Small businesses need software to manage their finances, but they also need it to be easy and efficient. That’s where software for small business financial management come in. Whether you’re a start-up, an established business, or just starting out, there are plenty of options out there for small business owners looking to get the most from their money. In this article, we’ll introduce you to some of the best software for small business financial management and related topics like Best Free Accounting Software, Top 10 Accounting Software, and Best Software for Managing Small Business.
Financial Management Software for Small Business
No 1: FreshBooks
The appealing thing about FreshBooks is its intuitive including polished web service. It’s a top home business accounting software. It offers improved UX or user experience. Also, it provides easy-to-navigate platform, improved collaboration and deliver product enhancements swiftly. It’s also very pocket friendly; only at $15 monthly.
The upcoming version will offer other add-ons, for instance, non-invoice revenue recordings, extra partner integrations, bank reconciliation including the expanded reporting. Users can choose the modern or classic versions. It provides great invoicing tools.
It’s a challenge using latest versions, especially if you are a newbie. Even though the new FreshBooks is loaded with instinctive navigation tools and has unique design, there are a lot of cool stuff that are missing, for example, service products, product records just to mention a few.
Pros
- Enhanced user-experience
- Up-to-date collaboration estimates/projects/tools.
- Suitable for various businesses.
- The settings are entirely context-sensitive
Cons
- Service records/product records are missing
- Does not offer options for tracking inventory
- The customers’ records are never expansive
No 2: YNAB
This is an exceptional accounting software for home use. It has been designed for budget creation based on ones’ specific goals. In addition, it’s highly flexible which makes it suitable when emergencies strike. Moreover, it synchronizes ones’ bank accounts and gives accurate and real-time financial details. Importantly, it generates graphs including charts automatically. That said, keeping track of your financial progress is completely hassle free.
Specifically, it’s a budgeting tool, and it does not perform functions such as investment and taxation.
Pros
- This accounting software is easy to operate at home.
- The customer care services responsiveness is commendable.
- The user interface of this software is great.
- It offers a variety of features, all in one package
Cons
- It might not be of high relevance to someone who does not have some accounting skills.
- Requires internet connections which is not readily available in some areas.
- Contains a lot of ads which are sometimes irritating.
No 3: KeepSoft
KeepSoft is accounting software for home used to assess personal finances, manage debts as well as track expenses or income. Thus, it’s expressly essential for planning forthcoming expenses. Moreover, you really do not need to be a computer guru to use it. Its interface’s simple to use.
The software comes full with helpful features. For instance:
- Calculator: For calculating the money entered.
- Labeled graphs: Displaying the amount of money saved and used.
Users can create password to protect their sensitive details.
Pros
- It’s easy to use and operate.
- Has a mobile application which makes it relevant even to those who do not have access to a computer device.
- Has a great user interface.
- The customer care of this software is very responsive.
Cons
- Does not support format of many financial applications, for example Microsoft Money. It supports HTML, Excel, MS Access, Lotus and XML, though.
- No latest versions
- The pricing structure isn’t listed making it hard to know if it meets the budget needs.
No 4: MINT
This home based accounting software has been designed in such a way that it helps the users to easily track their bills. Through this accounting software, one can set up automatic bills payment from within. Additionally, it is straightforward to create budget. Besides that, it provides budgeting and cash management suggestions.
Better yet, the software is entirely free. In case you’re using the Mint mobile application; you get credit score free of charge.
Pros
- It has a great user interface which allows easy navigation.
- It is easy to operate.
- The cost of acquiring this home-based accounting software is relatively low.
- It has a range of feature hence very convenient.
Cons
- Cannot perform complex calculations.
- Lacks some features to perform other home accounting related functions.
- Contains ads or links which can be very irritating and annoying at times.
No 5: Wave
As its name suggests, wave have taken the accounting field with a storm since 2010. Of late, it has more than 2.5 million users and the number is increasing incredibly fast. It has been raked by many agencies as exceptional free home accounting software.
