Accounting Software Pricing (2026)

What 14 accounting tools actually charge, taken from their own pricing pages and re-checked as they change. Cheapest first.

14 products From $14/mo to $350/mo 6 with a free plan

Pricing verified Aug 17, 2026

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Accounting pricing at a glance

Product Entry price Plans Free plan Free trial
Invoice Ninja $14/mo 4 Yes No
Wave $19/mo 2 Yes No
Zoho Books $20/mo 6 Yes Yes
FreshBooks $23/mo 4 No Yes
Xero $25/mo 3 No No
QuickBooks $38/mo 5 Yes Yes
Jetpack Workflow $40/mo 2 No Yes
Canopy $74/mo 4 No No
Aplos $79/mo 4 No Yes
Karbon $79/mo 3 No No
Pilot $99/mo 12 No No
MarginEdge $350/mo 2 Yes No
TaxDome Custom 3 No No
Zoho Invoice Custom 1 Yes No

Every accounting tool we track, cheapest first

  1. Invoice Ninja

    Open-source invoicing for freelancers.

    At $14-18/mo entry, they're undercutting the FreshBooks/QuickBooks crowd hard, positioning as the budget-to-mid option for freelancers and small agencies who don't want enterprise invoicing bloat. The custom Premium tier is their play to not leave money on the table once a client looks like it could afford more.

    Plans: Free $0/mo · Ninja Pro $14/mo · Enterprise $18/mo · Premium Business Contact Sales

    From $14/mo Free plan Invoice Ninja pricing → Alternatives →
  2. Wave

    Financial software for small businesses.

    Wave undercuts QuickBooks and Xero hard, positioning itself as the budget-friendly entry point for tiny businesses that don't want to pay $30-70/mo for accounting software. The $9.50 promo pricing for the first 3 months is clearly aimed at nudging free-tier users to just try paying before they've fully committed.

    Plans: STARTER $0/mo · Pro $19/mo

    From $19/mo Free plan Wave pricing → Alternatives →
  3. Zoho Books

    Online accounting from Zoho.

    Zoho Books is the aggressive underdog play against QuickBooks and Xero — a free tier that actually works, and paid plans that undercut competitors at nearly every level. They're going after cost-conscious SMBs and bootstrapped businesses who don't want to pay Intuit prices.

    Plans: FREE $0/mo · STANDARD $20/mo · PROFESSIONAL $50/mo · PREMIUM $70/mo · ELITE $150/mo · ULTIMATE $275/mo

    From $20/mo Free plan Free trial Zoho Books pricing → Alternatives →
  4. FreshBooks

    Invoicing and accounting for freelancers.

    FreshBooks sits mid-pack against QuickBooks and Xero — pricier than bare-bones invoicing tools but cheaper than full accounting suites. They're chasing freelancers and service-based small businesses who want something friendlier than QuickBooks without the accounting-department complexity.

    Plans: Lite $23/mo per seat · Plus $43/mo per seat · Premium $70/mo per seat · Select Contact Sales

    From $23/mo Free trial FreshBooks pricing → Alternatives →
  5. Xero

    Online accounting for small businesses.

    Xero sits mid-market against QuickBooks and FreshBooks — not the cheapest accounting tool out there, but it undercuts QuickBooks Online's top tiers while offering more robust multi-currency and inventory features than budget alternatives. It's clearly courting small businesses that plan to grow past basic bookkeeping, not solopreneurs who just need to send a few invoices.

    Plans: Early $25/mo · Growing $55/mo · Established $90/mo

  6. QuickBooks

    Small business accounting software.

    QuickBooks sits mid-to-premium in the SMB accounting space — pricier than lean challengers like Wave or FreshBooks' entry tiers, but it's leaning on brand trust and accountant ubiquity rather than being the cheapest option. They're clearly chasing businesses that will eventually need integrations, payroll, and multi-user access, not the solo freelancer who'll churn to something cheaper.

    Plans: Free $0/mo per seat · Simple Start $38/mo per seat · Essentials $85/mo per seat · Plus $140/mo per seat · Advanced $340/mo per seat

    From $38/mo Free plan Free trial QuickBooks pricing → Alternatives →
  7. Jetpack Workflow

    Workflow and recurring-task management for accounting firms and bookkeepers, priced per user.

    At $40-50/seat/month, Jetpack Workflow sits in the mid-tier of practice management tools — pricier than bare-bones task trackers but cheaper than full-suite firm management platforms. They're clearly courting small-to-mid accounting firms who want structure without paying for a bloated all-in-one system.

