QuickBooks
Simple Start
Flat price, whole team$38.00
× 12 months$456.00
Per year
$3.80 per person / mo
$456
1 user; monthly list price
QuickBooks vs Wave
Compare with for .
QuickBooks
60%
match · $456/yr
Wave
77%
match · $228/yr
What matters most?
Fine-tune
What you'd pay
Entry plan for 10 people, billed yearly where offered. Prices checked Oct 2026.
Wave
Pro
Flat price, whole team$19.00
× 12 months$228.00
Per year
$1.90 per person / mo
$228
QuickBooks
From $38Free plan
G2 4.0 · 3,891 reviewsMost US small businesses that want one system their bookkeeper already knows, with payroll, payments, bill pay and inventory available inside the same product as they grow.
vs
Wave
From $19Free plan
G2 4.3 · 327 reviewsSole proprietors and very small service businesses that mainly need invoices and a simple set of books at little or no cost.
Side by side
 QuickBooks | Wave | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free (limited); paid from $38/month (billed monthly) | Free; Pro $19/month or $190/year |
| G2 Rating | 4.0 (3,891 reviews) | 4.3 (327 reviews) |
| Best For | Most US small businesses that want one system their bookkeeper already knows, with payroll, payments, bill pay and inventory available inside the same product as they grow. | Sole proprietors and very small service businesses that mainly need invoices and a simple set of books at little or no cost. |
Pros and cons
QuickBooks
Pros
- The product most US accountants and bookkeepers already use
- Payroll, payments and bill pay are built in rather than bolted on
- Clear upgrade path from 1 user up to 25 users
- Free plan for very light use
Cons
- Expensive per user: Plus is $140/month for 5 users
- Hard user caps on each plan (1, 3, 5, 25)
- Inventory and budgets need Plus; workflow automation needs Advanced
- Multicurrency cannot be turned off once enabled
Wave
Pros
- Free plan has no invoice cap
- Pro costs $19/month or $190/year
- Payroll available in the same product
Cons
- No automatic bank imports on the free plan
- No inventory or project tracking
- Support hours are limited (weekdays, Eastern time)
Related comparisons
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+2
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Best Accounting Software for Small Business
QuickBooks is the best accounting software for most US small businesses: it does the most, bundles payroll, payments and bill pay, and most accountants know it. Choose Xero if several people need access, Zoho Books for the best value, or Wave if you need a free start.
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FreshBooks alternatives
Stay with FreshBooks if you have a small client list and want simple invoicing with time tracking. Switch to QuickBooks Online or Xero for full accounting, or to Wave or Zoho Books to cut costs.
+2Emily RodriguezUpdated October 2026Accounting & Finance+1Emily RodriguezUpdated October 2026
QuickBooks vs Xero
QuickBooks is better if you want payroll, payments, bill pay and inventory in one product or your accountant uses it. Xero is better on cost: unlimited users on every plan and no invoice caps from $59/month, against $85/month for three QuickBooks users.
+1Emily RodriguezUpdated October 2026