Personal expense software is a must for anyone who wants to maintain tracks of their expenses and income. Money management software will provide you with a detailed report on the exact amount that you spend every day, from groceries to utility bills. The best way to accomplish this is to install an expense tracking software personal.
Free personal expense tracking software, also known as “personal expense tracker software”, is available as a way to help you to better control your spending. There are many different types of personal expense tracking software available on the Internet and in stores.
Thinking of getting your own expense tracking software? It may be a silly question, but there’s nothing silly about it. It’s a very real question and one that has been asked by thousands of people who have gotten into the habit of tracking personal expenses with just pen and paper. If you are looking to learn more about free personal expense tracking software then read on as we explore some of the best options available.
Free personal expense tracking software is available for anyone who needs to track expenses. Some people may simply want to keep track of their expenses for fun, but there are many other applications. If you conduct small business on a regular basis or operate a not-for-profit organization, then it’s important to be able to track expenses. This article will discuss several different options that are available, including free and inexpensive options as well as premium solutions that offer advanced features and functionality.
What are the best personal accounting software tools?
Indy
Whether you run a small business or a large corporation, invoicing is key. Indy’s flexible and professional invoicing platform allows you to generate professional invoices quickly.
Utilize existing templates for added ease and keep track of projects and money owed. Whether you are sending a once-off invoice or recurring ones to repeat clients, Indy allows you to streamline your accounts and keep track of finances.
This innovative freelancer platform will enable you to easily add various payment methods, including PayPal, Stripe, Zelle, Wire Transfer, and mailed checks.
Integrate the invoicing platform with other features, including the online calendar, time tracker, proposals, and tasks for streamlined success.
They also enable you to keep a digital record of all projects and payments, enhancing accounting ease and keeping your finances on track.
Here are some of Indy’s key features:
- Choose from different invoice types
- Easily add new clients and existing ones
- Attach timesheets
- Accept payment methods
- Include logo and graphics
- Add multiple payment options
- Integrate with the time tracker feature
Indy
If you want to get paid fast, this is the best invoicing app that supports all payment options. Free trial Visit website
Intuit Quickbooks Online
You might have figured out that most of your time and money is poured into yourself and your home. Probably that’s why some people prefer to treat their personal finances as a small business.
And if you do that, you can use one of the best accounting software for small businesses. At first, it might seem odd, but if you think about it actually makes sense.
It lets you become more strict, a bit more formal, and makes things easier to manage, even if you’re dealing with day-to-day expenses.
You will be able to do all this with Quickbooks online. There’s no need to download and install anything. It works in your browser.
But you also get Free Mobile Apps to see if it’s a good match for your needs. Support via chat and phone is available.
Here are some of its best features:
- Track expenses
- Helps you set and keep a certain budget
- Manages rental income and taxes
- Provides an easy method to pay your contractors, gardeners, housekeeper, nanny, etc
- Scans receipts
Intuit Quickbooks Oline
Gain a birds-ey perspective of all your clients and projects, and work more effectively to ensure you never miss a deadline. Check price Visit website
Intuit Turbotax
It’s hard not to talk about personal finances and not speak about taxes. And when we talk about taxes, then we must mention TurboTax.
Wouldn’t you like to enjoy some peace of mind that the documents you sent to IRS are good and you won’t have to worry about any penalties or interest?
The fact that Intuit guarantees accurate calculations, maximum refunds, and audit support says quite a lot. Even more, in case you only need to file simple tax returns such as Form 1040, TurboTax is free.
We really like the fact that TurboTax has a very user-friendly interface. It also lets you import W-2 information from your employer.
Plus, if you used it in the past, it remembers your personal information and you only have to add any major changes.
If you are not interested in taxes at all, try one of the other suggestions that we have for you.
Let’s review some of its best features:
- Friendly user interface
- File simple tax returns with the free version
- Accurate calculations, maximum refunds, and audit support
- Import W-2 information from your employer
- Find every tax deduction and credit you qualify
Intuit Turbotax
The calculations are 100 percent accurate, so your taxes will be done correctly, guaranteed, or you will be reimbursed for any IRS penalties. Check price Visit website
Freshbooks
When it comes to tracking and managing invoices, it’s hard to beat Freshbooks and its friendly interface.
