystem users, small to mid-sized businesses

5. Moss

Moss offers an all-in-one spend management and accounting solution, helping small teams manage expenses with real-time visibility and automation. It supports digital approval workflows and integrates with existing finance systems.

Key Features:

• Corporate cards
• Expense automation
• Real-time spend control
• Budgeting and cost center tracking

Pricing: Custom

Best For: Tech-savvy small teams, startup environments

6.  Patriot Software

Patriot is a U.S.-based accounting software tool focusing on simplicity and compliance. It combines accounting and payroll in a clean interface, which is ideal for small business owners managing everything themselves.

Key Features:

• Accounting + Payroll
• Time tracking
• Simple tax filing
• 1099 contractor management

Pricing: Accounting from $20/month; Payroll extra

Best For: US-based small businesses

7. NetSuite by Oracle

NetSuite is an advanced ERP solution designed for quickly growing enterprises. While more expensive, it provides unmatched accounting, CRM, inventory, and ecommerce capabilities. It's cloud-native and customisable, idealizing complicated and diverse company requirements.

Key Features:

• Advanced reporting
• Inventory, order, and supply chain management
• Custom dashboards
• Multi-entity and multi-currency support

Pricing: Custom pricing

Best For: Mid-sized businesses planning to scale fast

8. TallyPrime

TallyPrime is a dominant force in the Indian accounting software market. It caters to compliance-heavy environments with GST, TDS, and payroll functionality. Unlike most tools, it offers strong offline capabilities and is favored by traditional businesses.

Key Features:

• GST-ready
• Inventory and payroll
• Offline and LAN access
• Budgeting and scenario forecasting

Pricing: One-time payment starting at ~$200

Best For: Indian small businesses

9. Kashoo

Kashoo has been designed to be simple. It uses artificial intelligence to automate transaction classification and bank reconciliation. Ideal for solo business owners seeking simple accounting software.

Key Features:

AI-driven categorization
Custom invoices
Multi-currency
Mobile access

Pricing: Starts at $20/month

Best For: Small business owners who want to DIY their books

10. Odoo Accounting

Odoo is a flexible, open-source ERP platform. The accounting module integrates smoothly with inventory, sales, and project management. It's excellent for tech-savvy people who value flexibility and customization.

Key Features:

• Modular features
• Reconciliation automation
• Custom reporting
• Multiple user access levels

Pricing: Free for one app; paid plans from $24/month

Best For: Tech-savvy users, open-source fans

11. ZipBooks

ZipBooks offers a modern user interface with intelligent automation for invoicing, spending, and reporting. It incorporates machine learning techniques for calculating business health scores and making intelligent recommendations.

Key Features:

• Beautiful dashboards
• Smart categorization
• Simple time tracking
• Invoice templates

Pricing: Free basic plan, paid plans start at $15/month

Best For: Solopreneurs, small teams

12. Manager.io

Manager.io is a popular free accounting software for desktop accounting solutions with a global user base. It provides considerable capability without charging a premium, and its offline nature makes it perfect in areas with limited internet access.

Key Features:

• Fully offline
• Over 60 languages
• Customizable templates
• Built-in tax and payroll modules

Pricing: Free (desktop); cloud version available

Best For: Businesses with offline needs

13. FreeAgent

Freelancers and contractors trust FreeAgent in the United Kingdom. It streamlines activities such as VAT reports, mileage tracking, and self-assessment tax calculations while connecting directly to UK banks.

Key Features:

• Tax calculation
• Payroll
• Mileage tracking
• Bank feeds

Pricing: Starts at $12/month

Best For: UK freelancers and contractors

14. OneUp

OneUp is a robust platform that integrates CRM, inventory, and accounting. It is well-known for automated recommendations based on past data, which saves time and reduces errors.

Key Features:

• AI-driven automation
• Integrated sales pipeline
• Inventory tracking
• Mobile-ready

Pricing: Starts at $9/month

Best For: Inventory-based small businesses

15. Busy Accounting Software

Busy is a full-featured business accounting tool popular in India. It provides thorough statutory compliance support and is suitable for manufacturing and trading firms.

Key Features:

• GST, TDS, and more
• Manufacturing & trading support
• Multi-location inventory
• MIS reporting

Pricing: Custom

Best For: Indian SMEs

16. ClearBooks

ClearBooks is UK-focused and helps small businesses streamline financial tasks. It includes payroll, VAT submissions, and accountant collaboration features.

Key Features:

• VAT support
• Bank feeds
• Accountant access
• Custom invoice design

Pricing: Starts at £10/month

Best For: UK startups and freelancers

17. KashFlow

KashFlow provides accounting, payroll, and HR solutions focusing on UK compliance. It offers direct HMRC connectivity as well as PAYE and VAT simplifying features.

Key Features:

• HMRC integrations
• Payroll and pensions
• Multi-user support
• Purchase order management

Pricing: Starts at £8/month

Best For: UK-based SMBs

18. Acctivate

Acctivate is intended for inventory-heavy businesses that require real-time management over stock and finances. It seamlessly connects with QuickBooks and is excellent for wholesalers.

