Accounting Category leader
QuickBooks
Small business accounting, invoicing and payroll
Key features
- Bank reconciliation
- Inventory tracking
- Project accounting
- Accountant access
Our picks · 5 tools reviewed
Best Accounting software for 2026
Software that records business transactions in a general ledger and produces financial statements. Below: the names buyers expect to see, the newer tools gaining ground, and how their key features and prices compare. How we pick; nobody pays for a place here.
| Feature |
QuickBooks
Category leader
|
Xero
Category leader
|
|
|
Puzzle
Rising
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan Free plan; paid from $38/month | $27/month | Free plan $20/org/mo | $65/mo | $30/month |
| Best for | Small US businesses with 1-25 users that want mainstream bookkeeping and easy hand-off to an outside accountant | Small businesses and their bookkeepers that want cloud accounting with unlimited-style collaboration and a large app ecosystem | — | US small businesses and the accounting firms serving them that want AI-assisted bookkeeping and month-end close. | Venture-backed US startups with a small finance team that want AI-prepared books and live statements instead of a manual ledger |
| Team size | 1–500 people | 1–500 people | 1–500 people | 1–50 people | 1–50 people |
| Bank reconciliation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Yes |
| Multi-entity accounting | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Multi-currency | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Inventory tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Project accounting | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Accountant access | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Visit | Visit | Visit | Visit | Visit | Visit |
Category leaders
The best-known accounting tools: the ones most buyers shortlist.
Accounting Category leader
Xero
Online accounting software for small businesses
Key features
- Bank reconciliation
- Multi-currency
- Inventory tracking
- Project accounting
- Accountant access
Accounting Category leader
Zoho Books
Cloud accounting with invoicing, banking and reports for small businesses
Key features
- Bank reconciliation
- Multi-currency
- Inventory tracking
- Project accounting
- Accountant access
Rising picks
Newer tools with real traction and a clear difference from the leaders.
Accounting Rising
Digits
AI-native general ledger for business owners and accountants
Key features
- Accountant access
Accounting Rising
Puzzle
Accounting software for startups with real-time financials
Key features
- Bank reconciliation
- Accountant access