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Best Accounting Software

Find the best accounting software for your small business. Start tracking profit, reducing costs and learn how Wise Business can make a difference to your bottom line.
Best Accounting Software

Compare accounting software.

You won’t struggle to find accounting software for your business. But finding the best option for you might take a little research.

Accounting and bookkeeping software varies widely in terms of features and fees. We’ve summarised some key points about each of the best accounting software in the UK, to make it easy for you to compare.

And if you’re not sure about which features will work for you, read on. There’s plenty more coming up about how to review and choose the accounting software for small business that best suits your needs.

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Reduce costs and extend your reach with Wise Business.

Great small business accounting software can help you grow your business.

You can also improve your reach, protect your margins, and save time and money by using Wise Business to pay and get paid in multiple currencies.

Improve your cash flow by helping clients overseas to pay you faster - and cut your international payment costs when working with suppliers or employees based abroad.

You’ll get bank details for the US, UK, euro area, Poland, Australia and New Zealand, to receive fee-free payments from these regions. Hold 40+ different currencies, and switch between them using the mid-market exchange rate. That’s much cheaper than your normal bank.

Wise Business can help you save time as well as money thanks to smart integrations with Xero and Quickbooks. Check and reconcile payments, analyse your business performance, and connect seamlessly to customers and clients all over the world.

Learn more about Wise Business→

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Best accounting software in the UK.

The table below outlines what each accounting software option can provide regardless of plan.

For more detailed plan breakdowns, check out our comparisons of starter plans for sole traders and the self employed or of second and third tier plans for small business and SMEs further down the page.

Compare the costs

Plans start from
Zoho Books
£6 + VAT
KashFlow
£8 + VAT
Xero
£10 + VAT
Quickbooks
£12
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
£12 + VAT
Free trial
Zoho Books
14 days
KashFlow
14 days
Xero
30 days
Quickbooks
30 days
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
30 days
Invoicing
Zoho Books
KashFlow
Xero
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Quote management
Zoho Books
KashFlow
Xero
3 months free for 1 user then £2.50 a month + £2.50 a month per additional user
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Expense tracking
Zoho Books
KashFlow
Xero
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Receipt tracking
Zoho Books
Auto-scan add-on 40 scans for £4 a month
KashFlow
Xero
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Free for first 3 months with AutoEntry
Cash flow tracking
Zoho Books
KashFlow
Xero
App integrations available
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Time tracking
Zoho Books
KashFlow
App integrations available
Xero
App integrations available
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Project tracking
Zoho Books
KashFlow
App integrations available
Xero
£5 a month for 1 user + £5 a month per additional user
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Inventory tracking
Zoho Books
KashFlow
Xero
App integrations available
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Payroll
Zoho Books
KashFlow
Up to 5 employees
Xero
3 months free for up to 5 employees then £5 a month extra, + £1 a month for additional employees
Quickbooks
£4 a month extra
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
£7 + VAT a month extra
Custom business reports
Zoho Books
KashFlow
Xero
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Handle VAT and MTD Compliant
Zoho Books
KashFlow
Xero
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Smart bank feeds
Zoho Books
KashFlow
Xero
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Bank transaction reconciliation
Zoho Books
KashFlow
Xero
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Multiple currency support
Zoho Books
KashFlow
Xero
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Add extra users
Zoho Books
10 users
KashFlow
Xero
Quickbooks
Sage Business Cloud Accounting

All the accounting software in this table have a mobile app and the ability to connect with 3rd party integrations.

Accounting software features explained.

VAT and MTD

If your business has a taxable turnover above £85k you must use digital VAT records and returns under the Making Tax Digital for VAT scheme. Choose HMRC-recognised MTD software from the table above to make this easier.

Smart bank feeds and bank transaction reconciliation

Connect your business bank account to your accounting software to automatically sync transactions and access bulk transaction categorisation. Avoid manual accounting, cut down on errors and have more time to grow your business.

Multiple currency support

With multi currency support your accounting software will allow you to invoice and get paid in foreign Invoice and get paid in foreign currencies, and have your bookkeeping software automatically check, chase and reconcile your accounts.

If you work with customers or suppliers overseas, you could benefit even more with a Wise Business account.

Pay invoices, buy inventory, and handle payroll with the real exchange rate in over 40 currencies and get your own UK, Eurozone, Australian, New Zealand, and US bank details without a local address.