The reason the software is ‘exploding’ is that it’s totally free. In addition, it offers classy invoicing tools for expense tracking, contact management and estimates. What’s more, the tools are vital for billing and sales tax settings. The latest iPhone including Android apps were launched recently and the software upgrades are done regularly to address the specific needs of the users.
Pros
- Excellent customer support
- Loaded with numerous useful features
- Very simple to use
- Accrual accounting
- Frees
- Stunningly beautiful invoice templates
Cons
- Tax support’s unavailable
- Not ideal for big businesses
Best Free Accounting Software
Managing your money successfully includes keeping a close eye on your expenses. One way to do that is to take advantage of free software and services. Free personal finance software can be surprisingly robust, helping you track spending, create and manage budgets, and run reports.
Mint
Mint is a free online budget planner from Intuit, the makers of TurboTax and Quickbooks. This app brings all of your financial data together, showing you an overview of your budget, spending, bills, and credit score. You can create your own budget, set goals and reminders, and sync your data between web and apps. Security is enhanced by encryption and multi-factor authentication. You can also use Mint to track your investments and portfolio.
Access Mint via the web or phone apps for iOS and Android.
GnuCash
GnuCash is desktop software; its features include tracking bank accounts, stocks, income, and expenses. GnuCash is based on double-entry accounting for balanced books and you can run a number of reports to see your financial data. GnuCash also offers small-business accounting tools that let you manage customers and vendors, handle invoicing and bill payment, and even payroll.
GnuCash is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, BSD, and Solaris. There is a companion app for Android that will let you track expenses on the go and later import them into the desktop software.
AceMoney Lite
AceMoney Lite bills itself as the best Quicken alternative. You can manage your budgets, track your finances in multiple currencies, keep an eye on your investments and analyze your spending habits. You can also do online banking. As this is the lite version, you’re limited to two accounts; the full version supports unlimited accounts.
AceMoney Lite is compatible with Windows and Mac OS X.
Personal Capital
Personal Capital offers free financial software for tracking investments and planning for retirement, in addition to its tools for cash flow, spending, budgeting and net worth. Personal Capital’s focus is on investments, showing you the performance of your portfolio over time and helping you make decisions for the future, so its budgeting components aren’t as robust as other software.
If you’re not an investor or prefer fine-tuning your budget to getting the broad view, Personal Capital may not be the best fit. However, if you want to save for college or retirement, its free tools will show you whether you’re on track.
Personal Capital can be accessed via the web or apps for Android and iOS.
Buddi
Buddi is an open-source budget software that runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems and has been translated into multiple languages. Buddi can encrypt financial data with a password, and it’s designed to be easy to use even if you have no financial background.
Features include budgeting, tracking accounts, and personal finance reports, but you will have to enter transactions manually. Free plugins add more features, and the online user manual is easy to read and use.
Buddi is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Free Budget Spreadsheets
If you don’t need fully featured personal financial software and you’re just concerned about keeping a budget, there are some great free budget spreadsheet templates you can use with Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc or Google Sheets. Just download and open them in your spreadsheet software to get a handle on your cash flow.
Top 10 Accounting Software
FreshBooks
One of the top products in our accounting software category is FreshBooks. FreshBooks is the market’s most user-friendly accounting tool for independent contractors and small enterprises, according to our research team.
More than five million users use the program to make time tracking and invoicing more efficient. The software has just been upgraded by the seller to facilitate simple team communication and to include a newly designed dashboard where you can organize jobs and handle payments. FreshBooks continues to provide excellent invoice-to-payment functionality, such as direct payment gateways, overdue payment reminders, delay fees, and payment claims, while maintaining the traditional features. You can utilize the system to accept payments via Google Checkouts, Amex, PayPal, and credit cards while automating the process of recurring billing.
Additionally, the vendor provides a simple 30-day free trial so that you may try out the features before deciding to part with your money. The pricing is also reasonable for practically any budget.
QuickBooks Online
Small businesses, independent accounting firms, and freelancers can all use QuickBooks Online. To assist small firms in streamlining accounting and financial management activities, this cloud-based program combines all crucial accounting tools on a single platform.
