The Best Self-Employed Accounting Software in 2020

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Being self-employed can be very rewarding but it does come with its challenges. It is common to forget about taking care of your books. Before we get into the different software available for you, we would just like to take our hats off to you as a self-employed person. Kudos to you!

Good basic accounting practices are a key element of a successful business. You need to make sure that your books are in order and up to date. This will help you keep track of what you owe people and what people owe you.

Let us take a look at some of the advantages of what good self-employed accounting software can offer you:

  • Keep your staff happy:
    Running out of money because you cannot keep track of it will make you lose employees because you cannot pay them
  • Keep your customers happy:
    You will no longer resend invoices that have already been paid for. This will show your customers that you are professional and you know what is happening in your business
  • Saves you money as well as gets rid of some stress:
    The software will keep you  up to date so when it comes time to submit your files for tax or other purposes, you will not be spending money for someone to help rush your books and make mistakes

How to pick the right Self-employed accounting software for you:

Not all accounting software are created the same. You need to ask yourself a few questions before looking into which one will be best for you.

  1. What accounting functions do I need to be able to handle?
  2. How often will I use my software or reports from my software, to make business decisions?
  3. What do I envision for the future of my business?

Now that we know why you need the software and what questions you need to ask yourself, let’s take a look at the software options. Keep in mind that the software applications that we are sharing with you today are in no particular order.  

QuickBooks Online

QuickBooks is the reigning incumbent for accounting and bookkeeping software in the U.S. It’s easy to use, inexpensive, and training resources abound. It comes in three different varieties. There’s Simple Start, Essentials, and Plus.

Xero

Xero has an extensive network of accounting professionals who support it, and it’s easy to find good online training resources for this software. Sole proprietors will especially appreciate the lack of accounting jargon that Xero uses.

FreshBooks

FreshBooks is better suited for independent contractors but depending on how your business runs, FreshBooks might be perfect for you! It also keeps your inventory up to date as well.

Zoho Books

If you already using the Zoho platform for your CRM, mail, and/or expenses, adding Zoho Books could be the accounting software solution for you. All of Zoho’s products integrate nicely with each other, giving you a true ecosystem for a relatively low investment.

Sage

Sage brings you competitive pricing, it is easy to learn and use and it also has an international presence. So this is a great platform for you to use if you have clients/customers all over the world.

24Stack

24Stack is a solution that offers more than accounting. It enables you to integrate numerous apps into one to handle all your business needs. In terms of accounting, you can raise invoices, making it easier to get paid. You can also take care of all your bills and expenses. You also have CRM, productivity tools (events, notes, and appointments), and streamlined operations for employees and recruitment from the same platform. There is a Free Forever price plan that allows for one user and one app. It’s an excellent place to get started. If you want unlimited users and apps, plus a secured workplace, it will cost you $99 per month.