Learn more about Wise Business→

Accounting software features explained

Best accounting software for sole traders and self-employed.

If you’re self-employed or a sole trader, an accounting software starter plan might work for you. They’re typically very reasonably priced and often have all of the features you need to streamline your bookkeeping.

Get started finding the best small business accounting software for your needs by using the tables on this page to compare benefits, costs and options.

It’s worth noting that starter plans don’t usually support multi currency transactions. If you trade overseas, use Wise Business in conjunction with your accounting software to pay and be paid, while saving on sneaky fees hidden in bank exchange rates.

Sole trader and self-employed accounting software

Compare accounting software for sole traders and self-employed.

The accounting software in this table is ordered by monthly fee, left to right.

Compare the costs

Monthly fee
Zoho Books Basic
£6 + VAT
KashFlow Starter
£8 + VAT
Xero Starter
£10 + VAT
Quickbooks Simple Start
£12
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
£12 + VAT
Free trial
Zoho Books Basic
14 days
KashFlow Starter
14 days
Xero Starter
30 days
Quickbooks Simple Start
30 days
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
30 days
Invoicing
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
10 a month
Xero Starter
5 a month
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Quote management
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
Xero Starter
5 a month
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Expense tracking
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
Xero Starter
3 months free for 1 user then £2.50 a month + £2.50 a month per additional user
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Receipt tracking
Zoho Books Basic
Auto-scan add-on 40 scans for £4 a month
KashFlow Starter
Xero Starter
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Cashflow tracking
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
Xero Starter
App integrations available
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Time tracking
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
App integrations available
Xero Starter
App integrations available
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Project tracking
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
App integrations available
Xero Starter
£5 a month for 1 user + £5 a month per additional user
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Inventory tracking
Zoho Books Basic
Zoho Inventory add-on
KashFlow Starter
Xero Starter
App integrations available
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Payroll
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
Xero Starter
3 months free for up to 5 employees then £5 a month extra, + £1 a month for additional employees
Quickbooks Simple Start
£4 a month extra
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
£7 + VAT a month extra
Custom business reports
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
Xero Starter
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Handle VAT and MTD compliant
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
Xero Starter
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Smart bank feeds
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
Xero Starter
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Bank transaction reconciliation
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
Reconcile 25 transactions a month
Xero Starter
Reconcile 20 transactions a month
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Multiple currency support
Zoho Books Basic
KashFlow Starter
Xero Starter
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start
Add extra users
Zoho Books Basic
2 users
KashFlow Starter
Xero Starter
Quickbooks Simple Start
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Start

All the accounting software in this table have a mobile app and the ability to connect with 3rd party integrations.

Best accounting software for small businesses and SMEs.

Small business owners may find that it’s worth paying for a more comprehensive accounting software plan to access additional features needed to manage and grow their business finances.

Take a look at the tables below comparing second and third tier bookkeeping software plans from the most popular providers in the market.

When choosing the best accounting software for your small business, you’ll want to consider the features you need now, but also those you might need in the future.

Pick a provider that will grow with your business. If your favourite provider doesn’t have a certain feature, see if it offers third party integrations which cater to your needs.

All the plans in the tables below have the following features as standard:

  • Invoicing
  • Custom business reports
  • Handle VAT and are MTD compliant
  • Smart bank feeds and bank transaction reconciliation
small business accounting software

Accounting software second tier plans.

The accounting software in this table is ordered by monthly fee, left to right.

