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Writer's picturePaul Bryant

Which is Best for Small Business: QuickBooks Online or Zoho Books?

As a small business owner, selecting the right accounting software is crucial for managing your finances effectively. QuickBooks Online and Zoho Books are two popular cloud-based accounting platforms designed for small to medium-sized businesses. Both offer a variety of features that can streamline financial operations, but how do they compare? Let’s dive into the key aspects to help you decide which is best for your small business.


Which is Best for Small Business: QuickBooks Online or Zoho Books?


1. Ease of Use

  • QuickBooks Online: Known for its user-friendly interface, QuickBooks Online is intuitive and easy to navigate, even for those with limited accounting knowledge. Its dashboard provides a clear overview of your business finances, such as income, expenses, and profit & loss, making it accessible to non-accountants.

  • Zoho Books: Zoho Books is also user-friendly, with a clean and simple interface. However, it can be slightly more complex for first-time users because of the broad array of features, especially for those unfamiliar with accounting terminologies.

Winner: QuickBooks Online, for its simpler onboarding experience.

2. Pricing

  • QuickBooks Online: QuickBooks Online has tiered pricing, ranging from $30 to $200 per month depending on the features required (Simple Start, Essentials, Plus, and Advanced). Each tier includes more users and additional tools like project tracking, advanced reporting, and inventory management.

  • Zoho Books: Zoho Books is generally more affordable, with pricing starting at $20 per month for the Standard plan, up to $70 per month for the Premium plan. It offers a free plan for businesses with revenue below $50,000 per year, which is a great advantage for very small businesses or startups.

Winner: Zoho Books, due to its lower pricing and a free plan option.

3. Features

  • QuickBooks Online: QuickBooks offers robust accounting features, including invoicing, expense tracking, bank reconciliation, time tracking, and payroll integration. Its comprehensive reports and third-party app integrations are useful for businesses looking for advanced financial management and scalability. QuickBooks also offers a wide array of built-in tools for tax preparation, reporting, and budgeting.

  • Zoho Books: Zoho Books is feature-rich as well, providing accounting features like inventory management, project tracking, expense management, and bank reconciliation. It also integrates seamlessly with other Zoho products, which can be highly beneficial for businesses using Zoho CRM, Zoho Inventory, or Zoho Projects.

Winner: QuickBooks Online, for more advanced reporting and a wider range of integrations, though Zoho Books offers more bang for your buck.

4. Scalability

  • QuickBooks Online: QuickBooks Online is highly scalable, making it an excellent option for small businesses that plan to grow. With features tailored to larger organizations, such as advanced reporting, custom workflows, and dedicated support, it’s suitable for businesses expanding their operations.

  • Zoho Books: Zoho Books is perfect for small to medium-sized businesses, but it may fall short as your business expands significantly. While it integrates well with Zoho’s other applications, it doesn’t offer as much scalability in terms of advanced reporting or user customization compared to QuickBooks.

Winner: QuickBooks Online, due to its scalability and features for growing businesses.

5. Integrations

  • QuickBooks Online: One of the key strengths of QuickBooks is its vast ecosystem of integrations. It connects seamlessly with over 700 third-party apps, including Shopify, PayPal, Square, and more, which helps automate various aspects of business management such as sales, invoicing, and payroll.

  • Zoho Books: Zoho Books integrates seamlessly with other Zoho apps and offers integrations with third-party tools like PayPal, Stripe, and G Suite. However, its integration ecosystem is not as extensive as QuickBooks Online.

Winner: QuickBooks Online, with more third-party integrations to support business operations.

6. Customer Support

  • QuickBooks Online: QuickBooks offers 24/7 support through various channels, including chat, email, and phone. There is also a rich library of tutorials and community forums where users can seek help.

  • Zoho Books: Zoho Books provides email and live chat support, but phone support is available only during business hours. While the customer service is generally responsive, the lack of 24/7 phone support may be a disadvantage for some businesses.

Winner: QuickBooks Online, for its around-the-clock support options.

7. Mobile App

  • QuickBooks Online: The QuickBooks mobile app is powerful, allowing users to send invoices, track mileage, capture receipts, and manage transactions on the go. It provides a near-complete set of features available in the desktop version.

  • Zoho Books: Zoho Books also offers a strong mobile app with a sleek design, enabling users to manage invoices, expenses, and transactions from their mobile device. While it’s highly functional, it may lack some of the features found in QuickBooks' mobile version.

Winner: QuickBooks Online, for a more feature-rich mobile experience.

Conclusion: Which is Best for Your Small Business?

  • Choose QuickBooks Online if: You need robust reporting, advanced features, scalability, and extensive third-party integrations. It is ideal for growing businesses that anticipate needing more features as they scale.

  • Choose Zoho Books if: You’re a smaller business or startup that needs an affordable solution with essential features. Zoho Books is perfect for businesses looking for strong core accounting tools at a lower price point, especially if you’re already using other Zoho products.

Ultimately, both platforms are excellent choices for small businesses, but QuickBooks Online edges out Zoho Books in terms of scalability, support, and integrations, while Zoho Books is more budget-friendly and covers the essentials effectively.


If QuickBooks Online is the ideal fit for your business, making the switch from Zoho Books is a smart move. QuickBooks Online offers robust features, seamless integrations, and user-friendly interfaces that can streamline your accounting processes and enhance your financial management. Switching from Zoho Books to QuickBooks Online ensures you benefit from advanced tools, real-time insights, and unparalleled support.



Let QuickBooks Online transform your financial operations and drive your business forward with greater efficiency and accuracy. Contact us today to start your smooth transition to QuickBooks Online and unlock the full potential of your business finances.




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