Comparison of the Top Small Business Accounting Software

Table of Contents

Choosing the right accounting software
So…

Looking for the best accounting software for small businesses?

We understand how hard it is to have multiple tabs open to compare feature and prices, so we did the hard work for you.

We scoured the internet for the best and most recommended accounting systems there are and summarized their key features, limitations, pricing, and others in one (or four) tables.

Plus:

If you keep reading, we’ll share some tips on how to choose the best software for small businesses.

	ERPNext	Jeon Soft	Juan Tax
Key features	Accounting HR & Payroll Manufacturing CRM Website for users Cloud-based *Open source	Complete ERP system POs Fixed Asset System Unlimited users, companies, positions, and department Unit of conversion On-premise	tax software online tax payment Integrable with other platform (Xero) with mobile app *cloud-based
Limitations	Not localized Relatively pricey for a premium edition	Uses legacy platform No definite licensing scheme Support and maintenance is inconsistent Not customizable	*Not an accounting system
Requirements	Internet connection browser	*server	Internet connection browser
Payment mode	Subscription based	*One-time license fee	Subscription based
Pricing	*Pricing varies depending on the no. of users. Price range US$299/yr. for 5 users up to US$10,000/yr. for 5,000 users	Pricing starts at PhP97k all in (based on their 2014 costing)	Starts at free plan

	manager.io	MinBits	Oojeema
Key features	payroll invoicing Unlimited users (paid version) multi-currency *cloud-based and on-premise	Complete modules Customizable support and maintenance cloud-based and on-premise	* Complete modules (Prime version) * Locally developed * Local support * customizable (Prime version) * Unlimited users * Cloud-based * Item Tracking * Inventory Management (Premium plan & Prime version) * BIR Compliant and BIR CAS Ready
Limitations	Browser based but runs only in IE One user only (free version)	*Outside Luzon. Typical market is companies in Southern Philippines	*Fully customizable (Prime Version)
Requirements	Internet Server *Latest IE browser	Internet connection browser *server	Internet connection browser
Payment mode	Subscription based / Server Edition	One-time license fee	Subscription-based/Server Edition (Prime Version)
Pricing	Subscription Php1,990.00/mo. Server Edition Php 19,990.00 Perpetual License	undisclosed	Starts at Php 490.00/month

	QNE Software	Quickbooks	SevCom
Key features	localized BIR forms payroll on-premise	standardized accounting application applicable to all types of business Household name in accounting software with mobile app cloud-based and on-premise	locally developed customizable payroll compact solution *cloud-based and on-premise
Limitations	Per user license Relatively pricey License is not transferrable Not customizable	Not customizable Applying unique business processes may be time consuming at the beginning. Not localized Limited number of users	*Has no clear support and maintenance
Requirements	Internet connection browser *server	Internet connection browser *server	Internet connection browser *server
Payment mode	Subscription-based and one-time license fee	Subscription-based and one-time license fee	Subscription-based and one-time license fee
Pricing	On Premise: From PhP87K all in for entry level to PhP387K all in for enterprise. Per user License:Solution 25 to 85 – PhP10k to 15k per user Solution 120 to 250 -24k per user license. Optimum (Cloud) – Undisclosed	Cloud – US$4.50/mo. to US$9.30/mo. On Premise – Php100K for starter package inclusion of implementation fee.	On premise – Php150,000.00 inclusion of implementation (All in) Based modules Only. Additional charges on modifications Cloud – Php1,000.00/month per user

	Smart Books	Xero	Zoho
Key features	locally developed complete modules optional inventory package BIR forms *cloud-based	complete features including inventory and project management mobile app multi-currency cloud-based	Simple and straight forward application Easy to navigate *mobile app
Limitations	*Per user license	Not localized yet Local parameters and conditions through workarounds *Payment in USD	Limited functionalities Limited users
Requirements	Internet connection browser	Internet connection browser	Internet connection browser
Payment mode	Subscription-based	Subscription-based	Subscription-based
Pricing	Lite Php 1,499.00 per user per month covering Financial, Sales and Purchasing Modules Premium at Php 1,999.00 per user per month covering Financial, Sales, Purchasing and Inventory Modules	Starter – US$20 (Send 5 invoices & quotes, Enter 5 Bills, Reconcile 20 Bank Transactions) Standard- US$30 (Unlimited transactions) *Premium US$40 (Additional Multi currency module)	*Price ranges from US$9/mo. for 2 users to US$20/mo. for 10users

Choosing the right accounting software #

By and large, selecting the best accounting software for your small business relies on three things:

Price
Features
Usability

Let’s begin with the pricing.

Small businesses may not have a big budget for full-blown accounting software like large enterprises do; hence, you may want to the one on the lower end of the scale.

Next is the features.

The listed accounting systems above have a plethora of features, but you have to ask yourself: do you really need all of them?

Do you need an inventory system or is item tracking enough?

According to Finance Online, here are what you should look for in an accounting system for a small business:

Core accounting. This refers to the basic accounting process for every business. In a nutshell, the accounting software should support revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities, income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows among others.
Tax preparation. Preparing BIR forms could be one of the most daunting parts of bookkeeping and accounting. Hence, you want the software that prepares this for you automatically.
Automation. Accounting software should automate tasks for you. This includes invoicing, tax preparation, expenses, and so on.

As for usability, here’s what Business News Daily says you should consider:

Multi-user access. More often than not, you’re not the only one who will log in on your account–even if you’re flying solo. You’ll probably ask a bookkeeper or an accountant to do some number crunching for you. Hence, software that supports multi-user is of good quality.
Cloud-based. Storing data in the cloud sounds risky, but actually, it is safer than offline storage. Plus, you won’t have to worry about losing your data. With cloud-based systems, you can access your financial information anywhere as long as you have a compatible browser and internet. These two are some of the advantages of a cloud-based system over a desktop one.