Here are three top picks for freelancer accounting software, and how to choose the best option for your business. Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here’s how we make money . There are numerous good options on the market for freelancers, but three stand above the rest in terms of functionality, ease of use and affordability. Below our top picks, we’ll show you how do you choose the best freelancer accounting software for your unique small business. FreshBooks was made for freelancers. Literally. The company started out as an invoicing- and time-tracking software for self-employed individuals, and has since evolved into a powerhouse accounting software for freelancers, sole proprietors and even some larger small businesses, too. FreshBooks lets you track your expenses and mark them as billable, invoice and collect payments from your clients — and with the MileIQ integration — easily track and import your mileage expenses. Since FreshBooks connects directly to your bank and credit card accounts, you won’t have to waste time with data entry, and you can be reasonably certain of the accuracy of your data if you monitor your bank feeds closely. Busy freelancers don’t have time to get stuck on technical issues or wade through pages of online FAQs to figure out how to use their accounting software. FreshBooks realizes this, and they have an excellent customer service team that responds quickly to users’ questions. Even though support is provided via email, you won’t have to wait days for an answer — you can often get an answer to your question within an hour. Like the next option on this list, FreshBooks does not provide a balance sheet, though they do provide a template if you need to create one. Actually, FreshBooks recommends seeking the help of an accountant if you find yourself needing a balance sheet. But chances are you won’t need this document unless your business grows beyond the freelancing stage. As for price, FreshBooks starts at $15 per month, though you’ll likely soon need to move up to the $25/month plan. Any additional apps you need, like MileIQ, will increase your monthly investment. However, for a limited time, FreshBooks is offering 60% off for six months on Lite, Plus and Premium plans when new users skip the 30-day free trial period and opt to buy now. With more than 2 million users worldwide, QuickBooks Online is the household name in small-business accounting. Intuit’s QuickBooks Self-Employed product has steadily gained momentum since it was first introduced in 2015, offering a simple accounting solution for freelancers and other very small businesses. QuickBooks Self Employed has two pricing options. Their core option — which includes all the features listed above — costs $10/month. For an additional […]
