Alternatives

Zoho Books alternatives

Zoho Books: Accounting software with a free plan for very small businesses and paid UK plans. Its price when we checked: Free: £0. Standard: £12 a month (£10 billed annually). Professional: £24 (£20). Premium: £30 (£25). Per organisation. If it isn't right for you, these tools do a similar job.

Prices at a glance

Tool	Cheapest paid plan	Free plan
Zoho Books	£12 (Standard, per month (£10 billed annually))	Yes
Xero	£18 (Ignite, per month excl. VAT)	No
QuickBooks	£10 (entry plan, per month)	No
FreeAgent	£33 (standard, per month excl. VAT)	No
Sage Accounting	£20 (Start, per month excl. VAT)	No

Our verdict

Priced in pounds (no exchange-rate surprises): Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Sage Accounting. Cheapest pound-priced entry plan: QuickBooks at £10 (entry plan, per month). Choose by the job you need doing: each entry says who it suits best.

Xero

Cloud accounting for invoices, bank feeds, VAT and payroll, with AI-assisted features.

Price: Ignite: £18 a month. Grow: £39. Comprehensive: £55. Ultimate: £70 (all excl. VAT). Intro offers run on the pricing page. Payroll £1.50 per person.
Free plan: No. No free plan; a free trial and introductory discounts are offered.
Best for: Limited companies and VAT-registered businesses that want an accountant-friendly system.

Compare Zoho Books and Xero side by side

QuickBooks

Cloud accounting with invoicing, expenses and VAT, plus Intuit Intelligence AI features (some in beta).

Price: UK plans from £10 a month, with others at £16, £38 and £56 a month; introductory discounts are offered. 30-day free trial.
Free plan: No. No free plan; 30-day free trial.
Best for: Small businesses wanting invoicing and VAT in one place, with AI help on expenses.

Compare Zoho Books and QuickBooks side by side

FreeAgent

UK accounting software for sole traders, partnerships and small companies.

Price: £33 a month or £330 a year (excl. VAT), with introductory discounts. Free if you keep a business account with NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank, or use Mettle (conditions apply).
Free plan: No. Free for eligible NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank and Mettle customers; otherwise a 30-day free trial.
Best for: Sole traders and freelancers, especially with an eligible bank account.

Compare Zoho Books and FreeAgent side by side

Sage Accounting

UK accounting and payroll software with the Sage Copilot AI assistant included in every plan.

Price: Start: £20 a month. Standard: £43 a month. All excl. VAT. Offer when checked: 90% off for 6 months.
Free plan: No. No free plan; introductory discount instead.
Best for: VAT-registered sole traders and small firms wanting payroll and CIS in one place.

Compare Zoho Books and Sage Accounting side by side

Sources

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