Compare the costs

Monthly fee
Zoho Books Standard
£12 + VAT
KashFlow Business
£16.50 + VAT
Quickbooks Essentials
£20
Xero Standard
£24 + VAT
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard
£24 + VAT
Free trial
Zoho Books Standard
14 days
KashFlow Business
14 days
Quickbooks Essentials
30 days
Xero Standard
30 days
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard
30 days
Quote management
Zoho Books Standard
KashFlow Business
Quickbooks Essentials
Xero Standard
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard
Expense tracking
Zoho Books Standard
KashFlow Business
Quickbooks Essentials
Xero Standard
3 months free for 1 user then £2.50 a month + £2.50 a month per additional user
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard
Receipt tracking
Zoho Books Standard
Auto-scan add-on 40 scans for £4 a month
KashFlow Business
Quickbooks Essentials
Xero Standard
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard
Free for first 3 months with AutoEntry
Cash flow tracking
Zoho Books Standard
KashFlow Business
Quickbooks Essentials
Xero Standard
App integrations available
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard
Time tracking
Zoho Books Standard
KashFlow Business
App integrations available
Quickbooks Essentials
Xero Standard
App integrations available
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard
Project tracking
Zoho Books Standard
KashFlow Business
App integrations available
Quickbooks Essentials
Xero Standard
£5 a month for 1 user + £5 a month per additional user
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard
Inventory tracking
Zoho Books Standard
Zoho Inventory add-on
KashFlow Business
Quickbooks Essentials
Xero Standard
App integrations available
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard
Payroll
Zoho Books Standard
KashFlow Business
Quickbooks Essentials
£4 a month extra
Xero Standard
3 months free for up to 5 employees then £5 a month extra, + £1 a month for additional employees
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard
Multiple currency support
Zoho Books Standard
KashFlow Business
Quickbooks Essentials
Xero Standard
Pay with Wise for £3 a month + 35p transaction fee
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard
Add extra users
Zoho Books Standard
3 users
KashFlow Business
Quickbooks Essentials
Xero Standard
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Standard

All the accounting software in this table have a mobile app and the ability to connect with 3rd party integrations.

Accounting software third tier plans.

The accounting software in this table is ordered by monthly fee, left to right.

Compare the costs

Monthly fee
Zoho Books Professional
£18 + VAT
KashFlow Business + Payroll
£22.50 + VAT
Quickbooks Plus
£30
Xero Premium
£30 + VAT
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus
£30 + VAT
Free trial
Zoho Books Professional
14 days
KashFlow Business + Payroll
14 days
Quickbooks Plus
30 days
Xero Premium
30 days
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus
30 days
Quote management
Zoho Books Professional
KashFlow Business + Payroll
Quickbooks Plus
Xero Premium
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus
Expense tracking
Zoho Books Professional
KashFlow Business + Payroll
Quickbooks Plus
Xero Premium
3 months free for 1 user then £2.50 a month + £2.50 a month per additional user
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus
Receipt tracking
Zoho Books Professional
Auto-scan add-on 40 scans for £4 a month
KashFlow Business + Payroll
Quickbooks Plus
Xero Premium
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus
Free for first 3 months with AutoEntry
Cash flow tracking
Zoho Books Professional
KashFlow Business + Payroll
Quickbooks Plus
Xero Premium
App integrations available
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus
Time tracking
Zoho Books Professional
KashFlow Business + Payroll
App integrations available
Quickbooks Plus
Xero Premium
App integrations available
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus
Project tracking
Zoho Books Professional
KashFlow Business + Payroll
App integrations available
Quickbooks Plus
Xero Premium
£5 a month for 1 user + £5 a month per additional user
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus
Inventory tracking
Zoho Books Professional
KashFlow Business + Payroll
Quickbooks Plus
Xero Premium
App integrations available
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus
Payroll
Zoho Books Professional
KashFlow Business + Payroll
Up to 5 employees
Quickbooks Plus
£4 a month extra
Xero Premium
3 months free for up to 5 employees then £5 a month extra, + £1 a month for additional employees
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus
£7 + VAT a month extra
Multiple currency support
Zoho Books Professional
KashFlow Business + Payroll
Quickbooks Plus
Xero Premium
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus
Add extra users
Zoho Books Professional
10 users
KashFlow Business + Payroll
Quickbooks Plus
Xero Premium
Sage Business Cloud Accounting Plus

All the accounting software in this table have a mobile app and the ability to connect with 3rd party integrations.

Accounting software integrations.

Third party integrations let you do a lot more than bookkeeping with your accounting software.

In fact, smart third party integrations allow you to integrate your bookkeeping software with your ecommerce store, accept different types of payment, and manage and grow relationships with your customers.

Check out our handy table to see how different accounting software options work with some popular integrations.

If you send or receive international payments for your business, choose accounting software that integrates with Wise. You’ll be able to keep track of and automate payments, while benefiting from quick and safe international payments which are far cheaper than your regular bank.

Spend less time on business admin and more time on connecting with customers and growing your business.

Learn how to connect Xero with Wise

Learn how to connect Quickbooks with Wise

IntegrationZoho BooksKashFlowQuickbooksXeroSage Business Cloud Accounting

CRM

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Ecommerce

Shopify

✓ with Zoho Inventory

Amazon

✓ with Zoho Inventory

Payments

Stripe

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Wise

Best accounting software FAQ.

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