There's no doubt that nobody likes small business accounting. (OK maybe when the final balance is REALLY good.) But you started your business because you wanted to spend time with clients, talking about and doing what you love to do. You did NOT start it to spend all day trapped within the cells of an Excel spreadsheet. But you're not sure what are your other options.
In my case, I'm math phobic and up until recently the only time I knew about cloud-based accounting software were the downloadable boxes of Quickbooks and Quicken software that my dad would break out every tax season.
Well now, in the life past Windows 95, you have access to an ever-expanding field of cloud-based accounting apps. More importantly, a few accounting apps on the market stand out as strong alternatives to QuickBooks and Quicken or those dreary Excel spreadsheets.
That's what we're covering in this article. But rather than looking at idle clones of older software tools, we're discussing accounting apps that offer new and exciting features, integrations and forward-thinking pricing models. (Key, think mobile not desktop!) Let's dive right in and look at three spreadsheet killers from the cloud!
FreeAgent
This U.K.-based small business accounting software doesn't just focus on managing your books but on getting you paid. FreeAgent accounting app comes equipped with invoicing, quoting software, tax estimates, and the banking reconciliation you bought it for. It also has the standard real-time cash flow and profits and losses statement (PNL.) Plus, all in the effort to get you paid, it integrates with both PayPal and GoCardless.
Pricing: Start out with a Free Trial of FreeAgent. Then it starts at £15 a month for U.K. companies, $24 for U.S.-based, and $20 a month to the rest.
KashFlow
KashFlow focuses squarely on the UK market and on the no-brainer, no accounting knowledge needed folks. This accounting app has been cut down to just the barebones needs of the small business, including payroll, banking reconciliation automation, third-party integrations, invoicing, and sales proposals and estimates. This simplicity is probably why it makes it the number one U.K.-focused, U.K.-hosted, U.K.-supported accounting tool.
Pricing: Your first two months of KashFlow is completely free and then it turns to £5.00 a month per user.
![Xero small business accounting logo Logo]()
Xero
Is mobile important to you? Then Xero small business accounting app was built for you, both with mobile in mind from the start and the easy-to-use Xero Touch Android and iOS app. Xero offers you all the accounting and payroll in one app at one price, unlimited users, a simple interface, a guarantee of 99.9-percent up-time, and free 24/7 email support. And it comes with a guarantee of a lot of other functionalities with its new add-ons marketplace with a whopping 300 integrations with third-party business apps.
Pricing: After a free trial, Xero starts at $9 per month and its pricing scales up alongside your growing company, based on the size and complexity of your accounting and payroll needs – not the number of users. You can even give limited access to external accountants for free.
Are you rocking your small business accounting with modern tools?
If you're stuck on an old application or, worse yet, a spreadsheet, you should give some serious consideration to the latest cloud-based accounting apps. Have you already tried the three you see above or other accounting software and have something to say about it? How about you write an accounting software review and tell us about it!