Key Features:

• Multi-warehouse inventory
• Purchasing automation
• Integration with QuickBooks
• Lot and serial number tracking

Pricing: Custom

Best For: Inventory-heavy businesses

19. QuickFile

QuickFile is a lightweight cloud solution built for UK businesses. Its tiered free pricing model is particularly appealing to sole traders.

Key Features:

• Auto bank feeds
• VAT MTD compliance
• Open banking-ready
• Cloud document storage

Pricing: Free up to 1000 entries/year

Best For: Budget UK businesses

20. BrightBooks

BrightBooks is a simple, free accounting software tool developed in Ireland. It offers core accounting tools and a user-friendly interface for those just starting.

Key Features:

• VAT reporting
• Simple invoicing
• Financial dashboards
• Online backup

Pricing: Free

Best For: Irish small businesses

21. Reckon One

Reckon One is an affordable, modular accounting system popular in Australia and New Zealand. You can add only the features you need.

Key Features:

• Custom modules
• Mobile access
• Payroll add-on
• BAS reporting

Pricing: Starts at $10/month

Best For: ANZ-based businesses

22. MYOB Essentials

MYOB has long been a staple in Australia. MYOB Essentials is their cloud solution with compliance tools for Australian tax laws.

Key Features:

• ATO-compliant
• Payroll
• Inventory and job tracking
• Invoice scheduling

Pricing: Starts at AUD $24/month

Best For: Australia and New Zealand businesses

23.  Wave Accounting

Wave is known to be a free, cloud-based accounting software for small businesses that punches above its weight. It covers invoicing, accounting, and receipt scanning at no cost. The platform also includes an optional payroll module for a fee. Wave is perfect for startups and freelancers who want solid accounting tools without breaking the bank.

Key Features:

• Free invoicing and accounting
• Receipt scanning
• Payroll (paid add-on)
• Clean user interface

Pricing: Free (paid features available)

Best For: Sole proprietors, freelancers

24. Sage Business Cloud Accounting

Sage is a well-established name in the accounting world. Every other accountant or company looking for finance software tools knows its name. Its Business Cloud product is designed for small businesses looking for strong financial tools with compliance capabilities. With features like automated bank feeds and VAT submission, it’s especially popular in the UK and EU.

Key Features:

• Automatic bank feeds
• Cash flow forecasts
• VAT management (UK)
• Mobile accounting app

Pricing: Starts at $10/month

Best For: UK-based businesses, compliance-heavy industries

Comparison Table

Software	Free Trial	Starting Price	Mobile App	Multi-Currency	Best For
QuickBooks	Yes	$30/mo	Yes	Yes	Most popular overall
Xero	Yes	$13/mo	Yes	Yes	Global operations
FreshBooks	Yes	$17/mo	Yes	Yes	Freelancers
Wave	Yes	Free	Yes	No	Solo entrepreneurs
Zoho Books	Yes	$20/mo	Yes	Yes	Value seekers
NetSuite	No	Custom	Yes	Yes	Scaling businesses

Wrapping Up

The best accounting software is not about its biggest name but about fit. Your budget, location, team size, and growth objectives determine the ideal option. There are plenty of strong tools on the market, ranging from free solutions like Wave to full-service systems like NetSuite, to suit any company.

Most of them provide a free trial. Try a few. Find the one that saves time, keeps you compliant, and develops alongside your company.

At SelectedFirms, we help businesses discover and connect with leading accounting software providers. Want to get your software featured or need help choosing the right one? Get in touch with us today!

FAQs

1.Which is the best accounting software for small businesses in 2025?

QuickBooks Online remains the most popular choice in 2025 due to its robust features, scalability, and strong integration capabilities. However, Xero and Zoho Books are close contenders, especially for businesses operating globally or with tighter budgets.

2.Which accounting software is easiest to use for beginners?

FreshBooks and ZipBooks are known for their intuitive dashboards and simplified workflows. They’re ideal for business owners with no prior accounting experience.

3.Which accounting software supports payroll integration?

QuickBooks Online, Patriot Software, Xero, and Sage Business Cloud Accounting offer built-in or add-on payroll modules. Patriot is especially praised for its dedicated payroll features and easy tax compliance.

4.Is accounting software secure for storing sensitive business data?

Yes. Most cloud-based accounting platforms, including QuickBooks, Xero, and Zoho Books, use 256-bit encryption, secure servers, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to protect your data.

5.What is the best accounting software for international small businesses?

Xero and Zoho Books offer excellent multi-currency support, international tax compliance, and global integrations. They’re ideal for businesses with clients, vendors, or team members across borders.

6.What’s the difference between accounting software for freelancers vs. small businesses?

Freelancers often benefit from tools like FreshBooks and Wave that focus on invoicing and time tracking. Small businesses may need additional features like payroll, multi-user access, inventory, and project management, offered by tools like QuickBooks, Xero, and Zoho Books.

7.Which accounting software integrates best with e-commerce platforms?

QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Zoho Books integrate well with Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, and BigCommerce, enabling seamless syncing of sales, inventory, and tax data.

8.Does accounting software help with tax compliance?

Yes. Most tools automate tax calculations and generate VAT, GST, and sales tax reports. Software like QuickBooks and FreeAgent also supports electronic tax filing directly with government portals (e.g., HMRC, IRS).