This award-winning software packs all you would want in accounting software including compatibility with other business applications, easy to navigate interface, and good customer support.
Freshbooks has exceptional time tracking tools that allow users to enter the number of hours worked each day for record-keeping purposes.
You can even assign workers or staff tasks and maintain useful information such as dates, names, and billable status to each project.
Experts say Freshbooks generates comprehensive reports, even better than those generated by Quickbooks, its major rival.
Reports include taxes, P & L, time tracking, invoices (item sales and revenue from clients), client reports (aging and revenue), and many more.
It even allows clients to pay directly from the Freshbooks invoices by use of credit cards. Freshbooks is also renowned for having the best accounting mobile app for small businesses.
However, it has limited inventory management tools which makes it not suitable for businesses with a lot of inventory.
Check out its most important features:
- Reports include taxes, P & L, time tracking, invoices, client reports, and more
- Pay directly from the Freshbooks invoices by using credit cards
- Fresh and simple interface
- Great time tracking tools
- Assign workers or staff tasks
Freshbooks
Your success will never be a mystery with the simple dashboard and reports, and you will know precisely how your business is performing. Free trial Visit website
Moneyspire
A great personal finance software that we have to mention is Moneyspire. This application supports an unlimited number of accounts, and several account types such as Bank, Credit card, Cash, Investment, Other assets, other liability, etc.
Thanks to this software, you can easily forecast your balance by analyzing future deposits, withdrawals, and other data.
It’s worth mentioning that it supports importing, to get the data from other financing software such as Quicken, Mint, and others and continue where you left off.
The application is for all regions and currencies, so it’s available regardless of your current residence. Moneyspire also has reminders to keep all your transactions in check.
This tool can automatically record reminders and even create reminders from transactions.
If you’re working with multiple payees, you’ll be pleased to know that the app supports an unlimited number of payees allowing you to track each payee’s information closely. If needed, you may even generate reports by the payee.
When it comes to filing types, the application can export data to QIF and CSV file formats. As for importing, QIF, QMTF, OFX, QFX, and CSV file types are fully supported.
Speaking of files, we have to mention that all financial data is stored in a single file. This file is encrypted with 128-bit military-grade encryption, so malicious users won’t be able to access it.
There’s also Cloud Support that allows you to share data between multiple computers and mobile devices.
Overall, Moneyspire is an amazing finance software, and it’s fully available on both Mac and PC platforms as well as on iOS devices. As for Android, the Android version is on its way and it’s coming soon.
Moneyspire is available for a free trial, but if you want to continue using it, you just need to obtain a license.
Bear in mind that a single license can be used on all PCs in your home for personal use, regardless of the platform you’re using.
Check out some of its best features:
- Can export data to QIF and CSV file formats
- Importing, QIF, QMTF, OFX, QFX, and CSV file types
- It supports an unlimited number of accounts
- You can easily forecast your balance by analyzing future deposits, withdrawals, and other data
- Automatically record reminders
Moneyspire
View all of your balances and transactions in one location with as much detail as you want, as well as your upcoming costs to ensure you’re totally ready. Check price Visit website
Sage 50cloud Accounting
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Sage has been around for over 30 years and is one of the most reputable accounting software. Sage is ideal for all kinds of businesses including small enterprises, contract workers, and even freelancers.
From accounting to credit card processing to payroll, it helps small and medium-sized companies manage cash flow and important business processes such as invoicing.
Sage offers numerous versions including Sage One, Sage 50, and others for different types of businesses.
You can quickly check what you owe, deal with late payments, and keep track of your expenditures.
Manage payments or connect to your bank feeds to reduce manual data entry and expedite payment processing through automatic verification.
Recognize what is in stock and what is on order maintain track of purchase orders and stock levels, with the work expenses that can be tracked through buying, inventory changes, wages, and other methods.