Automated tax computations, spending tracking, bill administration, balance sheet reporting, sales monitoring, and more are some of its features. QuickBooks Online has auto-syncing features and supports a variety of devices, so no matter which one you use, your data will always be current.
You can connect QuickBooks Online with other Intuit products, such as QuickBooks Payments and QuickBooks Payroll, through integrations. In terms of third-party software, QuickBooks integrates with Bill.com, Jobber, Mavenlink, Method CRM, Shoeboxed, and Time Tracking by TSheets without any issues. Plans for QuickBooks Online start at $10.00 per month for a single user.
NetSuite ERP
Although NetSuite ERP may be used for order administration, customer service, sales and marketing automation, it is primarily a customer relationship management (CRM) system. It provides a wide range of features and tools to make handling finances easier.
Pre-configured dashboards with user-customizable settings are among the standard features. Additionally, NetSuite ERP has strong automation and scalability features. It may automate tasks like financial administration, order management, revenue management, fixed assets management, inventory management, and billing as your business expands.
Sage Business Cloud Accounting
Small firms should use Sage Business Cloud Accounting. It then provides two reasonably priced programs made to suit the needs and financial constraints of small businesses. You can utilize its entry-level accounting system for sole proprietors and small firms for $10 per month. The app’s more expensive subscription, which costs $25 per month, is available if you require tools for invoicing and cash flow management.
The program focuses on reducing spreadsheets, streamlining paperwork, and managing your finances. It streamlines payroll for businesses and guarantees ACA adherence. By combining data and automating intricate financial procedures, it enhances financial management. Additionally, it manages banking and payments.
Rossum
A robust cloud-based platform called Rossum is made to speed up account payable procedures, including document import, data collection, purchase order matching, and invoice processing. The self-learning AI engine that powers this program automates a number of crucial tasks, minimizing manual labor and human error.
Rossum overcomes the drawbacks of conventional OCR solutions as an intelligent cloud-based platform. All documents are automatically imported into the Rossum system by linking Rossum to your document sources (such as document scanners, DMS systems, API, RPA, and email inboxes). There is no need to set up or create templates for papers and invoices because its AI-powered engine can identify various document types and styles. A clean and well-organized curated feed of transactional data is maintained by Rossum by identifying duplicates, merged files, and auxiliary data and handling them appropriately.
Tipalti Approve
Tipalti Approve is a cloud-based software solution for managing and automating mass international payments. This qualifies the program for use by businesses with offices all over the world. Notably, you have access to six payment alternatives, including PayPal, wire, local bank transfer, and debit cards, as well as more than 190 nations and 120 different currencies. Additionally, the program makes it easier to maintain timely, accurate, and understandable financial data and processes for your business on a daily basis.
The program assists companies in avoiding late payments, noncompliance, and the accounting crew being overworked. Additionally, it provides adaptable capabilities for AP, financial reporting, and payment reconciliation that integrate with a wide range of ERP programs.
AvidXchange
A complete system for automating payments and managing invoices, AvidXchange is designed for companies of all sizes. To help you automate accounting procedures, it provides tools for paperless invoicing, purchase order automation, and payment processing. To increase productivity and strengthen visibility throughout your accounts payment operations, it also has a highly flexible interface and automated approval workflows. The program also provides search and filter features that make it simple to track bills and examine transactions.
Businesses may increase operational productivity and reduce the cost of accounts payable procedures by using AvidXchange. Additionally, since payments can be performed safely through the platform, it makes it simpler for businesses to pay their suppliers more quickly. More importantly, users may avoid fraudulent transactions and payment requests thanks to AvidXchange’s superior security and fraud detection capabilities.
Zoho Books
Any Zoho product is a quality one, and you can depend on the company’s productivity suite to streamline your operations. Because Zoho Books, its accounting software, is also of the highest caliber, it earned a high rating on our list.
Why is Zoho Books among the best accounting software in our opinion? This is due to the excellent value this award-winning solution provides. It makes it simple to generate and track retainer invoices, automate bank feeds with ease, and send payment reminders automatically. The technology stands out because it interacts with Stripe and makes payment reconciliation straightforward.
