Home › Accounting › Best QuickBooks alternatives

Best QuickBooks alternatives

By Cathy Riddell · Prices checked 25 Oct 2026 · Last updated 25 Oct 2026

Short answer: Xero is the closest like-for-like alternative (US plans from US$27/mo with no per-user fees). Zoho Books is the budget pick, with a free plan and Standard at US$20/mo (US$15 billed annually). FreshBooks suits freelancers who mostly invoice clients (from US$23/mo).

How this page was made: I compared each vendor’s official pricing and feature pages on 25 Oct 2026. Hands-on test notes are added only after I’ve used the product on a real account; until then they’re marked as pending. My review method.

Which QuickBooks alternatives are worth considering?

Tool	Best for	Price (official page)
Xero	Like-for-like switch; no per-user fees	US: Early US$27/mo, Growing US$59/mo, Established US$97/mo (official page, checked 25 Oct 2026)	Visit Xero
Zoho Books	Lowest cost; free plan	US: Free plan; Standard US$20/mo (US$15 billed annually); Professional US$50/mo (US$40 annually) (official page, checked 25 Oct 2026)	Visit Zoho Books
FreshBooks	Freelancers and service businesses	Lite US$23/mo, Plus US$43/mo, Premium US$70/mo (official page, checked 25 Oct 2026)	Visit FreshBooks

Xero

US plans: Early US$27/mo, Growing US$59/mo, Established US$97/mo, with no per-user licence fees (official page, 25 Oct 2026). See Xero vs QuickBooks.

Zoho Books

A free plan for solopreneurs (1 user + 1 accountant), then Standard US$20/mo (US$15 billed annually, 3 users) and Professional US$50/mo (US$40 annually) with inventory, projects and multi-currency. See the Zoho Books review.

FreshBooks

Lite US$23/mo, Plus US$43/mo, Premium US$70/mo, capped by number of billable clients. See FreshBooks vs QuickBooks.

How do I switch without losing data?

Ask your accountant which platforms they support.
Export customers, suppliers, chart of accounts and open invoices.
Switch at the end of a month or quarter.
Run both in parallel for one period if you can.

[Cathy to add: hands-on notes from a real Xero, Zoho Books and FreshBooks account: plan tested, date, what was set up, screenshots]

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free QuickBooks alternative?

Yes. Zoho Books has a free plan for solopreneurs and micro businesses (official US page, 25 Oct 2026).

What is the closest alternative to QuickBooks?

Xero offers similar full accounting features and US plans from US$27/mo.

About the author: Cathy Riddell
Cathy is an Adelaide-based digital agency founder who sets up and runs small-business software for real clients. She writes every BizStacked guide and keeps the prices on each page dated and sourced. How I review →

Related guides

Sources

https://www.xero.com/us/pricing-plans/: Xero official pricing page, checked 25 Oct 2026
https://www.zoho.com/us/books/pricing/: Zoho Books official pricing page, checked 25 Oct 2026
https://www.freshbooks.com/pricing: FreshBooks official pricing page, checked 25 Oct 2026
https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/: QuickBooks Online official pricing page, could not be read in full on 25 Oct 2026; no price quoted

Prices are in USD unless stated and come only from the official vendor pages above. Vendors change prices and run promotions often, so confirm on the official page before you buy. Star ratings aren’t published until hands-on testing is complete.