Get one-click reports on sales taxes, costs, and earnings, providing you with the data you need to make sound business decisions.
Let’s see some of its most important features:
- Manage payments or connect to your bank feeds to reduce manual data entry
- Expedite payment processing through automatic verification
- Keep track of purchase orders and stock levels
- Get one-click reports on sales taxes, costs, and earnings
Sage 50cloud Accounting
Sage 50cloud combines desktop accounting software with the flexibility of the cloud, allowing for less administration, more automation, and faster payment. Free trial Visit website
GoDaddy Bookkeeping
Like its competitors, GoDaddy Bookkeeping is very easy to set up and offers excellent bookkeeping services for small businesses.
On the home page, you will find a checklist of all the important tasks that you should do first like link a bank or credit card, customize your reporting categories, and others.
Once you enter the login credentials for your bank, GoDaddy will download your most recent transactions, usually for the past 90 days although you can customize the period.
GoDaddy has direct integration with Amazon, eBay, and Etsy, something that even Freshbooks lacks.
This solution offers advanced invoice management tools. You have the option to set up the system to send direct messages to the client some days before the payment date.
You can set it to notify you once the customer views the invoice or when payment is done. And just like Freshbooks, it also has time tracking features.
Note that all GoDaddy reports are very detailed. Compared to other software, GoDaddy is cheaper.
Let’s review some of its best features:
- Direct integration with Amazon, eBay, and Etsy
- Download your most recent transactions
- Advanced invoice management tools
- Send direct messages to the client
- Notifies you once the customer views the invoice or when it performs the payment
- Time tracking features
Zoho Books
Zoho Books is excellent and highly flexible finance and accounting software that allows you to manage cash flow and keep track of critical business activities.
With Zoho Books, you will be able to create and manage customer invoices while keeping expenses in check.
In addition to managing cash flow, Zoho Books allow you to perform bank reconciliations and communicate with your accountant in real-time.
With advanced record-keeping tools, Zoho Books enables you to make more informed decisions and manage customers and projects in one central place.
Though it lacks the third-party add-ons offered by its competitors, Zoho Books remain one of the most reliable finance and accounting software tools in the market today.
You will benefit from the following best features:
- Perform bank reconciliations
- Communicate with your accountant in real-time
- Create and manage customer invoices
- Advanced record-keeping tools
- Manage customers and projects in one central place
GnuCash
GnuCash is the best free accounting software designed for individuals and small businesses.
If you want decent finance and accounting software and you don’t want to incur the hectic subscription charges, then GnuCash is your best bet.
The software is available on multiple platforms including Windows, Linux, OS X, and Android. Its sheer flexibility and ease of use are what put it on top of other free and some paid accounting software.
It handles accounts payables and receivables, invoice and credit notes, payroll, and employee expenses and has no problem handling multi-currencies.
Take a look at some of its key features:
- Available on multiple platforms including Windows, Linux, OS X, and Android
- Easy to use
- Handles multiple currencies
- It manages accounts payables and receivables, invoice and credit notes, payroll and employee expenses
Xero
Xero offers incredibly deep accounting tools and competes well with the top accounting software in the market.
The solution provides on-screen instructions to help users get through the processes since its interface is much more complex compared to the others in its range.
Its help center also provides the roadmap for performing simple and complex tasks such as using chart accounts, connecting bank feeds, etc.
It strictly follows the rule of double-entry accounting which might only favor accountants. Luckily, they have terrific customer support and an active online community that will sort you out instantly.
The tool has various plans with the cheapest, Xero Standard starting at a pretty decent price.
Its key features are the following:
- On-screen instructions
- Follows the rule of double-entry accounting
- Very good customer support
- Flexible plans
Wave
Wave is a cloud-based software that offers 100% free real accounting for individuals and small enterprises. This tool allows you to add unlimited collaborators and access your data from anywhere.
The accounting platform is integrated with invoicing, payment processing, receipt scanning, and payroll thus putting all the financial reports you need at your fingertips.