A2X
By sending transactional data from online retailers like Amazon and Shopify to your accounting software, A2X encourages correct bookkeeping. The days of manually entering sales transactions and creating financial statements on spreadsheets are long gone. Your financial information is simply loaded into your books thanks to its integration with reputable accounting software like Xero and QuickBooks.
Using A2X, you may keep an eye on the costs of goods sold and the gross margins of moving goods, which can be supported by the financials of your company. The inventory accounting component of this system can also be used to account for the quantity of stocks that remain after a series of orders has been placed. Reports are generated at the end of each month to analyze your holdings, their values, and their locations.
Zoho Expense
Zoho Expense automates a wide range of expense-related tasks, enabling you to quickly document your transactions. Receipts can be automatically transformed into expenses and grouped together so that reports can be generated as needed. Additionally, this technology robotically records and converts credit card transactions into expenses.
Zoho Expense can track your costs on whatever device you own. On both desktop computers and mobile devices, it can send comprehensive reports. It can eliminate all ambiguity regarding permitted expenses and spending caps. It guarantees that your expense rules are lawfully imposed and in compliance.
Best Software for Managing Small Business
1. Best accounting software: Xero
A cloud-based accounting program geared exclusively toward small businesses is called Xero. It offers capabilities for accountants to assist make sure their clients have sound balance sheets as well as tools for businesses to track financial performance and cash flow in real-time. Financial KPI tracking and performance comparisons between actual and chosen time periods are both possible with customizable financial reports. Businesses can quickly take online payments in many currencies from services like Stripe and PayPal as well as credit cards. Additionally, Xero makes it simple to prepare and distribute invoices, as well as to remind clients to make payments automatically when their bills are past due.
2. Best eCommerce software: Shopify
Although there are several excellent eCommerce systems available, Shopify is the best since it offers a hosted, all-in-one solution that makes it easier for small businesses to launch an online store rapidly. Users may utilize marketing tools like meta titles and descriptions, construct custom URLs, and easily enhance promotions across social media networks like as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Users can also sell products globally with local language support. Additionally, Shopify provides a huge selection of plugins to make processes like inventory management simpler.
3. Best project management software: Trello
Trello is a task management and collaboration application that supports a variety of projects, including data entry, marketing campaigns, content creation, customer assistance, and sales tracking. It’s vital to note that, while these types of papers can be attached, it works for the majority of projects except for budgeting and invoicing. It’s a handy and simple application for smaller organizations that tracks tasks effortlessly using due dates, card cover images, users, a task commenting function, labels, priorities, and more. Additionally, each project management pipeline can accept attachments like files, photos, or documents.
4. Best time tracking software: Toggl
For very small businesses, freelancers, and entrepreneurs who just need a simple time tracker, Toggl might be the best bet. While there are many great software solutions out there that include extensive features such as expense management, mileage tracking, employee monitoring, and more, many small businesses don’t need all of those features (and don’t want to pay for them). With Toggl, it’s all about ease of use because employees can instantly track time across hundreds of third-party apps, computers, and devices — just hit Start and the timer gets going. Toggl is free with paid tiers that start at $9/month for add-ons such as invoicing features.
5. Best online payment software: PayPal
Two of the most popular online payment platforms are PayPal and Stripe. Despite the fact that they have many similarities, including a processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30 for online payments, PayPal is a superior choice for startups and small enterprises. PayPal is a better alternative for small business owners since it is simpler to set up and use, while Stripe gives more customization choices to suit larger enterprises. One of the most extensively used systems in the eCommerce sector, PayPal enables millions of customers and merchants to send and receive payments using bank accounts and credit cards. Customers can finish purchases using PayPal, PayPal credits, or Venmo by adding the PayPal button to the payment page.
