For instance, Sage 100 Contractor is a preferred accounting option for professionals in the construction business. And Sage Intacct is one of the best accounting services for nonprofits. This probably isn’t the first factor to come to mind, but it’s important to consider how and where you work, and whether your accounting software adapts to you. If you’re busy and on the go, we recommend choosing software with a solid mobile app that has virtually all the features the desktop app has, so you can manage accounting from anywhere.

Netsuite – Best Cloud-Based Option

Of the two, we recommend Wave Payroll over QuickBooks Payroll, which is on the pricier end and doesn’t offer a tax-filing guarantee—a key industry standard you should expect from any payroll provider. Most accounting software providers sync with one or more popular payroll providers (Zoho Books, which doesn’t sync with most payroll software, is a notable exception). Xero, FreshBooks, and QuickBooks all sync accounting services for startups with Gusto, our favorite payroll provider for small businesses.

Zoho Books: Best Overall Accounting Software

The right accounting software won’t just meet your current needs—it’ll make your team more efficient and support your startup’s growth journey. Understanding these specific requirements is the most important first step. The right automation tools can genuinely save time and improve how your team works together, but only if they directly address what you need to achieve. Think https://www.theclintoncourier.net/2025/12/19/main-advantages-of-accounting-services-for-startups/ about the volume of transactions you handle and the complexity of your revenue streams. This initial self-assessment will be your best guide as you start comparing different software solutions.

• We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content to guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.
• Reporting tools provide insights into client profitability and operational efficiency.
• The platform has found particular success in sectors like construction, real estate, and professional services where reporting depth and compliance capabilities matter more than simplicity.
• According to Gartner, 57% of finance teams are already implementing or planning to implement agentic AI solutions that can understand circumstances, make decisions, and take actions autonomously.
• Bonus points if it lets you customize reports and track KPIs like burn rate and runway.
• The platform boasts a community of roughly 400,000 users to network and connect with as well as business resources and mentorship classes.

Why we recommend FreshBooks for accounting

• NetSuite’s cloud model allows your small team to access information from anywhere, minimizes on-site IT costs, and runs automatic updates to improve efficiency and security.
• Sage Business Cloud Accounting offers small businesses a flexible solution for managing their finances.
• Gusto is chosen by over 300,000 businesses for its versatile HR solutions.
• The advanced accounting tools in Sage provide financial and accounting information and insights to management and executives.
• Create notes and develop mind maps on your own or collaboratively with Coggle’s brainstorming platform that makes working easy as an individual or as a team.
• Zoho Books delivers the core accounting features small businesses need at an affordable price, and without an excess of bells and whistles.

FreshBooks’ reporting tools aren’t as advanced as those of its competitors, but it offers enough for a small business just starting out. There is a range of pre-built reports, including profit and loss, sales tax, and balance sheets. These are both features that are paid add-ons with QuickBooks, but are included at no extra cost with FreeAgent. Businesses can assign expenses to a specific client or project, something competitors don’t offer, and enable automatic categorization of expenses through receipt data capture and bank feed integration.

This allows businesses to outsource many administrative tasks and responsibilities related to payroll and HR while benefiting from the PEO’s expertise and infrastructure. Access powerful payroll features and insights with ADP’s robust platform. The biggest benefit of Gusto, though, is the fact that it comes available in three well-thought-out pricing tiers, allowing startups to choose the service that best matches both their needs and their budget. Don’t let administrative tasks distract you from meaningful work – Gusto makes payroll, benefits, and HR simple for startups.