It’s very well designed with an easy-to-use interface that won’t need any external assistance. Though it’s completely free for accounting, if you need technical support you’ll have to pay for it.
Payroll is also not included in the free package so if you’re running a business, you will have to allocate a budget for that.
Take a look at Wave’s best features:
- Invoicing, payment processing, receipt scanning, and payroll integration
- Easy to use interface
- Cloud platform-based
- Add unlimited collaborators
- Access your data from everywhere in the world
QuickBooks Online is the best overall accounting software for small businesses of those reviewed. Not only do the majority of small business accounting professionals use QuickBooks Online, but there are also endless online training resources and forums to get support when needed. All accounting features can be conveniently accessed on one main dashboard, making bookkeeping more fluid and efficient. Pros
- Scalable
- Commonly used by accounting professionals
- Integration with third-party applications
- Cloud-based
- Mobile app
Cons
- Upgrade required for more users
- Occasional syncing problems with banks and credit cards
Intuit’s QuickBooks Online has been one of the most common accounting software used by small businesses and their bookkeeping and tax professionals. The software is cloud-based and can be accessed through a web browser or through a mobile app.
After the 30-day free trial, the four options for subscription plans include Simple Start at $25 per month, Essentials at $50 per month, Plus at $80 per month, and Advanced at $180 per month. Typically there is a significant discount offered for the first few months, and some accountants are able to offer wholesale pricing to small businesses, as well.
The monthly subscription for this software can be upgraded as a business grows, and there are many customization options with the mobile app that can be used to receive payments, review reports, capture an image of a receipt, and track business mileage. For businesses looking for a payroll solution, QuickBooks Payroll fully integrates with QuickBooks Online.
Each plan offers more advanced features like inventory management, time tracking, additional users, and budgeting. Most service-based small businesses will find that Simple Start meets all of their needs. For product-based small businesses, Essentials or Plus will have more options for inventory and customizations. The Advanced subscription is a new offering and provides robust financial reporting that is powered by Fathom. Fathom is an elite online financial report analysis tool used by many large companies all over the world.
All plans allow integration with third-party apps such as Stripe or PayPal. QuickBooks Online’s app store breaks down all of their apps by function and provides helpful examples of the benefits of each app.
Best for Micro-Business Owners Xero
Xero is the best in our review for micro-businesses that are looking for very simple accounting software. This software has a clean interface and also fully integrates with a third-party payroll service. Businesses can collect payment online from customers through Xero’s integration with Stripe and GoCardless. Pros
- Cloud-based
- Mobile app
- Payroll integration with Gusto
- Third-party app marketplace
- Simple inventory management
Cons
- Limited reporting
- Fees charged for ACH payments
- Limited customer service
Xero was founded in 2006 in New Zealand and now has over 3 million subscribers worldwide. This accounting software is popular in New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Xero has over 4,000 employees and is growing rapidly in the U.S., as well.
Xero offers three monthly subscription options and a full-service payroll add-on: Early at $12 per month, Growing at $34 per month, and Established at $65 per month. The full-service payroll option is offered through Gusto and is an additional $39 per month, plus $6 per employee. The company offers a 30-day free trial.
The Early plan limits usage and only allows entry for 20 invoices or quotes and five bills per month. This limited plan may be suitable for a micro-business with high-ticket transactions, but only a few per month, such as a consulting or small service provider. Both the Growing and Established plans offer unlimited invoices and bills. The only difference between the two is that the Established plan has additional features like multi-currency, expense management, and project costing. All three plans offer Hubdoc, a bill and receipt capture solution.