6. Best email marketing software: MailChimp
Because MailChimp is adaptable, reasonably priced, and allows customers to add features and capabilities as business needs evolve, we believe small businesses can’t go wrong with it. In actuality, businesses with fewer than 2,000 users can use it for free. This is a big benefit for small businesses or entrepreneurs who wish to cut costs as much as they can while expanding their enterprises. However, even the higher tier plans are affordable, with the Essentials and Standard plans coming in at just $9.99 and $14.99 monthly, respectively. (Take note that the real rate changes depending on the subscription count.) However, MailChimp includes a wide range of tools, including behavioral targeting, A/B testing, customized templates, complex segmentation, and more, that place targeted marketing and other marketing strategies front and center.
7. Best collaboration tools: Slack
The Swiss Army Knife of team collaboration tools is Slack. It makes it possible for team members to connect on any desktop or mobile device, which is especially helpful for smaller organizations that do not have a single workplace (or whose employees work remotely due to COVID-19 measures). A variety of capabilities, including voice and video calling, are available on Slack. Additionally, it is simple to interface with other business tools like MailChimp and Google Drive, enabling effective information sharing between all of these platforms. Additionally, Slack makes it simple to upload and exchange documents including Word docs, JPEGs, MOVs, PDFs, and Google Drive files. Slack is actually used by some firms instead of email because it’s simpler.
8. Best document management software: G-Suite
Google’s free cloud computing, collaboration, and productivity package is called G-Suite. Because it offers a one-stop shop for all document management requirements, it is perfect for small enterprises and independent contractors. Users can quickly and simply create and share documents (Google Docs), spreadsheets (Google Sheets), and presentations inside the collection of separate apps (Google Slides). Team members can design an email account to make it appear more professional, access email, hold video meetings, and encrypt data. Documents, including large files, may be effortlessly uploaded and shared with anybody inside or outside the company thanks to G-15GB Suite’s of free cloud storage space. Owners of the documents specify how users can access each file and provide them the option to “see only,” “edit file,” or “completely access and edit.”
9. Best human resources/payroll software: Gusto
Many smaller businesses use both full-time workers and temporary or contract workers. They therefore require a payroll management system that can handle both W-2 and 1099 employees. Because it can handle payroll processing and payroll tax obligations for all types of workers, Gusto is perfect for these kinds of circumstances. Gusto makes it simple to add new employees and identify their job classification. Even better, because both categories of workers are regarded as employees, the expense of maintaining payroll for a full- or part-time employee is the same as that for a freelancer or contractor. In addition, Gusto charges monthly fees as opposed to other payroll firms’ per-payroll pricing models. This implies businesses can process payroll as often as necessary.
10. Best customer relationship management (CRM) software: Act!
built primarily to satisfy the requirements of small and medium-sized organizations. We are aware that many CRM tools are created with the robust requirements of enterprise businesses in mind, but our mission is to assist smaller businesses in gaining access to these benefits at a reasonable price point, without additional CRM integration fees, hidden costs, or expensive and pointless features. Key advantages consist of:
- Tiered plans to meet every need: Choose from one of three plans that offer basic to advanced CRM and email marketing that includes thousands of emails per month. With clear features and pricing, customers can choose the plan that’s right for them and scale as business needs change.
- Powerful built-in tools: Take advantage of relationship and task management capabilities across all three plans. Every plan includes a library of email templates, campaign management and reporting features, opportunity tracking, our companion mobile app, cloud storage, and more.
- Advanced automation: In our higher-tiered plans, customers benefit from powerful marketing automation tools, intuitive dashboards and analytics, team management features, app integrations, sales pipeline management, and more.
- Easy setup: Act! offers user-friendly onboarding processes that greatly simplify the experience for newcomers to CRM. Our dashboard is highly intuitive and fully customizable so businesses can adapt it to meet specific business needs, customer profiles, and market requirements.
- Cloud-based technology: Access business apps and data 24/7 from anywhere. The Act! mobile app makes it easy to stay engaged with customers without losing time or opportunities.
Conclusion
Financial Management Software can be a great addition to your business. By understanding the different types of software and using them in combination with other management tools, you can improve your business efficiency and performance. Additionally, using financial management software to improve your business can help you achieve greater success.