    Plans: Starter $40/mo per seat · Premium $50/mo per seat

  8. Canopy

    All-in-one practice management for accounting and tax firms: CRM, workflow, documents, billing and client portal.

    No free trial and no free tier is an aggressive stance in a category where competitors often let you test-drive — Canopy's betting its brand and sales process can close deals without a safety net. Pricing lands mid-to-upper range for per-seat SaaS in this space, so they're not competing on cheap access; they're leaning on being a serious, considered purchase for firms that already know they want it.

    Plans: Standard $74/mo per seat · Plus $109/mo per seat · Premium $149/mo per seat · Enterprise Contact Sales

  9. Aplos

    Fund accounting software with donor management for nonprofits and churches.

    Aplos sits in the low-to-mid range for dedicated nonprofit accounting software, cheaper than heavyweight ERP-style tools but pricier than generic small-business accounting apps repurposed for nonprofits. They're clearly going after small-to-mid nonprofits who've outgrown QuickBooks-for-nonprofits hacks but don't need Blackbaud-level firepower.

    Plans: Lite $79/mo · Core $129/mo · Advanced $229/mo · Custom Contact Sales

    From $79/mo Free trial Aplos pricing → Alternatives →
  10. Karbon

    Practice management for accounting firms.

    Karbon sits in the premium tier of accounting practice management software, pricing above lighter tools like Jetpack Workflow but competing head-to-head with platforms like Financial Cents and Canopy. They're clearly going after mid-size to larger CPA firms that treat workflow infrastructure as a serious operational investment, not a nice-to-have.

    Plans: Team $79/mo per seat · Business $99/mo per seat · Enterprise Contact Sales

  11. Pilot

    Bookkeeping and CFO services.

    Pilot sits firmly in the premium tier of startup-focused accounting services — $299/mo for bookkeeping alone puts them well above DIY tools like QuickBooks and above most local bookkeepers, but they're competing on 'we know startups' against players like Bench or Kruze Consulting. They're going after VC-backed founders who want a credible finance partner, not a cheap back-office fix.

    Plans: Essentials $99/mo · Core $299/mo · Essentials $850/mo · Basic $1750/mo · Essentials $3150/mo · Custom $5250/mo · Custom Contact Sales · For Single Member LLCs Contact Sales · For Partnerships and S-Corps Contact Sales · For C-Corps Contact Sales · Starter Contact Sales · Custom Contact Sales

  12. MarginEdge

    Restaurant cost-management and invoice-processing software

    At $350-500/mo flat with no free plan or trial, MarginEdge sits toward the premium end of restaurant back-office software — this isn't a self-serve tool for single-location mom-and-pop shops testing the waters. They're clearly chasing multi-unit groups and growing chains who can justify the spend and eventually graduate to custom pricing.

    Plans: MarginEdge $350/mo · MarginEdge + Freepour $500/mo

    From $350/mo Free plan MarginEdge pricing → Alternatives →
  13. TaxDome

    Practice OS for tax professionals.

    At $700–$1,100/seat/year on a 3-year term, TaxDome is mid-to-premium for tax practice management software — not cheap, but not Salesforce-tier either. They're clearly targeting established accounting and tax firms willing to commit long-term, not freelancers or price-sensitive solo operators (despite the Essentials tier existing).

    Plans: Essentials Contact Sales · Pro Contact Sales · Business Contact Sales

  14. Zoho Invoice

    Free invoicing software from Zoho.

    This is the most aggressive price point in the invoicing category — it undercuts FreshBooks, Wave's paid features, and even most freemium tools by just being fully free. They're explicitly targeting freelancers and small businesses who balk at paying $15-30/mo for invoicing alone.

    Plans: Zoho Invoice $0/mo

    Custom pricing Free plan Zoho Invoice pricing → Alternatives →

Accounting Software Pricing FAQ

How much does accounting software cost?
Entry prices run from $14/mo (Invoice Ninja) to $350/mo (MarginEdge), with a median entry price of $39/mo across the 12 priced products we track.
What is the cheapest accounting software?
Invoice Ninja has the lowest entry price of the accounting software we track, at $14/mo. Wave ($19/mo) and Zoho Books ($20/mo) are next. Invoice Ninja and Wave are free to start on.
Is there free accounting software?
Yes — Invoice Ninja, Wave, Zoho Books and 3 more offer a free plan.
How is accounting software usually priced?
7 of the 14 accounting tools we track use flat rate pricing, against 6 on per seat and 1 on hybrid.