Best for Service-Based Businesses FreshBooks
The most crucial accounting need for most service-based businesses is invoicing. FreshBooks offers more customizations for invoicing compared to other accounting software. Its primary function is to send, receive, print, and pay invoices, but it can also take care of a business’ basic bookkeeping needs as well. This accounting software makes it easier for service-based businesses to send proposals and , track time on projects, and receive payments. Pros
- Cloud-based
- User-friendly interface
- Third-party app integration
- Affordable
- Advanced invoicing features
Cons
- No payroll service
- The mobile app has limitations
Founded in 2003 in Toronto, FreshBooks started as just an invoicing software. Over time, more features have been added and FreshBooks now has over 500 employees. There are four different plans, and businesses can get a 10% discount if they choose to pay yearly, rather than monthly. Additionally, FreshBooks offers a 60% off discount per month for six months. The four plans are: Lite at $6 per month, Plus at $10 per month, Premium at $20 per month, and Select, which is a custom service with custom pricing.
The main difference between the four plans is the number of different clients that are allowed to be billed per month. In the Lite plan, up to five clients can be billed per month. In the Plus plan, up to 50 clients can be billed per month. In the Premium plan, unlimited clients can be billed per month. The Select plan also does not have a limitation on the number of clients that can be billed per month but adds unique features. It costs an additional $10 per month for multiple team members to use the accounting software and it costs an additional $20 per month for the advanced payment feature, which allows users to charge a credit card in real-time or set up a recurring credit card charge for a client.
There are many third-party app integrations available, such as Shopify, Gusto, Stripe, G Suite, and more. A unique feature of FreshBooks is that invoices can be highly stylized and customized for a professional look and feel. FreshBooks is a great tool for budgeting out projects, sending estimates or proposals, and collecting customer payments.
Best for Part-Time Freelancers QuickBooks Self-Employed
QuickBooks Self-Employed accounting software is our top choice for part-time freelancers and independent contractors who primarily want to track their income and expenses for their tax returns. This software is designed for business owners who file a Schedule C on their individual tax returns.
Without keeping up with business activity using software like this, freelancers would need to dig through all of their bank and credit card statements to add up their income and expenses at the end of each year, which can be quite daunting. QuickBooks Self-Employed will total up all business transactions automatically. Pros
- Cloud-based
- Mobile app
- Track mileage
- Differentiate between business and personal expenses
- Syncs with TurboTax
Cons
- Data cannot be easily transferred to other accounting software
- Limited reporting
- Limited invoicing functionality and customization
QuickBooks Self-Employed is an Intuit product with a cloud-based online interface and a mobile app. This software was created to help freelancers stay organized each year for tax season. Features of QuickBooks Self-Employed include tracking mileage, sorting expenses, organizing receipts, sending invoices, and estimating and filing taxes seamlessly through TurboTax.
Users can choose between three plan options: Self-Employed at $15 per month, Self-Employed Tax Bundle at $25 per month, and Self-Employed Live Tax Bundle at $35 per month. There is a 50% discount for the first three months. The two tax bundles include a TurboTax subscription for income tax filing. The Self-Employed Live Tax Bundle also gives you access to a CPA to answer questions throughout the year and during tax season. The CPA will also perform a final review of your tax return in TurboTax prior to filing.
The mobile app makes it easy to track mileage while driving and capture photos of receipts for business expenses. Most accounting software is not designed to separate business transactions from personal transactions, but a special feature of QuickBooks Self-Employed provides an option to mark each transaction as business or personal. This is helpful for freelancers who don’t have a separate bank account for their business activity.
Best Free Software Wave
Wave is an ideal accounting software platform for a service-based small business that sends simple invoices and doesn’t need to run payroll. For many freelancers or service-based businesses, Wave’s free features will cover all of their accounting needs and is the best free software in our review. At year-end, accountants can pull the necessary reports from Wave to prepare a business’ tax return. Pros
- Free accounting, invoicing, and receipt scanning
- No transaction or billing limits
- Run multiple businesses in one account
- Unlimited number of users
- Mobile app
Cons
- Limited third-party app integrations
- Higher fees for credit cards and ACH payments
- Full-service payroll is limited to only 14 states
Wave was founded in 2010 and is based in Toronto. The company has over 250 employees and was purchased by H&R Block in 2019. The foundational accounting features that most small businesses need, such as income and expense tracking, financial reporting, invoicing, and scanning receipts, are all included with this free software. These features can be accessed online or on the mobile app. Customer payment processing and payroll are considered premium services that cost extra, but all of the bookkeeping, invoicing and reporting features are completely free.
Wave makes its money on its payment gateway. To process payment from a customer, Wave charges 2.9% plus 30¢ per transaction for Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, and 3.4% plus 30¢ per transaction for American Express. These fees are slightly higher than other accounting software. Additionally, to process an ACH payment, rather than a credit card, Wave charges 1% per transaction with a $1 minimum fee. This is unique to Wave, as the majority of accounting software does not charge a fee for ACH payment processing.
Wave offers two payroll plans as an add-on service. The first plan is $20 per month plus $6 per employee or contractor. In this plan, Wave will process payroll and prepare payroll tax calculations, but the user is responsible for manually completing payroll tax forms and submitting tax payments. The second plan is $35 per month plus $6 per employee or contractor. In this plan, payroll is full-service, which means that all tax filings and payments are completely managed by Wave. This full-service payroll option is only available in 14 states.
What Does Accounting Software for a Small Business Do?
Accounting software reduces the amount of time spent on data entry by allowing users to sync their business bank accounts and credit cards with the software. Once synced, transactions will flow into the accounting software, where they can be categorized into various accounts. While most accounting software is easy to use, a general understanding of accounting principles is needed to ensure that financial reports are prepared correctly. For this reason, many businesses hire bookkeepers or accountants to maintain or review their books. Cloud-based online accounting software makes it convenient for businesses to access their books at the same time as their bookkeeper or accountant.
The most basic functions of accounting software for small businesses are:
- Invoicing
- Bank and credit card syncing
- Accounts payable
- Accounts receivable
- Online payment collection from customers
- Basic financial statement preparation, such as profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and statements of cash flow
- User access for accountants or tax professionals.
How Does Accounting Software Work?
Once a business’ bank accounts and credit cards are synced with the accounting software, transactions will appear in a queue and can be classified into the categories found on the business’ chart of accounts. After selecting the proper category, transactions begin to populate the business’ financial statements. Business owners can run a financial report in seconds to review profitability, compare revenue and costs, check bank and loan balances, and predict tax liabilities. Having quick access to this financial information gives business owners the power to make important decisions.
Additionally, many accounting software allows third-party application integrations. For example, if a business owner uses a point of sale (POS) system to capture sales transactions, the POS system could potentially integrate with the accounting software to record specific transactions, sales tax liabilities, sales by subcategories, and more. In a service-based business, a time tracking application could integrate with the accounting software to add labor to a client invoice.
How Much Does Accounting Software for Small Business Cost?
Small business accounting software ranges from $0 to $150 per month. Basic plans are in the $0 to $40 per month range and are a great place to start. With a basic plan, a small business will be able to categorize income and expenses, send invoices, and prepare financial reports. As a business grows, most software is scalable, and the plan can be easily upgraded to meet new business needs. The more robust plans allow businesses to track inventory, prepare more customized financial reports, run payroll, and choose from more invoicing options.
How We Chose Accounting Software for Small Business
We looked at nineteen accounting software companies with specialized products for small businesses before choosing our top five software options. We considered cost, scalability, ease of use, reputation, and accounting features. Reputation was a key consideration because the longer a company has been around, the more likely that any technological glitches have been resolved, which ensures that a company’s important financial information will be reported accurately. Scalability was the next most important consideration because as a company grows, its accounting needs grow as well, and transferring financial information to new software can be tedious. Finally, ease of use and collaboration for business owners, employees, and accountants was considered because it’s important for all users to be able to access and review the financials at the same time.
Conclusion
We live in a very fast-paced world that is constantly changing, which makes it difficult to manage money. The problem with most personal finance software is that they cost hundreds of dollars and are more suited for business purposes than managing personal finances. The best solution out there is free expense tracking software personal.
Life is all about recording experiences, moments and expenses. What better way to keep track of the money you spend than to write everything down. And what better software for your needs than free personal expense tracking software personal. There are many people who worry about their money, especially when it comes to their personal finances.